NTI president declines comment after being charged with assault
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has placed president Jeremy Tunraluk on leave after he was charged with assault this week. Tunraluk’s name is on the Nunavut court docket for a single charge of assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm. He is charged under section 267(c) of the Criminal Code which makes it an offence to choke, suffocate or strangle someone. Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Tunraluk declined to comment on what happened, stating he’s not taking questions about the charge. Tunraluk, 39, was charged by Iqaluit RCMP on Wednesday, said spokesperson Sgt. George Henrie in an email. Police would not provide more information because the matter is before the courts, he said. Henrie, when pressed for more details, such as the...
Register
Key ministers address Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa after Hodgson is bumped
By Alessia Passafiume Several key federal cabinet ministers addressed the Assembly of First Nations gathering in Ottawa Thursday, including Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne. But Energy Minister Tim Hodgson — who is helping to advance Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects agenda — was taken off the agenda, despite being previously scheduled to appear before the chiefs Thursday. Hodgson’s office said he would still take part in a midday meeting with B.C. chiefs but would not be speaking on the panel he was initially slated to join. His office said at first that the decision was made by “organizers” — and later clarified that it meant organizers from the federal government’s side. “There was a shuffling of the agenda by organizers from the federal government, not at (Natural Resources Canada). Minister...
Register
Why was ‘incredible’ giant cedar cut down, despite B.C.’s big-tree protection law?
By Brenna Owen Joshua Wright says a yellow cedar tree he photographed last year was “incredible,” the largest he’d ever seen in a decade of hiking around Vancouver Island. The monumental cedar stood in what was one of the few intact or nearly intact old-growth valleys left on the island, says Wright, an advocate who also recorded the sounds of marbled murrelets — a threatened species under federal law — within the same forest. Wright measured the cedar’s diameter at 2.79 metres, a size that should have ensured protection for the tree, along with a one-hectare buffer under provincial law. But when he returned to the area south of Gold River in June, Wright says the tree had been felled as part of a logging operation approved by the province....
Register
Minister says government launching review of firearms classification regime
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the federal government is launching a review of Canada’s firearms classification regime that will include consultations with Indigenous communities on the SKS rifle. The government has been heavily criticized by gun control advocates for not including the semi-automatic SKS in its list of banned firearms. The SKS is commonly used in Indigenous communities to hunt for food and has also been used in police killings and other high-profile shootings in recent years. PolySeSouvient, a gun control organization formed after the 1989 mass shooting at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, has asked Ottawa to prohibit the weapon but include an exemption for Indigenous hunters who use the rifle primarily for sustenance. Anandasangaree says in a news release the classification review will take a broad view of the...
Register
MCK raises concerns over Quebec Constitution
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase As the Coalition Avenir Quebec pushes forward with its proposed Quebec Constitution, First Nations leaders are warning that the legislation contains language that undermines Indigenous sovereignty. Tabled in the National Assembly in October, Bill 1 sets out to establish a constitution for the province, with 51 articles codifying “fundamental values” of Quebec society. But several human rights groups and First Nations have raised concerns about the contents of the bill ahead of its introduction. Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Grand Chief Cody Diabo stated his primary concern is that the constitution lacks any references to the inherent sovereignty of First Nations. “They’re all saying: it’s not taking away your rights and all that; but when you read it in its entirety, it...
Register
Vatican commission again says no to ordaining women as deacons, but urges other ministries
ROME (AP) — A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons, dealing another setback to Catholic women who hope one day to be able to preside at weddings, baptisms and funerals. The Vatican on Thursday took the unusual step of publishing a synthesis of the commission’s findings, including the members’ votes on specific theological questions. The report left open the possibility of further study but proposed instead the creation of new lay ministries for women outside the ordained diaconate. Deacons are ordained ministers who perform many of the same functions as priests, presiding at weddings, baptisms and funerals. They can preach but cannot celebrate Mass. For male seminarians, the diaconate is a transitional ministry on their way to being ordained as priests. Married...
Register
N.S. premier wants crackdown on illegal cannabis, asks Mi’kmaq chiefs for support
By Lyndsay Armstrong The Nova Scotia government is directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis stores and wants help from Mi’kmaq chiefs to shut down on-reserve sales. Justice Minister Scott Armstrong sent a letter to the province’s 13 Mi’kmaq chiefs saying there are at least 118 illegal dispensaries operating in their communities. However, when questioned by reporters today Armstrong said he didn’t know how many illegal stores were actually on First Nation land or elsewhere in the province. But he said there are in fact 118 illegal stores across Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia law strictly controls the sale of cannabis in the province, but an Indigenous cannabis advocate says the government’s crackdown is “blatantly racist” and an attack on Mi’kmaq sovereignty. Thomas Durfee says he has a legal right...
Register
Canadian Business Hall of Fame names inductees for 2026
The founders of the company behind Ace Bakery, Simple Joys and naan brands Stonefire and Santosh, are among the inductees that have been named to the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. The hall says Soham Ajmera, the founding chairman of the FGF Group of Cos., as well as co-founders and co-chief executives Ojus Ajmera and Tejus Ajmera will be added to the hall of fame for 2026. They will be joined by Terry Paul, chief and chief executive of the Membertou First Nation, as well as Anthony von Mandl, founder, owner and chief executive of the Mark Anthony Group of Cos., who helped pioneer B.C.’s high-end winemaking industry in the province’s Okanagan Valley. The hall of fame will also induct Hartley Richardson, chief executive of James Richardson & Sons Ltd.,...
Register
Judge dismisses motion to postpone Blueberry River First Nations election
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A former Chief’s motion to postpone her nation’s upcoming elections has been dismissed. Judy Desjarlais, the former Chief of Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN), filed a motion to postpone the nomination meetings for the next elections in the First Nation on November 25th. She had asked a federal court to delay the meeting until the decision on her judicial review regarding her removal from office was made, at which time she could enter the next election for Chief and council. Desjarlais was removed after an independent review found she had violated the BRFN’s bylaws by unilaterally granting permit approvals to the energy company Petronas for work on traditional lands without consulting or obtaining the required approval from...
Register
Petitioner looking to recall Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says application approved
By Jack Farrell A woman looking to launch a recall petition to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature says her campaign has been officially approved. Heather VanSnick says she has received a letter from Elections Alberta saying she will be getting the go-ahead to start the petition drive against Smith. Smith will have a week to file a response before it’s expected that Elections Alberta would formally issue the petition and kick-start a three-month signature collection process. A spokesperson for the agency said it was prohibited from commenting until after petitions are issued. Once it goes ahead, it’s a lengthy, multistage process — and 14 other members of Smith’s United Conservative caucus are already facing recall campaigns. VanSnick, in an interview Wednesday, said she was...
Register
Carney meets with Prairie chiefs outside Assembly of First Nations gathering
By Alessia Passafiume and David Baxter Prime Minister Mark Carney met Wednesday with chiefs representing Treaties 6, 7 and 8 on Parliament Hill, who expressed openness to the idea of pipeline ownership days after Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta that opens the door to get one to B.C.’s coast. Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton, speaking to reporters outside the door where he and other chiefs met with Carney, said First Nations need a stake in any project proposed on their lands. “We’re not against economic growth or benefits to the region, to our people, to the greater population,” Knowlton said. What he is against is harms to the environment and potential health impacts caused by destruction of the waterways. “But if we’re real co-owners, then the concerns...
Register
Consultations set to begin on controversial Quebec constitution bill
By Maura Forrest A draft constitution tabled two months ago by the Quebec government was supposed to be a unifying declaration of Quebecers’ common values, but it has instead been denounced as ill-conceived, divisive and authoritarian. Critics say the constitution bill would erode human rights and limit dissent, and could reopen an unnecessary debate on abortion. Some civil society groups are calling for it to be withdrawn outright. Wide-ranging consultations on the draft legislation will begin on Thursday and will continue into the new year. Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette agreed to open the consultations to the general public as a gesture of goodwill, after being criticized for drafting the bill behind closed doors. More than 200 individuals and groups are scheduled to appear. Still, the Coalition Avenir Québec majority does...
Register
Why was ‘incredible’ giant cedar cut down, despite B.C.’s big-tree protection law?
By Brenna Owen Joshua Wright says a yellow cedar tree he photographed last year was “incredible,” the largest he’d ever seen in a decade of hiking around Vancouver Island. The monumental cedar stood in what was one of the few intact or nearly intact old-growth valleys left on the island, says Wright, an advocate who also recorded the sounds of marbled murrelets — a threatened species under federal law — within the same forest. Wright measured the cedar’s diameter at 2.79 metres, a size that should have ensured protection for the tree, along with a one-hectare buffer under provincial law. But when he returned to the area south of Gold River in June, Wright says the tree had been felled as part of a logging operation approved by the province....
Register
Amalgamation would be better for Brant County than Brantford, study shows
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator Brantford’s mayor ordered an amalgamation study the County of Brant didn’t ask for — and the results suggest the county would cash in while the city pays up. On Friday afternoon, Mayor Kevin Davis of Brantford released a study he commissioned with strong-mayor powers — despite the county’s opposition to becoming one with the city it surrounds. The 29-page report by Hemson Consulting is a “fiscal analysis of current state assessments, and 10-year financial forecasts,” the city wrote in a Facebook post. It shows that county residents could stand to see combined tax and utility fees decrease by around seven per cent annually in an amalgamation scenario. City residents, meanwhile, would pay around four per cent more on average by...
Register
KIA, B2Gold create $4-million wealth fund
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement between the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) and B2Gold has created a $4-million wealth fund for infrastructure projects in the region. B2Gold’s Back River gold mining district, which includes the now operational Goose Mine, is paying for the fund. KIA said it hopes the fund can create jobs outside the mining industry. “We are looking to support a project that would not have proceeded without B2Gold Nunavut’s investment — a project that will directly result in the creation of long-term jobs outside of the mining sector,” said Skye Lacroix, Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement manager at the KIA. The wealth fund will not provide grants to existing projects seeking to continue operations, or operating expenses,...
Register
Two youths facing charges after Brantford Police investigate disturbance
BRANTFORD,ONT- Two city youths are facing charges after Brantford Police Service (BPS) investigated a disturbance in the city’s downtown Tuesday, Dec., 2, 2025. One youth has been charged with several weapons related offences. BPS said they received multiple reports at about 9:10 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025, of several youths antagonizing an adult male in the area of Dalhousie Street and Queen Street including a report that one of the accused pointed a firearm at the victim after also throwing ice and snowballs at him. Those involved in the dispute then entered the lobby of a Water Street building where they are reported to have created a disturbance.Officers attended and located the suspects at a Market Street South plaza. A replica firearm was located by police and seized. The victim...
Register
Vehicle stolen from business on Highway 6
HALDIMAND COUNTY – The Haldimand detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating the theft of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) stolen from a business near Hagersville. OPP said the theft occurred December 2, 2025 at a rural business on Highway 6, near Hagersville, that was attended at about 4:20 a.m. The white coloured 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan was entered and removed by an unknown individual. OPP said video surveillance is being reviewed with hopes to identify the individual responsible for the theft. Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation is being asked to contact the Haldimand OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit an online tip at www.helpsolvecrime.com, where you could be eligible for a cash reward of...
Register
Gull-Masty commits to Indian Act reform, pushes back on Senate’s changes to status
By Alessia Passafiume and David Baxter Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty told hundreds of chiefs in Ottawa Wednesday she is committed to reforming First Nations status under the Indian Act — but she doesn’t agree with changes made by senators to a piece of legislation she once backed. Speaking during the Assembly of First Nations’ three-day gathering, Gull-Masty said she’s in a unique position as a Cree woman administering a piece of legislation that gives the federal government control over the lives of First Nations peoples. She said she understands the concerns chiefs have with the law in its current form. Bill S-2, introduced in the Senate with support from the Liberal government, was drafted to eliminate some gender inequities in the Indian Act and allow about 6,000 people to...
Register
Thinking critically about Carney’s proposed conservation corridor in northwest B.C.
By Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Narwhal Northwest B.C. is home to epic rivers, big mountains, a rugged coastline — and relatively few people. Its diverse ecosystems are inextricably intertwined with the cultures of the Indigenous Peoples who have lived here and stewarded the lands and waters for thousands of years, and continue to do so today. The staggeringly beautiful landscapes and rich cultures were what first caught my attention two decades ago — but it was the unpretentiousness of its communities that kept me here. Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Terrace, B.C., where he told the media and a small audience his government was sending something called the Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor to the newly formed Major Projects Office for review and potential fast-tracking....
Register
Money comes through for community projects
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Dorion and three other rural communities east of Thunder Bay have received funds in the latest round of Ontario Trillium Foundation grants for community projects. The total amount of $17.5 million announced by the province last week supports nearly 260 non-profit organizations, including small municipalities and First Nations, a provincial news release said. The following local projects were also awarded. • Dorion: $22,000 over six months for a new access ramp at the village’s museum. • Manitouwadge: $24,500 to purchase trail-grooming equipment for the local ski club. • Schreiber: $18,300 to replace a score-board and public address system at the community ballpark. • Terrace Bay: $200,000 over 12 months to replace a dehumidifier unit at the municipal curling rink. Carl Clutchey,...
Register
