Recent B.C. earthquakes linked to fracking as regulator tightens oversight
By Brenna Owen -CP-The British Columbia Energy Regulator has toughened its oversight of what it calls “induced” seismic activity after a series of earthquakes linked to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the northeastern corner of the province. John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said the regulator had confirmed that four quakes recorded between last Saturday and Wednesday were related to the gas industry practice. The quakes ranged in magnitude from 3.1 to 4.7, with the most powerful felt in Fort St. John, B.C., about 105 kilometres southeast of the epicentre. Cassidy said earthquakes triggered by fracking in B.C. typically result from the injection of material into shallow wells to open up fractures and release gas for extraction, and almost all of the induced quakes are “tiny.” “There have...
Register
Urban deer a target as B.C. government, cities try to curb wasting disease
-CP-The B.C. government along with the southeastern cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley say they’ll try to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease with a targeted cull and testing of urban deer. Five cases have been confirmed in southeast B.C. in the last year for the disease that is fatal and affects species in the deer family, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose and caribou. A statement from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says the risk of spread is higher in urban deer because of population density, and two cities are of special concern because of their proximity to the areas where the infected deer were found. It says the cull will be conducted as safely and humanely as possible, with the removal of the deer...
Register
81 more days in jail for dangerous offender who ignored supervision order
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A provincial court judge in Prince George sentenced a dangerous offender to 15 months for breaching a long-term supervision order plus three years of probation. Kevin Roy Grunerud, 48, however, qualified for 375 days enhanced credit for time served in jail since last March, meaning he has 81 days remaining. Judge Robert Brown said Grunerud’s risk to re-offend remains significant and he requires monitoring. “There remains a real risk to public safety,” Brown said. Grunerud pleaded guilty last August to breaching his 10-year, long-term supervision order by possessing alcohol in Prince George in January 2022 and failing to travel directly to his residence and report directly to his parole supervisor in Chilliwack in September 2023. The 15 month sentence is for the Chilliwack...
Register
Bridging Truth and Action: Grandmother’s Voice Conference Returns to Oakville
By Kezia Royer-Burkett , Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca The Grandmother’s Voice conference, Truth with Reconciliation: Respect, Restore, Relearn, returns on February 25–26 at the Meeting House in Oakville, bringing together Indigenous leaders, Knowledge Keepers, and allies for crucial discussions on reconciliation. “This event is not just another conference — it’s a call to action,” says Jody Harbour, founder of Grandmother’s Voice. “It’s an opportunity for organizations and individuals to engage in meaningful change.” Last year’s conference sparked powerful conversations, but Grandmothers and Elders Renee Thomas Hill, Gail Whitlow, and Allen Sutherland felt the work was far from over. Moved by the impact of the gathering, they decided to bring the event back, aligning it with the Bear Moon — a time of deep reflection and setting intentions. “Feedback...
Register
Poilievre pledges to restore ‘promise of Canada’ in campaign-style speech
By Sarah Ritchie -CP-Pierre Poilievre began a speech on Saturday with a quote from the country’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, pledging to create a united, rich nation “instead of making us a tributary to American laws, to American railways, to American bondage, to American tolls.” The Conservative leader, who appeared at a rally in a room at a downtown Ottawa convention centre, went on to address Americans directly, laying out the consequences of “an unprovoked attack” on Canada’s economy via tariffs. “If Canada is not your friend, who is?” Poilievre asked. U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting threats to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods and his repeated claims that he wants to annex Canada have prompted a sudden rise in Canadian patriotism. Poilievre reiterated that if his...
Register
Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal
By Tara Copp And Anthony Izaguirre WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has halted the firings of hundreds of federal employees who were tasked with working on the nation’s nuclear weapons programs, in an about-face that has left workers confused and experts cautioning that DOGE’s blind cost cutting will put communities at risk. Three U.S. officials who spoke to The Associated Press said up to 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were abruptly laid off late Thursday, with some losing access to email before they’d learned they were fired, only to try to enter their offices on Friday morning to find they were locked out. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. One of the hardest hit offices was the Pantex Plant near...
Register
Canada recognizes Aboriginal title over Haida Gwaii off B.C. in historic agreement
-CP-The federal government will recognize Aboriginal title over the archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northern coast in a historic agreement with the Haida First Nation. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree says this is the first time the federal government has recognized Aboriginal title through negotiations. He says in an interview that it’s a “hugely significant” achievement that will reset the relationship in a “very meaningful way.” The Big Tide Haida Title Lands Agreement affirms that the Haida have Aboriginal title over all of the islands’ lands, beds of freshwater bodies, and foreshores to the low-tide mark. The agreement transitions the Crown-title land to the Haida people, granting them an inherent legal right to the land. The transfer of the underlying title would affect how courts interpret issues involving...
Register
Chiefs examine child welfare and housing at special assembly
By Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio Chiefs gathered in Délı̨nę last week for a Dene Nation special assembly to discuss topics like child and family services and housing. Dene leaders have been advocating for Northwest Territories residents’ inclusion in a historic draft $47.8-billion settlement agreement on long-term reform of the federal First Nations Child and Family Services Program. However, after chiefs from across Canada voted against that agreement and called for fresh negotiations, Canada announced it was pursuing a carve-out deal with Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation – and nobody else. That leaves the territory once again on the outside of the agreement, looking in. Danny Gaudet, Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ or leader of the Délįnę Got’įnę Government, told the special assembly the N.W.T.’s exclusion from the agreement...
Register
Brantford man charged with attempted murder in Intimate Partner Violence
BRANTFORD- The Brantford Police Service (BPS) has charged a 37-year-old city man with attempted murder after a woman was treated at a local hosptial for stab wounds. Brantford Police were dispatched to an English Lane residence Friday, February 14, 2025, at about 12:30 a.m., after receiving a report from a local hospital that a woman was being treated for life threatening stab wounds. Police responded to the residence and took a man into custody without incident. The accused and the victim were known to each other. BPS said the incident has been classified as an Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) related homicide and no threat to public safety exists. As a result, a 37-year-old Brantford man has been charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a...
Register
TIFF CEO worried about ‘nationalistic’ shift in TV, film amid Canada-US trade tension
By Alex Nino Gheciu -CP-The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival is warning against an overly nationalistic approach to screen content in Canada, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s looming tariffs have led some to shun American exports. The Canada-first approach to film could ultimately harm the industry, Cameron Bailey said on a virtual call from Toronto on Thursday. He noted TIFF has been closely watching the trade tensions and their potential impact on the economy. But beyond tariffs, which could increase costs for both filmmakers and festival organizers, TIFF is concerned about a potential “sentiment shift” among viewers and creators. “That’s what we’re really keeping a close eye on: that difference between pride in Canadian screen stories and a kind of closing down and a purely nationalistic approach to...
Register
Earthquake felt on southern Vancouver Island is latest B.C. tremor
Residents across southern Vancouver Island reported feeling a 3.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the southern coast, the latest in a string of tremors in British Columbia this week. Earthquakes Canada says it happened around 10 p.m. on Thursday. It was lightly felt in Victoria, Sidney and across southern Vancouver Island. The agency says nearly 300 people reported feeling the quake, but no one said any damage had occurred. It follows three other earthquakes earlier this week in northeastern B.C. Those tremors up to 4.4 magnitude struck the Fort St. John area and did not result in any damage. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2025...
Register
Singh says NDP expects snap election call if Carney wins Liberal leadership
By David Baxter NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he doesn’t think he’ll have to chose between voting on tariff relief or bringing down the government because he expects a snap election call if Mark Carney wins the Liberal leadership. Singh says that if the government was serious about introducing a relief package for workers who might lose their jobs due to U.S. tariffs, it would have recalled Parliament by now. At a news conference in Vancouver yesterday, Carney would not rule out calling a snap election if he becomes Liberal leader. Jennifer Howard, the NDP’s national campaign director, sent a memo to candidates and staff earlier this week saying they should be prepared for an election call as soon as March 10, one day after the Liberal leadership vote. The...
Register
Oscar-nominated documentary exposes horrifying truths about Indigenous residential schools in Canada
By Lindsey Bahr The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at an Indian residential school in Canada in 2021 was just the catalyst for “Sugarcane.” Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, the filmmakers behind the Oscar-nominated documentary, spent years investigating the truth behind just one of the institutions. “Sugarcane,” now streaming on Hulu, paints a horrifying picture of the systemic abuses inflicted by the state-funded school and exposes for the first time a pattern of infanticide and babies born to Indigenous girls and fathered by priests. In the year since it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, “Sugarcane” has screened at the White House, for Canadian Parliament and for over a dozen indigenous communities in North America, sparking a grassroots movement and reckoning to find the truth about the other...
Register
Ottawa provides $1.5M for sports initiatives across Nunavik and Nunavut
By Cedric Gallant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News The federal government has announced $1.5 million to fund nine sports-related initiatives in Nunavut and Nunavik. The money is part of $24.2 million distributed between 119 Indigenous-led projects across the country, the Department of Canadian Heritage announced Feb. 7 in a news release. It comes from the department’s Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program. The Government of Nunavut will receive more than $800,000 for its Nunavut Youth Ambassador Program, which sends volunteers to the Canada and Arctic Winter Games. Approximately $157,000 is earmarked for the City of Iqaluit for the Qaumaniq Summer Day Camp, which engages youths in Inuit cultural traditions, environmental stewardship and creative expression. Recreation and Parks Association Nunavut is set to receive $115,000 for its youth...
Register
RCMP confirm woman’s death not cause by exposure or injuries
By Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun An autopsy has confirmed a woman who died after being found outside of a home last month in frigid temperatures did not die from exposure or from any physical injuries, and police continue to investigate to determine the cause of the woman’s death. According to Manitoba RCMP, on Jan. 31, their Gypsumville detachment got a call about a woman they were told was outside of a home and in medical distress in the Pinaymootang First Nation, a community located more than 200 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, in the Interlake. Temperatures that evening had dipped to around -26C and felt like –29C with the windchill. When police arrived, EMS workers were providing medical assistance to the 50-year-old woman, and she was taken...
Register
Man from uncontacted Indigenous tribe emerges in Amazon, and villagers demonstrate a lighter
By Fabiano Maisonnave BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — In a rare encounter, a young man from an isolated Indigenous tribe approached a riverine community in Brazil’s Amazon, the country’s Indigenous affairs agency and local witnesses said Thursday. The encounter occurred around 7 p.m. Wednesday in Bela Rosa, a community along the Purus River in the southwestern Amazon. Barefoot and wearing a small loincloth, the young man appeared calm and in good health as he waved two wooden sticks, a villager told The Associated Press. The villager spoke on condition of anonymity, saying the Indigenous bureau Funai told locals not to discuss the incident. The villager said locals believed the man was asking for fire. Smartphone video of the encounter showed one resident trying unsuccessfully to show the man how to use...
Register
Territorial premiers send message in Washington that the Arctic is not for sale
By Kelly Geraldine Malone Territorial premiers said it is a critical time for the Arctic amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s increasing rhetoric of American expansion and actions to disrupt global trade. But they are very clear: the Arctic is not for sale. “The people of the north are the ones asserting Canada’s sovereignty,” said Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson in Washington Thursday. Simpson, along with Yukon Premier Ranj Paillai and Nunavut Premier P.K. Akeeagok, were scheduled to meet with representatives from Greenland, which Trump has also made noise about trying to acquire. The president complained about Canada later Thursday as he signed an order to implement “reciprocal tariffs” — raising U.S. duties to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports — his latest move disrupting the global...
Register
Marten Fall First Nation acquires Cav-Tal Foods
By Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – Marten Falls First Nation has further expanded its role in the food supply chain in Northern Ontario. During the Neegani-Iishawin conference at the Valhalla Inn this week, Chief Bruce Achneepineskum announced that Marten Falls First Nation has finalized its acquisition of Cav-Tal Foods Ltd. “It’s been a few months in the works, the announcement, we acquired the business in October of last year, but we had to finalize all the purchase agreements legally. We were waiting for an opportune time to make an announcement,” said Achneepineskum. Last year, Marten Falls First Nation invested in Bay Meats, purchasing a 51 per cent ownership. However, with the acquisition of Cav-Tal Foods Ltd., the First Nation now holds majority ownership in both...
Register
Officer who shot man carrying BB gun on Calgary train used reasonable force: ASIRT
-CP-Alberta’s police watchdog says an officer was justified in shooting a man who boarded a light-rail-transit train in Calgary with a weapon that turned out to be a BB gun. Police were called in July 2021 after a report a homeless man got on the C-Train and sat down with a handgun on his lap before falling asleep. In a report released Thursday, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT, said the man woke up hours later and walked along the train platform with the gun in his hand. The watchdog said the man ignored officers’ demands to drop the gun and was shot in the head and chest, sustaining serious but non-life-threatening injuries. ASIRT said the weapon was later found to be a BB gun, as the man...
Register
Changes to Inuit child funding program putting families at risk: health care workers
By Nick Murray -CP-Health-care workers in Nunavut say changes to a federal funding program for Inuit children are forcing some pregnant to make a tough choice: have a safe birth or ensure the kids they already have are properly cared for. The Inuit Child First Initiative (ICFI) was launched in 2019 to ensure Inuit kids have access to health and social services without having to leave their communities. Funding for the program, which has mirrored Jordan’s principle and helps backstop a wide range of programs and services, is set to sunset on March 31 unless Ottawa can get approvals through Parliament to extend it by a year — or come up with a longer-term solution. Under Jordan’s Principle, First Nations families are to apply for and receive funding as its...
Register
