Nunavut Civil Forfeiture Office collected $50,100 in four years
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The Civil Forfeiture Office, responsible for seizing property obtained through crimes or used illegally, has collected $50,100 over four years, according to the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Justice. Just two criminal cases have resulted in civil forfeiture since the office opened in 2021, with $13,100 being seized in 2022-23 through one court case and $37,000 from another case in 2023-24. A third civil forfeiture order is currently before the courts, and it also involves cash. Since its inception, the Civil Forfeiture Office has racked up $328,341 in expenses, almost entirely for its lone employee. “The forfeiture program is not intended to generate revenue; its primary purpose is to deter illegal activity by targeting the profits of unlawful operations, such...
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Police thwart attempt to defraud B.C. First Nation of $406,000 intended for project
Police in British Columbia say they have prevented a fraud scheme targeting a First Nation on northern Vancouver Island that had redirected more than $400,000 to a fake bank account. Alert Bay RCMP say the case was first reported by the Namgis First Nation on May 13, where $406,000 meant for contractors in the construction of a new wellness and treatment centre was redirected by a fraudulent email to the fake account. Police say co-ordination with authorities in Eastern Canada resulted in a freeze placed on a bank account allegedly operated by an organized crime group. Officers from Alert Bay then led the execution of a search warrant on a home in Aurora, Ont., where they uncovered suspected counterfeit currency, forged documents, electronic devices and other items linked to organized...
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After Indigenous teen’s stabbing, his family says the system failed to stop his bullying
By Amy Romer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Content warning: This story details violence against an Indigenous Youth whom IndigiNews is identifying as ‘Kai,’ a pseudonym, for his safety. Please look after your spirit and read with care. Kai had walked Fifth Street, “Courtenay, B.C.’s” main downtown stretch, many times before. It’s a simple route from the LINC Youth Centre to the 16-year-old’s home. But on a warm September evening this year, as he approached the local donut shop, a fellow teen from school he’d known for years stepped toward him — carrying a knife. Through his many experiences of bullying, Kai had needed medical attention before, including a suspected concussion and black eyes. But never because of the use of a weapon. Kai was stabbed just below his left...
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Ottawa, First Nations presenting plans to reform child welfare system
By Catherine Morrison Ottawa and First Nations are presenting the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal with competing plans to reform the First Nations child welfare system today — the latest step in a lengthy fight that has stretched nearly 20 years. The August tribunal order that mandated the proposals came nine years after it concluded that the federal government had discriminated against First Nations children by underfunding the on-reserve child welfare system. That followed a joint 2007 human rights complaint filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. Progress on a child welfare agreement to reform the system stalled in 2024 when First Nations twice rejected a $47.8-billion deal they said did not go far enough to protect kids. Ottawa called a halt...
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Kraken’s Brandon Montour placed on injured reserve, expected to miss 4 weeks following hand surgery
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour was placed on injured reserve Monday and will be out for at least four weeks after having hand surgery, the Kraken announced. The 31-year-old Montour had missed the last two games after departing early from a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche last Tuesday. He is expected to be out of action until mid-to-late January. In 27 games this season, Montour has six goals and 10 assists with a minus-4 rating. The Kraken are tied for last in the Western Conference and have lost 10 of 12 games....
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Police end Thunder Bay landfill search after no new evidence found in woman’s death
Police in Thunder Bay, Ont., say they have ended a two-month search at a landfill after finding no new evidence in their investigation into the death of an Indigenous woman last year. Deborah Anishinabie, 42, was reported missing in early December 2024 and confirmed to be dead later that month. A 24-year-old suspect was arrested in the case and charged with second-degree murder and indignity to a human body. In September, police announced plans to search the Thunder Bay Solid Waste and Recycling Facility with help from Ontario Provincial Police and the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service. Police said at the time that their work would include a search for partial human remains. Police say the landfill investigation followed searches of areas on the south side of the city that were conducted...
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Proposed new northern Alberta riding could have increased Indigenous representation
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News A proposed new northern Alberta provincial riding encompassing 18 Indigenous communities could help spur Indigenous participation in provincial politics, says the chief of Tallcree First Nation. The new riding, Mackenzie, was proposed in the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) October 2025 interim report. With a proposed population of 39,072, it would be the province’s largest riding geographically but the smallest by population. The proposed boundaries were selected, according to the commission report, “with particular view to the desirability of an electoral division having a high Indigenous population.” Mackenzie would effectively replace the existing riding of Lesser Slave Lake, with the municipal district of Lesser Slave River, including the Town of Slave Lake, moved to a reconfigured Slave Lake-Westlock-Athabasca riding and...
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B.C. First Nations cautions premier against changing UN law for Indigenous rights
First Nations leaders in British Columbia have issued a joint statement criticizing calls to amend the provincial Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in response to a recent court ruling. The statement is endorsed by about 30 First Nations in B.C. and says recent talks of changing legislation are a “fear-based response” from opponents of the ruling “that reaffirm the crucial need to consult and negotiate” with Indigenous communities on mining rights. It calls for British Columbians to “slow down, take stock, and reflect” on the path forward, noting that resorting to “fear-based reactions” risk undoing hard-won progress on reconciliation. The statement says changing the legislation would “grind projects to a halt” as First Nations may be forced to defend their rights through the courts. The statement comes...
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Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke establishes restricted airspace over community
Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke- The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) has made history by establishing a restricted airspace over the community in a move aimed at supporting both emergency response operations and the jurisdictional authority of the Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke in the skies over its territory. The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) approved the move at its Monday, December 15, 2025, council meeting sayng it was needed to ensure the safe and regulated use of advanced technology for community protection. At the same time the Kahnawake Peacekeepers are partnering with Drone 360 to launch Canada’s first Drone First Responder (DFR) Proof of Concept program. Drone 360, will provide emergency-response drone technology and other resources. “The program will operate exclusively within the newly designated restricted airspace, ensuring compliance with safety standards...
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Security guards who left Saskatchewan man in cold barred from working at hospital
The Saskatchewan Health Authority says security guards who left a man outside the Prince Albert hospital in the freezing cold have been banned from working at its facilities. The authority said Friday it reviewed the case and determined the actions of the security officers didn’t meet standards of care. The guards were employed by a contractor. “The (Saskatchewan Health Authority) has confirmed with the provider that the officers involved are no longer permitted to work at Prince Albert Victoria Hospital or at any other SHA site or facility,” it said in a statement. Last week, video footage circulated online showing guards moving a man in a wheelchair outside the hospital in Saskatchewan’s third-largest city, north of Saskatoon. The video later shows the man lying with his face down in a...
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Snuneymuxw First Nation purchases the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam
A First Nation on Vancouver Island is all in on the casino business in B.C., announcing its fifth purchase in the province this year. The Snuneymuxw First Nation says it has an agreement to purchased the Coquitlam, B.C., venue owned by the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver. Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse says the acquisition of the new casino marks another step toward “economic self-determination” for the nation, strengthening their financial independence and restoring an economy that thrived for thousands of years. A statement from the nation says it’s honoured to expand its economic portfolio, with gratitude for efforts from generations of Snuneymuxw who helped make this purchase possible. Ian Simpson, CEO of Petroglyph Development Group, the nation’s economic branch, says the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver has long been an important driver...
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‘We all share the same goals’: Tŝilhqot’in and syilx foresters learn from each other
By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Separated by hundreds of kilometres and very different landscapes, Tŝilhqot’in and syilx territories in fact share similar forestry challenges. That’s what Indigenous-owned companies are discovering after a series of site visits between operators run by bands in both nations. Although the two forest ecosystems vary with geography, both communities are dealing with worsening wildfire and climate impacts — while also hoping to promote Indigenous-led forestry initiatives. “They’re both, in terms of ecosystems, quite distinct from one another,” said Percy Guichon, from the Tŝilhqot’in community of Tŝideldel First Nation. “But you know, we all share the same goals and a lot of the same values in terms of forestry practices.” Guichon is CEO of Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation (CCR), a nearly decade-old forestry company...
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South Dakota hotel owner found liable for discrimination against Native Americans
By Sarah Raza SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The owner of a South Dakota hotel who said Native Americans were banned from the establishment was found liable for discrimination against Native Americans on Friday. A federal jury decided the owner of the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City will pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to various plaintiffs who were denied service at the hotel. The jury awarded $1 to the NDN Collective, the Indigenous advocacy group that filed the lawsuit. The group brought the class-action civil rights lawsuit against Retsel Corporation, the company that owns the hotel, in 2022. The case was delayed when the company filed for bankruptcy in September 2024. The head of the company, Connie Uhre, passed away this September. “This was never about...
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Hundreds of public servants to learn about job cuts in the new year
By Catherine Morrison Federal public servants are expected to learn about job cuts in their departments when they return from their holiday break. Departments such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Environment and Climate Change and Employment and Social Development have told their staff already that news on job cuts will be shared in the new year. Ottawa is looking to cut program spending and administration costs by about $60 billion over the next five years through its “comprehensive expenditure review.” The latest federal budget said the exercise will involve “restructuring operations and consolidating internal services.” It said it also will deploy workforce adjustments and attrition to return the size of the public service to “a more sustainable level.” Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a message to its employees...
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Fugitive wanted in the U.S. arrested at Neqotkuk
Man wanted in Connecticut on sex charges By Judy Cole, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, River Valley Sun A fugitive, wanted on criminal charges in the United States, has been arrested by the RCMP in Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation). Scott Scharr, an American citizen, appeared in custody at the Court of King’s Bench in Woodstock on Dec. 18 before Chief Justice Tracey Deware. He was arrested on a warrant issued under the federal Extradition Act. Jacqueline Palumbo, legal counsel for the Attorney General of Canada in Ottawa, was present for the court appearance via video. Palumbo told the court Scharr was wanted in the State of Connecticut on charges of invitation to sexual touching and possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material. Palumbo said the Attorney General would seek an...
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Alberta minister, new permanent chief health officer eye renewed collaboration
By Fakiha Baig Alberta’s primary care minister and its first permanent chief medical officer of health since the last one was fired say they’re looking forward to working together as the province enters a new era. Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange says she believes she can build a strong health system across Alberta with Dr. Vivien Suttorp, who has been the South Zone’s lead medical health officer for the past 17 years. “We’re entering into a new era and, as Dr. Vivien Suttorp has said, it’s an opportunity to really strengthen public health within our province,” LaGrange said Friday during a news conference about the respiratory virus season. Suttorp said she was swayed into applying for the position after seeing passion and leadership from public health workers...
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Trust of First Nations ‘fragile’ as B.C. government considers changes to UN law
The chief of a First Nation in the Great Bear Rainforest says B.C. Premier David Eby risks losing the trust of Indigenous people and could fuel racism if he changes the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Eby has said amendments may be necessary after a B.C. Appeal Court approved a challenge by a First Nation against B.C.’s mining tenure system that gives effect to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Chris McKnight, the chief councillor of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation, sent an open letter to Eby saying the declaration act is a proud symbol of reconciliation for his government and a beacon that says the status quo needs to change. McKnight says changing the act could set off racist narratives about Indigenous Peoples...
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Next step in Kahnawake’s renewables strategy
By Olivier Cadotte, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door Awendio Solaris, a United Kingdom-based solar energy startup, has announced its intention to develop a manufacturing facility and global research and development centre in Montreal East, partnering with Kahnawake and other First Nations to do so. The Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach and the Wendat Nation are joining the project along with Kahnawake as “investor-partners,” although Kahnawake is not making a monetary contribution to the project. Instead, they will be given “Class A Ordinary Shares,” the most common kind of share issued by companies. “We are a minority partner, which means, by holding these shares, we’re entitled to a portion of the profits. As the company increases in value, we will also receive that increase in value,” said Mohawk Council of...
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Feds fund clean energy push for isolated Inuit in Labrador
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer In remote Inuit communities along Labrador’s northern coast, Ottawa is pushing renewable projects forward where power is currently generated primarily by diesel. The federal government recently announced nearly $22 million for clean energy projects in Labrador. The largest share is for a wind-and-battery system in Nain, a fly-in Inuit community of about 1,200 people at the northernmost end of Nunatsiavut. For their community, the funding represents a key milestone — one that turns a long-planned project into a buildable one, Jamie Hewlett, regional energy manager with the Nunatsiavut government, told Canada’s National Observer. “The project just doesn’t happen without that [federal] support,” Hewlett said. “The fact that we’re so far north — logistics alone make it hard to make a...
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Waterfall part of conservatory oasis
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal After almost two years of closure and undergoing a major revitalization, the Centennial Botanical Conservatory will reopen to the public this weekend for a glimpse of the modernized facility. “It’s the culmination of our dreams,” said Sharon Sidlar, chairwoman of Friends of the Conservatory. “It’s what we’ve been working at for so long. Just to see it open and to be able to go in there and take a look at what has happened is beyond our wildest belief.” Cory Halvorsen, the City of Thunder Bay’s manager of parks and open spaces, explained how the work was completed in the first two phases, with the final outdoor third phase beginning this summer. “When we closed for this phase in February 2024,...
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