Blackstock sees ‘imbalance’ between $55M lawyers’ bill, welfare victims’ compensation
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-Cindy Blackstock, one of the people responsible for bringing forward a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case that led to a historic settlement agreement, says she is concerned about an “imbalance” between what lawyers and victims will be paid. The Federal Court approved a landmark $23-billion class-action lawsuit settlement last month to compensate more than 300,000 First Nations children and their families for chronic underfunding of on-reserve child-welfare services. The federal government and class-action lawyers from five legal firms have since reached an additional $55-million deal over legal fees, which they promised to negotiate as part of the settlement agreement but which has not yet been approved in Federal Court. “I don’t understand the system where the person who will have to have the most courage,...
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Six Nations Police block Fourth Line looking for man who pointed a firearm
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- Six Nations Police have blocked Fourth Line at Chiefswood Road this morning ( Nov., 15, 2023) at 8 a.m. after a man armed with a firearm pointed the firearm at a person walking near the Chiefwood Road and Fourth Line intersection at Veterans’ Park in Ohsweken. No shots have been fired. No injuries reported. Police blocked the roadway and are searching for the man along Fourth Line towards Seneca Road. Please avoid the area. ...
Act not react: Multiple audits advised feds to help First Nations before wildfires hit
By Matteo Cimellaro Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A year before First Nations experienced their worst wildfire season, Ottawa’s auditor general was calling on the federal government to do more to support emergency management for Indigenous communities. An audit, released by the auditor general in 2022, criticized Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for “not adequately” supporting First Nations, by spending 3.5 times more on emergency response than on preparation and mitigation. Similar concerns had been brought to the government’s attention in the past decade. The 2022 report noted the department had failed to address problems with emergency preparedness and mitigation identified in a 2013 auditor general report. The department had not clearly identified all First Nationscommunities at risk and was swamped by a backlog of climate-mitigation projects, the report stated. Earlier recommendations...
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WLFN owned company brings a decolonial lens to archaeology: `We need Indigenous knowledge’
By Dionne Phillips Local Journalism Initiative Reporter On a recent archaeological exploration for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital project in Williams Lake, Demetrius George discovered a small, ancient rock tool in the dirt. The fine-grained volcanic artifact is very sharp, he explains, but doesn’t seem to be made for scraping deer hide rather, for smaller jobs, such as cutting string. “I’ve been trying to find a tool for three years now,” he says with a smile. George is a junior archaeological field technician with the Indigenous-owned company Sugar Cane Archaeology. Through his work, the member of Esk’etemc First Nation explores Secwepemc lands and beyond uncovering village sites, pithouses, tools and other amazing glimpses into the past in order to illuminate and preserve this important history. In a historically colonial field, SCA...
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Six Nations loses a champion for Indigenous artists in passing of Tom Hill
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-Six Nations has lost a loved and respected community member with the passing of Tomas Vernon Hill, former Woodland Cultural Centre director who passed away on November 11, 2023, at the age of 80. In a statement Tuesday, Nov. 14 the Woodland Cultural Centre said “staff of Woodland Cultural Centre is mourning the loss” of their former Museum Director. The statement described him as being “instrumental in creating paths for Indigenous artists and cultural workers.” Mr. Hill began his career as a champion of First Nations arts at the Expo ’67 Indians of Canada Pavilion and then went on to work at the National Gallery of Canada and several other positions within the federal government. He was both an accomplished and internationally recognized visual...
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Inuvialuk artist designs sealskin poppy for Juno Beach Centre in France
By Tom Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Juno Beach Centre (JBC) in Normandy, France, which commemorates Canada’s contribution in the Second World War, is currently in the midst of a $1.25 million renewal of its Faces of Canada Today permanent exhibition space. When renovations conclude, the space will include a new art installation featuring poppies created by three Indigenous Canadian artists, including respected Inuvialuk artist Inuk. “It’s kind of surreal, and it’s kind of epic, and it’s kind of humbling, and I’m also honoured to have been asked,” Inuk said from her home in Yellowknife, one day after plans for the new art installation were unveiled. “There’s still lots of emotions coming.” The new art installation will be open in time for the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June...
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“JUST THE BEGINNING”: First Nations leaders break ground in Winnipeg on country’s largest urban reserve
By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative Reporter First Nations leaders broke ground Monday on a project that will see the site of the former Kapyong Barracks transformed into the country’s largest urban reserve, and released ambitious plans for the first phase of the massive development project. “We’ve dealt with a lot of negativity and naysayers with the project, and I’d like to let them know, and would like to let everyone in Winnipeg know that this is just the beginning,” Treaty One Chairperson and Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Gordon Bluesky said during an official groundbreaking at the former Kapyong site on Monday morning. The site along Kenaston Boulevard is now slated to become Naawi-Oodena, a massive urban reserve that will be a joint venture between the Treaty One Development Corporation...
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Winemaker murder trial ends with Crown, defence agreed on facts, at odds over accused’s mental state
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Bradley House killed Paul Pender, on this the Crown and defence agree. But was the Hamilton man in his right mind when he stabbed the renowned Niagara winemaker to death outside Pender’s cottage east of Selkirk in Haldimand County in February 2022? That is the central issue Superior Court Justice Michael Bordin must decide now that House’s trial for second-degree murder is over. At the close of the day on Friday, House, who has pleaded not guilty, was placed in handcuffs and escorted from the courtroom in Cayuga by two special constables, bound for the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre. Where the 33-year-old ultimately lands is up to Bordin, who heard the case without a jury. The accused’s fate depends on whether Bordin accepts the...
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Mental health app for Canadian veterans named after Saskatchewan mass stabbing victim
By Jamin Mike THE CANADIAN PRESS Earl Burns was a veteran of the Canadian military who tried to protect his family and Saskatchewan community of James Smith Cree Nation until his very last breath. A non-profit app in the works has been named in his honour. The Burns Way chat app would allow veterans to instantly connect with trained military peer supports, while filling service gaps for those who live in rural areas or are isolated. “Everything atThe Burns Way is about human beings supporting other human beings and to facilitate all of that to the idea of connection,” said John MacBeth, founder and CEO of developer TryCycle Data Systems. He said that when he and his team learned Burns was a veteran, it was obvious that Burns encapsulated “the...
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Inuk MP urges Metis, First Nations to stand in solidarity over Bill C 53
By Shari Narine Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Diverging views on the proposed Metis self-governance legislation Bill C-53 prompted one member of Parliament with the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs to ask why there is such divisiveness among Indigenous peoples. “It seems like (the bill) is bringing about a lot of resentment and division and this bothers me. It saddens me? I want to encourage you to lean towards solidarity as Indigenous people,” said Nunavut NDP MP Lori Idlout, who is Inuk. The committee meeting Nov. 7 was one of a handful held on the Bill, with more than a dozen witnesses who either supported C-53, which gives official recognition to certain Metis governments in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, or who wanted to see the Bill scrapped. That...
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Feds, lawyers in First Nations child welfare case reach $55M deal over legal fees
OTTAWA- The federal government and the class-action lawyers who worked on a historic settlement over First Nations child welfare have reached a $55-million deal over legal fees. The Federal Court approved a landmark $23-billion settlement last month to compensate more than 300,000 First Nations children and their families for chronic underfunding of on-reserve child-welfare services. The class-action lawsuit settlement came after a years-long battle with the federal government, which included a 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision that the underfunding was discriminatory, and a 2019 ruling awarding $40,000 in compensation for each affected person. The proposed agreement reached today, not yet approved by the Federal Court, would see five firms receive $50 million in legal fees, plus $5 million for ongoing work to implement the settlement, with none of that...
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Oklahoma trooper tickets Native American citizen, sparking outrage from tribal leaders
By Sean Murphy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)- An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper ticketed a tribal citizen with a current Otoe-Missouria Tribe license plate for failing to pay state taxes, prompting an outcry from tribal leaders who blamed Gov. Kevin Stitt’s increasing hostility toward Native Americans. Crystal Deroin, an Otoe-Missouria Tribe citizen, was ticketed for speeding near Enid on Tuesday and received a second $249 citation for failure to pay state motor vehicle taxes because she did not live on tribal land. “After over 20 years of cooperation between the State and Tribes regarding vehicle tag registration, it appears the State has altered its position of understanding concerning tribal tags,” Otoe-Missouria Chairman John Shotton said in a statement. “This change was made without notice or consultation with all Tribes...
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‘Not holding anything back’ on residential school records, archbishop tells Senate
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- A Catholic archdiocese that operated four Indigenous residential schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan has finally surrendered a long-awaited trove of records that may hold clues about their tragic history. The Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas gave the documents to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in late October, not long before Archbishop Murray Chatlain’s appearance before a key Senate committee. Word of the disclosure comes as church leaders face persistent accusations, including from Indigenous leaders who testified before the same committee, that they are dragging their heels on releasing records. In 2021, a staff member found a box of files containing some residential school lists, and the archdiocese agreed to digitize the records in consultation with the national centre, Chatlain testified. But until...
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Indigenous mom’s discrimination payout hangs in the balance at B.C. Supreme Court
By Brielle Morgan Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Content warning: This story deals with child apprehension and discrimination against an Indigenous mother. Please look after your spirit and read with care. An Afro-Indigenous mother sat quietly in a “Vancouver” courtroom last week as 14 lawyers argued about whether a tribunal decision that found social workers discriminated against her should be upheld. About this same time last year, “Justine” was celebrating a landmark B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ruling, which ordered the agency that took her daughters and put them in “care” to pay her $150,000 “as compensation for injury to her dignity, feelings, and self-respect.” Now, the Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society (VACFSS) is asking B.C. Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Gomery to toss that decision out. The tribunal’s decision “jeopardizes the safety...
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Gaps in Mental Wellness for Indigenous Men Addressed with Men’s 2 Day Indigenous Wellness Gathering
By Jacqueline St. Pierre Local Journalism Initiative Reporter THE MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR LITTLE CURRENT- Noojmowin Teg is hosting a two-day gathering on Indigenous men’s wellness on Tuesday, November 14th, and Wednesday, November 15th. The event will be held at the Manitoulin Conference Centre and features keynote speakers George Couchie of the Red Tail Hawk Clan from Nipissing First Nation and Glen Gould of the Membertou First Nation. Mr. Couchie is a retired police officer with 32 years of service and a published author who wrote three books: Raised on an Eagle Feather, Creation of the Spark, and The Gifts of the Seven Grandfathers. He has also delivered award-winning Indigenous Awareness Trainings and Initiatives, including The Niigan Mosewak Program for Indigenous youth aged 12-17. Close to 150 kids are invited to the...
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MNO celebrates 30 years at Metis rights conference
By Kyle Darbyson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Around 400 members of the Metis community gathered in Sault Ste. Marie this week to take part in a rights conference that had an eye on the past as well as the future. This four-day affair, which began Sunday and wrapped up Wednesday, served as a major milestone for the Metis Nation of Ontario (MNO), which is celebrating its 30th year as a governing body. According to Region 4 councillor Mitch Case, this week’s conference also proved to be the largest MNO gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, giving them a unique opportunity to discuss issues related to Metis self-determination while simultaneously celebrating their unique cultural heritage. “So that was our thought, let’s have a real good celebration,” Case told the Sault Star Tuesday...
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Iceland’s Blue Lagoon spa closes temporarily as earthquakes put area on alert for volcanic eruption
By Egill Bjarnason THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HUSAVIK, Iceland (AP)-The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions _ closed temporarily as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation’s most populated region on alert for a possible volcanic eruption. Guests rushed to leave the spa’s hotels in the early hours of Thursday, after they were rattled awake shortly before 1 a.m. by a magnitude 4.8 quake, the strongest to hit the region since the recent wave of seismic activity began on Oct. 25. Bjarni Stefansson, a local taxi driver, described a scene of confusion when he arrived at the Retreat Hotel, where lava rocks had fallen on the roadway and the parking lot was jammed with 20 to 30 cabs. “There was a panic situation,” Stefansson told The...
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Saskatchewan to make changes to age requirements for purchasing tobacco products
REGINA- The Saskatchewan government has passed a bill raising the minimum age to legally buy tobacco and vapour products to 19 from 18. The change aligns age restrictions for smoking and vaping with those on liquor and cannabis sales in Saskatchewan, something that has been done in most provinces. The province says in a news release it is committed to ensuring that Saskatchewan youth are not targets of advertising for tobacco and vapour products. The bill also provides more clarity to existing restrictions on advertising and promotion of these products to youth. The province says it consulted with retailers, manufacturers, health advocacy organizations and First Nations and Metis groups when developing the bill. The legislative changes will come into force at a later date. This report by The Canadian...
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Head of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami accuses Labrador group of ‘co opting’ Inuit identity
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- The president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is accusing an organization in Labrador of co-opting Inuit identities to secure lands, rights and financial resources. Natan Obed argues that NunatuKavut Community Council, which represents some 6,000 people in south and central Labrador it claims to be Inuit, is advancing “illegitimate claims” of Indigenous identity. Todd Russell, president of the NCC, is describing the allegations as “defamatory,” adding that ITK, the national organization for Inuit in Canada, has “no right” to determine the identity of the people his own group represents. It is not the first time the NCC has faced questions about its claims. The Innu Nation has asked the Federal Court to quash a 2019 agreement between the federal government and the council. That...
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Anishinabek debuts economic opportunities forum in the Sault
By Kyle Darbyson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Representatives from over 30 Ontario First Nations gathered in Sault Ste. Marie recently for the first-ever Anishinabek Nation Economic Development Opportunities Forum. This inaugural event, which took place at the Quattro Hotel and Conference Centre, gave roughly 140 attendees the chance to network and share notes on how to carve out more economic prosperity for their respective communities. While the conference covered a range of topics, Anishinabek Nation economic development manager Darlene Solomon told the Sault Star there was a significant focus on the energy sector. Many of the keynote speakers and joint panelists discussed how Indigenous communities could use pre-existing and untapped projects involving critical minerals, nuclear energy and electric vehicles to their advantage. “We had all sectors represented, because right now...
