Kahnawake: Decision-makers sign Oath of Office
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The two people who will act as Decision Makers for the Kahnawake Administrative Tribunal signed their respective Oaths of Office last Thursday, thereby kicking off their five-year terms. Brandon Montour and Aubrey Charette both signed their Oath of Office, confirming their appointment by a Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Executive Directive on February 3, which is part of the ongoing implementation of the Kahnawake Justice Act, the MCK said The Administrative Tribunal is a cornerstone of the Justice Act, and it reviews and corrects administrative decisions, offering a more flexible and user-friendly alternative to traditional courts. Montour is a McGill University Faculty of Law graduate and holds multiple degrees. He is currently pursuing his doctorate at the University of Toronto’s faculty of law....
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Quebec First Nation trials new anti-bullying technique
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer A small Mohawk community near Montreal is taking steps to address youth violence by implementing an internationally recognized anti-bullying program, supported by federal funding. The program will roll out over the next few years in Kanesatake with a goal of giving youth the tools to reclaim their identity and social responsibility. Bullying in Indigenous communities is a serious issue, especially in schools. Almost a third of First Nations youth across the country have experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying. But it’s just one of many challenges facing local youth in Kanesatake. Jeremy Teiawenniserate Tomlinson, executive director of the Kanesatake Health Center, said in addition to physical violence, emotional and psychological violence is prevalent in schools. The community is also dealing with...
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Iroquois Caucus signs trade protocol agreement
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake announced late last week that it was one of the signees of a new nation-to-nation trade protocol agreement between the member communities of the Iroquois Caucus. The agreement seeks to revitalize traditional trade relationships and promote cooperation based on shared values of peace, power, and a good mind, the MCK said. The agreement was signed at the Iroquois Caucus General Assembly last week in Akwesasne. The agreement was signed by representatives from all six participating councils: the MCK, the Six Nations Elected Council, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, the Mohawk Council of Kanehstake, the Mohawk Council of Tyendinaga and the Oneida Council. “Together, they represent over 75,000 people and include three of the most populous Haudenosaunee territories...
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Memorial University names new president as school faces ‘horrible’ morale
-CP-Officials at Newfoundland and Labrador’s only university named a new president Wednesday, two years after the school’s former head was removed amid questions about her claims of Indigenous heritage. Janet Morrison is currently the president and vice-chancellor of Ontario’s Sheridan College, and will begin her new role at Memorial University in St. John’s in August. The university is grappling with crumbling infrastructure, financial shortfalls and low morale, but Morrison vowed to tackle the problems by building trust and community among the administration, students and staff. “Being the only university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador … really offers this unique opportunity for students, for faculty and staff to cultivate shared purpose,” she told reporters during a press conference in St. John’s. “There are challenges, there are absolutely challenges, I...
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Turtle Island News celebrates 27 years of Earth Day!
Turtle Island News annual Earth Day tree give away a tree…ific success! Photos Jim C. Powless There were hazelnut trees, sugar maples, apple trees and lots and lots of smiles as Six Nations turned out in droves to mark Turtle Island News’ 27th annual Earth Day tree-give away! The annual Earth Day event turned Turtle Island News’ parking lot into a forest with both fruit trees and of course what has become an Earth Day staple hundreds of white pines and cedars! A smiling Karen Russell dropped by Turtle Island News armed with a big smile. “They gave me a cedar tree,” she said. “I think it is wonderful. It could not be better. They are very giving, helpful and informative. If you have questions, they have all the answers.”...
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Is Six Nations going to pot? Cannabis farming increases, causing disruptions
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations Police are investigating the deaths of two men found in a trailer on Third Line last week sparking concerns over the increasing numbers of migrant workers in the community. Six Nations Police Chief Darren Montour said police were investigating the deaths, but the deaths were not considered suspicious. “We are investigating the deaths of two people found in a trailer. The deaths are not suspicious. The cause of death was determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning,” he said. He said they were still trying to confirm identities of the deceased at press time. The two were found by the owner of a tobacco farm the trailer was on. The owner was not aware the two were in the trailer or when they arrived, police...
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Six Nations Elected Council looking at bylaw to stop illegal dumping
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is encouraging community members to report and even photograph cases of illegal dumping in the community. The move comes after increasing complaints and concerns over dump trucks, sometimes even lining up along roadways, to dump their contents on band member’s property. Community member Laurel Curley told the councilors at its April 22 meeting she has been so concerned over illegal dumping she organized a community meeting to discuss the issues. She said about 50 people turned out to the session to raise concerns about contamination and environmental issues. connected with the growing problem. “When you drive down roads it’s just heartbreaking to see what our land looks like,” she said. “This is a really huge issue… Dump trucks coming and blocking my lane way, that’s...
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Six Nations Elected Council says it’s making progress
Six Nations Elected Chief and Councillors updated the community on progress in many areas including relationship building, bylaws and policies. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) provided chief and council updates at the General Council meeting on April 22 including members living in the United States, class actions and committees, the 46th Annual Pow Wow as well as new bylaws and land set aside policies. Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill began the meeting by acknowledging her absence the previous Tuesday due to illness. She reported on a bi-council meeting held on April 16 with County of Brant Mayor David Bailey and officials at the Chiefswood Upper Pavilion. The purpose of the Bi-council meeting is to build stronger relationships and explore collaborative efforts. “The goal of the meeting is building allies and better...
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Hot Docs festival includes film focusing on Six Nations member
By Sam Laskaris Writer The advocacy work of a Six Nations member is featured in one of the films at this year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. The film titled Red Girl Rising tells the story that Six Nations’ Joyce Jonathan Crone is doing in Huntsville, the Muskoka town she has been living in for the past two decades. Crone is the president and founder of Hope Arises Project Inc., a charitable organization she helped launch after news of the remains of 215 children were discovered at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. in 2021. “We felt compelled to do something, to take action,” Crone said in Red Girl Rising. “So, we purchased orange ribbons and we decided to write the names of children...
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Brantford police raid illegal cannabis store twice, $185K in products seized
By Joshua Santos, Writer A Brantford cannabis store previously shut down by police was found operating again less than a week later, leading to a second raid, the arrest of a third suspect, and the seizure of more illegal products. Brantford Police Service said officers saw an illegal cannabis store reopen near Clarence Street and Colborne Street on April 16. A search warrant was executed, and about $47,000 in illegal cannabis was seized. A 50-year-old Brantford man was arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of selling under the Cannabis Act. The same location had previously been raided on April 10 following a community complaint, according to a police news release. Police said two Brantford men, aged 50 and 51, were arrested and charged with possession for the purpose...
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Let’s do lunch…!
There was a time when Six Nations of the Grand River were a force in Indigenous politics. Historically there is no question the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Council set the pace for Indigenous politics in a growing Canadian political landscape and continues to exert its influence despite all hurdles both violent and administrative that have been put in their way. One of those hurdles as the imposition of the elected band council system, an elected administrative body answerable to Canada and who’s existence depends on Canada. Of course, their role had largely, in early days, been administrative but has moved over the decades to a both a political and administrative oversight one. As an elected body the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) had become a vocal forced in elected council politics from...
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Canada’s Indigenous leaders on losing Pope Francis: ‘An ally and a friend’
By Nicole Thompson and Cassandra Szklarski Canadian Indigenous leaders bid farewell to “an ally and a friend” at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, lauding the pontiff for advancing reconciliation efforts with a historic apology for injustices that remain raw for many. Gov-Gen. Gen. Mary Simon and chiefs Wilton Littlechild, Phil Fontaine and Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak were among the thousands of dignitaries and Catholic faithful who filled St. Peter’s Square to honour Francis and his dedication to a myriad of issues, including concerns facing migrants, marginalized groups and the poor. Afterwards, the head of the Assembly of First Nations remembered Francis for apologizing during his visit to Canada in July 2022 for the Catholic Church’s role in widespread abuses at residential schools. “I stand with people around the world...
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Tavares-coached Bandits advance to National Lacrosse League semi-finals
By Sam Laskaris Writer Six Nations Chiefs’ head coach John Tavares will soon turn his thoughts to what he can do to help the local lacrosse squad in its quest to win a third consecutive Mann Cup championship. The Chiefs will commence their 2025 Major Series Lacrosse regular season on May 19 with a home contest at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena versus the Brampton Excelsiors. But before he can focus on the Chiefs’ campaign, however, Tavares has a more immediate matter to concentrate on – helping the Buffalo Bandits in their attempt to capture a third straight National Lacrosse League (NLL) title. Tavares also serves as the head coach of the Bandits, who received a bit of a scare this past Friday in their quarter-final match against the visiting San...
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Rivermen commence regular season with victory over host North Stars
By Sam Laskaris, Writer Thanks to a third-period outburst of seven goals, the Six Nations Rivermen were able to win their regular season opener on the road this past Saturday. The Rivermen, the local Senior B men’s team, defeated the host Owen Sound North Stars 11-9 in an Ontario Series Lacrosse contest. The Six Nations squad trailed 7-4 heading into the third period of Saturday’s match. But the Rivermen outscored Owen Sound 7-2 during the final 20 minutes of action to register the victory. “During the third period Owen Sound started to get gassed on their defensive end,” said Rivermen head coach Wayne Hill. “They’ve got a lot of veteran players, older players. They were overly aggressive defensively in the first and second. They just started to gas down. And...
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Junior B Rebels beat visiting Owen Sound squad in home opener
By Sam Laskaris Writer Things were not looking good early on for the Six Nations Rebels in their regular season opener this past Friday. Just past the six-minute mark of the opening period the Rebels, the local Junior B squad, found themselves trailing 3-0 against the visiting Owen Sound North Stars. And despite dressing 10 affiliated players for the contest, the Rebels were able to come back and post an 11-8 victory in the match staged at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). “It was a rocky start with a lot of first-timers playing in a Rebels’ uniform,” said Six Nations’ head coach Blue Hill, who himself is also in his first season with the local club. Despite his team’s slow start, Hill maintained his composure on the bench. “I didn’t...
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Ontario considering change to length of teachers’ college, documents suggest
By Allison Jones The Ontario government is considering shortening the length of teachers’ college in order to address a worsening shortage of educators, documents obtained by The Canadian Press suggest. A freedom-of-information request on teacher supply and demand came back with research and jurisdictional scans the Ministry of Education conducted last year on the supply issue and the length of initial teacher education programs. Highlighted in the summary of the document on teachers’ college are findings that longer programs do not make better teachers. “There is little evidence that the amount of course work in ITE (initial teacher education) makes a difference in teachers’ effectiveness when they enter the profession,” the document says. Real in-class experience, however, does appear to make a difference. “Literature research shows that teachers who complete...
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Decades of resistance highlighted in film about a diverted rive
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com When Stellat’en First Nation filmmaker Lyana Patrick was invited to become involved in a film project in British Columbia she jumped at the opportunity. That’s because the film’s focus was on the decades-long struggle by her own First Nation against the disruption of an important river. Patrick is days away now from the world premiere of the feature documentary she directed titled Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again. The film will be screened for the first time in Vancouver on May 3 at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival. The documentary chronicles the challenges that her Nation and neighbouring Saik’uz First Nation have endured since the Kenney Dam was built in the 1950s. Construction of the dam diverted 70 per cent...
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‘We’ll have full autonomy’: Six Nations development corporation building economic self-sufficiency without compromising traditional values
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator The midday sun streams through the window of Matt Jamieson’s Six Nations office. At his desk, he’s surrounded by Indigenous artwork and family photos. The roulette tables and slot machines that once fuelled him might as well be a million miles away — but he carries a piece of that past with him. Before he became CEO of Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC), Jamieson was climbing the corporate ladder, helping casino enterprises rake in profits. “It wasn’t until I was out that I actually … reflected on the things that I did and the damage that it caused. Because that industry doesn’t really create value — it diminishes value, right?” In 2009, he came home to...
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A town refuses to give up the school’s Native American mascot – and gets Trump’s support
By Philip Marcelo MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (AP) — As a high school hockey player, Adam Drexler wore his Massapequa Chiefs jersey with pride. But as the Chickasaw Nation member grew up and learned about his Indigenous roots, he came to see the school’s mascot — a stereotypical Native American man wearing a headdress — as problematic. Now his Long Island hometown has become the latest flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports: The Trump administration launched an investigation Friday into whether New York officials are discriminating against Massapequa by threatening to withhold funding. The town has refused to comply with a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. “There was no tribe east of the Mississippi that ever wore a headdress...
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