Israel says it will defend itself against genocide accusations at world court filed by South Africa
By Wafaa Shurafa Samy Magdy And Melanie Lidman THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)- An Israeli official says Israel will defend itself against genocide accusations filed by South Africa with the world court. Eylon Levy, an official in the Israeli prime minister’s office, on Tuesday accused South Africa of “giving political and legal cover” to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered Israel’s war against the militant group. “The state of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice at the Hague to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel,” Levy said. South Africa launched the case Friday at the U.N.’s top court, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and asking the court to order Israel to halt its attacks. Israel dismisses international cases against it as...
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OPP reminding public plan ahead for New Year’s Eve in “Not a Drop not a Drag” campaign
LONDON, ON – If you are planning on celebrating New Year’s Eve the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding anyone who consumes alcoholic beverages or cannabis on New Year’s Eve to “plan ahead and arrange for a safe ride home.” OPP will be conducting RIDE checkpoints into the New Year as part of the OPP’s Provincial Traffic Safety Program and are reminding the public that any amount of alcohol or drugs can impair your ability to drive. OPP said if you are stopped by the police and register a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in the “warn range” you could face an immediate driver’s licence suspension. If you are found to be over the legal limit you will face a 90-day driver’s licence suspension, a court appearance and your vehicle will...
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Province’s `present’ to Cat Lake not welcome
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter CAT LAKE FIRST NATION-An abrupt “Christmas present” shows where the Ontario government’s priorities are, says Chief Russell Wesley. On Dec. 22, the Friday before Christmas, Wesley received a letter from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to inform him and his remote First Nation northwest of Sioux Lookout that First Mining Gold Corporation has been granted a five-year permit for an overland winter road. Cat Lake has been saying to no avail for years that it needs year-round road access as climate change imperils the reliability and safety of ice road season, he noted . “The safety of our community members is of utmost importance to us, and it is disheartening to witness the prioritization of miner safety over the safety of...
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Councillor must apologize and pay $500 fine or resign, says P.E.I. minister
By Lyndsay Armstrong in Halifax. The Canadian Press MURRAY HARBOUR, P.E.I.- A village councillor in Prince Edward Island has until Sunday to pay a $500 fine and apologize for displaying a sign on his property denying the existence of residential school graves, or he will be forced to resign. P.E.I. Minister of Housing, Land and Communities Rob Lantz said in a statement Thursday that Murray Harbour Coun. John Robertson has until Dec. 31 to comply with the sanctions placed on him by council. Robertson did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. The councillor displayed a sign in October with the message, “Truth: mass grave hoax” and “Reconciliation: Redeem Sir John A.’s integrity,” ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In response to the sign, Robertson received...
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Gov. Gen. Mary Simon asks Canadians to commit to kindness in year end message
OTTAWA- Gov. Gen. Mary Simon is calling on Canadians to commit themselves to kindness in her annual year-end message. The Governor General says the year 2023 presented challenges brought on by climate change and global conflict. But she says Canada also took “important strides in reconciliation” and marked new chapters in history. Simon alternates between speaking English, her native Inuktitut and French, which she is still learning, in her address. She says people are adapting to change in different ways, including with kindness. And she says that over the past year, she honoured people who turned challenges into opportunities. Their stories should serve as an example of the “Inuktitut word ajuinnata,” she says, which means “never giving up.” It’s the same word Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended his address to...
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OPP remind communities garbage at Christmas can b e a criminal’s treasure trove
LONDON, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding residents of southwestern, Ontario to be careful before putting out their holiday garbage this year. OPP said thieves will be scanning garbage at the curbside to “quickly ascertain what you received on your Christmas wish list by simply driving by and looking at the gift boxes put out to the curb for garbage pickup.” As a result OPP said criminals easily gauge which house would make a great target based on the advertisement left out for them each year. Residents are reminded to take the following steps to help protect themselves from prospective criminals: It is best to take boxes from large ticket items directly to a recycling depot when possible. Shred all receipts and financial documents meant for the...
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First Nations Climate Initiative signs green shipping corridor agreement
By Seth Forward Local Journalism Initiative Reporter More than 11,000 kilometres away from Northwest B.C., the West Green Shipping Corridor agreement was signed on Dec. 6 by the First Nations Climate Initiative (FNCI), a group comprising Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla, Nisga’a and Haisla. The North Coast group attended the COP 28 (Conference of the Parties) conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Other signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) included Canada and the Port of Prince Rupert, along with ports in the UAE, South Korea and Japan. The FNCI says it would like to see the Port of Prince Rupert become a pioneer in decarbonizing its operations. The MOU was drafted by Transport Canada, who committed $165.4 million to the initiative, which identified global shipping as a key contributor to climate change,...
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`Let’s make the change’: Mary Simon reflects on historic term so far
By Madalyn Howitt Local Journalism Initiative Reporter When Gov. Gen. Mary Simon was a student growing up in Nunavik in the 1950s, Indigenous Peoples’ history was not something she learned about in school. “I can remember learning the history of the country up in the Arctic. There was nothing about Indigenous people,” she said. “I didn’t even know there were all these Indigenous people across the country until I was a grown woman.” Decades later, as the first Indigenous person to become Governor General of Canada, Simon finds herself uniquely positioned to ensure future generations of Canadians learn the history and stories of people like her. “I’m not political, but I can do a lot” as Governor General, she said. Born in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Simon has worked as a teacher and...
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Why flights between Newfoundland and Europe have Labrador Inuit shaking their heads
By Sarah Smellie THE CANADIAN PRESS St. JOHN’S, N.L-Two Inuit leaders in Labrador are calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to chip in for flights to their fly-in communities as the province becomes the latest to support leisure travel to and from international destinations. Johannes Lampe, president of the Inuit Nunatsiavut government, and Barry Andersen, the AngajukKak, or mayor of Makkovik, N.L., say the staggering cost of flights to their communities make the cost of groceries and essential goods out of reach for many. In Nain, where Lampe lives, a pound of butter at the local store was nearly $10 in May; a two-litre jug of whole milk cost $9.50; a litre of coffee cream was $12.89; and a large pack of laundry detergent pods cost nearly $90. If...
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Ottawa agrees climate adaptation saves money, but experts ask: where’s the funding?
By Brenna Owen THE CANADIAN PRESS Canada’s first-ever climate adaptation strategy was little more than six weeks old when fast-moving wildfires swept through communities in British Columbia’s southern Interior, forcing thousands to flee and destroying hundreds of homes. It was part of Canada’s record-breaking summer of fire _ more than 19,000 Yellowknife residents were ordered to escape a threatening blaze, fire ripped into suburban Halifax and smoke from fires in Quebec blanketed New York City and Washington, D.C. Some 200,000 people were evacuated from their homes across Canada. There was also flooding in Nova Scotia that killed four people. The disastrous events provided a taste of the worsening impacts of climate change, and recovering from such events costs many times more than adaptation, says the federal government. Supporters of the preventive...
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Palestinians stream into a southern Gaza town as Israel expands its offensive in the center
By Najib Jobain And Samy Magdy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)- Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into an already crowded town at the southernmost end of Gaza in recent days, according to the United Nations, fleeing Israel’s bombardment of the center of the strip, where hospital officials said dozens were killed Friday. Israel’s unprecedented air and ground offensive against Hamas has displaced some 85% of the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million residents, sending swells of people seeking shelter in Israeli-designated safe areas that the military has nevertheless also bombed. That has left Palestinians with a harrowing sense that nowhere is safe in the tiny enclave. People arrived in Rafah in trucks, in carts and on foot. Those who haven’t found space in the already overwhelmed shelters have built...
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Kinew eyes relocating rail lines in Winnipeg, but not opening Portage and Main
By Steve Lambert THE CANADIAN PRESS WINNIPEG- It’s been talked about for generations, and could cost more than $1 billion, but the idea of relocating the rail lines that criss-cross and divide Winnipeg is up for discussion again. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says he wants to look at whether the project could be done incrementally. “This is something that’s a hugely expensive potential proposition. But maybe if we look at it in a decades-long timeline … rather than a next-year timeline, then maybe it is realistic,” Kinew said in a year-end interview. Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said he wants the idea explored, and has recently discussed it with Kinew and federal cabinet minister Dan Vandal. Any changes would also involve the major railway companies. “I know it would be a huge...
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Is this local town becoming ‘the earthquake capital of Ontario’?
By Brian Williams Local Journalism Initiative Reporter For the second time in three months, an earthquake hit the Southwestern Ontario town of Corunna on Wednesday morning, and maybe residents are getting used to it, because some didn’t even notice. A government agency, Earthquakes Canada, reports that the relatively small 2.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded at 9:47 a.m. two kilometres southwest of the Sarnia-area community of 6,000. But beyond a loud noise, there didn’t appear to be much to the seismic activity. “I kind of heard a noise this morning, but I didn’t really feel anything shake,” said Mayor Jeff Agar of St. Clair Township, which includes Corunna. “It just sounded like far-off thunder to me.” That was far different than the 2.5-magnitude quake that hit the town on Oct. 19, which...
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`The connection to the animals is part of us’; ArcticNet panel examines food and water insecurity
By Kira Wronska Dorward Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The first panel of the ArcticNet scientific conference in on Dec.5 was a general examination of what now constitutes “a healthy Arctic” in this world of changing climates and fraying ecosystems. Specifically, “food and water insecurities have emerged as a topic of significant concern,” according to the ArcticNet website panel description. Traditionally, Indigenous communities living in the Arctic have relied on subsistence hunting for food, however, access to traditional and country food sources is now under threat. A dominant theme that emerged in this conference is the innate understanding Inuit peoples have always had when it comes to their relationship with the Arctic landscape. The Inuit word qaujimajatuqangit refers to the local or traditional knowledge that has always been practised in the...
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High levels of carbon monoxide, mould found in homes on Ontario reserves: study
By Kelly Geraldine Malone THE CANADIAN PRESS A study has found air inside homes on four remote First Nations in northwestern Ontario contained carbon monoxide, fine particles, mould and other substances that increase the risk of respiratory infections. The report’s author, David Miller, a distinguished research professor at Carleton University, says there are ways to improve ventilation. “This is an opportunity not a black hole,” said Miller. The study published last month tested the air in 101 homes on Lac Seul First Nation, Kasabonika Lake First Nation, Sandy Lake First Nation and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation. Three of the communities aren’t accessible by road except during a short time in winter. About 27 per cent of the homes had elevated levels of carbon monoxide. Almost half had visible mould. “Ten...
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The first Inuit Senator, and Cree lawyer among 78 named to Order of Canada
By Anja Karadeglija THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-Willie Adams, the first Inuit senator is among the list of new officers of the Order of Canada announced by the office of the Governor General along with lawyer and Cree Chief Adams, an Inuk, Liberal senator, businessman, electrician was born in 1934 in Kuujjuaq (formerly Fort Chimo)in Nunavik, Quebec. As the first Inuit senator, he fought for greater federal government support for the Inuit in education, health care, infrastructure, land claims, fishery allocations and affordable food, housing and fuel. He was also actively involved in the creation of Nunavut and supported Inuit language rights, art and culture, and traditional hunting methods such as sealing. The list also includes a promotion for Willie Littlechild a lawyer and Cree chief who was Grand Chief of...
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Haldimand County OPP issue warning after extortion attempt when explicit photos shared online
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Haldimand County Detachment is warning the public to be careful when sharing images and videos over the internet after a Haldimand County resident was threatened with extortion Dec 23rd. OPP said they were contacted December 23, 2023, by a Haldimand County resident who was reporting an extortion attempt by an individual the person met on line. OPP said the resident met an unknown individual online and both began to correspond online including the resident sharing explicit photos with the unknown individual. OPP said the victim was then contacted by the same person who had downloaded the photos and demanded money, or threatened they would share the photographs with the victim’s contacts on social media. The victim did not forward any funds...
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Nó:yah, No:ia, Happy New Year
Nó:yah, No:ia, Happy New Year from all of us at Turtle Island News...
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MTO presence at Six Nations raises community concern
By Lynda Powless Editor A political misstep that could have come close to a confrontation Tuesday ( Dec.,19,2023) was averted after the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) notified the Six Nations Police (SNP) they were outside their jurisdiction bringing the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to Six Nations without HCCC approval. SNP invited the MTO to conduct vehicle checks over two days on large trucks passing through Six Nations last week. But they did it without the approval of either the HCCC or Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC). The inspections quickly closed down Monday after the HCCC issued a notice warning SNP they were outside their jurisdiction. Turtle Island News received calls from community members of trucks being pulled over and inspected including opening the doors to look inside. Mohawk Chief...
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Six Nations housing units increase with completion of Onondaga 1
By Lisa Iesse Writer Housing is increasing at Six Nations. Six Nations newest affordable housing complex Onondaga 1 on Harold Street is now complete, with Onondaga 2 due in spring and Onondaga 3 on the way! On Tuesday (Dec. 19) Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill, members of the Elected Council, and the Six Nations Housing team gathered with Habitat for Humanity to mark the special occasion. Lily-Anne Mt. Pleasant, senior manager of Six Nations Housing, addressed the gathering who had made their way to Six Nations community hall to celebrate. “It’s been a long time coming,” Mt. Pleasant told the crowd, but this is just the beginning, she emphasised. It is the first affordable housing project Six Nations has seen for awhile. The project actually began in 2013 but faced funding...
