Eabametoong school opens, almost complete
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative EABEMET LAKE – Ten months after a fire destroyed the community’s school, Eabametoong First Nation has a new school up and running. A few things need to be added to truly complete the temporary new learning site, according to Chief Solomon Atlookan, but it is able to accommodate the remote community’s 300-plus children and youth in kindergarten through Grade 10. “We officially opened the new school on the 12th of November,” he said in a phone interview. “The only problem now is we do not have the cafeteria ready yet,” he added. “We’re still waiting for some of the furniture, fridges and stoves and all the things that the cafeteria needs.” Also, he said, “we don’t have a gymnasium. Of course, kids need a...
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Mamakwa’s Truth and Reconciliation bill voted down in legislature
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter KIIWETINOONG – Provincial legislators have decided next Sept. 30 will not be a statutory holiday for Ontario residents. A private member’s bill from Sol Mamakwa, the New Democrat representing the northern riding of Kiiwetinoong, was defeated by a 60-30 vote Monday at Queen’s Park. The bill would have made the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also called Orange Shirt Day, a stat holiday for all Ontarians and not just for those who work for the federal government and federally regulated employers. Mamakwa argued for setting aside Sept. 30 as a “day of reflection,” and he made history by stating his case for the bill in Anishininiimowin (Oji-Cree), his mother tongue. Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford, who represents the Kenora-Rainy River riding to...
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This whale species is so rare it’s never been seen alive. A dissection may decode its mysteries
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — It is the world’s rarest whale, with only seven of its kind ever spotted. Almost nothing is known about the enigmatic species. But on Monday a small group of scientists and cultural experts in New Zealand clustered around a near-perfectly preserved spade-toothed whale hoping to decode decades of mystery. “I can’t tell you how extraordinary it is,” said a joyful Anton van Helden, senior marine science adviser for New Zealand’s conservation agency, who gave the spade-toothed whale its name to distinguish it from other beaked species. “For me personally, it’s unbelievable.” Van Helden has studied beaked whales for 35 years, but Monday was the first time he has participated in a dissection of the spade-toothed variety. In fact, the careful study of the creature —...
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National chief stresses need for additional clean energy projects at conference
OTTAWA-First Nations across the country are doing their bit to advance clean energy. That was a message that was given by Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak during a speech she delivered at the Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) conference in Toronto. The conference, titled The Gathering, was held Nov. 27-29. Woodhouse Nepinak, who spoke on Nov. 28, said First Nations are involved in more than 200 significant clean energy projects across Canada. She also said there’s a need for every First Nation to get off diesel. Many of them are still reliant on diesel because of the lack to clean energy. “We have to help connect those communities if they so wish,” Woodhouse Nepinak said. “And we have to take their lead.” The AFN had declared...
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Is nuclear next for Nanticoke as Ontario looks to meet energy needs?
The former site of North America’s largest coal-fired power plant could one day host a nuclear station. Nanticoke in Haldimand County is one of three properties owned by Ontario Power Generation currently under consideration by the Ford government as locations for future power plants to meet Ontario’s rising need for energy. At its height, the Nanticoke Generating Station generated 4,000 megawatts of electricity. The coal-fired plant was decommissioned in 2013 after a four-decade run as one of Canada’s most important power producers — and one of the country’s largest single sources of pollution. Last week, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce named the property on the shores of Lake Erie as a possible future home for a new power plant. Along with Nanticoke, the province is looking at Lambton in St. Clair...
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N.B. Child and Youth advocate releases monitoring report on First Nation youth mental health
The Child Youth and Seniors Advocate has recommended the government work with Indigenous governments to address youth mental health. A new monitoring report released by the advocate said the unique challenges facing these communities required “dedicated funding and process that empowers First Nations governments to lead.” Advocate Kelly Lamrock said in reviewing government actions in the three years since No Child Left Behind was released, he cited significant failures in collaboration, accountability, and targeted action. Those included: Lack of recognition of the need for a distinct approach and process for reducing rates of youth suicide and mental health emergencies in First Nations communities. Delays in the formation of basic committees and implementation of training recommendations. A lack of transparency in how federal funds for First Nations mental health are allocated...
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West Vancouver Indigenous charity makes lunch to raise funds for youth programs
By Abby Luciano Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A West Vancouver non-profit is raising funds to help provide opportunities for urban Indigenous people to succeed. On Giving Tuesday, which is Dec. 3, the Urban Spirit Foundation is hosting a fundraiser event where people can enjoy chili and bannock along with sales of baked goods, raffle prizes and a 50/50 draw. “Without fundraisers like this, it would be less money in the pot to be able to do the good work that we’re doing,” said Lynn White, executive director of the Urban Spirit Foundation. White says urban Indigenous people are those who reside in cities, but also those who may not have status or are not connected to their First Nation. The Urban Spirit Foundation is a charitable organization that provide opportunities...
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Assembly of First Nations special chiefs assembly kicks off in Ottawa
OTTAWA-CP-The Assembly of First Nations is hosting a special chiefs assembly in Ottawa today with child welfare, economic reconciliation and First Nations policing on the agenda. The gathering comes after a testy October assembly where chiefs were divided on how to reform the First Nations child welfare system. More than 1,700 chiefs, proxies and participants are registered to attend the three-day gathering. An emergency resolution slated for discussion today calls for a national inquiry into systemic racism in policing. It comes after six people were killed in interactions with police in different parts of the country in September, sparking calls for change. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says she expects policing legislation to be a major topic of discussion, saying First Nations are always an afterthought...
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Native American students miss school at higher rates. It only got worse during the pandemic
SAN CARLOS, Ariz. (AP) — After missing 40 days of school last year, Tommy Betom, 10, is on track this year for much better attendance. The importance of showing up has been stressed repeatedly at school — and at home. When he went to school last year, he often came home saying the teacher was picking on him and other kids were making fun of his clothes. But Tommy’s grandmother Ethel Marie Betom, who became one of his caregivers after his parents split, said she told him to choose his friends carefully and to behave in class. He needs to go to school for the sake of his future, she told him. “I didn’t have everything,” said Betom, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache tribe. Tommy attends school...
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In the news today: Canada mulling patrol changes at U.S. Border
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed… Canada mulling patrol changes at U.S. Border Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says his department is considering giving additional powers to the Canada Border Services Agency to patrol the U.S. Border. He also says the RCMP and CBSA are working on a list of new equipment that could help supplement their existing enforcement at the border. LeBlanc’s comments come as Canada tries to quickly beef up border security following a threat by president-elect Donald Trump to impose punishing tariffs on Canada and Mexico over border security concerns. He and Trudeau were in Florida Friday dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago but LeBlanc says the meeting was just the beginning of a conversation where no...
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NTI presidential candidate Cathy Towtongie on the issues
By Kira Wronska Dorward Local Journalism Initiative We asked, they answered. The four candidates vying to be president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) have submitted their responses about their background, motivation and specific positions on some of the most pressing issues for Nunavut Inuit. The election is scheduled for Dec. 9. What it is about your personal and professional background that makes you well suited for the role? I have always been committed to Nunavut and Inuit. I can speak both languages: English and Inuktitut. Along with that, I am bi-cultural and [a] linguist. I am a former NTI president. [I have] knowledge of the Nunavut Trust and the Nunavut land deal. Here is what I often say: Nunavut is two, not one. You have the Nunavut land agreement with certain...
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‘Significant failures’ in addressing Indigenous youth mental health in New Brunswick
The Canadian Press New Brunswick’s independent advocate for children, youth and seniors released a report today saying the province has failed to collaborate with First Nations governments to address youth mental health. The report from Kelly Lamrock is in response to recommendations from a 2021 report from the First Nations Advisory Council that included 13 calls to action aimed at addressing mental health challenges of Indigenous children and youth. Lamrock’s followup report identifies several “significant failures” in collaboration and accountability. His report says there is a lack of recognition within the provincial government for a distinct approach for reducing rates of youth suicide and mental health emergencies in First Nations communities. As well, the report cites delays in the formation of committees and implementation of training recommendations. And it says...
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‘Significant failures’ in addressing Indigenous youth mental health in New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s independent advocate for children, youth and seniors released a report Monday saying the province has failed to collaborate with First Nations governments to address youth mental health. The report from Kelly Lamrock is in response to recommendations from “No Child Left Behind,” a 2021 report from the First Nations Advisory Council that included 13 calls to action aimed at addressing mental health challenges of Indigenous children and youth. Lamrock’s followup report identifies several “significant failures” in collaboration and accountability, including a lack of recognition within the provincial government for a distinct approach for reducing rates of youth suicide and mental health emergencies in First Nations communities. As well, the report cites delays in the formation of committees and implementation of training recommendations. And it says the province has...
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Searchers begin sifting at landfill for remains of slain First Nations women
WINNIPEG MAN.,-CP-Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says excavation and sifting have started in a section of a landfill believed to hold the remains of two slain First Nations women. He says the first truck has moved a load of refuse from the area to a Quonset hut, where searchers are manually sifting through it in the hope of finding the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. Police believe the remains of the women were sent to the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg in May 2022. Jeremy Skibicki is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in the killings of Harris, Myran and two other Indigenous women. Court heard he disposed of their bodies in garbage bins. The remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a different landfill and an...
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Northern Ontario site selected for nuclear waste underground repository
A region in northern Ontario was chosen Thursday as the site to hold Canada’s nuclear waste in a deep geological repository, a critical milestone in a $26-billion, decades-long project to bury millions of used fuel bundles underground. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization, a non-profit body funded by the corporations that generate nuclear power and waste, announced that Ignace in northwestern Ontario will be the site, after both the town’s council and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation were willing to move forward. Laurie Swami, president and CEO of the NWMO, said the organization will now start the regulatory process, which could take seven to 10 years. Construction is expected to take 10 years, with operations set to begin in the 2040s. “I’m really excited that we’ve been able to select the site,...
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B.C. Chiefs ‘alarmed’ by federal and B.C. government’s role in First Nations dispute
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs says the federal and provincial governments are wrongfully choosing sides in a land title dispute between two First Nations. The union says it’s “alarmed” that B.C. and Canada are supporting the Nisga’a Nation’s bid to be added as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by the Gitanyow Nation seeking Aboriginal rights and title over a 6,200-square-kilometre area in northwestern B.C. The Nisga’a Nation says the area claimed by the Gitanyow overlaps with its treaty lands, but both the B.C. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal denied the Nisga’a bid. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs says the Nisga’a Nation is now seeking leave to appeal in the Supreme Court of Canada with the support of the federal and B.C. governments. Grand Chief Stewart...
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Groups threaten to sue over which fish should be saved – salmon or bass
By John Chilibeck Local Journalism Initiative reporter A battle that’s been brewing on a famous New Brunswick river between people trying to protect wild Atlantic salmon and others wanting to preserve striped bass fishing has boiled over. Both sides on the Miramichi River are threatening to sue Ottawa for not listening to their demands. On one end is a small group of conservationists warning they’ll take the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to court unless it allows people to kill more striped bass, a predator of threatened wild Atlantic salmon on the eastern New Brunswick river. On the other is a group of sport fishers who argue the department has already increased the cull of stripers so much that it threatens the species’ astonishing comeback. They’re collecting signatures –...
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Blair says future of defence relies on building relationships with Indigenous Peoples
Defence Minister Bill Blair says his department’s future success depends upon building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities in a way that’s consistent with reconciliation. Blair was speaking today at the first national Indigenous defence conference in Ottawa, which involves Indigenous leaders, defence professionals and government talking about the impact of the military on Indigenous lands, stewardship and treaty rights. Blair says defence of the North is Canada’s greatest responsibility, and building infrastructure and having a persistent, reliable presence in the Arctic region is crucial to national security and community prosperity. But to achieve that, the government must gain trust from communities, and work in a more collaborative and respectful way. That includes bringing community leaders into conversations about why certain things need to be done, rather than dictating to...
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Nunavik police chief stresses healing, rebuilding trust in wake of fatal shooting
By Cedric Gallant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Nunatsiaq News Nunavik Police Service Chief Jean-Pierre Larose said Wednesday he is “deeply affected” by a fatal police shooting earlier this month and that changes have already been made in the way officers will respond to future confrontations. It was Larose’s first public statement since an early morning altercation involving officers and two residents in Salluit Nov. 4 left Joshua Papigatuk dead and his twin brother, Garnet Papigatuk, severely injured. Hours after the shooting, angry residents protested outside the Salluit police office, and at another protest the next day in Kuujjuaq some people carried signs with the messages #justiceforJoshua and #justiceforthetwins. Another protest march is planned for Saturday in Montreal’s Westmount neighbourhood. Kativik Regional Government chairperson Hilda Snowball, centre, says KRG intends to...
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Dermo disease detected in oyster samples in northeastern Nova Scotia
OTTAWA-(CP)-Federal food safety officials say they have confirmed the first case of dermo disease in oysters from Nova Scotia — the second confirmed case in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the disease, detected in oyster samples from Merigomish, N.S., doesn’t pose a risk to human health or food safety but can cause increased oyster mortality and decreased growth rates. Dermo, also known as perkinsosis, presents in adult oysters more than one year old and causes several symptoms, including making their shells open out of water. The first confirmed Canadian case of the disease was detected last week in oysters collected in Spence Cove, N.B., not far from the Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island. Another oyster disease that poses no health risk, multinucleate sphere unknown,...
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