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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Changing Trails: Nunatsiavummiut losing traditional routes as climate change wreaks havoc in Labrador
By Heidi Atter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent A brook has opened up near Rigolet. There is thin ice near Postville. An early snowfall slowed ice growth near Nain. Traditional snowmobile routes aren’t safe near Makkovik. Throughout Nunatsiavut, a warming and less predictable climate is changing ice patterns Inuit have used for centuries. Glen Sheppard, a former AngajukKak of Postville, is worried it’s just a matter of time before someone goes through the ice on their snowmobile/ski-doo. “We’re facing huge, huge changes,” he says. Sheppard serves on Postville’s volunteer Search and Rescue team. He recently travelled out of the community to cut firewood, something many Inuit rely on for heat in the winter months, when he found “slob” ice—when ice softens and turns to slush—and even open water. “It’s...
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Feds earmark $1.55 billion to ensure equal services for First Nations kids
By Alessia Passafiume Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty is expected to announce $1.55 billion in federal funding today to support Jordan’s Principle, a legal principle that states First Nations children must have equal access to social and health services. MPs unanimously passed a motion in 2007 committing the government to ensuring First Nations children get necessary services without delays caused by jurisdictional squabbles between governments. The funding, which will last until 2027, comes as Gull-Masty faces criticism for not repealing an operational bulletin released last year that limited the scope of services covered by Jordan’s Principle. Child welfare advocate Cindy Blackstock says she wants Gull-Masty to walk back those changes and explain what she’ll do if the funding runs out before year’s end. Citing a backlog of some 130,000 Jordan’s...
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Montreal metro constable charged with armed assault against Indigenous person
A special constable working in Montreal’s metro system is facing assault charges against an Indigenous person. Quebec’s police watchdog says the 39-year-old constable has been charged with armed assault and assault, with the case returning to court in May. Charging documents filed in Quebec court say the alleged offences occurred in the Berri-UQAM metro station on Jan. 13, 2025. The alleged victim was a member of the Cree Nation and was not badly injured. The watchdog — Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes — is mandated to investigate criminal allegations targeting police officers, including all cases where the alleged victim or complainant is Indigenous. In 2021 inspectors with the transit agency became special constables — the status of peace officer subject to Quebec’s Police Act. This report by The Canadian Press was...
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Brantford Police Make Arrest in two decade old Baby Parker Investigation
BRANTFORD,ONT- After 21-years the Brantford Police Service (BPS) have arrested and charged a woman in the death of Baby Parker. A 39-year-old woman, who was from Brantford at the tme of the incident, is a facing a series of charges The charges come after a citizen discovered the deceased body of a full-term newborn baby boy July 28, 2005, in the area of the walking trails near Dufferin Avenue and Parkside Drive in Brantford. BPS launched an extensive investigation into the identity of the unknown infant who became known as Baby Parker. Until now, neither the child’s mother nor father had been identified. Police have been able to identify the mother of Baby Parker with the assistance of the Toronto Police Service, and the use of new DNA technologies and...
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Judge says he will order Greenpeace to pay an expected $345 million in oil pipeline protest case
By Jack Dura BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge has said he will order Greenpeace to pay damages expected to total $345 million in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline from nearly a decade ago, a figure the environmental group contends it cannot pay. In court papers filed Tuesday, Judge James Gion said he would sign an order requiring several Greenpeace entities to pay the judgment to pipeline company Energy Transfer. He set that amount at $345 million last year in a decision that reduced a jury’s damages by about half, but his latest filing didn’t specify a final amount. The long-awaited order is expected to launch an appeal process in the North Dakota Supreme Court from both sides. Last year, a nine-person jury found...
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Overcrowded housing in First Nations ‘nothing new’: Regional Chief
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — Ontario First Nations leaders continue to push for resources to improve housing. That’s according to Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict, who helped open the 23rd edition of the First Nations Housing Conference on Tuesday. “Before the tariff war that has impacted … the economy in different ways, the Government of Canada was grappling with a housing shortage,” he said. “And, sadly, for many of our communities, the housing shortage, inadequate housing, overcrowded housing is nothing new.” “We’ve had a crisis in our communities for a very long time.” The conference brings together community leaders, housing managers, government funding agencies, builders and maintenance people, industry representatives and more to work to improve housing in First Nations through an Indigenous-led lens....
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Feds decide against impact assessment on Ring of Fire mine
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com NESKANTAGA — The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has decided not to conduct an assessment of the Eagle’s Nest mine project in the Ring of Fire, and at least one First Nation chief in the region is unhappy with the decision. A thorough impact assessment must be done because Eagle’s Nest “is not an overnight project, it’s pretty much a lifetime project,” Neskantaga Chief Gary Quisess said Wednesday. Quisess said an impact assessment for the proposed mega-mine “should be done properly — you know, it should not be rushed.” “The Ring of Fire is a very historical area,” he added. “That’s our culture, our ancestors, where we survived from.” Quisess said he was too busy dealing with a recent death in...
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Mi’kmaq treaty rights organization Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn gets new director
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post The long-time executive director of the Mi’kmaq treaty advocacy group known as Kwilmu’kw Maw‑klusuaqn (KMK), Janice Maloney, is stepping down and taking on a new position after 20 years. She is being followed in the position by Mi’kmaq rights advocate Nathan W. Sack of Sipekne’katik. The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs (Assembly) made the announcement this week. Janice Maloney served as executive director for 21 years. She is moving on to a new role as senior strategic negotiator for KMK and the Made-In-Nova Scotia Process. The Made-in-Nova Scotia Process is the forum for Mi’kmaq, Nova Scotia and Canada to resolve issues related to Mi’kmaq treaty rights and Aboriginal rights, including Aboriginal title and Mi’kmaq governance. The process involves the...
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