Chief says mines process is ‘not partnership, it’s pressure’
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source TORONTO — Ontario’s mines minister says its new streamlined permitting process for the resource sector is necessary, but that’s not how North Spirit Lake Chief Brandon Rae sees it. To the contrary, he told a news conference Wednesday at Queen’s Park, “what it really does is weaken consultation” and silence First Nations. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce announced earlier in the day that Frontier Lithium’s PAK project, northwest of Rae’s First Nation, has been designated the first project under the new 1P1P (one project, one process) framework. Rae spoke to reporters after the minister’s announcement, in a news conference hosted by Kiiwetinoong MPP and deputy NDP leader Sol Mamakwa, whose riding includes North Spirit Lake. Lecce said in the...
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Premier Eby says B.C. will ask court to stay implementation of Cowichan Tribes case
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia Premier David Eby says his government will be asking for a stay of the implementation of the Cowichan Tribes case that confirmed Aboriginal title over an area of private and government-owned land in Richmond, B.C. Eby said Wednesday that a stay would give the British Columbia Court of Appeal an opportunity to consider and decide on the landmark case that has sparked concerns about the implications for private land ownership. Although the August declaration of Aboriginal title by the B.C. Supreme Court was suspended for 18 months, Eby said he hoped the Court of Appeal would use the requested stay to provide some “clarity and assistance” on the direction of the case. The ruling says the Crown’s grants of private titles in the 750-acre area...
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Army Corps approves Enbridge pipeline reroute around Wisconsin reservation
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday approved energy company Enbridge’s plans to reroute an aging oil pipeline around a northern Wisconsin tribal reservation. Enbridge wants to build a new 41-mile (66-kilometer) segment of pipeline around the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to replace a 12-mile (19-kilometer) segment that now crosses tribal land. The tribe wants the pipeline off its land. But along with environmental groups, the tribe argues that regulators have underestimated the environmental damage of construction and that the project perpetuates the use of fossil fuels. The opponents are suing to try to reverse construction permits issued by the state of Wisconsin. But the Army Corps of Engineers approved the separate federal permit Wednesday. “The approval of the...
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Young, proud, online: Quebec’s newest sovereigntists hope to revive an aging movement
By Maura Forrest The self-described CEO of the next generation of Quebec sovereigntists is a 17-year-old rapper and TikTok sensation who claims to be more influential than Premier François Legault. Miguel Monteiro-Beauchamp, who goes by the name kinji00, was born in Portugal and grew up in Gatineau, Que. As Canada marks the 30th anniversary of Quebec’s last referendum on independence, held on Oct. 30, 1995, Monteiro-Beauchamp is emerging as the ambassador of a new wave of Gen Z sovereigntists. None of them were born when Quebec last voted on whether to leave Canada three decades ago. But they are proud and very online, expressing their allegiance through memes and TikTok edits. They are also mobilizing in the real world, starting independence clubs at their colleges and universities. Their numbers may...
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Most Canadian workers support equity efforts despite some backlash: report
By Daniel Johnson A majority of Canadian workers say they view equity, diversity and inclusion favourably, according to a new report, even in the face of some backlash. The report from the Future Skills Centre and researchers at the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University found that 54 per cent of Canadian workers view EDI favourably, while 27 per cent were neutral, and 16 per cent viewed it negatively. The survey was conducted by Environics Institute. Workplace EDI initiatives in Canada and the U.S. have faced “intensifying scrutiny and backlash” amid policy shifts in the U.S., which have had spillover effects in Canada, the report said. “Most Canadians do not view it (EDI) as a matter of political correctness or wokeness. They view it as an important foundation of Canadian...
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KPMG finds businesses wary of project delays without proper Indigenous consultation
By Lauren Krugel A survey from KPMG in Canada suggests virtually all business leaders are keen on Ottawa’s push for new nation-building infrastructure, but a hefty majority is leery of legal setbacks if Indigenous consultation falls short. The advisory firm says three in 10 respondents gave an all-of-the-above answer when asked what categories of projects they want to see prioritized, giving equal billing to energy, artificial intelligence, transportation and ports. A quarter said their priority was energy, followed by 22 per cent for AI, 18 per cent for transportation and five per cent for ports. Projects that respondents highlighted included two focused on West Coast liquefied natural gas exports, two on renewable power and one on critical minerals. The survey of 501 business owners and executives was conducted between Sept....
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Archaeological site in Alaska that casts light on early Yup’ik life ravaged by ex-Typhoon Halong
By Becky Bohrer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A fragment of a mask that was preserved for hundreds of years in permafrost sat in the muck of a low tide in the western Alaska community of Quinhagak. Wooden spoons, toys, a fishing lure and other artifacts were strewn, in some cases for miles, along the beach. The Yup’ik community near the edge of the Bering Sea was spared the widespread devastation wrought by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on its neighbors further west earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts. About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in...
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Arviat fashion designer reaches top 15 in international contest
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News Arviat’s own fashion icon, Natalie Owlijoot, continues to advance past the rounds of an online style icon contest that could see her become the Style Icon, appear in Flaunt Magazine and win $20,000. Owlijoot advanced past the first round of the contest to reach the top 20 and, last week, her star shone even brighter as she advanced beyond the second round to reach the top 15 contestants in the online voting contest. She is now vying to pass the third round and reach the top 10 in the contest. People have been able to log in and vote for their favourite contestant every day. Owlijoot said on the contest website that she’s passionate about style because it’s self-expression — turning...
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Ring of Fire road construction could start next year with $40M new deal
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com WEBEQUIE — Webequie First Nation and the province have signed a new multi-million dollar deal that both sides say will pave the way for a long-planned road into the Ring of Fire area. At a press conference at Queen’s Park on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse were among those on hand to sign a community partnership agreement for the Webequie Community Access Road. That could see nearly $40 million go to the community as it moves ahead with a project the government called a “critical link” in a project central to its economic strategy for the province. The proposed road would run just over 100 kilometres from the Webequie airport east to the McFaulds Lake area —...
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Eby says powering megaprojects is in B.C.’s interest. Energy experts aren’t so sure
By Shannon Waters, The Narwhal B.C. Premier David Eby and Energy Minister Adrian Dix are proposing big changes to energy policy to allow the province to cash in one of its most valuable assets: electricity. “We need to leverage the benefits that we have here in order to realize the prosperity that we want,” Eby said on Oct. 21 as he unveiled a suite of changes to provincial laws and regulations. “We need to ensure that we’re accessing that clean, reliable, affordable power — the kind of power that will give us an edge in the global economy.” According to Eby, the best use for that power is electrifying emission-intensive industries, like mining and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, and ports to ship those goods overseas. Offering interested companies quick...
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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 were liable for defamation and other claims brought by a pipeline company in connection with protests of an oil pipeline nearly a decade ago. The award is roughly half the $667 million that a jury previously had awarded to the company, Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access. State District Judge James Gion granted and denied Greenpeace requests to rule in its favor on various claims before recalculating the damages. Energy Transfer said it intends to appeal the verdict “as we firmly believe that the original jury findings and damages awards for conspiracy and defamation are...
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First Nation files lawsuit demanding Aboriginal title over lands in western Quebec
An Algonquin First Nation has filed a title claim in Quebec Superior Court over large swaths of territory across the west of the province, and is also seeking $5 billion from governments and Crown corporations. Jean-Guy Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, says the Algonquin people must have a say in the way water, wildlife and forestry are managed in their traditional territory. Meaningful reconciliation can’t exist until that happens, he said in a recent interview. “Billions of dollars have been taken out of our lands with limited return to our community,” said Whiteduck, whose First Nation is located on the shores of the Gatineau River, near Maniwaki, Que. The Aboriginal title claim covers eight areas, including islands in the Ottawa River; Gatineau park and adjoining lands...
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‘Why did you not warn us’: Frustration for B.C. land owners at Cowichan case meeting
By Nono Shen Residents of Richmond, B.C., asked why they weren’t told sooner about potential risks to their property rights at a tense meeting with officials over the impact of the landmark Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title ruling. Tensions and frustrations ran high at the public information meeting at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel on Tuesday night, with affected homeowners peppering Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie with questions. “Why did you not warn us earlier?” homeowner Kal Matt asked Brodie at the meeting, overflowing with hundreds of residents. “Why don’t you tell us sooner?” The meeting came after the British Columbia government tried to impress on the public that the case could be crucial to the fate of private land ownership in the province, with officials staging a technical briefing for journalists,...
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Isuarsivik marks milestone in Nunavik’s journey of recovery
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News A mural honouring six pioneering individuals for their work in recovery in Nunavik is painted on the wall facing the parking lot at the Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq. The centre is celebrating 30 years of serving communities in the region. Among the pioneers is Roda Grey. In 2007, she returned to Kuujjuaq to train as a substance use counsellor at Isuarsivik. She previously worked at the national level with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in Ottawa, during which time she said she felt “detached” from her community. “I wanted to be a counsellor because I wanted to find out what happened to us in Nunavik,” she said in an interview. “I wanted to be part of the solution when...
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Ontario signs deal with Webequie First Nation to speed Ring of Fire road construction
By Liam Casey A northern Ontario First Nation has signed a partnership deal with the province designed to speed up construction of a road to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire. The province will give Webequie First Nation nearly $40 million to build a community centre with an arena, rebuild its airport terminal that recently burned down and buy materials and equipment to begin early work on a road to the proposed Ring of Fire mining site. Webequie First Nation Chief Cornelius Wabasse says the deal will also provide his community with badly needed mental health resources and support. Wabasse says the Webequie Supply Road is a pathway to economic opportunity for his isolated community, which can only be reached by air or via a winter road that is increasingly shrinking...
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‘Earth’s living systems still want to heal’: Scientists urge climate action as coral reefs reach ‘tipping points’
By Anushka Yadav, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Pointer Waterloo native Neha Acharya-Patel was just 15 when her father took her deep underwater for the first time at a dive park in Gulliver’s Lake, near Hamilton. “It was disgusting and it was so cold…someone had just thrown toilets and refrigerators into it,” Neha tells The Pointer, laughing at the memory. “It was horrible. And then I didn’t dive again.” That changed in 2013, when she moved to British Columbia to pursue an undergraduate degree in marine biology. There, she trained in scientific diving and fell in love with the deep, cold waters of the Pacific Northwest. “There was no going back,” she says. Neha had found her calling and would go on to log more than a thousand scientific dives...
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New research reveals that almost half of Canadians believe in the paranormal — ghosts and all
By Tony Silva, and Emily Huddart What would you say if you were told that paranormal activity exists? Well, nearly half of Canadians would agree. What is the paranormal, exactly? It refers to phenomena that science cannot explain and are not part of a major religion in a particular society. In contrast, religious phenomena are part of an established doctrine. For example, in Canada, psychic abilities and Bigfoot or Sasquatch are considered paranormal, while angels and demons are associated with religion. In the summer of 2025, we launched a survey of Canadian attitudes regarding paranormal beliefs in which participation was confidential. And for the first time in decades, we have nationally representative data on paranormal beliefs and encounters in Canada. Although news outlets regularly publish stories about paranormal beliefs on...
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National Inuit women’s organization appears to oust president, two staff on Truth and Reconciliaiton Day
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News National Inuit women’s organization Pauktuutit allegedly fired its CEO and president, Nikki Komaksiutiksak, along with two staff at the end of September, according to a letter seen by Nunavut News. The letter from Amautiit Nunavut Inuit Women’s Association states that one employee was let go on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, while Komaksiutiksak and another employee were removed the day before. Just one week after the purported separation, Pauktuutit named a new chair of its board, Looee Mike, as well as a new vice-chair and a new treasurer on Oct. 8. “Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada is undergoing an internal transition process. Out of respect for people’s privacy, we will not comment on individual HR matter,” said Catherine...
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Ontario signs deal with Webequie First Nation to speed Ring of Fire road construction
By Liam Casey A northern Ontario First Nation signed a partnership deal with the province Wednesday designed to speed up construction of a road to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire, with its chief saying it will lead to prosperity for his community. The province will give Webequie First Nation nearly $40 million to build a community centre with an arena, rebuild its airport terminal that recently burned down and buy materials and equipment to begin early work on a road to the proposed Ring of Fire mining site. “It’s an opportunity for us and we’d like to make that opportunity flourish,” Chief Cornelius Wabasse said. The deal will also provide Webequie with what he said is badly needed mental health resources and support. Premier Doug Ford said prosperity and big...
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Judge says $510M in fees for lawyers in treaty case was unreasonable
Judge says lawyer’s professional retainer is not a “lottery ticket” By Alessia Passafiume In a scathing decision, an Ontario court judge has ruled a $510 million legal fee for lawyers who worked on a First Nations treaty rights case was unreasonable — and has ordered the fee scaled back to $23 million. The Robinson Huron Treaty settlement, reached in 2023, sought to remedy unpaid treaty annuities for 21 First Nations. It resulted in a $10 billion settlement, with five per cent of that amount going toward the lawyers who argued the case on behalf of the First Nations. The First Nations said the fact that the $4-per-person annuity had not increased since 1874 breached the treaty, because resource extraction projects operating on their land had been generating...
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