Bureau of Indian Affairs officer pleads guilty to sexually abusing teen on Montana reservation
By Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A former federal law enforcement officer pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual abuse after prosecutors said he raped an intoxicated 14-year-old girl on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and tried to cover it up. Prosecutors said defendant Murrell Deela, who was then an officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, encountered the girl at a gas station on the reservation in southern Montana in August 2024. When the girl tried to run, Deela performed a “takedown maneuver” on her, put her in the back of his patrol car and drove to an unlit park where he sexually assaulted her, according to court documents. Deela later took the girl to her grandmother’s house. The girl reported the assault the next day, the documents said. After...
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‘Tyler’s life mattered’: 5 or 10 year sentence suggested for manslaughter
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — Tyler Blouin was described as a kind, funny and protective young man to a full courtroom on Thursday. Blouin, 20, died as a result of a physical altercation in the area of Camelot and St. Paul streets around 2:30 a.m. on May 5, 2024. Brady Nugent pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the incident on May 5, 2024 and on Thursday in a Thunder Bay courtroom, details of the incident were heard during a sentencing hearing. The Crown is seeking 10 years incarceration, while the defence is asking for five years. Crown attorney Danielle Wood summarized the case as a senseless attack by a person with a troubled past, on a vulnerable person. She added that Nugent...
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Employee accused of $6M-plus fraud involving Guardians money
By Claire McFarlane, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio An employee at a national non-profit is accused of fraud involving more than $6 million in public funds earmarked for Indigenous Guardians programming. The First Nations National Guardians Network, or NGN, provides funding, networking, training and education opportunities that support First Nations-led stewardship and sovereignty. In a Thursday email seen by Cabin Radio, the non-profit – which administers funds from the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change – told operators of Guardians programs it had found “evidence of a sustained pattern of unauthorized financial transactions that appear to have been made by a member of staff.” An investigation identified suspicious transactions over a period of months, NGN stated. “As soon as this fraud was detected, the NGN Council promptly notified...
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Walking together: Bridging two worlds to protect one landscape
By Cory Bilyea, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Wingham Advance Times HURON COUNTY – Members of Neyaashiinigmiing’s Bagida’waad Alliance joined staff and volunteers from Maitland Conservation for a muddy spring walk on Mar. 26, using bird migration, the history of local trees and changing waters as starting points for collaboration, reconciliation and sharing care for the land. What began as a simple nature hike quickly became something more as two perspectives, shaped by different shorelines and histories, came together around the same urgent question — how do we protect this landscape together? Bagida’waad team members Natasha Akiwenzie (manager), along with her son, Chris Akiwenzie, and biologist Dylan White, led a guided hike along the Maitland River at Wawanosh Park Conservation Area, which used to be known as the Menesetung (laughing water),...
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‘Absolute betrayal’: First Nations blast Eby in leaked transcript of DRIPA meeting
By Alessia Passafiume A leaked transcript of a meeting between Indigenous leaders and British Columbia Premier David Eby, about his plan to suspend the province’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, or DRIPA, shows them accusing him of “absolute betrayal” and colonialism. Speaker after speaker in the 17,000-word transcript of Thursday’s meeting, obtained by The Canadian Press, criticize Eby’s handling of DRIPA, which he says needs to be suspended for up to three years. DRIPA is at the centre of a legal and political storm after being cited by First Nations in two landmark court cases last year, including an appeal ruling that says the act should be “properly interpreted” to incorporate the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into B.C. laws “with immediate legal effect.”...
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Highway 4 reopens after First Nation protest over cannabis crackdown, police say
By Eli Ridder A Nova Scotia highway is up and running this morning after it was blocked by First Nations protesters following an RCMP raid on a cannabis shop. Highway 4 through Potlotek First Nation in Cape Breton has reopened, RCMP say, and a Potlotek band councillor says the protest is over. RCMP said it raided a shop Thursday morning, arrested two men and seized cannabis products. It marks the latest in an ongoing dispute between Mi’kmaw governments and a provincial government cracking down on unregulated marijuana. The province says cannabis sales aren’t a treaty right because only Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. is allowed to sell the product. Mounties also said Thursday evening that Highway 102 near Shubenacadie, N.S., had reopened following a blockade there. This report by The Canadian...
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Otherworldly Soundscapes – Inuit sisters PIQSIQ bring throat-singing to a global audience
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation Indigenous artists continued to break new ground at the 55th Juno Awards, held in Hamilton on March 29. The Juno Honouring Ceremony, presented the day before, featured a performance by Cree singer-songwriter Siibii, along with Allied Nation, Little Creek Singers and YB Nakota. Aside from traditional and contemporary Indigenous music categories, Indigenous artists were represented in six other competitions. Inuit throat-singing duo PIQSIQ celebrated their first nomination for Global Music Album of the Year for their album Legends. The recognition marked another milestone for sisters Tiffany Ayalik and Inuksuk Mackay, whose fusion of traditional practice with modern technology pushes the boundaries of contemporary soundscapes. While they long performed live with only their vocals and a looping effects station, this album was...
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Damaged RCMP vehicles recovered after First Nation protests in N.S., police say
By Eli Ridder Police in Nova Scotia have launched investigations after RCMP vehicles were damaged and highways were blocked following a raid on a First Nations cannabis shop that a local leader says ruined years of building trust. RCMP officers, with the help of Potlotek First Nation leaders, on Friday morning recovered seven police vehicles that were left behind during protests the day before and ended a partial blockade that remained, according to a news release. Photos of the recovered vehicles shared by the RCMP show an unmarked police car missing its wheels, while glass windows were shattered and tires slashed on several of the SUVs. An RCMP spokesperson confirmed all but one of the seven vehicles left behind Thursday were damaged. Isaiah Bernard, a Potlotek band councillor, said in...
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Louis Riel Cup returns to Warman with unity through sport
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca WARMAN — A celebration of hockey, culture and community is centre stage in Warman this weekend as the Louis Riel Cup returns for its second edition. Hosted by Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S) in partnership with NexGen Energy, the tournament will opened Friday at 7 p.m. at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex. The Louis Riel Cup — themed “Unity Through Sport” — brings together Métis, First Nations and non-Indigenous athletes in an inclusive tournament designed to foster connection both on and off the ice. This year’s event features seven men’s teams and five women’s teams, competing in round-robin play across two rinks. Finalists will be determined through games running Friday and Saturday, with winners announced Saturday afternoon. While this is only the second Louis...
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OMG is providing custom passes for its Metis citizens into Alberta National Parks and historic sites
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News The Otipemisiwak Metis Government (OMG) has renewed its five-year agreement with Parks Canada to provide its citizens with free access to national parks and historic sites within Alberta. This time, the OMG is using a custom-designed park pass featuring original art designed by Alberta Metis artist Krista Leddy, with beadwork from Maddison Post, Morgan Johnson, Elena Mercuri, and Sarah Olsen. “It’s a beautiful new hang tag that they can put in their vehicle and have proudly in their vehicle when they go through the parks and the historic sites,” OMG president Andrea Sandmaier told Alberta Native News. The pass will provide them with free entry into Banff, Elk Island, Jasper and Waterton Lakes national parks, as well as Banff Park...
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N.S. premier blasts First Nation highway blockades, calls for RCMP to be respected
By Eli Ridder Tensions between the Nova Scotia government and First Nations leaders flared up over the weekend amid a continuing debate over who has jurisdiction in Indigenous communities. Premier Tim Houston says blocking highways “is never acceptable” after protestors set up multiple blockades in reaction to an RCMP raid on an unregulated Indigenous cannabis shop in Cape Breton. “The unlawful obstruction of others is not peaceful. It undermines public safety, respect for law enforcement and the rule of law itself,” he wrote in a social media post Saturday evening. “Our roadways are our lifeblood. At any given time, people are travelling for critical reasons such as getting to medical appointments, hospitals, work and caring for their families.” Houston made the comments after leaders of Potlotek First Nation, where the...
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James Smith Cree Nation seeks answers on COVID-19 funds
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca JAMES SMITH CREE NATION — The chief of James Smith Cree Nation says he is seeking answers and accountability after raising concerns about how COVID-19 funding was handled by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). Chief Kirby Constant confirmed Wednesday he sent a formal letter to the FSIN requesting documents and clarification regarding funding tied to the pandemic. “As chief, I have a responsibility to protect the interests of our nation and to ensure transparency and accountability when our nation’s name is referenced in matters involving public funds,” Constant said in a open letter to members. The request follows a 2025 summary report by Indigenous Services Canada based on a forensic audit conducted by KPMG. The report found the FSIN received...
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Aspire Program seeking the next generation of Kahnawa’kehró:non scientists
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) is launching the Aspire Program for Kahnawa’kehró:non students to increase Indigenous representation in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEM) fields. Doctor Gareth Lim, Associate Professor at the University of Montreal and Principal Scientist at the Centre de Recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM), developed the internship program during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the ongoing underrepresentation of Indigenous people in STEM fields. “I felt like it was something we should improve, ” Lim said. Lim reached out to Dr. Alex McComber, a Kahnawa’kehró:non researcher at McGill University, to help broker an introduction to the Kahnawake Education Center (KEC). Lim worked alongside KEC to create the Aspire Program. “The idea was to focus on students...
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Ottawa commits $1.4 billion to Indigenous health services
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Minister of Indigenous Services Canada Mandy Gull-Masty announced this week that the federal government will invest nearly $1.4 billion over eight years to support Indigenous health services across the country. According to Gull-Masty, this funding will ensure that Indigenous peoples have access to reliable and culturally informed health services. “Indigenous–led organizations and community leaders are driving meaningful change in health and wellness,” Gull-Masty said. “By investing in critical health, wellness, urban programming, and assisted living programs, we are supporting care that is culturally rooted, community–driven, and life–changing.” The funding will be distributed through three programs, each with different timeframes. The first program allocates $168 million to Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP) over a five-year period. The National Association of Friendship Centers...
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Conservatives call for lower gas tax and cuts to ‘wasteful spending’ to pay for it
By Sarah Ritchie and David Baxter The Conservative Party of Canada is calling on Ottawa to drop the federal tax on gas and diesel fuel for the rest of the year. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Thursday that lifting the Fuel Excise Tax, Clean Fuel Standard and GST surcharges from gas and diesel would save about 25 cents a litre. Poilievre estimated the resulting reduction in tax revenue at $5.25 billion. The party said it would permanently eliminate the Clean Fuel Standard after 2026. Poilievre said affordable energy is the “lifeblood” of a strong economy. He said that in order to cover the cost of the tax cut, the government should terminate a handful of programs and call off some planned projects, including the proposed high speed rail line between...
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Orange ‘Every Child Matters’ shirts banned from Queen’s Park legislature
A northern Ontario MPP submitted a formal complaint to Queen’s Park’s house speaker on Thursday after security wouldn’t allow observers into the gallery wearing an “Every Child Matters” t-shirt, and in another case, a sewn patch of the Transgender pride flag. Thunder Bay-Superior North NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois sent speaker Donna Skelly a letter requesting clarity on whether the message arising from the discovery of First Nations child grave sites on the grounds of former residential schools should be interpreted as a political protest. “Every Child Matters is a statement that should not be discouraged, in fact, it is a powerful message of support for those missing and murdered Indigenous children,” Vaugeois wrote, citing similar messaging that is displayed in Queen’s Park’s public reception rooms. “If you could make a...
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Human Rights Tribunal set to deliver verdict on First Nations child welfare deal
By Alessia Passafiume The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is expected to release a decision today on a landmark First Nations child welfare deal reached between chiefs in Ontario and the federal government. The decision could bring an end to a nearly 20-year dispute that began in 2007 when the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society filed a joint human rights complaint In 2016 the tribunal concluded the federal government had discriminated against First Nations children by underfunding the on-reserve child welfare system and ordered reforms. That work came to a halt when First Nations twice rejected a $47.8-billion federal deal in 2024. Chiefs in Ontario voted in favour of a separate deal last year, saying they couldn’t wait for a national agreement while...
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Five people charged with murder in death of Eabametoong First Nation man: OPP
Provincial police say five people, including two youths, have been charged with murder and aggravated assault in the death of a man at a First Nation in northern Ontario. OPP say officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service responded to a report of an assault on Albany River Crescent in Eabametoong First Nation just after 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. They say two people were found with life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to hospital. OPP say one of the individuals, a 33-year-old man of Eabametoong First Nation, died from his injuries. Police say five suspects, including two teens ages 15 and 17, have each been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault. They say the suspects are scheduled to appear in court this month and anyone with information is asked to...
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Cook-Searson re-elected chief in LLRIB vote, councillors named
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND — Tammy Cook-Searson has been re-elected chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) following the band’s March 30 general election. Official results show Cook-Searson received 2,089 votes. Her nearest challenger was Jude Ratt with 926 votes, followed by Larry Roberts with 533 and Bruce Fredrick McKenzie with 379. A total of 3,927 valid votes were cast in the chief’s race, with 27 ballots spoiled. Overall turnout reached 3,954 voters, including electronic and in-person ballots across all communities. Cook-Searson led in several areas, including 915 electronic votes, 396 in Stanley Mission (Section 5) and 394 in La Ronge (Section 6). Councillors were also elected across LLRIB’s six sections. In Section 1 (Little Red River Reserves 106C...
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Hip Hop artist Tony Tootoosis is making moves in music and culture
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Tony Tootoosis, born Anthony Tootoosis and known professionally as Tony Toosick is from Poundmaker First Nation; he grew up between Thunderchild, Saskatchewan, and Edmonton, Alberta. His music reflects both his Indigenous roots and the streets he knew growing up. “A lot of my music reflects Indigenous culture and humour, but it also has street references,” he says. “I’m a powwow musician, audio engineer, and skateboarder. I like to think of myself as a bit of an activist – I speak my mind and stand up for what’s right in our community. Other than that, I’m just a free person.” His start in music began early, learning guitar through a friend who was a punk rock fan and exploring heavy metal,...
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