NAN, Hajdu push toward massive child welfare deal
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY – Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said Friday she’s confident the federal government and two Ontario First Nations organizations can reach an agreement on child welfare reform quickly. Nishinawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) are in talks with the feds for an Ontario-only agreement to fix the child welfare system in First Nations months after a Canada-wide $47.8-billion reform deal was rejected. NAN and COO leaders approached the federal government to negotiate a deal in “the spirit of the final settlement agreement,” Hajdu told reporters Friday at her Thunder Bay-Superior North constituency office. “And so that’s where we’re at right now.” She added that “the conversation is going well and we hope that we’ll...
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2023-2025 Essex County OPP Detachment Action Plan outlined
By Sylene Argent Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Essex County OPP Superintendent Mark Loucas reviewed the 2023-2025 Essex County OPP Detachment Action Plan with members of the Essex County OPP Police Service Board-North – which serves Tecumseh, Lakeshore, and Essex – at the December meeting. Loucas told members of the Essex County OPP Police Services Board-North the way the Detachment Action Plan was developed was based on consultation with the Organizational Strategic Plan. The organization develops its priorities, similar to provincial priorities. Those priorities focus on traffic safety on roadways, waterways, and trails, and crime reduction strategies. The local priority stream – through consultation with the Board and community – can develop a Police Action Plan, specific to the community’s needs. Consultation with the Board will be sought when the new...
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No police liaisons could soon mean no job for SD61 board members
BC- Nine school board members elected to the SD61 school board a little over two years ago could soon be replaced by the province over the ongoing standoff over the police liaison program. SD61 has 20k students in 10 middle schools and seven secondary schools across the district in Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Victoria, View Royal, and parts of Saanich and Highlands. The question of whether the School Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program should be reinstated in those schools came to a head last fall. Lisa Beare, the minister responsible for education and childcare issued a directive by ministerial order for an updated student safety plan to be developed in collaboration with the board of education and police departments.” Then last month, she said the submitted plan was inadequate and that...
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Closing of Manitoba vet clinic highlights need for reliable services in the north
Canadian Press-Whenever Sarah Driediger’s dog Hero needs medical attention, the Thompson, Man., woman will now have to pack up her vehicle and drive eight hours south to Winnipeg. That’s because the northern city’s only full-time veterinary clinic closed at the beginning of this year. Pet owners in the city of about 13,000 and nearby communities will have to head south for services, or rely on pop-up clinics hosted by pet rescues or outside veterinary practices, to access care for their furry loved ones. “It’s hard to find somebody. We have quite a few vets that are eager to come and help, but not to come and stay,” Driediger said in a recent interview. “Even if we have a vet once a week or once a month, that’s not enough. It’s...
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Driver for drug trafficker sentenced to two years less a day in the community
Local Journalism Initiative A Provincial Court judge sentenced a Prince George woman on Wednesday, Jan. 8 to two years less a day, to be served in the community, for possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. Under Judge David Simpkin’s conditional sentence order, Robin Taralee Leveille, 33, will spend 10 months in house arrest, with limited allowance to leave her residence, then another 10 months on an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. curfew. Leveille was charged in September 2023, almost two years after her arrest with co-accused Sebastian Gordon Goudreau, 36. Goudreau, her former boyfriend, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 11, according to the online court database. Court heard that Prince George RCMP had Goudreau and Leveille under surveillance for nearly two months when they spotted...
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Prorogation means uncertain fate for many bills: Yukon MP
By Talar Stockton Local Journalism Initiative Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated the Yukon gets 100 votes – the correct terminology was 100 points, not 100 votes. The News regrets the error. With the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and prorogation of Parliament, many Canadians have turned to watch the Liberal leadership race. The Yukon will have a say in the next Liberal party leader, said Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, who is a Liberal MP. Each riding gets 100 points in electing the party’s next leader: given our relatively smaller population compared to some other electoral districts, our influence may be stronger, he said. Hanley spoke with the News on Jan. 9, the day after he attended the Liberal Party’s caucus meeting in Ottawa. He said...
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The Latest: Judge sentences Donald Trump in hush money case but declines to impose any punishment
President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced Friday in his hush money case, but the judge declined to impose any punishment. The outcome cements Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine. Here’s the latest: Trump can still vote after sentencing, but can’t own a gun and will have to turn over a DNA sample President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction. A judge ended the case Friday with a sentence of an unconditional discharge, closing the case with no punishment. But unless the conviction for falsifying business records is someday overturned, Trump will have felonies on his...
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How to improve climate predictions? McGill researchers turn to 19th century letters
(CP)A team led by McGill University researchers came up with a method they hope could improve climate models over Africa by combining them with 19th century missionary records, refashioning dubious documents in a bid to better inform projections of global warming’s impact. Models are an important way for scientists and decision-makers to understand how human influence is changing the climate. To come up with those projections, climate models depend on historical baselines – temperature and precipitation, for example – to validate and refine their results. But a lack of historical region-specific data across parts of Africa, plus a major deficit in weather stations compared to North America and Europe, has contributed to model uncertainty. “Africa’s absence from the underlying data makes deploying these projections uncomfortable, as it partly represents the...
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‘Heck of a guy’: Tributes pour in for police chief believed to have died in fire
MANITOBA-(CP)-A Manitoba police chief believed to have died in a house fire is being remembered as a dedicated leader and an advocate for the safety and well-being of First Nations communities. The Manitoba First Nations Police Service said in a statement Wednesday evening it is believed Chief Doug Palson died in a fire at his home earlier that day. RCMP were called to the home west of Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, which they confirmed belonged to Palson. They say they found remains inside, but have not confirmed the identity of the deceased. Mounties said they had no new information to release on Thursday, adding they will confirm the identity once it has been determined through an autopsy. At an unrelated event Thursday, Premier Wab Kinew...
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Hajdu says failing to pass First Nations water bill would be ‘deep disappointment’
OTTAWA-(CP)Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu says it will be a “deep disappointment” if a First Nations drinking water bill dies completely before the next election. The bill is a landmark change for First Nations which would ensure First Nations communities have reliable access to clean drinking water and protect source water on their territories. The bill was waiting for third reading in the House of Commons when parliament was prorogued until March 24. It and all other legislation that had not yet passed will now die unless the government can get agreement from other parties to pick debate on bills up where they left off. Hajdu says the government is prepared to bring the bill back and is asking opposition parties to help move it forward. But the Conservatives, NDP...
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Brant OPP investigate series of vehicle break-ins and frauds
BRANT, ON – Brant County Ontario Provincial Police, (OPP), are seeking the public’s help after a series of vehicle break-ins and fraudulent transactions involving stolen credit cards occurred on January 6, 2025. Brant County OPP were called after multiple vehicles parked at a Worthington Drive business in Brant County were targeted. Windows were smashed, and items, including wallets, were stolen between 10 and 11 a.m. OPP said investigation revealed that a number of fraudulent transactions were made across Brant County and the City of Brantford using stolen credit cards. Consistent suspect descriptions were provided at each location that included: A male suspect wearing a surgical mask, green/grey cap, a white sweatshirt with a hood, and red running shoes. At another location, the same individual was seen wearing a Gucci cap,...
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Mask Rules Are Back in BC Hospitals
By Michelle Gamage Local Jouranlism Intitaitve Reporter The Tyee Masks are back for British Columbia’s health-care sector. On Wednesday the province said it had reintroduced masking requirements for all health-care workers, volunteers, contractors, patients and visitors. The masking requirements kicked off on Monday and will last for the duration of respiratory season, which usually ends once the weather improves in the spring. Masks will be required “in areas where patients are actively receiving care, except when eating and/or drinking,” the Health Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. This will apply to health authority-operated facilities, including emergency departments, waiting rooms, hospitals, long-term care and assisted living, outpatient clinics and ambulatory care settings. Residents in long-term care and assisted living must wear a mask over their nose and mouth. Patients and visitors...
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Canada investing $2.5 million towards proposed biofuel refinery in town
By Ken Kellar Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The federal government is investing more than $2 million in a project that could see a revolutionary new industry take root in Fort Frances. In a media event held yesterday, Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at Seven Generations Education Institute’s Rainy Lake campus, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski made an announcement of $2.5 million that will be going to Wanagekong-Biiwega’iganan Clean Energy Corporation (WBCEC). The investment from the federal government will help fund the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase of a project that is working to establish an industrial plant that will turn local wood waste into low-carbon fuels. WBCEC is an entity made up of the ten local First Nation communities in the southern end of Treaty #3 working in partnership with...
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Fort Frances has new councillor
FORT FRANCIS-After almost two months of uncertainty, the town of Fort Frances has a new sitting councillor. Following a special meeting of town council held on December 17, 2024, William Morrison Jr. was appointed to fill the council vacancy that was created in October 2024 when then-councillor Mandi Olson announced her resignation. Morrison was appointed following several rounds of voting, and sworn in immediately following the voting period. Morrison joins council for the remainder of this municipal term, which comes to an end in 2026 with the next Ontario municipal elections. According to the personal statement prepared by Morrison for his application, and which was subsequently presented to council verbally during last night’s meeting, the newest councillor brings with him a wealth of municipal experience. Morrison had previously served as...
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Chief of Manitoba First Nations Police Service believed dead after house fire
-Canadian Press-The chief of the Manitoba First Nations Police Service is believed to have died after an early morning house fire. RCMP say they were called early Wednesday to a residence in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie that was confirmed as belonging to Chief Doug Palson. They say investigators found human remains in the home and that the identity of the deceased has yet to be confirmed. A statement on the police service’s website says that although the investigation is ongoing, it’s believed Palson was the one who died. The Manitoba First Nations Police Service serves 10 communities and is governed by the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council Police Commission. Commission chair Sherri Thomas says in the statement that Palson was a “passionate leader” who loved the police service....
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New Lil’wat ski and snowboard team hits the slopes
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Pique Newsmagazine Sandy Ward had only been snowboarding for a year or two when Aaron Marchant, founder of the First Nations Snowboard Team, invited her to join a small group of other Indigenous youth to train for the 2010 Olympics. That was in 2005. Now, Ward is leading her own winter sports youth team, the Lil’wat Nation Qwíxwla7 (sliding) ski and snowboard team. Over the next nine weeks, she and two other coaches will take more than 70 skiers and snowboarders between the ages of eight and 22 up to Whistler Blackcomb for lessons and a whole lot of winter fun. “I started in that program, and it got me to where I am today,” said Ward. “So I see how important it...
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Wrecking ball comes for 111-year-old Winnipeg school
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Winnipeg Free Press Chapman School is being torn down once and for all, following an 111-year-old lifespan often marked by misfortune and mishap. Construction crews were on site at 3707 Roblin Blvd. on Wednesday to tear down the third and final version of the school. The original building, established in 1913, was set ablaze three years after it welcomed its inaugural cohort. A replacement was destroyed in a second fire that broke out during the Second World War and it was hastily resurrected. “It’s always unfortunate when we see historic property come down, particularly in Charleswood; they have such limited historical buildings there,” said Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg. The campus was named after George Chapman, the first reeve of the...
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Bill C-92 legislation hits five-year anniversary
Local Journalism Initiative The landmark legislation that gave Indigenous communities the power to enact and fund their own child-protection laws hit its fifth anniversary as Kahnawake makes its way toward having its own such law. Bill C-92, or the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families came into existence January 1st, 2020. Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS) Executive Director Derek Montour lauded the five-year anniversary of Bill C-92, which gives Indigenous communities power over how kids in the child-protection system are looked after and allows them to stay in their communities. “I hope it keeps going, and by that, I hope we continue to see First Nations communities creating their own laws,” he said. “Kahnawake is slowly making its way toward its own such law. We...
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Grassy Narrows establishes checkpoint against human trafficking
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative GRASSY NARROWS — A community checkpoint has been set up at the Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narows) First Nation reserve due to concerns about human trafficking. The Treaty 3 community’s emergency response coordinator said in a notice posted last week on social media that there have been “recent incidents involving attempted abductions of our band members.” The Treaty Three Police Service (T3PS) issued a statement acknowledging the concerns in Grassy Narrows and saying “we fully support the proactive measures taken by the Chief and Council to ensure the safety of their members.” The Kenora-based police service “is dedicated to addressing human trafficking, drug trafficking and organized crime in our communities,” the statement declared. A “community sergeant” assigned to Grassy Narrows “has been dedicated to serving the...
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Critical incident review launched into death of man who waited in Winnipeg ER
Canadian Press-The Manitoba government says a review is being launched into the death of a man who waited eight hours in a Winnipeg emergency department, but it’s not clear how much of the review will be made public. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says a critical incident review will look at what happened after the man was brought by ambulance to the Health Sciences Centre early Tuesday morning. Hospital officials have said the middle-aged man was triaged as low-acuity, was checked on again, and his condition later deteriorated to the point where he could not be revived. A critical incident review — a type of investigation that includes some confidentiality and that does not result in a full public report — is being launched. Asagwara says the review’s findings will be...
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