Nova Scotia judge given reprimand, agrees to treatment after review of complaints
-CP-A Nova Scotia provincial court judge has been sanctioned over his conduct on the bench, with a review committee finding undiagnosed mental health issues were a factor in his behaviour. The investigation of Judge Alain Bégin involved three cases, including one where he referred to a defendant during a sexual assault trial as a “sexual deviant” and later attempted to argue his remark had been off the record. He was alleged to have shown bias in two other cases, once against sexual assault victims and another time against Indigenous offenders. A statement from the Nova Scotia judiciary says Bégin agreed to the resolution of the complaints, which stemmed from cases he heard between 2021 and 2024 as a judge in Truro, N.S. The report made public today brings the disciplinary...
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Grand River floods over its banks
The Grand River flooded its banks last week sending a reminder out that spring is here. The waters washed over fields and roadways leaving Six Nations water pumping station isolated. (Photos by Jim C. Powless)...
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Indigenous communities among those in Canada reconsidering use of Starlink for critical services, remote communities
By Sarah Smellie More than half of Canada’s provincial and territorial governments buy critical internet and emergency communications services from Starlink — a satellite constellation owned by billionaire Elon Musk. And with Musk now acting as a top adviser to a U.S. president who has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada, one researcher sees that reliance as a threat to Canadian sovereignty. Dwayne Winseck, a professor of journalism and communications at Carleton University who has studied Starlink’s emergence as the sixth-largest internet service provider in Canada as of 2023, says Canadian governments must do the “maximum possible” to disentangle themselves from Starlink. “Cutting contracts is one approach,” he said in a recent interview. “There are also some made-in-Canada alternatives that can be accelerated.” From a $200,000-per-year agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador’s...
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Six Nations Elected Council gives local Farmers’ Association $70,000
By Lynda Powless Editor The Six Nations Farmers’ Association (SNFA) is getting $75,000 from Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) and they didn’t have to ask for it. The group originally asked SNEC, during its March 17th open Finance meeting, for $60,000 to plant 25 acres of white corn for the annual community harvest. The SNFA white corn project includes planting 25 acres of white corn and another 10 acres of flint corn. SNFA president, Frank Montour, told SNEC “the assistance we’re looking for from yous again this year is very greatly appreciated. It helps us ensure the projects go ahead.” He told SNEC “We’re trying to strive for and looking for sustainability for our people to eat here. We’re all in this together. It’s not for me or Thomas, It’s...
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Norfolk County Council saving Indigenous acknowledgement for “special occasions”
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator Since the idea of an Indigenous acknowledgment for Norfolk County was floated almost four years ago, councillors have spent considerably more time debating the wording of the statement than hearing the final product read aloud. Back in 2021, Coun. Tom Masschaele suggested it was “high time” the county crafted a statement recognizing the presence of First Nations peoples in the area. But some council members worried a land acknowledgment could be used in court by Indigenous groups asserting territory rights within the county. The final version of the statement makes no mention of land, which raised some eyebrows. “Is an Indigenous Acknowledgement that refuses to acknowledge the lands upon which we exist an Acknowledgement?” tweeted Norfolk filmmaker Gregg McLachlan. “Norfolk...
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Election 2025 … Indigenous issues at bottom of agenda
It’s election time. A federal election has been called and other than a few platitudes made by both the Conservative and Liberal leaders don’t expect Indigenous issues will be top of either of their agendas. In fact, it’s actually getting harder as the campaigns open up to define who’s message we are hearing. The Conservatives message is and has been out for weeks. It’s simple and aimed at your pocketbook. The Conservatives came out slugging with the call to cut the tax saying they would lower income taxes that could save an average person 15% or about $900 a year. Apparently the newly crowned Liberal Leader former banker Mark Carney got the message. On the heels of the PC issues of affordability and tax cuts out comes the Liberal’s new...
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Today in history
March 26 In 1885, the first battle of the Northwest Rebellion took place between Northwest Mounted Police and Metis troops at Duck Lake, Sask. Metis under Louis Riel battled police under Supt. L.N.F. Crozier, who was in charge of defending the area. The shot that began the battle was fired over a misunderstanding when representatives of the two sides came out to negotiate with each other. Crozier gave the order to retreat after a battle lasting about 45 minutes, in which 17 of his men were killed. The Metis lost five men. In 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally exonerated six Tsilhqot’in chiefs who were hanged by B.C.’s colonial government following a deadly confrontation with white road builders during the so-called “Chilcotin War of 1864.’’ March 29 In 2016, nine...
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Weekly Cartoon
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Six Nations Elected Council to receive $10 million from Indigenous Services Canada for various departments and projects
Six Nations Elected Council accepted funding agreements for this fiscal year and for the upcoming fiscal year. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) passed a motion to receive funding amendments for 2024-2025 and program start-up funds for 2025-2026 from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) at its General Finance meeting on March 17, but some councillors didn’t understand where the funds were going. SNEC agreed to a five-year comprehensive funding agreement with ISC and funding amendments for this month totaling more than $10 million for 2024-2025 and about $1 million for 2025-2026. Jennifer Court, Acting CEO Director of Finance presented SNEC with amendments bringing additional funding for the LESP Targeted Lands – Costs for Addition to Reserve with $81,450; Indigenous Early Learning – programs and Services with $3,713,762, Indigenous Early Learning Governance with...
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Six Nations Fire department upgrades equipment
The Six Nations Fire Department will soon have its own oxygen tank refill station. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) approved funding reallocations at its General Finance meeting on March 17 to allow the fire department to purchase an SCBA (self contained breathing apparatus) refill station. The Community Committee recommended SNEC approve the request to reallocate $48,310 from the 2024-2025 Minor Capital budget in addition to the fire department’s $11,686 budget for equipment purchases to purchase the SCBA refill machine at a cost of $60,000. An SCBA provides a continuous supply of clean air to fire fighters, enabling them to safely perform their duties in hazardous environments....
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York University professors seek court order to stop program suspensions
-CP Four senators at York University and a member of its academic planning and research committee are asking for a judicial review of the institution’s decision to suspend admissions to several undergraduate programs. The university has said it is temporarily suspending new admissions to 18 degree programs in the fall of 2025, including Indigenous studies, gender and women’s studies and environmental biology programs. Members of the university’s senate and academic planning and research committee have filed an application in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, asking it to order York University to rescind its suspension decisions and to follow a collegial process before suspending admissions to the academic programs. The applicants are arguing that York University’s senate has jurisdiction over academic matters and suspending admissions to programs requires the senate’s...
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Rebels to host six-team tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rebels have already staged about 10 practices and a pair of intra-squad games as they gear up for their 2025 season. But Blue Hill, the new head coach of the local Junior B lacrosse squad, has the date of Apr. 5 circled on his calendar. That’s the date the Rebels will stage a six-team tournament at Six Nations. All of the tournament participants will play three games each that day. And those contests will help Hill and his coaching staff get a better indication of what the club’s roster will look like when it begins regular season play next month. “It will help us trying to see where their competitiveness is, their IQ and their work level,” Hill said. “It’s just a whole...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: Six Nations men play at NLL and NHL
By Sam Laskaris Writer Longboat contributing to Black Bears’ offence Six Nations member Travis Longboat is fitting in nicely with his new National Lacrosse League (NLL) squad in the nation’s capital. Longboat, who started the season with the Albany FireWolves, was acquired by the Ottawa Black Bears in a trade on Mar. 10. Besides Longboat, the Black Bears also received the FireWolves’ first-round and fourth-round picks in the 2026 NLL Entry Draft. In return the Albany club received Johnathan Peshko from the Ottawa roster. Longboat has made his mark in all three of the games that he has suited up for thus far with the Black Bears. For starters, he scored once and added two assists in Ottawa’s 18-8 home loss against the Rochester Knighthawks on Mar. 15. That game...
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Alberta putting $19M toward municipal flood and drought prevention
-CP-Alberta’s government is putting $19 million toward municipal flood and drought prevention projects as part of its new budget. Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz says eight municipalities as well as two Indigenous communities are to receive the grant funding. She says the money will help build a new berm along the Bow River at Siksika First Nation and a retaining wall to protect the Slave Lake Airport. Calgary is also to receive funding to improve a storm water ditch that connects the city to the nearby hamlet of Langdon. St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron says the city is getting $2.8 million to address erosion around a nearby creek. Schulz says the province received more applications than it was able to fund this year, but additional grants would be available in future...
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Whitlow scored overtime winner as club headed to championship
By Sam Laskaris Writer Thanks to some late-game and overtime heroics from Wes Whitlow, the Six Nations has advanced to the Arena Lacrosse League’s championship weekend. For starters Whitlow scored a game-tying goal with just over two minutes remaining in regulation time on Sunday, in the team’s s quarter-final playoff match versus the visiting Peterborough Timbermen. Whitlow then scored the OT winner as the Six Nations club edged Peterborough 13-12 in a match held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). With the victory the team advances to a semi-final contest this Saturday against the Brampton Express at Six Nations....
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‘Healing is possible’: Iqaluit councillor returns following alcohol-use treatment
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Iqaluit Coun. Sam Tilley says he is healed and more motivated than ever to serve the community following his return from treatment for alcohol use. Tilley made his return to city council Tuesday night after taking part in a two-month program in British Columbia. “I speak to you today not just as a councillor, but as a person who has faced struggle, stood at a crossroads and made the choice to fight for my future,” Tilley said in a statement to councillors. He described the past few months as “deeply personal” and “transformative,” as he has worked to address his addictions, trauma and mental health issues. “By acknowledging and treating these struggles, I gained an understanding of resilience, compassion, and strength...
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Controversy After Naskapi Hunters Harvest Endangered Caribou
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation After the Cree Nation Government condemned the unauthorized hunting of caribou in the Nichicun and Lac Catalogne areas of Eeyou Istchee by members of the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment announced it has opened an investigation into the incident. The province’s wildlife protection agency has requested action to document the alleged activities and “offence files could be filed for judicial consequences.” Although several sources confirmed that Naskapi hunters killed 200 caribou in mid-February, it’s unknown how many were from the endangered woodland Caniapiscau and Témiscamie herds as they’re known to mix with migratory caribou. “At this time of year, it is likely that the animals are a mixture of the two ecotypes,” said Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, professor of...
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Construction of Ancient Forest interpretive centre to begin this summer
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Rocky Mountain Goat Longstanding plans for the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation’s interpretive centre at the Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park are coming to fruition. The First Nation released a request for proposals on March 7th inviting small businesses and local contractors interested in helping build the centre. The over 4,000 square foot space will be powered with solar energy generators and include accommodations for staff, as well as accommodations that can be rented to tourists. The First Nation also plans to have a local gift shop at the building, according to project coordinator Sultanur Ashikin. “The idea is we will hire or we will encourage our local small businesses [and] community members to participate in a program where we will be...
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Parents of slain Manitoba woman hope search for remains in landfill can start soon
By Brittany Hobson The parents of a slain Manitoba woman say they hope the search for their daughter’s remains can begin soon. Albert and Theresa Shingoose say they’re pleased that police have identified their daughter, Ashlee Shingoose, and have determined that her remains are likely in the Brady Road landfill in Winnipeg. She was previously unidentified as one of four victims of serial killer Jeremy Skibicki, who was sentenced to life in prison last year. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Winnipeg police say the landfill will be searched. Albert Shingoose says a landfill is not a burial ground and people are not garbage. He says a successful search would bring his daughter home. “It was good to hear where my daughter is now. Now we all got to work hard...
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Timeline of 4 women slain in Winnipeg, search of landfill for remains
WINNIPEG-CP-Winnipeg police announced Wednesday the identity of the fourth victim of serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. They say the remains of Ashlee Shingoose are likely in a landfill in Winnipeg. Here is a timeline of the case: March 15, 2022 — Police say an unidentified woman is killed on or around this date. May 1, 2022 — Morgan Harris, a member of Long Plain First Nation living in Winnipeg, is last seen in the area of Main Street and Henry Avenue north of the city’s downtown. Police say the 39-year-old was killed on or around this date. May 4, 2022 — Police say Marcedes Myran, 26, also of Long Plain First Nation and living in Winnipeg, is killed on or around this date. May 14 or 15, 2022 — Police say...
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