ISC funding amendments approved by SNEC
Six Nations accepted budget amendments from Indigenous Services Canada for lands and housing as well as a donation from a community member owned company for fire evacuees. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) approved amendments to its five-year comprehensive funding agreement with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), bringing in more than $147,000 in new money for lands, wellness, and housing during its August 18 General Finance meeting. The amendments provide $37,500 for lands and resources negotiation support, and $65,000 for housing management subsidies in the 2025-26 fiscal year. SNEC says it has $44,500 for mental wellness support tied to paying the bill for costs of the wildfire evacuations invitation that brought evacuees from Niagara Falls to Six Nations for the day. The donation came from Grand River Insurance. Councillor Alaina VanEvery questioned...
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Six Nations Police lay charges after firearm discharged, “projectile” causes minor injuries
OHSWEKEN, ON-An Ancaster man is facing weapons, threats and assault charges after a firearm was discharged in an incident at a Seneca Road warehouse. Six Nations Police (SNP) responded August 19, 2025 to a report that a firearm had been pointed at an individual the day before. SNP said a verbal altercation had occurred on August 18, 2025, at a warehouse on Seneca Road and during the altercation a firearm was discharged and minor injuries occurred as a result of a “projectile”. SNP said they could not comment on the victim’s injuries or what the projectile involved was. As a result, SNP have arrested and charged Andrew Hadaddin, 34, of Ancaster, Ontario with the following offences:- Firearm pointing- Possession for a Dangerous purpose- Assault with a weapon- Firearm: unauthorized possession-...
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NDP leader blasts Bill 5 and government health policies at Toronto wellness conference
By Sam Laskaris Writer Marit Stiles insists the fight is not over. Stiles, the leader of Ontario’s New Democratic Party (NDP), attended the opening day of the First Nations Community Wellness Conference held at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. The three-day event, which began Aug. 19, included a lunch session which provided Stiles, and four other NDP politicians, an opportunity to provide some remarks and have a Q and A with conference delegates. The conference was organized by the Chiefs of Ontario. Stiles, who heads up the official opposition party in the province, kicked off the session by blasting the leading Conservative party and the June passing of its Bill 5, officially called the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025. Stiles said it was a privilege for...
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Where’s the money coming from…?
First Nation membership offices across the country are about to be hit with a deluge. A B.C. Supreme Court decision could, without any doubt, spawn a flood at band membership offices in coming days. The court decided, Aug. 19th, that Canada had, through its Indian Act, denied status to the children of Indigenous people who enfranchised themselves. People who gave up their status for a variety of reasons and as a result the move that was passed on to their future generations. It stems from a B.C. court case that was launched by 16 people who said they were “deprived of the benefits” of status under the act,” because a parent or grandparent decided to enfranchise themselves. Benefits that included education monies, tax exemptions, access to land or any treaty...
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Today in History
August 27 In 1973 the R. v. Bedard; A.-G. Can v. Lavell Decision Is Released. Originally two separate cases, the Bedard and Lavell cases both addressed gender discrimination within the Indian Act. In particular, they challenged the removal of Indian Status from Indigenous women who married non-status men. The cases were merged when they were reviewed by the Supreme Court of Canada. The Supreme Court rejected claims that the Canadian Bill of Rights invalidated the Indian Act, allowing the continued removal of Indian Status from women who married men without status. Despite this decision, the section of the Indian Act at issue in the case was removed by Bill C-31 in 1985. August 28 In 2017 The Dissolution of INAC and introduction of two new ministries occurred Implementing a recommendation...
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Youth Rising Together Rally In Mattagami FN
Xavier Kataquapit Writer Youth Rising Together held a rally in Mattagami First Nation to allow local First Nation youth an opportunity to show their support of grassroots youth movements. The event was led by youth organizers in Mattagami FN to give voice to young people in the community who are concerned about recent government legislation. Chief Jennifer Constant spoke to the group and showed her support to First Nation youth as they voiced their concerns regarding legislation that will affect First Nation lands and rights in the future. “It’s important for our leadership to support our youth. The youth taking a stand is always an important process to support. They are doing the advocacy that is innate in all Indigenous people. I feel that this is not just for Mattagami...
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Rivermen star has hall of fame roots
By Sam Laskaris Writer A player with some rather famous relatives is among those hoping to help lead the Six Nations Rivermen to some success at this year’s Presidents Cup. David Anderson, a late-season acquisition, is in Whitby this week with the local Senior B men’s lacrosse squad. The Rivermen are one of eight clubs participating in the national tourney, often simply called The Prezzy. Anderson, who is 24, is the grandson of the late Gaylord Powless. And his great-grandfather was Ross Powless. Gaylord and Ross are considered among the greatest lacrosse players from Six Nations. Both are Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductees. Anderson’s mother Michelle is Gaylord’s daughter. Anderson, who is 24, was already playing in the higher calibre Major Series Lacrosse (MSL), which features Senior A teams,...
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Pro women’s golf event partnered with First Nation
By Sam Laskaris Writer Many of the top women’s golfers in the world were in Mississauga this past week. They were participating in the lone Canadian stop on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) circuit. The four-day event, called the CPKC Women’s Open, which concluded on Sunday, was held at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. Besides thousands of fans, those in attendance were representatives from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN). Tournament officials had signed a partnership with the First Nation prior to the event as the Mississaugua course is located on MCFN treaty land. MCFN officials were staffing an information booth throughout the tournament. “It’s a chance for us to expose our history of this specific site to the outside world,” said Darin Wybenga, MCFN’s acting...
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National Lacrosse League franchise relocates to Oshawa
By Sam Laskaris Writer A pair of Six Nations members will no longer have to drive about a dozen hours round-trip to play their professional lacrosse home games. Goaltender Doug Jamieson and Blake Gibson-McDonald, who plays transition, suited up for the Albany FireWolves during the 2024-25 National Lacrosse League (NLL) season. But it was officially announced this past week that the FireWolves, who played out of Albany for four seasons, would be moving to Oshawa, starting with the 2025-26 campaign, expected to commence in November. The franchise will play its home games at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa. Jamieson and Gibson-McDonald will not be the only Six Nations pro players who will benefit from the FireWolves’ relocation. Local players are spread out throughout the rosters of the 14-team league,...
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Norwegian hiker whose body was found in northern Manitoba drowned, says family
By Brittany Hobson The family of a Norwegian hiker whose body was recovered over the weekend from the shores of the Hayes River in northern Manitoba says an autopsy shows the man drowned. Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, was on a cross-continental journey of the Canadian wilderness when he set out on foot with his two dogs from Fort Severn, Ont., to York Factory, Man., last month. He was expected to arrive in York Factory on Aug. 15 but never made it. Police had said Skjottelvik may have tried to cross the swift-moving Hayes River and got swept up. Ground and air searchers found his body on Sunday near York Factory, and it was sent to Winnipeg for an autopsy. Family spokesperson Christian Dyresen said police told Skjottelvik’s relatives in Norway on...
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Carney says Canada will soon announce funding for port infrastructure
By Catherine Morrison Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that expansions to ports in Montreal and Manitoba could be among the first projects fast-tracked under his government’s new major projects bill. Carney said the government will make an announcement about new port infrastructure “in the next two weeks.” “There is a lot happening, it’s the number 1 focus of this government is to build that infrastructure,” Carney said. “And, particularly, infrastructure that helps us deepen our partnership with our European partners.” The ports comments came as Carney was in Germany and then Latvia on Tuesday, expanding trade ties in Europe with new agreements on energy and critical minerals. Getting products like liquefied natural gas and critical minerals to Europe will likely require infrastructure upgrades at several Canadian ports. Carney specifically...
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Woman being sued for calling four others ‘pretendians’ says she’s protecting identity
By Alessia Passafiume A First Nations woman is being sued for calling four women “pretendians,” with the plaintiffs seeking more than $500,000 in damages and retractions to the heavily publicized comments made about them. Michelle Christine Cameron, also known as Crystal Semaganis, who heads the Ghost Warrior Society, says she conducts research to safeguard community spaces designated for Indigenous Peoples and says those pretending to be Indigenous pose a real harm to communities and nations. In the lawsuit filed in July to the Supreme Court of Yukon, Amanda Buffalo, Krista Reid, Amaris Manderschied and their mother Louise Darroch, say Semaganis conducted research into their backgrounds and concluded they are of Ukrainian heritage, not Indigenous, and then engaged in a “relentless” social media campaign against them. Tina Yang, a lawyer with...
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Peace region Métis artist named in finalists for national award
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca ROSE PRAIRIE, B.C. — A Peace region-based artist is all smiles after being named a finalist for a prestigious award. Haley Bassett, a former executive director at Arts North East and program coordinator at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, has received a finalist distinction for the 2025 William and Meredith Saunderson Prizes for Emerging Artists. Of Métis ancestry, Bassett’s artwork incorporates harvested materials and natural found objects. She told Energeticcity.ca she heard the news during a Métis artist residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. “It means I must be doing something right,” said Bassett. “I kind of felt affirmation from the universe. I feel like I’m in the right place at the right time.” The awards are organized by...
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‘Fabulous opportunity’ to see Tse’k’wa artefacts at archeology event
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. —Important Indigenous heritage site Tse’k’wa is teaming up with its field school partners to promote archeological efforts at the site in Charlie Lake. Scheduled for Wednesday, August 27th, Tse’k’wa’s Archeology Night Out will be hosted by the Tse’k’wa Heritage Society’s executive director Alyssa Currie and Dr. Farid Rahemtulla. Headed by Dr. Rahmetulla, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) conducted field schools at the site in 2022 and 2024. The site in Charlie Lake features a cave dating back to the Ice Age. It is owned by three northeast B.C. First Nations: Doig River First Nation (DRFN), Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) and West Moberly First Nations (WMFN), who purchased the site in 2012. Currie told Energeticcity.ca while...
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NDP calls on province to reverse EA cuts in Prince Albert
By Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Albert Daily Herald The Saskatchewan NDP and education workers represented by CUPE held a press conference facing Carlton Comprehensive High School on Tuesday to call on the Saskatchewan Party government to step in and cover educational assistant positions after federal funding cuts. Shadow Minister for Education Matt Love said that earlier in 2025, school divisions across the province had to make layoffs for educational assistants due to changes in Jordan’s Principle funding at the federal level. “The Saskatchewan NDP and education workers are here today to call on the Sask Party government to restore critical support for students by backfilling educational assistant positions being cut right here in Prince Albert,” Love said. “Educational assistants play a vital role in our classrooms, supporting...
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Catholic Division to enter new agreement around Jordan’s Principle
By Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Albert Daily Herald The Prince Albert Catholic School Division is preparing to enter into a new agreement around funding for Jordan’s Principle. During the board of education’s regular meeting on Aug. 18, director of education Lorel Trumier and CFO Greg McEwen updated the board on a new agreement that was to be signed with Indigenous Services Canada. “We do have a funding agreement and obviously their fiscal year ends March and that’s probably why there hasn’t been much attention to it,” Trumier explained. The previous funding agreement expired on March 31. The division has received a new draft funding agreement that administration recommends signing off on. “What we’ve been waiting for is a response on their commitment for April to June for...
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Trying to get cross-border fishing on ‘government’s radar,’ says Powlowski
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com FORT FRANCES — The member of Parliament who represents borderlands constituents upset over what they’re calling a lack of enforcement on the region’s border lakes says he’s listening. Marcus Powlowski told Newswatch he’s been speaking with a coalition of Northwestern Ontario interests who are pressing federal officials about their concerns over enforcement on Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake. They’re particularly worried about the implications of what they say is an increasing number of American anglers making day trips from the U.S. into Canada on the water — without having to pass border checks or declare themselves to Canadian officials. Powlowski said the rules in place were based on reciprocity between the two nations sharing cross-border resources, but he said he...
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Denmark and Greenland apologize to Inuit women over forced contraception in the past
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday apologized for their roles in the past mistreatment of Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women that included forcing contraception upon them, in cases that date back to the 1960s. Nearly 150 Inuit women last year sued Denmark and filed compensation claims against its health ministry, saying Danish health authorities violated their human rights when they fitted them with intrauterine contraceptive devices, commonly known as coils or IUDs. Some of the women — including many who were teenagers at the time — were not aware of what happened or did not give their consent. Danish authorities last year said as many as 4,500 women and girls — reportedly half of the fertile women in Greenland at the time — received coil implants between...
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Brantford man arrested, charged with child pornography offences
BRANTFORD, ONT. – A Brantford man is facing child pornography charges, following an investigation from the Brantford Police Service (BPS) Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit. Members of the unit executed a search warrant at a local residence on Aug. 19, 2025, after hearing the accused was in possession of child pornography. During the search, officers seized multiple computers, cellphones and electronic devices, which detectives later confirmed to have evidence of child pornography. The 32-year-old man was arrested and subsequently held for a bail hearing. He is facing one count of Accessing Child Pornography, and two counts of Possession of Child Pornography contrary to the Criminal Code. The ICE Unit’s investigation is ongoing, as the accused is known to be an extensive traveller. Police are also concerned he may have communicated with...
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Iroquois Lodge to remain closed, new building proposed
OHSWEKEN, ON –More than two months after Six Nations of the Grand River was hit by storm related flooding the community remains under a State of Emergency with the Iroquois Lodge remaining closed and residents remaining in a Delhi, Ontario residence. In a statement late Tuesday, Aug., 26, SNEC said remediation work, as a result of storm flooding June 18, 2025, is continuing on the Iroquois Lodge The statement says an Industrial Hygienist Assessment report on the lodge received on July 25, 2025, showed black water damage throughout the lodge has impacted wall and floor finishes . The statement says a lodge walk-through Aug., 5, 2025, that was part of the remediation phase showed “widespread and in-depth impacts to Iroquois Lodge.” Meetings have been held with the Power of Attorneys,...
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