Canadian Business Hall of Fame names inductees for 2026
The founders of the company behind Ace Bakery, Simple Joys and naan brands Stonefire and Santosh, are among the inductees that have been named to the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. The hall says Soham Ajmera, the founding chairman of the FGF Group of Cos., as well as co-founders and co-chief executives Ojus Ajmera and Tejus Ajmera will be added to the hall of fame for 2026. They will be joined by Terry Paul, chief and chief executive of the Membertou First Nation, as well as Anthony von Mandl, founder, owner and chief executive of the Mark Anthony Group of Cos., who helped pioneer B.C.’s high-end winemaking industry in the province’s Okanagan Valley. The hall of fame will also induct Hartley Richardson, chief executive of James Richardson & Sons Ltd.,...
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Judge dismisses motion to postpone Blueberry River First Nations election
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A former Chief’s motion to postpone her nation’s upcoming elections has been dismissed. Judy Desjarlais, the former Chief of Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN), filed a motion to postpone the nomination meetings for the next elections in the First Nation on November 25th. She had asked a federal court to delay the meeting until the decision on her judicial review regarding her removal from office was made, at which time she could enter the next election for Chief and council. Desjarlais was removed after an independent review found she had violated the BRFN’s bylaws by unilaterally granting permit approvals to the energy company Petronas for work on traditional lands without consulting or obtaining the required approval from...
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Petitioner looking to recall Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says application approved
By Jack Farrell A woman looking to launch a recall petition to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature says her campaign has been officially approved. Heather VanSnick says she has received a letter from Elections Alberta saying she will be getting the go-ahead to start the petition drive against Smith. Smith will have a week to file a response before it’s expected that Elections Alberta would formally issue the petition and kick-start a three-month signature collection process. A spokesperson for the agency said it was prohibited from commenting until after petitions are issued. Once it goes ahead, it’s a lengthy, multistage process — and 14 other members of Smith’s United Conservative caucus are already facing recall campaigns. VanSnick, in an interview Wednesday, said she was...
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Carney meets with Prairie chiefs outside Assembly of First Nations gathering
By Alessia Passafiume and David Baxter Prime Minister Mark Carney met Wednesday with chiefs representing Treaties 6, 7 and 8 on Parliament Hill, who expressed openness to the idea of pipeline ownership days after Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta that opens the door to get one to B.C.’s coast. Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton, speaking to reporters outside the door where he and other chiefs met with Carney, said First Nations need a stake in any project proposed on their lands. “We’re not against economic growth or benefits to the region, to our people, to the greater population,” Knowlton said. What he is against is harms to the environment and potential health impacts caused by destruction of the waterways. “But if we’re real co-owners, then the concerns...
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Consultations set to begin on controversial Quebec constitution bill
By Maura Forrest A draft constitution tabled two months ago by the Quebec government was supposed to be a unifying declaration of Quebecers’ common values, but it has instead been denounced as ill-conceived, divisive and authoritarian. Critics say the constitution bill would erode human rights and limit dissent, and could reopen an unnecessary debate on abortion. Some civil society groups are calling for it to be withdrawn outright. Wide-ranging consultations on the draft legislation will begin on Thursday and will continue into the new year. Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette agreed to open the consultations to the general public as a gesture of goodwill, after being criticized for drafting the bill behind closed doors. More than 200 individuals and groups are scheduled to appear. Still, the Coalition Avenir Québec majority does...
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Why was ‘incredible’ giant cedar cut down, despite B.C.’s big-tree protection law?
By Brenna Owen Joshua Wright says a yellow cedar tree he photographed last year was “incredible,” the largest he’d ever seen in a decade of hiking around Vancouver Island. The monumental cedar stood in what was one of the few intact or nearly intact old-growth valleys left on the island, says Wright, an advocate who also recorded the sounds of marbled murrelets — a threatened species under federal law — within the same forest. Wright measured the cedar’s diameter at 2.79 metres, a size that should have ensured protection for the tree, along with a one-hectare buffer under provincial law. But when he returned to the area south of Gold River in June, Wright says the tree had been felled as part of a logging operation approved by the province....
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Amalgamation would be better for Brant County than Brantford, study shows
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator Brantford’s mayor ordered an amalgamation study the County of Brant didn’t ask for — and the results suggest the county would cash in while the city pays up. On Friday afternoon, Mayor Kevin Davis of Brantford released a study he commissioned with strong-mayor powers — despite the county’s opposition to becoming one with the city it surrounds. The 29-page report by Hemson Consulting is a “fiscal analysis of current state assessments, and 10-year financial forecasts,” the city wrote in a Facebook post. It shows that county residents could stand to see combined tax and utility fees decrease by around seven per cent annually in an amalgamation scenario. City residents, meanwhile, would pay around four per cent more on average by...
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KIA, B2Gold create $4-million wealth fund
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement between the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) and B2Gold has created a $4-million wealth fund for infrastructure projects in the region. B2Gold’s Back River gold mining district, which includes the now operational Goose Mine, is paying for the fund. KIA said it hopes the fund can create jobs outside the mining industry. “We are looking to support a project that would not have proceeded without B2Gold Nunavut’s investment — a project that will directly result in the creation of long-term jobs outside of the mining sector,” said Skye Lacroix, Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement manager at the KIA. The wealth fund will not provide grants to existing projects seeking to continue operations, or operating expenses,...
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Two youths facing charges after Brantford Police investigate disturbance
BRANTFORD,ONT- Two city youths are facing charges after Brantford Police Service (BPS) investigated a disturbance in the city’s downtown Tuesday, Dec., 2, 2025. One youth has been charged with several weapons related offences. BPS said they received multiple reports at about 9:10 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025, of several youths antagonizing an adult male in the area of Dalhousie Street and Queen Street including a report that one of the accused pointed a firearm at the victim after also throwing ice and snowballs at him. Those involved in the dispute then entered the lobby of a Water Street building where they are reported to have created a disturbance.Officers attended and located the suspects at a Market Street South plaza. A replica firearm was located by police and seized. The victim...
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Vehicle stolen from business on Highway 6
HALDIMAND COUNTY – The Haldimand detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating the theft of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) stolen from a business near Hagersville. OPP said the theft occurred December 2, 2025 at a rural business on Highway 6, near Hagersville, that was attended at about 4:20 a.m. The white coloured 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan was entered and removed by an unknown individual. OPP said video surveillance is being reviewed with hopes to identify the individual responsible for the theft. Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation is being asked to contact the Haldimand OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit an online tip at www.helpsolvecrime.com, where you could be eligible for a cash reward of...
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Gull-Masty commits to Indian Act reform, pushes back on Senate’s changes to status
By Alessia Passafiume and David Baxter Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty told hundreds of chiefs in Ottawa Wednesday she is committed to reforming First Nations status under the Indian Act — but she doesn’t agree with changes made by senators to a piece of legislation she once backed. Speaking during the Assembly of First Nations’ three-day gathering, Gull-Masty said she’s in a unique position as a Cree woman administering a piece of legislation that gives the federal government control over the lives of First Nations peoples. She said she understands the concerns chiefs have with the law in its current form. Bill S-2, introduced in the Senate with support from the Liberal government, was drafted to eliminate some gender inequities in the Indian Act and allow about 6,000 people to...
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Thinking critically about Carney’s proposed conservation corridor in northwest B.C.
By Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Narwhal Northwest B.C. is home to epic rivers, big mountains, a rugged coastline — and relatively few people. Its diverse ecosystems are inextricably intertwined with the cultures of the Indigenous Peoples who have lived here and stewarded the lands and waters for thousands of years, and continue to do so today. The staggeringly beautiful landscapes and rich cultures were what first caught my attention two decades ago — but it was the unpretentiousness of its communities that kept me here. Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Terrace, B.C., where he told the media and a small audience his government was sending something called the Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor to the newly formed Major Projects Office for review and potential fast-tracking....
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Money comes through for community projects
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Dorion and three other rural communities east of Thunder Bay have received funds in the latest round of Ontario Trillium Foundation grants for community projects. The total amount of $17.5 million announced by the province last week supports nearly 260 non-profit organizations, including small municipalities and First Nations, a provincial news release said. The following local projects were also awarded. • Dorion: $22,000 over six months for a new access ramp at the village’s museum. • Manitouwadge: $24,500 to purchase trail-grooming equipment for the local ski club. • Schreiber: $18,300 to replace a score-board and public address system at the community ballpark. • Terrace Bay: $200,000 over 12 months to replace a dehumidifier unit at the municipal curling rink. Carl Clutchey,...
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Trailer fire prompts advice about space heaters
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Thunder Bay’s fire department has issued a reminder about the potential risks of using portable space heaters following a major trailer fire on Fort William First Nation on Monday night. When firefighters went to the scene, the trailer unit was fully engulfed in flames. “The first arriving crew efficiently applied water using a hand-line, successfully bringing the fire under control,” a Thunder Bay Fire Rescue news release said on Tuesday. No injuries were reported. Firefighters “continued their efforts and fully extinguished the flames, preventing any further damage to nearby (structures),” the release added. “When utilizing any supplemental heating sources, like portable space heaters, it’s crucial to maintain safe distances from all combustible material,” the new release said. Thunder Bay Fire Rescue...
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Nunavik voter advocate calls Elections Canada report ‘insult to Inuit’
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News An 18-year-old who filed a formal complaint with Elections Canada still wants answers following the release of a report explaining how people across several Nunavik communities were denied the right to vote in April’s federal election. Elections Canada said in its report, released Nov. 27, that a lack of planning and local outreach led to some polling stations running on limited hours and others not opening at all on election day. It also says election officials approved a plan for Nunavik that it admits “deviated” from the agency’s expectations. Five of Nunavik’s 14 communities saw normal hours of operation. Tiivi Tullaugak, who lives in Ivujivik where polls didn’t open on election day or for advanced voting, sent a complaint in May...
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High-stakes fight over old growth trees intensifies as police make seven arrests
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa The 15-foot wooden cougar sculpture erected this summer to block forestry workers from accessing the Upper Walbran Valley in Pacheedaht First Nations territory is a pile of cold ashes on the dirt road. Pacheedaht elder Bill Jones, 85, has been a constant advocate for the old growth forest within Pacheedaht lands. He says his prayer hut and guest cabin were also torched during enforcement of the court-ordered injunction that was granted to C̕awak ʔqin Forestry (Tsawak-qin), which is 35 per cent co-owned by Huu-ay-aht First Nation and 65 per cent co-owned Western Forest Products (WFP), began on Nov. 25. “The RCMP stood by while my property was destroyed. I don’t know who did it because they wouldn’t let any witnesses up there,”...
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Charlie Williams steps down as chief of Ulkatcho FirstNation
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune Nelson (Charlie) Williams announced his resignation as chief of Ulkatcho First Nation effective Tuesday, Dec. 2 due to family priorities. Williams was first elected in April 2025 following the leadership of Chief Lynda Price and has previously served as councillor. “Serving as your Chief has been one of the greatest honours of my life,” Williams wrote in a letter announcing his resignation. “I am deeply grateful for the trust, support and collaboration you have shown me throughout my many terms as Council and as your Chief.” Read more: Ulkatcho First Nation elects Charlie Williams as chief The letter was shared on the Ulkatcho First Nation’s Facebook page on Nov. 25, accompanied by the council’s regrets to see the chief...
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Municipalities seek direction on incidental cabins
By Joe O’Grady, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temiskaming Speaker ARMSTRONG TOWNSHIP – The provincial government is being urged to take the lead in addressing a contentious issue pitting indigenous traditional land uses against environmental, public health and municipal zoning concerns. The Temiskaming Municipal Association (TMA) is expressing concern over “the lack of provincial policy for incidental cabins within municipal boundaries.” As outlined in a recent presentation to the TMA by Coleman Township administrators Suzie Fournier and Chris Oslund, incidental cabins are temporary shelters that support the exercise of treaty or Aboriginal rights, such as hunting, fishing and harvesting. The Supreme Court has ruled that building such cabins is reasonably necessary when practicing these rights in a traditional way. “Incidental cabins are becoming increasingly common, yet municipalities currently lack clear guidance...
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Six Nations’ new Tourism Information Centre
With the historic Pauline Johnson House in the background, work on Six Nations’ new Tourism Information Centre is continuing despite the weather. The huge two-storey structure will also include offices for tourism staff. (Photo by Jim C. Powless)...
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Six Nations residents corner elected council on cannabis
Six Nations community members are pleading with Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) again to stop a massive cannabis grow-op abutting a residential area. Nancy Porter, and several supporters, delivered two-and-a-half hours of emotional, almost tearful testimony to SNEC at its Nov. 25th meeting. Porter, whose property abutts the grow-op, pleaded with SNEC to take immediate action to shut down all unregulated cannabis operations on the territory citing safety concerns and environmental impacts. Porter has been working to shut down the grow-op, behind her home, since it went into operation six months ago. Along with another Six Nations band member, Brenda Johnson, the two women described escalating threats, fear for their families, and a lack of clarity around governance, enforcement, and accountability. Porter pleaded if anything happens to them, it wasn’t...
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