‘Stay away from the water’: Communities across Canada on flood alert
By Eli Ridder Communities across the central and eastern parts of Canada are on high alert as officials warn of spring flooding caused by rainfall and rapidly melting snow. Medically vulnerable residents of a First Nation community located 180 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Man., are being moved out in advance of anticipated flooding. Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor says Peguis First Nation is proceeding with the partial evacuation in case rising water levels of the nearby Fisher River render local roads impassable. The community has been sandbagging since last week but Chief Stan Bird said Tuesday it remained to be seen whether all of the 200 or more homes that might need protection will get barriers. Tents and teepees have also been set up inside the community arena, according to...
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AFN chief asks UN to support First Nations’ opposition to B.C. Indigenous law change
By Alessia Passafiume The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling on the United Nations to condemn the “regressive” attempt by B.C. Premier David Eby’s government to amend or suspend parts a landmark Indigenous rights law. That law, based on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, has come under fire from Eby’s government after it was cited in a court ruling against the province. Eby has said that a December court ruling meant that the DRIPA law put the province at significant legal risk. After changing his position on suspending or amending parts of the law multiple times over the past month, Eby said Monday he will work with First Nations to come up with a solution. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak told...
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Poilievre says Carney ‘pushing fear’ in address to Canadians on U.S. relations
By Catherine Morrison Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of “pushing fear” in a recent address to Canadians on the relationship with the U.S. In a 10-minute video posted to social media on Sunday, Carney said Canada’s deep economic ties with the U.S. used to be a major strength, but are now a source of weakness. The prime minister said it would be wrong to wait for the U.S. to resume the co-operation of decades past and Ottawa must instead push forward with a plan to diversify its trade. In his own video posted to social media Monday, Poilievre argued Carney’s address was “strangely timed” and aimed at distracting Canadians from issues like inflation. “It’s not surprising that the prime minister wants to distract from his costly...
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Save our salmon: Indigenous leaders speak of Ottawa’s betrayal
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner Indigenous leaders in New Brunswick say Ottawa has betrayed their people by announcing the closure of the Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility, a hatchery that keeps their prized wild Atlantic salmon alive. But a top official at the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans says private talks are taking place with Indigenous organizations to take over the facility’s live wild salmon gene bank and with NB Power to ensure the big salmon can still make safe passage over the massive Mactaquac dam. Last week, Indigenous leaders gathered in the community closest to the dam and hydro station, Bilijk, or Kingsclear First Nation, not far from Fredericton, to talk to community members and the media about the urgency of saving their salmon, at...
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A criminal sentence for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma clears the way for completing its settlement
By Geoff Mulvihill A judge is expected to sentence OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to forfeit $225 million to the Justice Department on Tuesday, clearing the way for the company to finalize a settlement of thousands of lawsuits it faces over its role in the opioid crisis. The penalty was agreed to in a 2020 pact to resolve federal civil and criminal probes it was facing. If the judge signs off, other penalties will not be collected in return for Purdue settling the other lawsuits. After years of legal twists and turns, the settlement was approved by another judge last year and could take effect May 1. It requires members of the Sackler family who own the company to pay up to $7 billion to state, local and Native American tribal...
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Ontario’s solicitor general sorry for saying improperly released inmates were caught
By Liam Casey Ontario’s solicitor general and his No. 2 have apologized for “inadvertently” saying officials apprehended all 157 criminals who were mistakenly released from the province’s jails over the past five years. Michael Kerzner repeatedly said last week during question period at Queen’s Park, and afterward to journalists, that the criminals were caught immediately after being improperly released. On Monday afternooon, Kerzner told the legislature he was “imprecise” in his language. “I’d like to correct my record without reservation: I inadvertently referenced the immediate re-apprehension of improperly released inmates, rather than clarifying that the local police of jurisdiction were notified immediately,” Kerzner told the legislature “I apologize unreservedly to the members of this house for providing them with information that was not fully accurate.” Global News discovered through a...
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Carney names members of new advisory committee on Canada-U.S. economic relations
By David Baxter Prime Minister Mark Carney retooled an advisory committee on Canada-U.S. trade on Tuesday, adding a former Conservative leader and the former high commissioner to the United Kingdom to the team. The committee replaces the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations that was established by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in January 2025. Carney has renamed it the Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations and has added several high-profile names. They include former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, former Liberal cabinet minister and high commissioner to the U.K. Ralph Goodale, former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt and former Nunavut premier P.J. Akeeagok. Among the names retained from the original Trudeau committee are former Quebec premier Jean Charest, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association president Flavio Volpe and Unifor president Lana Payne. “It’s a...
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War, climate change and AI: What’s at stake at this year’s UN Indigenous forum
By Anita Hofschneider/grist Hundreds of delegates are arriving at the United Nations this week for the world’s largest gathering of Indigenous peoples. But they arrive against an increasingly hostile global backdrop, facing an artificial intelligence boom driving new extraction on ancestral lands, a U.S. administration that has made it increasingly difficult for Global South delegates to secure visas to attend, and the twin challenges of climate change and green energy projects that have frequently run afoul of Indigenous land rights. This year’s United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is focused on the grim topic of survival in the midst of war, with its official theme “Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.” Experts emphasize that Indigenous peoples already face health inequities from colonialism and climate change,...
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Eby called changes to Indigenous law ‘non-negotiable,’ but series of backdowns ensued
By Canadian Press Staff The British Columbia government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act has resulted in a series of climbdowns in the face of opposition from First Nations. Here’s how it has played out: Nov. 28, 2019: The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, known as DRIPA, is unanimously adopted by the B.C. legislature. It is intended to reflect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which says governments should obtain “free, prior and informed consent” from Indigenous peoples on legislation that affects them. Nov. 23, 2021: Then-attorney general David Eby introduces changes to the Interpretation Act, which governs how legislation is implemented in B.C. The changes say “every act and regulation must be construed...
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Poilievre says Carney ‘pushing fear’ in address to Canadians on U.S. relations
By Catherine Morrison Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of “pushing fear” in a recent address to Canadians on the relationship with the U.S. In a 10-minute video posted to social media on Sunday, Carney said Canada’s deep economic ties with the U.S. used to be a major strength, but are now a source of weakness. The prime minister said it would be wrong to wait for the U.S. to resume the co-operation of decades past and Ottawa must instead push forward with a plan to diversify its trade. In his own video posted to social media Monday, Poilievre argued Carney’s address was “strangely timed” and aimed at distracting Canadians from issues like inflation. “It’s not surprising that the prime minister wants to distract from his costly...
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Eby ‘moving forward’ with First Nations after latest climbdown on Indigenous law
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia Premier David Eby said that “moving forward together” with First Nations leaders is now his top priority, explaining why he withdrew plans to table legislation to suspend key parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act on Monday. Eby, who previously angered First Nations leaders by saying that changing DRIPA was “non-negotiable,” told reporters that he takes “responsibility” for taking the province in “different directions” on the Indigenous law. “Well, I certainly would have liked to have been right the first time — I was not,” he said. “This is challenging work. This is one of the hardest files that I have ever worked on.” Trevor Halford, interim leader of the Conservative Party of B.C., said Monday the premier made an “absolute...
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Scientist advises against rushing Ring of Fire road projects
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com OTTAWA — The Ontario government wants to go fast on connecting the Ring of Fire to the highway system, but conservation scientist Adam Kirkwood cautions that haste carries risk. “There are definitely quite a few risks,” Kirkwood, a research associate with Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, told Newswatch. Financial risks are real, he said, but ecological risks are his focus and area of expertise. On March 2, the province released a plan to accelerate construction of all-season roads to the Ring of Fire so that projects could start this June and the first road — the Webequie Supply Road — could open by the end of 2030, four years ahead of schedule. The roads involved are routes to the Webequie and Marten Falls...
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Great Northern Arts Festival hit by ‘surprising’ funding rejection
By Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio Inuvik’s Great Northern Arts Festival is working to fill a significant funding gap after applications to the Canada Council for the Arts were denied this year. Festival executive director Adi Scott said the organization had applied for two grants – one to support travel for participating artists and another to cover core festival costs. Together, the applications totalled about $90,000. According to Scott, both requests were rejected for similar reasons. She said the festival received its lowest score in the “feasibility” category, which ultimately affected its overall ranking. “I believe that this is a common thing that’s happening across the North,” she told Cabin Radio. “Other organizations I’ve spoken to in Yellowknife have also been denied their funding based on feasibility,...
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One school, nine students. CA pays over $100,000 per kid to keep small schools open
By Carolyn Jones/calmatters School closures are an incendiary issue in nearly every corner of California, as enrollment declines and expenses climb. The topic has sparked parent revolts, teacher strikes and school boards’ desperate attempts to keep districts financially afloat. And then there’s Orick. The picturesque town in northern Humboldt County has a historic school with five classrooms, a gym, a vegetable garden and an expansive play field. Its current enrollment: nine. Its expenses: $118,000 per student per year, more than five times the state average. California has dozens of school districts with enrollments under 100 and higher-than-average expenses. Most of these districts are in remote areas miles from the next nearest school. But as urban districts grapple with the threat of school closures and the inevitable backlash from families and...
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Pushing for Recognition – Michael Jolly takes over as the new Chief of MoCreebec
By Natalia Fedosieieva, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation After decades of service, Michael Jolly has taken the helm of MoCreebec, continuing a legacy of resilience and advocacy for the community’s future. In a delayed election process that concluded March 12, Jolly became the chief of MoCreebec, bringing with him experience in leadership roles in IT and community economic development. “I’m looking forward to embracing the new role and responsibilities that the people have given me,” Jolly said. Established in Moose Factory and Moosonee in 1980 to support Cree beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, MoCreebec adopted its constitution in 1993. Today, MoCreebec manages numerous programs, services and economic initiatives, while continuing to advocate for formal recognition as a First Nation. Jolly’s path to leadership has been...
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MWF welcomes $3.8B nature fund, seeks balance on Seal River protections
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The Manitoba Wildlife Federation says it is encouraged by a new federal conservation strategy that includes advancing protection of northern Manitoba’s Seal River Watershed, while emphasizing the need for balanced, accessible land use as details of the proposal take shape. The federation’s response follows a March 31 announcement by Prime Minister Mark Carney outlining a $3.8-billion national nature strategy aimed at conserving 30 per cent of Canada’s lands and waters by 2030. The plan includes support for new national parks, marine conservation areas and Indigenous-led initiatives such as the proposed Seal River Watershed National Park. In a statement, the federation said it supports conservation efforts but stressed the importance of maintaining access and sustainable use. “We support protected areas … and...
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Most homes at risk of flooding on Manitoba First Nation still need protection: Kinew
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says about a quarter of the homes at risk of flooding on Peguis First Nation are being protected so far, as the community braces for rising water on the nearby Fisher River. The First Nation north of Winnipeg, in the Interlake region, has estimated that about 225 homes are in danger. Kinew visited Peguis a day earlier to help with sandbagging, along with hundreds of other volunteers. Preparations began last week after the First Nation was warned it could see flooding like in 2022, when roughly 2,000 residents were forced out and hundreds of homes were damaged. The Manitoba and federal governments say a long-term prevention solution is on the way for the flood-prone community. The province says runoff is expected to begin next week across...
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Honouring reconciliation: Squamish library calls for Nation artists
By Ina Pace, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Squamish Chief The Squamish Public Library is inviting proposals from Squamish Nation artists for a permanent art installation, honouring reconciliation, accessibility, and community. The Squamish Public Library is inviting Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) artists to submit proposals for a permanent interior art installation. According to the library’s press release, the commissioned artwork—planned to be installed in the fall this year—will be “prominently displayed … offering meaningful and visible acknowledgement” of the Nation’s culture and land. The call is part of a provincial enhancement project for various B.C. libraries, launched after the COVID-19 pandemic, for which the Squamish library has received a grant. Director of library services Hilary Bloom said that this call for artists is one of several ways the province’s grant...
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Wasauksing to create mobile nursing unit with support from Ontario
By Shania Tabobondung, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Parry Sound North Star Indigenous communities along the Highway 69 corridor are expected to see improved access to primary care services following a new provincial investment announced Friday. Shawanaga, Wasauksing, Magnetawan and Henvey Inlet are some of the communities that will benefit from expanded health services supported by new funding to Wasauksing First Nation’s Health Department. On April 17, Wasauksing Chief Councillor Elizabeth Taylor joined Ontario MPP Graydon Smith in Gravenhurst to announce an investment of $615,900, to support an expanded nurse practitioner program aimed at connecting 656 patients with essential health-care services. Taylor said the investment will fund a mobile health unit lead by Wasauksing’s health department, allowing nurse practitioners to reach neighbouring communities that currently face barriers to care. Wasauksing Chief...
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B.C. to table suspension of Indigenous law on Monday, First Nations sources say
By Alessia Passafiume and Wolfgang Depner First Nations sources say British Columbia Premier David Eby’s government will introduce legislation to suspend parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act on Monday. Independent First Nations sources tell The Canadian Press that the bill that has been vehemently opposed by many Indigenous leaders will seek to suspend the core elements of DRIPA for one year. Eby has said a recent court decision on B.C.’s mineral claims regime that cited DRIPA puts the province at serious litigation risk. His government, with just a single-seat majority, has struggled to find a course that satisfies First Nations leaders, who rejected an initial plan to amend DRIPA, then dismissed the idea to suspend the law to give the Supreme Court of Canada time...
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