Indigenous Veterans remembered
Burlington Mayor marks National Indigenous Veterans’ Day “Today on National Indigenous Veterans Day, we honour the brave Indigenous veterans whose sacrifices have defended Canada. Burlington’s history begins with a famous Indigenous Veteran – Joseph Brant, who was a Mohawk warrior chief and an influential military captain who fought alongside Great Britain during the American Revolution and the Seven Years War. Recognizing his service, the British allowed him a choice of land for his own use. Brant chose a tract of land containing 3450 acres on which Burlington is located”, said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward....
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“Northern Guardians” mark National Indigenous Veterans’ Day
TORONTO, ONT-About 75 people gathered at the Veterans Memorial in front of Queen’s Park Friday (Nov 8) marking National Indigenous Veterans’ Day. Included among those attending was a contingent of Canadian Rangers from 12 First Nations. The contingent, often referred to as guardians of Canadian sovereignty, were from Northern Ontario and also participated in a Remembrance Day ceremony in Toronto on November 11. On Nov. 8. wearing their distinctive red jackets and combat pants, they attracted a lot of curious attention from many in the large crowd at the Ontario Veterans Memorial in front of the main entrance to Queen’s Park. The memorial, a 30-metre-long granite wall, has scenes on it of the Canadian military’s role in peace and war since 1867. When the Rangers explained their role as part-time...
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Murray Sinclair laid to rest commemorative ceremony held
Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes. In a statement shared Sunday morning, his family said Sinclair was given “full Midewiwin funerary rites” earlier this week. “Although his physical time on this earth has ended, his spirit’s work continues, and he is now walking toward that beautiful place where he will be reunited with generations of loved ones who await his arrival,” the family said. Sunday afternoon, thousands gathered at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg to pay tribute to Sinclair in a national commemorative ceremony. He is the first Indigenous leader to be honoured with the ceremony, which is held to honour “eminent Canadians, members of the Royal Family or citizens from another country who have made an...
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Woman wants to develop shuttle services to various events
By Austin Evans Writer One woman is working to provide shuttle services for urban Indigenous people to attend events in First Nation communities including Six Nations as early as September 2025. Madison Green used to visit her family at Six Nations regularly, but since moving to Waterloo she has felt disconnected from her family and her culture. Through the Teionkwayenawà:kon Electric Vehicle Initiative she aims to provide the urban Indigenous community transportation to Indigenous events both on and off reserve. “My whole project motto would be increasing community connections while decreasing emissions,” she said. “I’m hoping to have a running electric vehicle shuttle in Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge and surrounding communities to bring urban Indigenous folks together in the community to different gatherings and ceremonies.” Her current plan is to provide transport to...
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Award winning Six Nations author Alicia Elliott takes on fellowship
Award-winning Six Nations author Alicia Elliott has been appointed by Wilfrid Laurier University for a one-year term as the Laurier Stedman Fellow. Elliott is a Mohawk writer from Six Nations of the Grand River who first garnered attention in 2019 for A Mind Spread Out on the Ground, a bestselling collection of essays and winner of the Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. Her 2023 novel, And Then She Fell, won the Amazon Canada First Novel Award and the Indigenous Voices Award for Prose in English in June 2024. “I’m honoured to serve as a fellow at Laurier Brantford, which is not only my people’s traditional territory, but also the city I call home,” said Elliott. “Brantford has long informed my writing, so having this chance to mentor other aspiring writers,...
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Man facing impaired charges after noise complaint
(OHSWEKEN, ON)- A man is facing charges after Six Nations Police investigating a noise complaint found a vehicle with its engine revving on Sixth Line Road. Police said they responded to the noise complaint, Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at about 3:35 a.m. on Sixth Line Road making patrols in the area before they located the suspected vehicle. Police officers approached the vehicle to speak with the occupants about the complaint that had been received when a single man exited the driver’s side of the vehicle and approached police. Police said signs of impairment were observed on the male. As a result of the investigation, police have arrested and charged Thomas Worme, 34, of Ohsweken, ON with the following criminal offences: Impaired Operation Alcohol per se Offence “80 plus” The accused...
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Woman charged after senior citizen robbed at Brant’s Crossing
BRANTFORD ONT-A city woman is facing charges after a senior citizen was robbed near Brant’s Crossing Thursday (Nov. 7, 2024) morning. Brantford Police Service Officers said a senior citizen was on the walking bridge near Brant’s Crossing, at 2 Icomm Drive, when she was approached by a person with their face concealed who using force, robbed her of her personal belongings (purse and shoes) before throwing the victim’s walker into the Grand River preventing her from leaving the location. Members of the Brantford Police Service Downtown Better Enforcement Action Team quickly arrived on scene located and arrested the accused. The accused was found to be in violation of four valid Probation Orders and provided false names to police in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. The victim was transported by...
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Man charged after being found asleep in vehicle
(OHSWEKEN, ON)- An Ohsweken man is facing multiple charges after being found asleep in a vehicle parked at a local business on Highway 54. Six Nations Police responded to a call Tuesday Sept. 25, 2024, at 11 p.m. and found a witness at the scene who said a vehicle had been parked at the location for an “extended period” and the person was asleep inside the vehicle. Police woke the single man in the vehicle and spotted signs of impairment and found the vehicle had been reported stolen to another police service. As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged Samuel Miller, 51, of Ohsweken, ON with the following criminal offences: Impaired Operation Alcohol per se Offence “80 plus” Possession under $5,000 Driving while Suspended x 2 Operation...
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Psst…there’s a holiday but it’s a secret!
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) members ALL need to explain to the community why they are keeping secrets from them. Secrets that stem from increasing closed meetings. Only one item was on the agenda for the last finance meeting in contrast to the large closed session agendas that some councillors tell us have several items that didn’t belong on it. Yet these same councillors sitting around the table allowed the meeting to go on treating community business as if it was thier own. SNEC is about to release its first newsletter to the community and it should be interesting. Interesting because we are all wondering what the council members have been up to. Councillors, let us remember, some of whom have been on SNEC for decades, also shoulder the burden...
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Jamie Oliver wrote First Nations characters the wrong way
Jamie Oliver wrote First Nations characters the wrong way. Non-Indigenous writers need to listen to Indigenous writers first. Jamie Oliver pulls ‘offensive’ children’s book from sale The book, “Billy and the Epic Escape,” was accused of trivializing the community’s history and diversity as well as perpetuating harmful stereotypes against it. Oliver apologized and said he was “devastated to have caused offence.” By Elizabeth Smyth Research Associate, James Cook University and Jeanine Leane Associate Professor In Creative Writing, The University of Melbourne First Nations authored literature continues to excite and educate Australian readers. Non-Indigenous writers are grappling with how to craft inclusive fiction that does not impinge on Indigenous knowledge, beliefs and rights of self-representation. Inclusive fiction is central to a representative literary landscape. In settler colonies such as Australia, this...
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Yogi’s Barn to host season-opening game and podcast party
By Sam Laskaris Writer The National Lacrosse League (NLL) regular season will kick off locally later this month with a bit of a festive atmosphere. The first game of the 2024-25 campaign will be in the nation’s capital on Nov. 29 when the Ottawa Black Bears host the Toronto Rock. This marks the first Black Bears’ season in Ottawa. The franchise, formerly the New York Riptide, relocated during the off-season. To kick off the season Six Nations’ Beyond Pride is organizing a game and podcast party at Yogi’s Barn, which is located at 2318 Chiefswood Road. The event will kick off with a live podcast of the Creators Game, which features three local hosts – Deya Miller, Jay Smith and Chris Vale. The trio began the podcast a few months...
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Snipers draft Iowa-based university field lacrosse coach
By Sam Laskaris Writer Perhaps a few eyebrows were raised this past Saturday when the Six Nations Snipers announced their final pick in the Arena Lacrosse League draft. The Snipers selected Tucker La Belle in the 15th and final round of the draft. A total of 120 players were chosen in the draft and La Belle was the 115th pick over-all. Yes, that is the same La Belle who is living in the Iowa city of Dubuque. And yes, that is the same La Belle who is currently the head coach of the Dubuque-based Clarke University Pride men’s field lacrosse squad. Snipers’ head coach Darcy Powless is rather familiar with La Belle, a 25-year-old who was a star player with the Pride during his university days. That’s because Powless’ son...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: From rookies to award winners
Sault impressing in rookie season Six Nations member Averee Sault is having a solid rookie season with the Hagersville Hawks. The 17-year-old forward is the top-scoring rookie with the Junior C hockey club. Sault has earned nine points (six goals and three assists) in his first season with the Hagersville squad, that competes in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Bloomfield Division. Sault had toiled with the Hamilton Steel Under-18 AAA club last year. Sault is one of four Six Nations players on the Hawks’ roster this season. One of the other local players, forward Dreyden Cruz-General, is also a rookie. He’s earned three points, including one goal, in his first 13 contests. And the two other Six Nations members on the squad are defencemen Damon Decaire and John Hill. Like...
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New distribution approval will expand TV station to 10 million subscribers
By Crystal St. Pierre Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Uvagut TV, Canada’s first Inuktut television station, has had its application for mandatory distribution approved by the Canada Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Uvagut TV is operated by Nunavut Independent Television (NITV). The CRTC approval means Uvagut TV will expand its availability to viewers across Canada, starting on Jan. 20, 2025, to include more than 10 million cable subscribers. “We want to show our country, our home, what we do and why we are here,” said Zacharias Kunuk, founder of NITV. “Our stories, we have stars that have names, the land has Inuktitut names, the rivers have names. We will record and pass them on to our great, great grandchildren.” Uvagut TV launched in January of 2021, broadcasting original Inuit-created Inuktut content...
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Tribunal hears testimony in appeal application for Chamcook lobster holding facility
By Nathalie Sturgeon Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The hearing for an appeal decision with the Assessment and Planning Appeal Tribunal for a lobster holding facility in Chamcook was held in Saint Andrews on Tuesday. The appeal application comes after the Town of Saint Andrews planning advisory committee revoked a prior decision to allow Sistansisk (St. Mary’s) First Nation – based in Fredericton – to build a 7,000-square-foot live lobster holding facility back in 2022. It received the original approval through the Southwest Regional Service Commission – but faced an appeal filed by nearby residents – which saw it sent back to the Town of Saint Andrews PAC by the tribunal under new jurisdiction following municipal reform. The appeal was filed because residents felt the notice about the facility was not...
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Queer Yukon board members resign ahead of special general meeting
By Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Four Queer Yukon board members have resigned. Ames Val, Kinesi Mills and Lauren Gostick resigned in a Nov. 6 email. Board member Duane Gastant’ Aucoin resigned on Nov. 7. The only remaining board member is Dave Whiteside. Queer Yukon has operated in the territory since 2011. It has been hosting pride parades across the territory since 2013. They have also hosted community programming such as queer movie nights, craft nights, peer support groups and medical clinics. However, the organization has been plagued with issues over the past few months. On Aug. 12, the organization posted to its Facebook that it was looking for a new executive director. In September, the Cache – Queer Yukon’s meeting space in Whitehorse – was closed for multiple days...
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Former B.C. premier John Horgan dies at age 65, after third bout with cancer
Canadian Press-Ambassador to Germany and former British Columbia premier John Horgan has died at the age of 65, after his third bout with cancer. Horgan served as B.C.’s New Democrat premier for five years before stepping down in 2022, then was appointed ambassador last year. But in June, Horgan announced he was on leave from his diplomatic post after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Horgan’s family issued a statement on social media saying he died peacefully Tuesday morning at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. “The well-being of British Columbia and everyone in it was everything to him. He was surrounded by family and friends and love in his final days.” Horgan is survived by his wife Ellie, and sons Evan and Nate. Premier David Eby issued a statement saying the...
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Statement by the Prime Minister on Remembrance Day
November 11, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Remembrance Day: “Today, we honour the Canadians who have served and defended our country. We share their stories of undaunted bravery. We remember. “For generations, Canadians have answered the call of duty. In the tunnels and trenches of Vimy. On the beaches of Dieppe and Normandy. In the mountains of Afghanistan. Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans have – throughout every chapter of our history – kept Canadians safe. Signing up to serve in times of war and peace. Leaving behind their family for days, weeks, and months. Fighting shoulder to shoulder alongside Allies, against artillery fire, missiles, and bombs. Some returned home from the battlefield never truly the same. Others never returned at...
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‘I was called;’ Murray Sinclair’s life and legacy honoured at emotional memorial
-Canadian Press-Applause erupted over and over at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg Sunday as the son of Murray Sinclair, a former judge, senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools, spoke about his father. Niigaan Sinclair said his dad “was a first” in every room he walked into. “It was impossible to go through a mall without 17 people, two of them he’d sentenced to jail at one point, coming up to him and saying how much they appreciated him,” Niigaan Sinclair said. Sinclair’s death Monday at the age of 73 was met with tributes from across the country, and a sacred fire was lit outside the Manitoba legislature. Indigenous leaders and politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attended Sunday’s service honouring Sinclair’s legacy at...
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