With childcare shortages local daycare forced to close
Six Nations Band Council funding denials forcing private day care to close… 42 children could be left without childcare By Austin Evans Writer After 15 years of denied funding requests, Little & Littler Treasures Child Care is planning to close its doors by Christmas. On November 14, Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) published a community advisory saying privately-owned daycare Little & Littler Treasures was closing its doors the following day. “The decision to close this private daycare impacts numerous families who depend on Little Treasures Daycare for quality childcare,” the advisory reads. The daycare had 42 children registered. It has a capacity for 50. “Six Nations of the Grand River is aware of the challenges that a sudden loss of daycare will have on families and children.” The advisory recommended...
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Six Nations Well-Being has resources to help with grief
By Austin Evans Writer The team behind the upcoming Six Nations hospice wants community members to know they aren’t alone in their grief. Six Nations Well-Being invited the community to join them in Veterans Park on November 19 for National Grief and Bereavement Day. National Grief and Bereavement Day falls on the third Tuesday of November each year, and is a time for people to come forth with their grief and learn about the resources available to help them through it. Lois Bomberry, project manager for the upcoming Six Nations hospice, said the day gave them a chance to bring awareness to an otherwise sensitive discussion. “Grief and bereavement is a topic that should be on everybody’s mind or discussion if they’re in need of resources,” she said. “[We] just...
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Stoneridge Day care centre gets internet upgrade
Six Nations Council approves internet upgrade for Stoneridge Children’s Centre Arliss Skye, Director of Social Services, presented a proposal to upgrade the internet infrastructure at 18 Stoneridge Circle, home to the Stoneridge Children’s Centre at the Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) General Finance meeting on November 18. She said the internet currently goes down frequently due to high winds and aging equipment, causing significant downtime. Skye explained that the service interruptions have been severely impacting operations, with staff often unable to access essential online resources. This is forcing employees to leave the office and work from home resulting in lost working hours. “The [internet] has been offline more than it’s online, and it’s interfering with a lot of the business we do,” she said. “In some cases, staff have had...
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Six Nations man facing assault charges
By Austin Evans,Writer An Ohsweken man found sleeping in a car was arrested for assaulting a Six Nations Police officer. Six Nations Police officers responded to reports of a car hitting a trailer on Harold Road on October 12 at 10:45 pm. Police say witnesses saw the car driving erratically in the area before losing control and striking the trailer. Police noted tire marks leading up to the trailer, claiming there was minimal damage to the trailer itself. Police located the suspected car a short distance away, and found a man asleep in the passenger seat as they approached. Officers claim they woke the man up and he was uncooperative with them throughout the investigation. As a result of the investigation, police arrested and 34-year-old Thomas Worme of Ohsweken, charging...
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Brantford Native Housing wins Award for Excellence
By Kimberly De Jong Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) presented Brantford Native Housing (BNH), also known as Hotinohsioni Inc. with the Award for Excellence during the 2024 ONPHA Conference, which ran from Thursday, November 7 to Saturday, November 9, 2024. In a video published by ONPHA on November 9, Marlene Coffey, ONPHA’s CEO, congratulated the BNH team for all of their hard work and their dedication in responding to community needs. “The Award for Excellence is given to non-profit housing providers who go beyond their housing mandates to build strong communities and partnerships, house under-serviced communities, and demonstrate a strong commitment to effective housing management,” said Coffey. Brantford Native Housing, which is the only Indigenous-led housing provider in Brantford-Brant, was originally born out of the...
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Six Nations Police seek information on school damages
OHSWEKEN, ON- Six Nations Police are continuing to investigate a vehicle fire and damages at a local school after receiving calls from the public over property damage. Six Nations Police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at a Cayuga Road school Monday, November 18, 2024, at about 9:00 p.m.. Police said a silver Mercedes Benz C230 had been seen spinning around the rear of the property and the school track. Police found a vehicle on fire upon their arrival, but the suspects had fled the scene. The Six Nations Fire Department assisted with extinguishing the vehicle fire. The vehicle was destroyed by fire. The vehicle was not reported to police as stolen. Witnesses told police a man and woman were heard arguing after the vehicle lost control, hit...
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30 years and counting!
By Lynda Powless, Editor Time really does fly when you’re having fun. And we have been! Turtle Island News will be 30 years old this week! It’s hard to believe we have been around for three decades. It certainly doesn’t seem that long. In our early days as publisher there is no question I wondered if Turtle Island News would continue on to the next generation or become just a reminder discussed over coffee tables. But here we are 30 years later and now I wonder how much longer newspapers in general will be around. Social media has taken its hit on the newspaper industry. One-time readers are using technological devices, mobile phones and computers to get real-time information, quick news hits for those tuned in. The younger generation tends...
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Weekly Cartoon
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY – We Need To Do More…
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com I was raised knowing many people in my circle of family and friends who have had to deal with troubles and problems that they had no control over. As I grew up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, tragedy and trauma just seemed be a normal part of life for everyone. My parents generation grew up with limited education and what schooling they had occurred in the Residential School system where they faced abuse, colonization and a sense that they were less than human. As a result, they passed on this trauma to their children. Some families survived to a degree through this communal trauma but many others were unable to cope. This colonization and oppression resulted in countless people who...
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Anderson adjusting to life in university hockey ranks
By Sam Laskaris Writer As was the case several years ago, Brenden Anderson once again finds himself adjusting to a new level of hockey. Anderson, a 21-year-old forward who is a Six Nations member, is a rookie with the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks men’s hockey squad. The Golden Hawks compete in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA), a 19-team league, which includes three entrants from Quebec – McGill, Concordia and The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. When he entered the junior ranks five years ago, with a Junior B franchise called the Brantford Bandits, Anderson found himself competing against players who were up to five years older than him. And now in the OUA, he is participating against some players who are 26 or 27 years old. “It’s kind of...
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Chiefs’ star captures national Tom Longboat Award
By Sam Laskaris Writer A key member of the Six Nations Chiefs 2024 Mann Cup championship squad has won a prestigious national award. Eli McLaughlin had helped the Chiefs win their second straight national Senior A men’s lacrosse title in September. And McLaughlin was announced as the male recipient of the Tom Longboat Award at a gala ceremony in Ottawa this past Saturday. The award, named in honour of the legendary Six Nations distance runner Tom Longboat, is annually presented to the top Indigenous athlete in Canada. Justina Di Stasio, a wrestler who represented Canada at this year’s Paris Olympics, was chosen as the female winner of the Tom Longboat Award. Besides winning the Mann Cup with the Chiefs, McLaughlin, who is 31, also helped the Haudenosaunee Nationals capture a...
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SPORTS BRIEFS:Nanticoke lone local player to crack Buffalo Bandits’ lineup
By Sam Laskaris Writer Tehoka Nanticoke will be seeking a third consecutive National Lacrosse League (NLL) championship this season. Nanticoke is the only Six Nations member that has cracked the roster of the two-time defending NLL champion Buffalo Bandits this season. The Bandits announced their 2024-25 roster on Monday. Nanticoke was one of seven forwards named to Buffalo’s 21-man roster. The 26-year-old is entering his third NLL season. Nanticoke had a stellar rookie campaign with the Bandits, earning 51 points (32 goals and 19 assists) in 18 regular season matches. He added 14 points, including six goals, in a half dozen playoff contests, helping the Bandits win the 2023 NLL title. Nanticoke then collected 39 points, including 21 goals, in 13 regular season games last season. And he was once...
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Policing in Squamish’s Indigenous communities
By Bhagyashree Chatterjee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter What does it mean to police a community as diverse as Squamish? How can law enforcement better connect with Indigenous communities to build trust and respect? For Const. Kelly Dean of the Integrated First Nations Policing Unit (IFNU), these questions aren’t just theoretical—they’re at the heart of his everyday work. “In my role, it’s different,” Dean shared during an interview with The Squamish Chief. “I have a heart connection with the community. When something happens, it’s not just a call—I see how it impacts families. The community feels like my extended family.” ‘These choices are intentional’ Established in 2008, the Integrated First Nations Policing Unit (IFNU) serves the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, covering Squamish, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. Based...
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Anti-Indigenous racism training launched for some health-care workers
New made-in-Manitoba training on “culturally safe care” will educate current and future doctors, nurses and their colleagues on anti-Indigenous racism with a goal of improving treatment for all patients. Health-care workers will be able to register for Giga Mino Ganawenimaag Anishinaabeg — an Ojibwa phrase that translates to “We will take good care of the people” — as of Monday. Ongomiizwin-Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing, based out of the University of Manitoba, announced the imminent rollout of its 10-module training program on Tuesday. Participants will be assigned case studies and reflection questions to increase their understanding of historical injustices and persistent prejudices that affect the health outcomes of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people. “A lot of times, racism is almost subterranean,” said Lee Sanderson, one of five Indigenous...
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NDP will not support Liberal GST holiday bill unless rebate expanded: Singh
OTTAWA-(CP)NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out “the most vulnerable.” The Liberals announced a plan last week to cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items such as toys and restaurant meals for two months, and to give $250 to more than 18.7 million Canadians in the spring. Speaking after a Canadian Labour Congress event in Ottawa, Singh said he’s open to passing the GST legislation, but the rebate needs to include seniors, students, people who are on disability benefits and those who were not able to work last year. Singh said he initially supported the idea because he thought the...
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Chief reflects on years of work to rebuild
By Darlene Wroe Local Journalism Initiative Reporter TEMAGAMI – Chief Michael Paul has been serving on either the Teme-Augama Anishnabai council or the Temagami First Nation council for the past nine years. Paul, 64, is currently serving his second year as TAA Chief and is finishing his first year as TFN Second Chief. Recovering status designation for descendants of original families is one of the main tasks Paul and others are focused upon. At the same time, defending TFN and TAA rights to hunt and fish is another main occupation. Paul explained that during the 1940s and 1950s, “Indian agents” approached First Nation people in the Temagami area and required them to prove who they were. If they could not successfully do so, or were not present, they were removed...
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‘Who profits on hunger?’ Inuit send pleading emails to minister about food costs
NUNAVUT-(CP)-People in Nunavut and northern Labrador have been writing to Canadian government officials this year to say grocers were charging exorbitant prices despite receiving a federal subsidy. The emails about the Nutrition North subsidy program ranged from desperate pleas to do something to lower food costs, to angry demands that retailers receiving subsidies be investigated. In April, Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal acknowledged there was a problem. “I agree more work is needed to optimize the subsidy for Northerners to ensure 100 per cent of the subsidy is passed on directly to consumers,” Vandal said in a note to Nunavut Family Services Minister Margaret Nakashuk obtained through an access to information request. Some of the 17 emails from members of the public accused retailers of hiking food prices in...
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Closing First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $635B: report
OTTAWA-(CP)-Closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $635-billion in economic output over the next seven years, a new report commissioned by the Assembly of First Nations says. The AFN and Indigenous Services Canada estimate there is a $349-billion infrastructure gap plaguing First Nations communities that they’re calling to be closed by 2030. The gap is the result of decades of underfunding and failed fiduciary duties affecting housing, roads, internet connectivity, water treatment plants, ports and schools that the AFN and Indigenous Services Canada say will become more costly to remedy without immediate investments. The report by the Conference Board of Canada released today says every dollar spent to close that gap will contribute $1.82 in economic output to Canada. AFN national chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says the report shows...
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Boissonnault’s former company suspended from federal procurement
OTTAWA-(CP)-The federal government is barring a company previously co-owned by a Liberal MP and former minister from bidding on contracts with the federal government. Global Health Imports, which was co-owned by former employment minister Randy Boissonnault, is suspended for at least 90 days as the government makes a decision about their status under its policies. The company has one active contract with the federal government through Elections Canada, but Elections Canada says no deliverables have been received, and no payments have been made. Boissonnault’s former company has been at the centre of criticism for weeks, with reports it applied for federal contracts while falsely claiming to be Indigenous-owned. Boissonnault has insisted he has not participated in the company since he was re-elected in 2021 but resigned as employment minister last...
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Search for Anishinabek ancestral remains continues
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter THUNDER BAY — A large volume of earth remains unaccounted for at the National Marine Conservation Area where Parks Canada halted excavation in May after finding centuries-old human remains, Red Rock Indian Band’s chief says. Chief Allan Odawa Jr. shared a recent photo of the site after earth had been returned to it, with a large gap in the ground. The gap is where more than 60 missing loads of earth from excavation should be, he said. “We started bringing the material back (recently),” Odawa said last week while at the Chiefs of Ontario fall assembly in Thunder Bay. “We only filled probably two-thirds of the hole.” Odawa allegdes that Parks Canada and its contractor don’t know where the missing 60-plus loads went....
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