Federal funding will flow toward addiction recovery on Manitoulin and N. Shore
By Jacqueline M. St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor MANITOULIN—The North has learned to count in absences. Empty chairs at kitchen tables. Snowbanks that remember the shape of someone who never came home. Ambulance lights flickering across frozen bays like a warning no one can outrun. Last week, in nearby Sault Ste. Marie, the federal government announced more than $11.4 million through the Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) for eight projects across Ontario—funding meant to loosen the opioid crisis’ chokehold on communities that have buried too many, too young. For Manitoulin Island and the North Shore of Lake Huron, the announcement lands not as abstract policy, but as a thin, stubborn thread of hope. A region at the epicentre From Manitoulin Island to the North Shore communities stretching east...
Register
Buy Ontario Act risks excluding Indigenous businesses, Northern groups warn
By Jacqueline M. St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor NORTHERN ONTARIO — Bill 72, Ontario’s Buy Ontario Act arrives wrapped in the warm language of resilience, its promise simple and seductive: keep supply chains close, keep dollars at home, keep Ontario strong. But in the North, where distance is a fact of life and economies grow along different fault lines, some hear a colder echo beneath the rhetoric. The Anishnawbe Business Professional Association (ABPA) has filed a formal strategic review, warning that the Buy Ontario Act, 2025 risks systematically sidelining First Nations businesses. At issue are definitions that appear neutral on paper yet tilt the field toward southern, urban, non-Indigenous firms. Employee thresholds, permanent headquarters requirements and corporate governance criteria may read like standard procurement language. In...
Register
Indigenous rights defenders say they’ll ‘not stay silent’ after anti-protest bylaw defeated in ‘Winnipeg’
By Crystal Greene, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Indigenous activists joined other social movements in “Winnipeg” to help defeat a proposed city bylaw they say would have silenced dissent and free speech — including Indigenous rights advocacy. Last week, residents gathered outside city hall against a draft bylaw that many say would put a chilling effect on their constitutional right to protest. More than 800 people showed up to protest the proposal, in addition to thousands of online submissions against it. Facing widespread outcry, the city councillor behind the motion withdrew his support, shelving the bylaw even as public anger continued. But some opponents fear the attempt could resurface some day and vow to continue raising their voices. One of those decrying the bylaw was Vivian Ketchum, an Anishinaabe grandmother...
Register
Penguins place Sidney Crosby on injured reserve after missing Olympic final
Sidney Crosby says he felt he was “close” to playing in the men’s hockey gold-medal game at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The injury he sustained in the Olympic tournament quarterfinals, however, will keep the Pittsburgh Penguins captain sidelined at least a month. The Penguins placed Crosby on injured reserve Wednesday with a lower-body injury. Crosby, Canada’s captain at the Olympics, was injured in the quarterfinals when his leg bent awkwardly on a hit from Czechia defenceman Radko Gudas. Canada’s Sidney Crosby (87) heads to the locker room with an injury during the second period of a quarterfinal men’s hockey game against Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck The 38-year-old hoped to recover in time to play the Americans for...
Register
Métis leaders unveil 1920s model dog sled repatriated from Vatican
By Alessia Passafiume Métis leaders Wednesday unveiled a model dog sled repatriated to their communities after more than a century in the Vatican collection. The sled, made in the 1920s of leather, wood and glass beads, was one of 62 items repatriated to Indigenous Peoples from the Vatican last year after decades of calls for their return. “We’re not simply opening a box — we’re welcoming something very special home. We’re beginning a new chapter: a chapter that’s grounded in relationship, kinship and connection,” Métis National Council President Victoria Pruden said during the ceremony. “They hold the imprint of the hands that made them, and the communities who once knew them.” Métis dog sleds and teams were used for transporting goods and mail, trapping and carrying passengers from the 18th...
Register
The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) marked Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+) Valentine’s Day Feb.14th
The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) marked Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+) Valentine’s Day Feb.14th by hanging red ties as a tribute at the Historic Council House and Three Fires site. MCFN joined a country wide movement to confront violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, reaffirmed its commitment to awareness, accountability and meaningful change....
Register
Six Nations holds, administers the funding for the Iroquois Caucus
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) Councillor Cynthia Jamieson discussed the responsibility during the General Council meeting on February 10. SNEC accepted a recommendation from the Unity Building, External Governance and Justice Committee regarding the Iroquois Caucus hiring of Kimberly Martin as the new Coordinator, ffective February 2, 2026 as information. The Iroquois Caucus is a collaborative alliance of six Haudenosaunee communities in Ontario and Quebec — Kahnawà:ke, Kanehsatà:ke, Akwesasne, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Six Nations of the Grand River and Oneida Nation of the Thames — that meets quarterly to address shared priorities, including jurisdiction, lands, resources and culture. SNEC also reviewed administrative procedures tied to Six Nations’ fiduciary role in the Iroquois Caucus. Jamieson raised questions about contract authorization and payroll processing. “Six Nations has been and currently is, holds...
Register
Six Nations Elected Council looks to push for an integrated health system
Long-term care transitions, a push for an integrated health system, education reform efforts and cross-border travel concerns were at the forefront of committee updates during the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) General Council meeting earlier this month. Councillor Amos Key, the Well-Being Committee chair said a long-awaited agreement between the City of Brantford, the Ministry of Long-Term Care and Six Nations is nearing completion, a move that will allow planning to begin for the transition of Six Nations residents from Delhi to the new Fox Ridge facility in Brantford. Key thanked residents and families for their patience, calling the process “a long journey” that is finally nearing resolution. At the same time, SNEC continues to wrestle with broader long-term care restoration efforts, which have faced delays and rising costs. To...
Register
Federal government continues to warn First Nations to carry Canadian passports when crossing U.S. border
By Catherine Morrison The federal government has updated its travel advice for the United States and is now urging First Nations people to carry a passport in addition to a status card when crossing the border. Before this week, the government website said First Nations people could “freely” enter the United States for the purposes of employment, study, retirement, investing or immigration. As of Thursday, the website has been updated with new guidelines. The website now says First Nations people “may” be able to cross the Canada-U.S. border by land or water with their Secure Certificate of Indian Status, also known as a secure status card. The website says acceptance of all status cards is “entirely at the discretion of U.S. officials.” Status cards and secure status cards aren’t accepted...
Register
National tourism awards presented at Edmonton conference
By Sam Laskaris Writer Excellence in the Indigenous tourism industry was recognized at an awards ceremony in Edmonton this past week. Winners in 11 categories were announced at the 2026 Indigenous Tourism Awards held on Feb. 19. The awards ceremony was held on the final evening of the annual International Indigenous Tourism Conference, hosted by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC). Award winners included Quebec’s Ungava Polar Eco-Tours, Edmonton chef Scott Iserhoff, British Columbia’s Spirit Bear Lodge and Saskatoon’s Dakota Dunes Resort. Ungava Polar Eco-Tours is an Inuit-owned company that offers adventure tourism experiences in Gyrfalcon Islands, which has the world’s largest tides and tidal currents. The business captured the Exceptional Cultural Experience Award. Iserhoff founded an Indigenous restaurant called Bernadette’s, a tribute to his grandmother. He won the...
Register
Man removed from Wiikwemkoong under community bylaw believes he has the right to stay
By Jacqueline St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor WIIKWEMKOONG—A lone pickup truck has idled at the edge of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory since January 15, its occupant staging a one-man protest where reserve land meets the municipality of Assiginack. Inside rests Evan Lewis, a non-First Nations man who has been formally trespassed from the Territory one day earlier, insisting that his connection to the community — and to an unborn First Nations child — entitles him to remain. The scene is quietly unsettling: a pickup truck plastered with handmade signs, a flashing green light and questions that bears asking and demands attention. Mr. Lewis had been living in Wiikwemkoong since the fall of 2023. During that time, he and his then common-law partner became pregnant; a tragic miscarriage occurred...
Register
Indigenous leaders priorities for spring sitting of Parliament
By Alessia Passafiume Indigenous leaders were braced for change after the last federal election, when Prime Minister Mark Carney’s win ushered in a new look for the Liberal government after 10 years under Justin Trudeau. That change has compelled those leaders to build relationships with new cabinet ministers and a revolving cast of public servants working on Indigenous files. First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders have a long list of priorities they want the federal government to work on, including the introduction of a series of bills on self-government and clean drinking water. Here’s what they’ll be watching for. First Nations At the Assembly of First Nations assembly last December, Carney promised to hold a meeting between First Nations leaders, the federal government and premiers. AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse...
Register
Court denies Kahnawake Gaming Commission
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door The highest court in Quebec has dismissed an appeal in the Magic Palace case from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), which had argued that provincial courts lack the power to weigh in on its regulatory decisions. In its ruling, the Court of Appeal of Quebec confirms the Superior Court of Quebec’s November 2024 decision that provincial courts have the power to review KGC decisions, despite the KGC being a First Nations entity established by the Kahnawake Gaming Law, which gives the KGC the responsibility of granting and revoking gaming licenses. The ruling handed down last week is the latest development in the litigation brought by shuttered gaming facility Magic Palace and its owners, Stanley Myiow and Barry Alfred, who have...
Register
Six Nations Police Keeping Six Nations Safe
It appeared to be the oddest thing surfacing after a massive Six Nations Police (SNP) and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) combined forces investigation recently. You will remember last spring, when Chiefswood Road, a main artery to go, well, anywhere at Six Nations, was shut down when the huge SNP and OPP operation was launched. The combined forces investigation dubbed Project Panda ended up seeing eight non-Six Nations people charged, all facing charges involving trafficking of contraband tobacco and more than 1,360 pounds of illicit cannabis seized. The five people facing charges ranging from trafficking to unlawful manufacturing and packaging of tobacco products were not Six Nations people. With addresses from Ancaster to Hamilton the non- Indigenous people had been operating the factory, police described as a massive contraband tobacco operation...
Register
Today in History
March 4 In 1870, a Metis firing squad executed Ontario adventurer Thomas Scott for attempting to overthrow Louis Riel’s government at Manitoba’s Red River Colony. The sentence ultimately led to Riel’s execution 15 years later. In 2019, Treasury Board President Jane Philpott resigned from the federal cabinet over the fallout from the SNC-Lavalin affair, telling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an open letter she had “lost confidence in how the government” had dealt with the issue. Philpott’s resignation came just less than a month after former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, and Philpott’s good friend, resigned from cabinet amid allegations that the Prime Minister’s Office had improperly pressured her to stop a criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. March 6 In 2019, Justin Trudeau’s former principal secretary testified the SNC-Lavalin...
Register
Federal spending on Indigenous Canadians is about to soar due to 300,000 potential new registrants
Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy Health benefits alone could cost another billion dollars2025 ended with the country overlooking the most wide-reaching potential change to come to Indigenous law in 40 years. The question of who can be registered as a legal “Indian,” to use the proper constitutional language, has been contentious as far back as this octogenarian can remember. The federal government, under the Brian Mulroney government, led a major change in 1985 to, quite properly, promote equality between Indian men and women in obtaining status. But other changes aimed at cleaning up issues in the Indian Act also created new dilemmas, making sections 6 through 8 of the Indian Act almost impossible for the layman to decipher. Last year, the federal government introduced Bill S-2, “An Act to amend...
Register
Ironmen need one more win to eliminate Coyotes
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Ironmen are on the verge of winning their first ever playoff series. The Ironmen, a local senior men’s squad, are participating in their inaugural season of the Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL). Thanks to a pair of weekend victories, the Six Nations squad leads its best-of-seven playoff series versus the Halton Hills Coyotes 3-1. The Ironmen/Coyotes matchup is a North Division semi-final series in the NPHL’s Metropolitan Conference. The Six Nations and Halton Hills clubs had split the opening two games of their series. The visiting Ironmen then posted a 4-1 win in Game 3 on Saturday. And the local squad downed the visiting Coyotes 6-1 in Game 4, held Sunday afternoon at the Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre. Ironmen goaltender...
Register
Rebels gearing up for 2026 campaign
By Sam Laskaris Writer Blue Hill is busily preparing for what he hopes will be another successful season for the Six Nations Rebels. Hill is entering his second season as the head coach of the Rebels, the local Junior B lacrosse squad. Hill guided the Rebels to an impressive 14-6 regular season record a year ago. The Six Nations club then swept the Hamilton Bengals 3-0 in its best-of-five opening-round playoff series. But the Rebels were then beat in the minimum three games in their best-of-five battle against the Elora Hawks, who eventually advanced to the provincial finals. As for this year, the Rebels started their open tryouts in late January. About 65 players registered to try out for the squad. The club had its first controlled scrimmage this past...
Register
SPORTS BRIEFS: From Chiefs to Bandits
By Sam Laskaris Writer Date of Chiefs’ opener announced Monday May 18. Go ahead and put that date into your calendars. That’s the night the Six Nations Chiefs will officially begin their quest to capture their fourth consecutive national championship. It was announced this past week that the Chiefs, the three-time defending Mann Cup champions, will begin their 2026 regular season on May 18. The Owen Sound North Stars will provide the opposition in the match, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). The Chiefs/North Stars contest will be part of the annual Six Nations Bread and Cheese Day celebrations. The Chiefs’ home opener was the only date that was announced thus far for the club, which competes in the Ontario-based Major Series Lacrosse...
Register
Housing is ‘not just a roof over someone’s head’ MPP says
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — The ongoing housing crisis in many First Nations is depriving people of more than just shelter. Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa made that point as part of his opening remarks at the 23rd First Nations Housing Conference in Thunder Bay. The annual event is organized by representatives from 10 tribal and chiefs councils and brings together community leaders, housing managers, government funding agencies, builders and maintenance people, industry representatives, and more. Mamakwa thanked the City of Thunder Bay for declaring homelessness a humanitarian crisis, and pointed out that a recent point in time count showed over 75 per cent of people experiencing homelessness in the city identify as Indigenous. “We know that some of the people who ended up homeless...
Register
