Controversial Ontario landfill will move ahead without federal assessment
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative The federal government has rejected an impact assessment for Ford’s first Bill 5 project — a controversial “town killer” landfill proposal in the small southwestern Ontario community of Dresden. The project is one of the first three high-profile developments exempted from Ontario’s provincial environmental assessment under Premier Doug Ford’s Bill 5. For months, Dresden’s council, residents and advocacy groups have been fighting the proposed project, warning it could threaten water sources, farmland, air quality, public health and endangered species. When the Ford government removed the provincial review, residents turned to Ottawa to step in and assess the project under the Impact Assessment Act. Despite acknowledging the project “may cause adverse effects” to areas under federal responsibility such as...
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First Nation files lawsuit demanding Aboriginal title over lands in western Quebec
By Miriam Lafontaine An Algonquin First Nation has filed a title claim in Quebec Superior Court over large swaths of territory across the west of the province in an effort to address what it described as historic injustices against its peoples. Jean-Guy Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, says his people need to have a say in the way water, wildlife and forestry are managed in their traditional territory. He said that meaningful reconciliation can’t exist until that happens. “Quebec refuses to recognize that Aboriginal people, traditional people, have any rights outside of reserve territory, except for basically subsistence fishing and hunting,” Whiteduck said in an interview, speaking from the First Nation located on the shores of the Gatineau River, near Maniwaki, Que. “When we talk about...
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Law specialists from Eskasoni honoured at Indigenous convention
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post Four Cape Bretoners from Eskasoni have received awards and recognition from the Indigenous Bar Association (IBA). The association’s annual conference was held in Vancouver earlier this month, where honours were given to lawyer Tuma Young, law graduate Suzanne Patles, and Dalhousie law school students Neylan Stevens and Mairi Denny. The Indigenous Bar Association in Canada is a national non-profit association of First Nation, Metis and Inuit persons in Canada trained in the field of law. Membership includes judges, lawyers, political leaders, academics, articling and law students. Young, the first Mi’kmaq speaking lawyer in Nova Scotia, has taught at Cape Breton University and has his own private legal practice. He was awarded the prestigious Indigenous People’s Counsel (IPC) designation, given annually...
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Pilot’s response to engine failure led to fatal Yukon crash last year: safety board
By Brenna Owen The Transportation Safety Board has found a pilot’s actions led to a crash that killed one passenger and left four others seriously injured in the Yukon last year. The board has released its report on the crash that took place at the Haines Junction Aerodrome as the pilot of the Cessna 206 was preparing to land after a sightseeing flight over Kluane National Park and Reserve in July 2024. It says the plane was approaching the aerodrome when it ran out of fuel in the selected tank, leading to a complete loss of power from “fuel starvation.” The report says the pilot had routinely relied on memory in his job instead of checklists that would have indicated the need to switch to the fuller fuel tank, and...
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First Nation buying two more B.C. casinos, including Richmond’s River Rock
The Snuneymuxw First Nation has announced it is buying two British Columbia casinos, including the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond. A statement from the Nanaimo-area nation says the deal to buy the River Rock and Chances Maple Ridge will make its wholly-owned Petroglyph Development Group the largest Indigenous gaming operator by revenue in Canada. It says the nation has entered into definitive agreements with current operator Great Canadian Entertainment to purchase the two casinos, although the deal remains subject to regulatory and other approval. Petroglyph bought Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria earlier this year. Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse says the purchases are a major step to economic self-determination and will create “lasting prosperity” for the nation. The Musqueam Nation, which owns the River Rock site on the Fraser...
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Iqaluit to bid on hosting Inuit Nunangat University
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Iqaluit would be a “great place” for Inuit Nunangat University, says Mayor Solomon Awa. Awa made the comments Tuesday night after city councillors voted to direct staff to begin preparing a proposal to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami about why the Nunavut capital should be the planned university’s home. “[Iqaluit] is a natural home for a university,” Awa said. Inuit Nunangat University is ITK’s long-running plan to build a post-secondary institution somewhere in the Inuit homeland. Last month, ITK named Iqaluit as one of eight shortlisted communities to be the school’s potential host. The othes are Inuvik in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nain in Nunatsiavut, Puvirnituq and Kuujjuaq in Nunavik, and Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet and Arviat in Nunavut. In an Oct. 6...
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Councillor says Cowichan title ruling saw bank deny financing for $100M B.C. project
By Nono Shen and Wolfgang Depner A Richmond, B.C., councillor says a company based in the city has been refused financing for what she says is a $100 million project because of the Cowichan Tribes case. Coun. Alexa Loo said the company, which she isn’t naming, is currently working with the provincial government to get the certainty it needs to go ahead with what she describes as a manufacturing facility. “This company, they had a deal already in place with one of the major banks to finance their project,” Loo said in an interview on Wednesday. Loo earlier spoke of the company’s situation with residents before a meeting with landowners on Tuesday about the impact of the landmark case that confirmed the tribes’ Aboriginal title over about 750 acres of...
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Ottawa’s new climate strategy being developed ‘behind closed doors,’ AFN says
By Nick Murray The Assembly of First Nations says Ottawa’s climate competitiveness strategy is being developed “behind closed doors,” without input from First Nations. Speaking at a House of Commons environment committee hearing Thursday, P.E.I. regional chief Wendell LaBobe said the government’s renewed focus on economic security could see it backslide on its climate commitments. LaBobe told the committee this isn’t the first time the government has developed climate policy without First Nations input, citing the 2050 net zero plan and Canada’s 2030 and 2035 emissions reduction targets. The climate competitiveness strategy, to be released with the federal budget on Nov. 4, is expected to mark a shift in Canada’s approach to climate policy. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his approach prioritizes results over targets and emphasizes the economy,...
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Mohawk Council of Kahnawake seeks community input on proposed toll project
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) has initiated a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for its planned toll project across the community’s roadway network. First announced by MCK Grand Chief Cody Diabo in August, the initiative comes in response to severe upcoming budget cuts to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). “This is yet another instance where governments cut and continue to take more,” Diabo stressed. The RFP will first determine whether the toll project is even possible and then what would be required to put it into effect. To carry out this assessment, MCK will form an internal team comprising of transportation, finance and infrastructure experts. The team will identify potential toll locations and assess any unforeseen operational, financial or political factors. The...
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What’s going on with the Vatican’s Wampum Belt?
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Not an emotional man by nature, Gerald Taiaiake Alfred was overcome with pride when he saw the Vatican’s Wampum Belt at the McCord Stuart Museum. For the activist who dedicated his life to preserving Kanien’kehà:ka traditional knowledge, its brief loan to the museum in 2023 was a reminder that “some right had been done.” Two years later, it seemed this wampum belt was on its way home. At least it seemed. Last week, reports that the Vatican planned to return dozens of First Nations artifacts to their home communities made international headlines. One of the items widely speculated to be included in the repatriation was the Vatican Wampum Belt: a colossal seven-and-a-half-foot-long belt consecrated in Kanehsatake during the 18th century. But when...
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Suicide for First Nations youth is four times higher than B.C. rate: report
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa British Columbia – This past summer, a 14-year-old boy hung himself in the rural First Nations community of Pacheedaht on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. “It was the saddest, saddest thing ever,” said Pacheedaht Chief Councillor Arliss Jones. “He was just an innocent little kid. The youth are still really hurt about him.” Suicide deaths in Pacheedaht are high, says Jones. It’s a grim reality many Indigenous (First Nations/Métis/Inuit) communities in British Columbia face; a new B.C. coroner panel report shows Indigenous youth and young adults are disproportionately overrepresented among those who die by suicide in B.C. The report, Creating Connection, Supporting Strengths: A Review of Youth and Young Adult Deaths by Suicide In British Columbia, 2019-2023, found the rate of...
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Senator tries again to put limits on prisons’ use of solitary confinement
By Justin Escoto Sen. Kim Pate has been fighting against prisons’ use of solitary confinement since 2018, when the federal government committed to curbing the practice. She told The Canadian Press the situation has only worsened since. Public Safety Canada reports a 36 per cent increase in solitary confinement stays of 61 days or more between 2021 and 2024. “We’ve seen the proliferation, the increased use of isolation with prisoners, especially Indigenous prisoners, especially those with mental health issues,” Pate said. Pate is a driving force behind Bill S-205, also known as Tona’s Law. The legislation proposes to “ensure oversight, remedies and alternatives to isolation in federal prisons.” The bill — a previous version of which died when the spring election was called — is now before a Senate committee....
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Councillor says Cowichan title ruling saw bank deny financing for $100M B.C. project
By Nono Shen and Wolfgang Depner A Richmond, B.C., councillor says a company based in the city has been refused financing for what she says is a $100 million project because of the Cowichan Tribes case. Coun. Alexa Loo says the company, which she isn’t naming, is currently working with the provincial government to get the certainty it needs to go ahead with what she describes as a manufacturing facility. Loo spoke of the company’s situation with residents before a meeting with landowners on Tuesday about the impact of the landmark case that confirmed the tribes’ Aboriginal title over about 750 acres of private and government-owned land in Richmond. Loo says in an interview that the company already owns land for the planned facility in the Cowichan area but was...
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First Nations mental health funding not contingent on development deals: Ford
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com TORONTO — Ontario’s premier and Indigenous affairs minister say support for mental health in First Nations is not tied to signing resource development deals. Doug Ford and Greg Rickford were among those on hand at Queen’s Park on Oct. 29 to sign a new partnership agreement with Webequie First Nation that will see the remote community submit its provincial environmental assessment for a long-planned road from its airport to the Ring of Fire area in January 2026. The deal also provides Webequie with up to $39.5 million — about one third of which Rickford told a news conference was “immediate.” That, he said, included $1.5 million for mental health supports and “community well-being activities” Webequie reportedly asked for during negotiations. Taking questions...
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Man sentenced to life for random, beating deaths of three in Winnipeg
By Brittany Hobson A young man who was 15 when he randomly beat and killed three vulnerable people in downtown Winnipeg was sentenced as an adult Wednesday and handed a life sentence. Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Gerald Chartier said the now 18-year-old can apply for parole after seven years. The man, who can’t be identified because of a publication ban, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of manslaughter. Court heard he viciously attacked the three victims within an hour in August 2022. Danielle Ballantyne and Marvin Felix died. Troy Baguley spent several months in hospital before he was taken off life-support. The defence asked the court to sentence the killer as a youth, with a maximum seven-year term — four years in...
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‘You could be that person’: Victim Services volunteers support community in crisis
By Samantha Saucier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sarnia Journal If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference in our local community, this might be the place to start. Becoming a volunteer with Victim Services isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about being willing to show up, listen, and offer support to those navigating a crisis. Tragedy doesn’t follow a schedule. It can arrive in the form of loss, violence, or sudden crisis, leaving people uncertain of what to do next. Victim Services responds in those moments, offering support to victims, day or night. “People often think we only respond to the ‘big’ cases they see on TV,” says Joanne, Volunteer and Fundraising Coordinator with Victim Services of Sarnia-Lambton. “But our role is to support anyone impacted by crime...
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First Nation files lawsuit demanding Aboriginal title over lands in western Quebec
By Miriam Lafontaine An Algonquin First Nation has filed a title claim in Quebec Superior Court over large swaths of territory across the west of the province in an effort to address what it described as historic injustices against its peoples. Jean-Guy Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, says his people need to have a say in the way water, wildlife and forestry are managed in their traditional territory. He said that meaningful reconciliation can’t exist until that happens. “Quebec refuses to recognize that Aboriginal people, traditional people, have any rights outside of reserve territory, except for basically subsistence fishing and hunting,” Whiteduck said in an interview, speaking from the First Nation located on the shores of the Gatineau River, near Maniwaki, Que. “When we talk about...
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Judge says Greenpeace must pay $345 million in pipeline lawsuit, cutting jury amount nearly in half
By Jack Dura BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge has ordered Greenpeace to pay damages of $345 million, reducing an earlier jury award after it found the environmental group and related entities liable for defamation and other claims in connection with protests of an oil pipeline nearly a decade ago. The new amount is roughly half the $667 million that a jury had awarded to the pipeline company that brought the claims, Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access. The case stems from protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Dakota Access oil pipeline and its crossing of the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. Greenpeace had asked state District Judge James Gion to rule in its favor on the claims against it, with mixed...
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UN condemns US embargo on Cuba for a 33rd year, but Washington’s stand draws bit more support
By Farnoush Amiri And Jennifer Peltz UNITED NATION (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba for a 33rd year. Yet the vote, as Hurricane Melissa tore through the island nation, softened Washington’s isolation on a long-standing issue in the Caribbean while new friction grows around the American military buildup there. The vote was 165-7, with 12 abstentions. Last year, it was 187-2, with “no” votes from the United States and Israel and one abstention. This year, countries including Argentina, Ukraine and Hungary also opposed the measure. Such resolutions are not legally binding but reflect world opinion “The United States government is satisfied to see so many countries send the regime a message that the international community will no longer tolerate”...
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Manitoba NDP, Tories in spat over ‘waah waah’ sound made during afternoon bill debate
By Steve Lambert Manitoba legislature members are sparring over the meaning behind a “waah waah” noise that sounded like a baby crying. Opposition Tory Jeff Wharton made the noise during a debate Tuesday over a bill that would allow judges to weigh in if the Manitoba government ever invokes the notwithstanding clause. Premier Wab Kinew was speaking at the time. He accused the Tories of being entitled, said New Democrats had to work for what they have, and that in living memory, some people could not vote. Wharton said “waah waah,” and Kinew later said Wharton was being disrespectful about Canadian history and the fact that Kinew’s father, as a First Nations man, was not allowed to vote as a young man. Wharton said his noise was not aimed at...
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