Norfolk County resident facing Intimate Partner Violence charges
(NORFOLK COUNTY, ON) – A Norfolk County individual is facing charges following an investigation into an incident of intimate partner violence. At about 6:13 p.m. on Thursday, October 31, 2024, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County Detachment responded to a dispute at a Norfolk County address. Upon arrival OPP found two individuals were involved in a dispute inside a vehicle, during which the victim was physically assaulted, sustaining minor injuries. Upon locating the vehicle, officers arrested an individual without incident. A 30-year-old resident of Norfolk County has been charged with the following alleged offences: Assault – spousal, Assault cause bodily harm – choke, suffocate, or strangle. The accused is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe at a later date. Individuals experiencing intimate partner violence...
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After series of scandals, Quebec’s new youth protection boss promising transparency
The new director of Quebec’s youth protection system promised on Thursday to shed light on what’s ailing the troubled network and to provide more transparency. “We’re going to have to turn on a big light in our house, in all the closets, in all the rooms,” Lesley Hill told reporters in Quebec City. “We might find cobwebs and we’re going to have to clean them.” Hill, who worked in various roles in the health system for decades, came out of retirement to take the position after a series of scandals cost Catherine Lemay, the previous director, her job earlier this week. “I’m coming back to make a difference for the young people,” Hill said, adding that since her retirement she has continued to work with some of the youth who...
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Blood Tribe men to ‘walk in her shoes’
By Alexandra Noad – Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Blood Tribe men will be strutting their stuff in high heels to help raise funds for the Kainai Women’s Wellness Lodge. The annual event “Walk in Her Shoes” domestic violence awareness walk will begin at 10 a.m. on Nov. 20, at the Multi Purpose Building in Standoff and will finish at the Chief Shot Both Sides Blood Tribe Administration Building. Some prominent figures who have partnered with the Kainai Women’s Lodge, who will be strapping on their heels for the event, are Blood Tribe Police Service, Kainaiwa Children’s Services and Blood Tribe Recreation and Parks. Doris Low Horn, manager of Kainai Women’s Wellness Lodge, says with November being family violence month across Canada, this is the 11th year they have...
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B.C. Métis group leaves Métis National Council assembly, mulls removal entirely
The Métis National Council says its election for a new president will be delayed after the Métis Nation of British Columbia withdrew from its annual general assembly, leaving more questions about the future of the body that was a significant force in advocating for Métis rights nationally and internationally. The Métis National Council, which was once made up of provincial Métis groups from across the country, has in recent years seen those organizations pull out in order to advocate for their causes independently. The Manitoba Métis Federation pulled out of the group in 2021, citing concerns with membership in the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan pulled out in September for similar reasons. The B.C. group said it has withdrawn from the annual general assembly happening this...
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‘I’m proud of our team’: Women’s shelter getting federal cash
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative FORT ALBANY – Fort Albany First Nation is receiving federal funding to help provide safety and support for women and families. On Oct. 23, the federal government announced over $58 million for 12 Indigenous housing projects in Ontario. Among the recipients is the Fort Albany Women’s Shelter. TimminsToday reached out to the government to clarify how much the local cut of the funding is but did not receive a response. The women’s shelter in the remote community on the James Bay coast has been operating for 14 years. On June 18 it expanded with the grand opening of Neydayhe’s Place, a transitional home for women fleeing domestic violence. The new facility is named in honour of Neydayhe Sutherland, a 13-year-old girl who died in...
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Survivors call on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism
Residential school survivors are calling on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism, echoing one of the findings in a report about unmarked graves and burial sites associated with the institutions. Doug George, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute, said Canadians need to acknowledge the schools’ place in history and to ensure the children who died are not silenced. “Canadians might be, you now, maybe feeling as though it’s been a bit overwhelming over the past few years,” George said, referencing the announcements from First Nations about their efforts to locate their missing children. “But you can imagine what it’s like for us and our children and our communities? … You can’t hide behind these things. You’ve got to come to grips with it.” He was one of three survivors who...
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“It’s been a long fight, and we got this far,”: We’koqma’q to receive 125M from feds in land claim settlement
By Meghan Dewar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The federal government has announced a $125 million settlement to We’koqma’q First Nation for their land claim. They began the claim in 1982 and filed it in 2008 to settle a dispute that dates back to 1862. The land claim is in regards to approximately 400 acres of land that was absorbed by neighbouring community of Whycocomagh improperly. The $125 million settlement will be distributed to each We’koqma’q band member, amounting to $75,526 per resident and $30 million leftover for the community. For residents under the age of 19, their funds will be placed in a trust fund until they are the eligible age to access it. ‘WE WOULD HAVE BEEN EARNING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY’ Chief John Leonard Bernard shared that the...
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Man who killed eagles on a Native American reservation gets nearly 4 years in prison
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man accused of leading a wildlife trafficking ring on a Native American reservation that killed thousands of eagles and hawks to sell on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison. The trafficking ring operated for years on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana, exploiting high demand among tribal members for feathers and other bird parts that are used in powwows and sacred ceremonies. The defendant and others killed at least 118 eagles, 107 hawks and as many as 3,600 birds overall, prosecutors said. Juvenile golden eagles in particular were targeted because their black and white feathers are highly desired among Native Americans, officials said. The poaching operation centered on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, which...
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Aquaponics project grows food in water with koi fish waste
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter By using the waste of Koi fish to grow fresh produce, Vancouver Island University (VIU) engineering student Jayden Corbeil (Iversen) is hoping to improve food supply issues in remote communities with an open-source aquaponics project. A collaboration with the Haíɫzaqv Climate Action Team from Bella Bella in the central coast of B.C., the Hesquiaht member’s capstone project looks at manufacturing a small-scale, semi-automated aquaponics system. The project will be placed in a classroom at the Bella Bella Community School. Haíɫzaqv Climate Action Team hopes to eventually upscale Corbeil’s proof-of-concept aquaponics system to a larger unit to increase food security for their region. “The big goal is to remove reliance on external suppliers,” said Corbeil, the 2019 Alberni District Secondary School Valedictorian. “I don’t want people...
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Alberta introduces bills affecting transgender people, pronouns at school
Alberta has introduced a trio of bills focusing on transgender people and students using preferred pronouns. Premier Danielle Smith’s government proposed Thursday one bill that would require children under 16 to have parental consent if they want to change their names or pronouns at school. Moments after the legislation was introduced in the legislature, LGBTQ+ organizations Egale and Skipping Stone Foundation announced they will be taking legal action, calling it discriminatory. A similar law is on the books in Saskatchewan, where the government invoked the notwithstanding clause, a measure that allows governments to override certain Charter rights for up to five years. Smith told reporters she believes the Charter allows for limits on rights and that her government’s restrictions are reasonable. “We have all kinds of restrictions on the ability...
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‘Dances with Wolves’ actor is again indicted on sexual abuse charges in Nevada
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A grand jury in Nevada has again indicted Nathan Chasing Horse on charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls for decades, reviving a sweeping criminal case against the former “Dances with Wolves” actor. The 21-count indictment unsealed Thursday in Clark County District Court, which includes Las Vegas, again charges the 48-year-old with sexual assault, lewdness and kidnapping. It also adds felony charges of producing and possessing child sexual abuse materials. It comes after the Nevada Supreme Court in September ordered the dismissal of Chasing Horse’s original indictment, while leaving open the possibility for charges to be refiled. The court sided with Chasing Horse, saying in its scathing order that prosecutors had abused the grand jury process. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson quickly vowed...
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Saulteau First Nations embarks on province-wide engagement “Road Show”
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Saulteau First Nations (SFN) has announced a province-wide “Road Show” for community engagement with off-reserve members. According to a Facebook post and video on Monday, October 28th, the tour will include stops to the lower interior, the Thompson-Okanagan region, and the Peace region, with dates in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek. According to a statement from SFN, the event will feature a dinner and a meeting with Chief Rudy Paquette and councillors. The SFN “Road Show” will begin on November 5th in Kamloops at the Fairfield Inn and Suites with a dinner and meeting at 5:30 p.m., with the Vancouver stop scheduled for the following evening. Dinner and meetings will be held on Tuesday, November 12, starting...
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Canada’s youngest dangerous offender, who sexually assaulted baby, seeks prison leave
( Canadian Press)-A convict who became Canada ‘s youngest designated dangerous offender after sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby is seeking escorted leave from prison to attend Indigenous cultural ceremonies in Vancouver. Tara Desousa, now 43, has applied to Federal Court to overturn a decision by B.C.’s Fraser Valley Institution to deny her “escorted temporary absences” from the federal women’s prison. Desousa, then named Adam Laboucan, was 15 years old in 1997 when she sexually assaulted an infant she was babysitting in Quesnel, B.C. The baby required surgery to repair the injuries. Desousa, who underwent gender-affirming operations while serving an indefinite sentence, also admitted to drowning a three-year-old boy when she was 11 years old, which the judge in the sexual assault case said was below the age of criminal responsibility....
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Report on missing Indigenous children reveals truth: survivor
KENORA – The release of a final report on missing children and unmarked graves at former residential schools is progress, says Ed Mandamin. Mandamin, from the Treaty 3 community of Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation, attended the Cecelia Jeffery Indian Residential School in Kenora from 1973 to 1977. Presently he is the city’s Indigenous relations adviser. “It just means another layer of history and truth has been peeled off,” he said Wednesday of the report, which was released Tuesday. The report calls for the federal government to establish an Indigenous-led commission with funding for a 20-year mandate. Special interlocutor Kimberly Murray, a lawyer from Kanehsatake Mohawk Nation, said Canada is legally and morally obligated to see that a full investigation is conducted. “I will continue to remain hopeful, but I...
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Survivors call on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism
Canadian Press-Residential school survivors are calling on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism, echoing one of the findings in a report about unmarked graves and burial sites associated with the institutions. Doug George, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute, said Canadians need to acknowledge the schools’ place in history and to ensure the children who died are not silenced. “Canadians might be, you now, maybe feeling as though it’s been a bit overwhelming over the past few years,” George said, referencing the announcements from First Nations about their efforts to locate their missing children. “But you can imagine what it’s like for us and our children and our communities? … You can’t hide behind these things. You’ve got to come to grips with it.” More than 150,000 Indigenous children were...
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Courses for firearm acquisition certificate extremely popular in Arviat
By Darrell Greer Local Journalism Initiative With the largest population in the Kivalliq region, Arviat has a good many people looking to obtain their firearm acquisition certificate (FAC) each year. Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. said the hamlet has received funding to offer FAC courses and it has held them all summer. He said more people are still waiting to take the FAC course so they can purchase their own firearm. “Inuit have to have a FAC just like everyone else,” said Savikataaq. “Hunting is a right for us but, to purchase a firearm or ammunition, you need to show that licence. That’s what it’s for. “Available funding dictates how often we can hold the FAC training course. Everything is dictated by funding and this is no different. “We had...
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U.S. historian’s book on North America’s Indigenous history wins Cundill prize
A U.S. historian’s book on North America’s Indigenous history, “Native Nations: A Millennium in North America,” has won the Cundill History Prize. The honour comes with US$75,000 for author Kathleen DuVal, a history professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Random House release was praised for the way it reframes 1,000 years of North America’s history in putting “Indigenous power and sovereignty at its centre.” Fellow finalists Gary J. Bass for “Judgement at Tokyo” and Dylan C. Penningroth for “Before the Movement,” were each awarded US$10,000. The Cundill History Prize celebrates a book of non-fiction written in or translated into English. It is open to writers of any nationality, for books from anywhere in the world. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct....
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Stream of Dreams organizes day camps for Indigenous children
The Burnaby non-profit Stream of Dreams is organizing weekend day camps for Indigenous children in Burnaby throughout November and December. The November camps, called “Salmon Saturdays,” will take place at Burnaby Lake, near the non-profit’s premises, and will be free of charge. Salmon Saturdays will take place on Nov. 9, 16, and 30 and are open to self-identified Indigenous children ages 6-12. Another group of camps will take place over the winter holidays on Dec. 23, 27, and 30 and Jan. 2 and 3. Each day camp will have a maximum of 15 children. According to education coordinator Krystal Brennan, Salmon Saturdays will educate children about salmon spawning, streams, and the natural environment through scavenger hunts and arts and crafts like weaving cedar bracelets, dancing, and gardening. There will be...
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Manitoba bill would require judges to undergo education on domestic violence and more
(Canadian Press)-Manitoba may soon require new provincial court judges to take continuing education on intimate partner violence, sexual assault, systemic racism and other topics. A bill now before the legislature would require judges to undergo the learning, which would also cover the experiences of Indigenous and LGBTQ+ persons in the justice system and in society. The bill is based on one originally proposed in April by Cindy Lamoureux, the lone Liberal in the legislature. The NDP government did not initially support the bill, but has now drawn up its own and has Lamoureux’s support. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe says unlike a private member’s bill, a government bill can come with money needed to ensure it is fully enacted. The bill may not pass before the end of the legislature session...
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Man who killed eagles and trafficked their parts faces sentencing Thursday
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man who pleaded guilty to killing at least 118 eagles as part of a wildlife trafficking ring that operated on a Native American Reservation in Montana faces sentencing Thursday before a federal judge. The trafficking ring sold eagle feathers and parts on a black market that exploits high demand among tribal members who use them in powwows and other ceremonies. The yearslong poaching operation was centered on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The defendant and others killed at least 107 hawks and as many as 3,600 birds overall, prosecutors said. Travis John Branson of Cusick, Washington, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and wildlife trafficking charges. A second person has been indicted in the case and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office have said...
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