Chiefs capture MSL title and right to host Mann Cup championship
By Sam Laskaris Writer The defending Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs have earned the right to defend their national title on their home turf. The Chiefs downed the host Peterborough Lakers 11-8 on Tuesday night. That match was held at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. With that victory the Six Nations squad won its best-of-seven Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) championship final series in six games. More importantly, however, the triumph also earned the Chiefs the opportunity to host this year’s national Senior A championship series. The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) champion Victoria Shamrocks will provide the opposition in that best-of-seven series, which is expected to start on Sept. 6. All matches will be held at the Chiefs’ home rink, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. A full schedule for the series is...
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Chiefs ready to square off against visiting Shamrocks in Mann Cup series
By Sam Laskaris Writer It’s almost time. Members of the Six Nations Chiefs are itching to start defending the national Mann Cup championship that they captured last year. But unlike in 2023 when they travelled to British Columbia, the Chiefs will host all of the games in this year’s best-of-seven national championship series at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). The Victoria Shamrocks, who captured the B.C.-based Western Lacrosse Association title this year, will provide the opposition in the series, which begins on Friday night. The opening faceoff for Game 1 is scheduled for 8 p.m.Chiefs’ star goaltender Warren Hill said his teammates are pumped at the prospect of winning this year’s Mann Cup series at home. “Obviously any time you can play in front of friends and family at home...
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Rivermen gain learning experience at Presidents Cup tournament
By Sam Laskaris, Writer The Six Nations Rivermen were unable to bring home any hardware from this year’s Presidents Cup tournament. But Rivermen head coach Wayne Hill deemed his team’s participation in the national Senior B men’s lacrosse championship a success. The seven-team Presidents Cup tournament concluded this past Saturday in Delta, B.C. The Rivermen had earned the right to participate in the event by winning their Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) championship. The Six Nations club, however, posted a 2-3-1 round-robin record at the tournament. The Rivermen finished in fifth place in the standings. But only the top four finishers moved on to playoff action and had the opportunity to capture medals. “It was still good,” said Hill, who is also the president of the Rivermen. “It was a good...
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Rivermen upset their protest at Presidents Cup wasn’t heard
By Sam Laskaris Writer The British Columbia-based Ladner Pioneers won their third consecutive national Senior B men’s lacrosse championship this past Saturday. But members of the Six Nations Rivermen, who competed in the Presidents Cup tournament, believe the Pioneers did not play by the rules and should have been disqualified from the Canadian championships. Jeff Powless, a former general manager of the Rivermen who served as a team advisor this season, said the Rivermen did not follow a new rule that stated Senior B clubs could only have a maximum of five players on their roster that had played professionally in the National Lacrosse League this past season. The Ladner roster had five players who were NLL regulars in their lineup at the Presidents Cup tournament. They were Ryan Benesch,...
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Roster of bronze-medal winning Arrows includes four Six Nations members
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rivermen were unable to win a medal at their national Senior B tournament this year. Some Six Nations members, however, did manage to capture some bling at the Presidents Cup tournament, which concluded this past Saturday. The seven-team national tourney was hosted by the Ladner Pioneers in Delta, B.C. The Pioneers won their third consecutive national title, beating the Edmonton Miners 9-2 in the gold-medal contest. Meanwhile, the New York-based Allegany Arrows, whose roster included four Six Nations members, captured the bronze-medal, beating the Cornwall-based Snake Island Muskies 11-8 in the battle for third place. Local members on the Allegany squad were Layne Smith, Daris Anderson, Chase Martin and Jesse Jimerson. While Jimerson has been living in the state of New York for...
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Six Nations Police holding school safety and traffic blitzes
By Austin Evans Writer As another school year begins, the Six Nations Police advise the community to drive safe. Six Nations Police has increased the officers on patrol to monitor traffic during school hours in school zones and the village of Ohsweken. Additionally, school bus drivers have been asked to get the license plates of cars which ignore their stop signs. Any drivers who fail to stop for a school bus face a minimum $490 fine and six demerit points for a first offence. Police Chief Darren Montour said Six Nations Police will continue their heightened traffic monitoring for the first two weeks of the school year. After two weeks, Six Nations Police will release a report on how many traffic stops and charges they made. Speeding in school zones...
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First Nation councillor calls for resignations after teen killed in police shooting
The Canadian Press A band councillor with an Alberta First Nation is calling on two RCMP officers to resign after the shooting death of a 15-year-old boy. Izaiah Swampy Omeasoo of Samson Cree Nation says in an online statement that members of his community are mourning the death of Hoss Lightning. Speaking on behalf of Hoss’s family, he says the presence of the officers poses a “serious danger” to people living near Maskwacis, south of Edmonton. He also called for police reform, Indigenous-focused de-escalation training and greater access to mental health support funding. “We must … come together to stand up against the injustice Indigenous Peoples face (and) the justice Hoss Lightning deserves,” Swampy Omeasoo said. Wetaskiwin RCMP said they received a report Friday about a boy who had called...
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Ahousaht in mourning after two sudden losses, arrest made after fatal incident at residence
By Nora O’Malley & Eric Plummer Local Journalism Initiative Reporters A State of Emergency has been declared in Ahousaht following a heartbreaking weekend of two unexpected deaths in the community. Police are investigating the death of an adult man and Ahousaht leadership has confirmed the tragic passing of a female youth worker. In a statement Sunday, police say Ahousaht RCMP responded to a call on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6:29 p.m. to a residence on Robinson Avenue. “When police arrived, they saw that BCEHS were on scene providing medical aid to an adult man. He was immediately transported to hospital where he was later pronounced deceased,” said Cpl. Madonna Saunderson in a media release. “A short time later an adult man was arrested in connection with the incident. He has...
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Rivermen upset their protest at Presidents Cup wasn’t heard
By Sam Laskaris Writer The British Columbia-based Ladner Pioneers won their third consecutive national Senior B men’s lacrosse championship this past Saturday. But members of the Six Nations Rivermen, who competed in the Presidents Cup tournament, believe the Pioneers did not play by the rules and should have been disqualified from the Canadian championships. Jeff Powless, a former general manager of the Rivermen who served as a team advisor this season, said the Rivermen did not follow a new rule that stated Senior B clubs could only have a maximum of five players on their roster that had played professionally in the National Lacrosse League this past season. The Ladner roster had five players who were NLL regulars in their lineup at the Presidents Cup tournament. They were Ryan Benesch,...
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Walkers oppose nuclear waste in Northwestern Ontario
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter IGNACE – The fifth annual Walk Against Nuclear Waste concluded on Labour Day morning with about 30 participants from points east and west converging on a patch of land south of Highway 17 between Ignace and Dryden. Approximately 20 protesters began their walk in two groups Sunday morning, one heading east from Wabigoon and the other going west from Ignace. They were joined by about 10 more people along the way. They walked about 20 kilometres on Sunday, were driven to overnight accommodations, and then returned to finish their walks Monday morning, participant Sheila Krahn told Newswatch. “I was very proud of those people that did walk,” said Krahn, who trailed the group from Ignace in an RV. “I’m physically not able to...
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Deadly Shellfish Toxins Hinder Indigenous Food Sovereignty. How to Fix That
By Michelle Gamage The Tyee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter When it’s feeding time, Vancouver Island University biology student Chloe McLaughlin carefully scoops a palm-sized green sea urchin out of a tank. Flipping it upside down, she exposes the creature’s mouth and gently feeds it a biotoxin that is highly poisonous to humans. The biotoxin, also known as paralytic shellfish poison, affects only creatures with central nervous systems, she says. Potentially lethal to humans, it doesn’t hurt sea urchins or other bivalve filter feeders such as oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and cockles. This experiment is part of a larger collaboration between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Vancouver Island University to improve testing for biotoxins in seafood and ultimately improve food security for remote and Indigenous communities along the coast, says...
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B.C. to open 13 new First Nation primary care clinics, 10 to open this fall
The Canadian Press 03/09/2024 15:22 British Columbia is moving ahead with 13 new First Nations primary care centres in the province, with 10 scheduled to start operating this fall. The province’s First Nations Health Authority and the Health Ministry say in a joint statement that there will be a total of 15 such clinics in B.C. once the 13 new locations are all opened. Health minister Adrian Dix says in a statement that the expanded slate of First Nations primary care clinics is another step in “dismantling and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism from B.C.’s health-care system.” The clinics combine primary care and social services with Indigenous health supports, and officials say they will be operated in partnership with the local First Nations. The 10 facilities scheduled to begin taking patients this...
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Nova Scotia conservation group announces its largest purchase of coastal land
The Canadian Press The Nova Scotia Nature Trust plans to complete its largest acquisition of privately owned coastline by the end of the month. The non-profit conservation group announced Tuesday that it had purchased Cape Negro Island, one of the province’s largest coastal islands at 317 hectares. No financial details were disclosed, but the group confirmed the purchase was made possible by the federal government, the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust and community donations. As well, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust confirmed it has secured a deal to buy the adjacent Blanche Peninsula. But that deal won’t close until the required funds are raised — a goal the group hopes to reach by Sept. 30. Together, the two properties in Shelburne County amount to 1,034 hectares of coastal...
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NDP to have ‘tough conversations’ about its deal with Liberals at coming retreat: MP Slugline: NDP-Liberals
The Canadian Press The NDP’s supply and confidence deal with the Liberals in Ottawa will get heavy scrutiny when leader Jagmeet Singh meets with his caucus in Montreal next week, with the Liberals’ decision last month to force binding arbitration to end a work stoppage at the country’s major railroads potentially triggering the end of the pact. Liberal House Leader Karina Gould insisted last week that the deal will last until its planned end point next June. However NDP labour critic Matthew Green says the NDP has been re-evaluating the deal after Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration less than 24 hours after Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway locked out their workers after failing to reach a contract deal...
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Nova Scotia conservation group announces its largest purchase of coastal land
The Canadian Press The Nova Scotia Nature Trust plans to complete its largest acquisition of privately owned coastline by the end of the month. The non-profit conservation group announced Tuesday that it had purchased Cape Negro Island, one of the province’s largest coastal islands at 317 hectares. No financial details were disclosed, but the group confirmed the purchase was made possible by the federal government, the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust and community donations. As well, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust confirmed it has secured a deal to buy the adjacent Blanche Peninsula. But that deal won’t close until the required funds are raised — a goal the group hopes to reach by Sept. 30. Together, the two properties in Shelburne County amount to 1,034 hectares of coastal...
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Native Centre finds a ‘novel’ way to get kids into reading
By Julia Sacco Local Journalism Initiative Reporter There’s a vending machine at the Niagara Regional Native Centre, but it’s not packed with chips and snacks. This vending machine is filled with books — specifically, Indigenous-authored books, for community members to take home for free. The machine is sponsored by Start2Finish, a Canadian charity that provides educational support to the country’s at-risk children, intending to break the child poverty cycle. The Niagara Regional Native Centre received one of eight book vending machines provided to friendship/cultural centres and schools on Anishinaabe Algonquin, Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, Attawandaron, Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuut’ina, Îyâxe Nakoda Nations and Métis Nation lands. Wyller Fushtey, the Native Centre’s Akwe:go program coordinator, controls the book vending machine. “It’s an opportunity for our community to access Indigenous literature by Indigenous authors...
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ACFN chief slams AER’s $50K penalty against Imperial Oil for Kearl seepages
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 02/09/2024 15:41 The chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) says the $50,000 fine the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has levied against Imperial Oil for allowing wastewater to leak from its Kearl mine into the Athabasca River is insufficient to deter future leakages. Given the fact that Imperial made $1.1 billion in income in the second quarter of 2024 alone, it would have taken them just 35 seconds to make the $50,000 the AER fined them, ACFN Chief Allan Adam told Alberta Native News. “That was already just a small bucket in the magnitude of what’s going on here,” said Chief Adam. “We can’t allow this to happen anymore.” In May 2022, Imperial informed the AER that pools of discoloured water had surfaced...
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Two Akwesasne residents arrested in human smuggling operation that resulted in drownings
AKWESASNE- Two Akwesasne residents, including a woman alleged to have been a key player in a human smuggling operation tied to the drownings of eight migrants last year, have been arrested and are facing extradition to the U.S.. The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) Joint Investigation Team, that includes AMPS, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), have been assisting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in coordinating the arrests of two individuals believed connected to the tragic drowning events in March 2023. AMPS said Stephanie Square of Akwesasne was arrested on August 22, 2024 and Rahsontanohstha “Storm” Delormier of Akwesasne was arrested on August 28, 2024. Both were arrested on provisional warrants and are facing extradition to the United States. Square is named in a...
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Cree writer and teacher Darrel J. McLeod has died, publisher says
The Canadian Press 31/08/2024 Award-winning Cree writer and teacher Darrel J. McLeod has died at the age of 67. Corina Eberle, Mcleod’s publicist at Douglas & McIntyre, says he died Thursday, adding his death was “sudden and unexpected.” McLeod’s debut memoir “Mamaskatch: A Cree Coming of Age” won the Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction in 2018, when the jury praised his writing as “lyrical and gritty, raw and vulnerable.” The Sooke, B.C.-based writer spent the first part of his career in education, working as a teacher and school principal. He went on to serve as the executive director of education and international affairs at the Assembly of First Nations, and chief negotiator of land claims for the federal government. His writing was widely praised, and his second book, “Peyakow:...
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Cowesses receives the largest transfer of mineral rights in the province
By NC Raine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 31/08/2024 19:00 Cowessess First Nation has been transferred new mineral rights from the Government of Saskatchewan as part of their Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) Settlement Agreement. “The recent transfer of mineral rights to Cowessess First Nation is a signifiant step in supporting their continuing economic growth,” said Don McMorris, Government of Saskatchewan Minister for First Nations, Métis Relations, and Northern Affairs in a news release. The First Nation is to receive 336 hectares (829 acres) of mineral rights, which is the largest trasfer ever made. The province is calling it a movement toward greater economic growth for Cowessess. Ocean Man First Nation and Little Pine First Nation have both received mineral rights from the provincial government. Ocean Man received 63 hectares in 2023...
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