Critical minerals in focus as major Toronto mining conference underway
By Ian Bickis The push to accelerate critical minerals development is a key focus at one of the world’s biggest mining conferences in Toronto this week. The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference, which says it attracts over 27,000 attendees, comes as the push accelerates for countries to secure supplies of key metals like copper, nickel and lithium amid rising global trade tensions. “The industry faces real challenges, serious ones, geopolitical risk. The world is more fragmented than it has been in decades,” Don Lindsay, former CEO of Teck Resources Ltd., said in a keynote speech Monday. “We’re seeing supply chain vulnerability, we’re seeing countries trying to secure critical minerals for themselves. We’re exposed to geopolitical risk like we’ve never been before.” The trends have led politicians to get...
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Alberta Premier Smith hopes failing recall petitions a sign people feel heard
By Jack Farrell Premier Danielle Smith says she hopes failing recall petitions against members of her caucus mean Albertans are feeling heard. Two dozen recall petitions were launched late last year against United Conservative Party legislature members, but so far none have been successful. At least half were confirmed to be unsuccessful as of last week. Most of the petitions were started after Smith’s government used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to end a provincewide teachers strike last fall. Smith said Monday she knew the move created “a lot of concern,” but said she believes the results illustrate that concern has subsided. “We made a choice and it is the right of citizens to be able to gather and tell us that they disagree with that,” the premier told reporters in...
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What you need to know about new legislation that could expand First Nations status
By Alessia Passafiume All four opposition parties in the House of Commons are backing legislation to change status rules in the Indian Act to end what is known as the second-generation cutoff. But the Liberals say while they support changes to registration eligibility, more consultations with First Nations are needed before the law is amended. The bill passed second reading in the House of Commons last week and will now go to the House of Commons Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee for further study. First Nations status is a highly complex and personal topic, and changes to the rules on who can claim status will have ripple effects throughout both First Nations communities and individual families with mixed legal standing under the Indian Act. First Nations status under the Indian...
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Brantford Police Nab Driver After Fleeing Scene…Twice
By Alex Murray Writer BRANTFORD, ONT- It may have started out as a seemingly routine traffic stop in Brantford Sunday, March 1, but it quickly escalated when the driver fled the scene, crashed in to a hydro pole and fled again, this time on foot, before being arrested. Brantford Police Service (BPS) said at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, a patrolman pulled a driver over for a traffic stop believing the individual was wanted on outstanding warrants. The woman did stop for the officer initially, but she quickly thought better of it and fled the scene. The BPS did not pursue the vehicle “in the interest of public safety” police said. BPS later found the vehicle had crashed into a hydro pole. The driver fled that scene, this time on foot....
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Membertou’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ feeds people so her heart doesn’t break
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post A woman who says her heart breaks when she thinks of people being hungry has been named the 2026 Citizen of the Year for Membertou First Nation. For over a year, Skye Marie Christmas has been feeding people who – for a variety of reasons – aren’t able to get enough healthy food. And it all started when she began to share her own supper with people she knew would appreciate a meal. The mother of three says she began making a little extra food when she cooked the family meal and giving it away to people she thought might need it. She began to realize that there are a lot more people in her community who could use a...
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Screen all kids between 2 and 10 for high cholesterol, pediatric society recommends
By Nicole Ireland The Canadian Paediatric Society is recommending cholesterol screening for all kids between two and 10 years old. The position statement released Friday says atherosclerosis — or plaque buildup in the arteries, including cholesterol — starts in childhood and is a key driver of heart disease and stroke. Lead author and pediatric cardiologist Dr. Michael Khoury says about one in 300 people have high cholesterol caused by a genetic condition passed down through families. He says universal screening with a blood test will allow doctors to identify the condition early and begin treatment, including diet and physical activity. Khoury says those lifestyle changes aren’t enough for many kids with severely high cholesterol and treatment with medications can begin at age eight. He says treating the condition in childhood...
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Nunavut community should declare state of emergency, visiting mechanic advises
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Two of three water delivery trucks in Gjoa Haven have broken down along with a snow plow truck and a bulldozer crucial to keeping an access road to the water treatment facility open as of Feb. 22. The deteriorating state of the hamlet’s fleet comes over a month into a boil water advisory, issued on Jan. 16, caused by a burst pipe connecting a nearby lake to the water treatment facility. Hamlet officials should have reached out for help from the federal government, according to Shaun Cummins, the manager of infrastructure in Kugluktuk, who was assisting in Gjoa Haven for two weeks. Cummins is a red-seal heavy equipment mechanic and has worked in Kugluktuk for eight years as a foreman,...
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First Nation chiefs say Nova Scotia budget cuts appear targeted at Mi’kmaw programs
By Devin Stevens A group representing the majority of First Nations chiefs in Nova Scotia says the provincial government’s budget cuts appear to be targeting Mi’kmaw-specific programs. Maw-lukutijik Saqmaq, also known as the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, said in a statement Friday that the Progressive Conservative government has cut many programs created to address historic — and persistent — systemic inequalities. The assembly is calling for a government-to-government meeting with Premier Tim Houston. “The Nova Scotia government’s decisions will have drastic impacts on this province,” Eskasoni First Nation Chief Leroy Denny, co-chair of the assembly, said in the statement. “Programs and organizations that, for years, the province and the Mi’kmaq have been partners on, this government decided to claw back or push away from. This is incredibly disappointing.”...
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Mould, asbestos, keep thousands out of Manitoba First Nation after outage
By Brittany Hobson The leader of a First Nation in northern Manitoba that has been dealing with severe water damage, forcing many to leave, says 2,000 people remain displaced due to unhabitable homes. David Monias, chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, said mould and exposed asbestos from burst frozen pipes have made hundreds of homes unsafe. More than half the community has been able to return home in the two months since the First Nation 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg suffered a days-long power outage at the end of last year. It led to frozen water systems, sewer backups, electrical issues and burst pipes. Monias said the ones who remain out include members with health issues, elders and families with young children. “You can’t have them return to a situation where...
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N.S. premier will not waive confidentiality so former minister can talk police probes
By Lyndsay Armstrong The premier of Nova Scotia says he won’t allow his former justice minister to reveal cabinet secrets, after she pressed his government about whether there was political interference with the police. Premier Tim Houston heckled former justice minister Becky Druhan in the legislature during question period on Wednesday after she asked if he or someone working on his behalf had ever sought to influence or direct a police investigation or incident response. Although she addressed the question to Justice Minister Scott Armstrong, multiple people present said the premier could be heard heckling as Armstrong responded, saying “she should go out there and say it,” while pointing to the doors of the chamber. Parliamentary rules in Canada allow politicians to speak freely inside the chambers of legislatures, without...
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Wildlife group wants feds out of land management
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is trying to prevent the federal government from gaining control over land-management decisions in Manitoba due to concerns about public access, a senior adviser told the Sun on Friday. The federation put out a call to action on Thursday for the provincial government to create a “Made in Manitoba” solution to manage protected areas and parks in the province. Senior policy adviser Chris Heald said the goal is to keep land-management decisions local to Manitoba, where politicians are more accountable to the public. “If we don’t like the way they’re managing our park system or the protected areas, we have the ability, in four years, to elect a different government,” he said. “With the federal government, it’s...
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The Latest: Iranian-backed militias join fighting as conflict widens and intensifies
AP-Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, while Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran as the war expanded Monday with statements of defiance and increasing casualties. In the chaos, the U.S. military said that Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission. At least 555 people have been killed in Iran so far by the U.S.-Israeli campaign, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said, and more than 130 cities across the country have come under attack. In Israel, 11 people have been killed, with 31 in Lebanon, according to authorities. Iranian cleric Alireza Arafi, delivering his first public remarks since he was made a member of Iran’s temporary leadership council, said...
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War widens to include Iranian-backed militias as Israeli and American planes pound Iran
By Jon Gambrell, David Rising And Sally Abou Aljoud DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A witness says he saw smoke over a Kuwait neighborhood that home to the U.S. Embassy as Americans had been urged to stay away. Ayman Moawad, an Egyptian worker living near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, told The Associated Press that he saw smoke over the area on Monday. However, he didn’t know if it was specifically the embassy hit in an ongoing Iranian attack targeting the small Mideast nation. The U.S. earlier issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors. It said: “Do not come to the Embassy,” without elaborating. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and...
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AI renderings of Inuit Nunangat University circulating online not legitimate: National Inuit association
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Renderings of Inuit Nunangat University made via artificial intelligence (AI) are not based on any official plans made by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) for the campus in Arviat, the national Inuit organization has confirmed. ITK shared a rendering online of what the university might look like, but that is just a conceptual image. “It has not been determined what the university will look like,” said Sarah Newell, senior policy advisor for ITK. “ITK does not have any renderings that we are making available to media.” AI renderings on social media of the future Inuit Nunangat University have obvious misspellings, incorrect names and cartoon-like imagery. Facebook pages Canada Connections, Canada Daily Updates and Oxygen Canada News all shared AI renderings of...
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U.S.-Despite recent gains, tribal citizens descended from slaves face disparate treatment
By Savannah Peters And Graham Lee Brewer MCLOUD, Okla. (AP) — Tribal citizens whose ancestors were enslaved by citizens of several tribal nations in Oklahoma are starting to see more inclusive access to Native American health care, education and other social services, but barriers remain. Federal and tribal agencies have worked in recent years to clarify eligibility requirements and train on-the-ground staff, but a report released by the Government Accountability Office ahead of Black History Month shows there is more work to be done when it comes to the treatment of Freedmen descendants. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to lift the veil on what longtime activist Marilyn Vann called disparate treatment of the descendants. She pointed to high-profile cases in which people were denied vaccines and financial aid while the virus...
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With only 3 women left, an Amazon tribe faced extinction. An unexpected birth now brings hope
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa SAO PAULO (AP) — Pugapia and her daughters Aiga and Babawru lived for years as the only surviving members of the Akuntsu, an Indigenous people decimated by a government-backed push to develop parts of the Amazon rainforest. As they advanced in age without a child to carry on the line, many expected the Akuntsu to vanish when the women died. That changed in December, when Babawru — the youngest of the three, in her 40s — gave birth to a boy. Akyp’s arrival brought hope not just for the Akuntsu line but also for efforts to protect the equally fragile rainforest. “This child is not only a symbol of the resistance of the Akuntsu people, but also a source of hope for Indigenous peoples,” said Joenia...
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Funding secured for Black History Month feast in Kuujjuaq
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Kuujjuaq is getting its first Black History Month event. After weeks of planning and outreach, Jephthé Sylvestre has secured funding to host a community feast on Feb. 28, aimed at bringing Black, Inuit and other residents together through food and music. For the past 30 years in Canada, February has been designated as Black History Month. Makivvik along with two general stores, Newviq’vi and Co-op, are sponsoring the celebration. Notre Dame de Fatima, the Catholic church in Kuujjuaq, is opening its doors for the event. Sylvestre said there will be a wide range of cuisine from across the Black diaspora including ackee and fish, a national dish in Jamaica made from salt cod and ackee fruit. Haitian comfort food staples will...
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Poilievre calls for all-party working group on renewing trade deal with U.S.
By Sarah Ritchie Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre laid out his vision for the Canada-U.S. relationship on Thursday, directly denouncing U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Canada while insisting on a stable relationship with our southern neighbour. “The lesson in this moment is simple: the path to sovereignty is focusing relentlessly on what is within our power,” Poilievre said in a speech at the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto. Poilievre called for the creation of an all-party working group on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade as the two countries begin a review of the deal. He pledged to work with the Liberal government, while noting the Official Opposition has “a constitutional and patriotic duty to scrutinize the government.” The Conservative leader did find common ground with the Liberals on Thursday,...
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Brantford police investigating jewelry store robbery, seeking public’s help
BRANTFORD,ONT-The Brantford Police Service (BPS) is seeking the public’s help after a robbery hit a jewelry store Monday, February 23, 2026, at about 4:25 p.m.. BPS said four men, wearing masks, entered a jewelry store located inside the Lynden Park Mall, smashed glass display cabinets and stole a large quantity of jewelry. The suspects are described as follows: Suspect #1: Male, white, thin build, approximately 5’7” – 5’9” tall, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and black pants Suspect #2: Male, black, approximately 250 lbs., between 5’8” – 5’10” tall, wearing all black clothing Suspect #3 & 4: Male, black, approximately 5’7” – 5’9” tall, thin build, wearing all black clothing Employees and patrons were within the store at the time of the incident; however, no physical injuries were reported. Anyone...
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Olympic hockey fans slow court network as sexual assault trial gets underway
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen The men’s Olympic hockey quarterfinal in Milan, Italy briefly threatened to delay the start of a sexual assault and indecent assault trial in Williams Lake on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Irvine Francis Charleyboy, the 80-year-old former Alexis Creek Indian band chief, pleaded not guilty in BC Supreme Court to charges dating back to 1980. Last November, Charleyboy was acquitted of charges dating back to 1974. Before the trial began, Justice Kevin Loo agreed to allow a court-approved support worker to sit near a complainant while she testified behind a screen. As she made the application, Crown prosecutor Paola Konge remarked that her computer was “exceptionally slow” in accessing documents. “There’s unfortunate connectivity issues happening of late,” Konge said. Loo had the...
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