Ottawa puts more money toward studying possible Winnipeg landfill search
OTTAWA- The federal government is putting $740,000 toward further assessing the feasibility of searching a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Wednesday that more research is needed to figure out how a search could be done. An initial feasibility, also funded by the federal government, found that a search would be possible but that toxic materials could pose a risk to workers. He said that meant more issues needed addressing. He said that Long Plain First Nation, which is where the two women were from, had been asking for this “next step in the process.” “This is exactly the plan that they had sought,” he said Wednesday in Ottawa. Anandasangaree said he wants the study done within 90 days. He...
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Quilters stitch together support for survivors at retreat
By Amanda Rabski-McColl, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Sewing machines and fabric patches took over a local hotel this weekend. The first Orange You Glad We’re Sewing retreat was held at the Ramada in support of Quilts for Survivors. Quilters from across the country were in Timmins to participate. It was also a chance to educate many of the non-Indigenous participants in what their work really means for the recipients of the quilts. “It was really exciting,” said Vanessa Genier, the founder of Quilts for Survivors. “People brought blocks and sewing machines, and equipment and finished quilts.” It wasn’t just seasoned quilters in the room, though. Susan Crawford, who attended as a speaker, hadn’t sewed a stitch in years when she arrived. “I arrived Thursday, and sat down with a wonderful...
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‘Outrageous,’ says B.C. Premier Eby, who blasts Conservative leader’s first question
By Dirk Meissner THE CANADIAN PRESS VICTORIA- John Rustad’s first question in British Columbia’s legislature as the leader of the provincial Conservative Party prompted a stern rebuke from Premier David Eby, who accused him of picking on children and families. Rustad, whose Conservatives gained official party status last month after former Opposition BC United member Bruce Banman crossed the floor to join him, zeroed in on the government’s Sexual Orientation Gender Identity program in provincial schools, saying it is divisive and concerning to parents. “Will the minister admit this SOGI 123 has been divisive and an assault on parents’ rights and a distraction to student education?” said Rustad, who called on the government to replace the program. B.C.’s SOGI program was introduced by the province to help make schools inclusive...
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Gimli renames roads named after colonization
By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Another rural Manitoba community has voted to change the names of streets previously named after the act of colonization. “Changing these street names is just one step in our ongoing journey of reconciliation, learning and growth,” Gimli Mayor Kevin Chudd said after a Sept. 25 council meeting in the RM of Gimli, where council voted unanimously to rename four Gimli streets that all contained the word colonization. With the vote the Gimli roads previously named South Colonization Road, North Colonization Road, Colonization Close, and Colonization Road have been renamed South Beach Road, Loni Beach Road, 6th Avenue, and Ramsay Road respectively. The move comes more than two years after some Gimli residents started an online petition asking for the names to be changed,...
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Giving back knows no age limit at the Route 54 annual Harvestfest giveaway
“Spreading the love” – Six Nations’ Route 54 holds annual Harvest festival give-away By Lynda Powless Editor The fun was all there. The smiles, the warm welcomes and the laughing thank-you from community members and others who made their way to Route 54’s annual Harvest Festival giveaway Saturday (Sept 30). For the 9th year in a row Route 54 owner Kris Hill and her family and volunteers worked through the heat handing out tons of food to help local families. And it was appreciated. One man from Hamilton got out of his car to thank Kris. “This is just wonderful,” he told her. “You are helping so many people, you are helping me. Everything is so expensive. You are spreading the love. You are spreading the love to the world,” he...
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Six Nations councillor Nathan Wright resigns, takes band’s CEO job
By Lynda Powless Editor SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has confirmed Councillor Nathan Wright has resigned from council to take on the band’s top administrative role of “Acting Chief Executive Officer” (CEO) left vacant with the one year leave of absence by former CEO Darren Jamieson. SNEC approved the hiring in a closed meeting Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 but waited until Friday (Sept., 29th) to announce the new CEO. Wright did not seek re-election in Six Nations current band elections race. In a statement Friday, (Sept., 29th) SNEC said Wright was chosen “after completing a comprehensive selection process.” SNEC did not elaborate on the process or when it took place. In a statement SNEC said “Not only has Wright’s leadership skills shone during his tenure...
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Councillor told lack of information on Brantford development may be due to SNEC Chief’s involvement
“High level” discussions between Elected Chief Mark Hill his advisor and the city of Brantford may be blocking the band’s Consultation and Accommodation Process (CAP) team from land rights discussions. Six Nations wants Brantford to own up to its obligations with respect to development, but there may be too many cooks in the kitchen. The CAP team presented its monthly report at Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) Political Liaison meeting on September 25, but information about development surrounding the community wasn’t enough for SNEC. “I’m seeing like two little paragraphs [about Brantford]. When we go up there, you can see development everywhere you think there would be a lot more consultation,” Councillor Sherri Lyn Hill challenged. But Phil Monture told her,her own Chief may be to blame. The CAP Team’s...
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No guarantee Six Nations residents qualify for $8 billion drinking water settlement
Six Nations says it is working hard to make sure community members can easily qualify for a piece of the $8 billion drinking water settlement from the Canadian government. But there is no guarantee they will qualify. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) asked for an update on the settlement at its General Council meeting on September 26. Rod Whitlow, environment officer, said community members continue to express concerns because Six Nations is not on the list of approved communities. He said Six Nations will not be on the list, but individuals who have their own wells can still apply. “We knew forthright we probably wouldn’t meet the criteria as the boil water advisories have to have been one year and the Village of Ohsweken is piped and distributed through the...
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Veterans won’t have to take down tables and chairs
Six Nations won’t leave its veterans in a lurch this year. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) will look into why those who rent the Community Hall have to set up/tear down their own tables, and make an exception for the veterans. SNEC Councillor Hazel Johnson says The Six Nations Veterans shouldn’t have to set up and tear down tables for their events. She brought the issue to the SNEC Political Liaison meeting on September 25 because she wants Parks and Recreation staff to do it for them, and for everyone who rents the hall. “I recall from last year after the meal. We know those veterans, who were in the wars, they’re quite elderly. They were trying to help dismantle tables and chairs. Why is the duty left to people...
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Area cities mark Orange Shirt Day with variety of celebratrions
By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON / SIX NATIONS – An orange tsunami hit Hamilton’s lakefront and swept the Grand River territories, as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was honoured across the region. In Hamilton, September 30 began with a Sacred Fire Ceremony before the Spirit Vision Singers and dancers ushered in a public art ceremony in honour of Truth and Reconciliation. Over 300 people in orange shirts gathered before five 40-foot panels. Bright rays of sun shone through 10,000 hand-made colourful glass beads set in huge iron frames. Each panel portrays traditional Indigenous teachings, the Thanksgiving Address,, and the region’s rich diversity. For over three years, Angela DeMontigny, a Cree-Métis artist, worked with Indigenous knowledge keepers, and many artists including Paull Rodrigue to create this work titled “All...
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation recognition at Six Nations includes family pack give-away
By Lisa Iesse Writer Six Nations Elected Council marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept 30) with a family pack give-away. The goodie packages were handed out at the Oneida Business Park Friday (Sept 29) in a drive through give-away with council candidates, council employees and volunteers on hand. Turtle Island News asked about everyone’s plans. “We’ll be celebrating the day tomorrow, sharing it with our family, our children and grandchildren,” said Hailey Anderson and Colleen Montour. “Spending time with the kids together, probably talk about my aunts who went to resident school, we don’t talk about it often,” said another community member. Cindy planned to spend the day enjoying nature and cutting her lawn, avoiding crowds. Rachel planned to take in a Blue Jay game with family...
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Voting for a 100 year old system
After a very, very long four years Six Nations is getting a chance to look at its elected leadership and decide if they want to see new faces sitting around the council table. Or as we have seen more and more in recent days on ZOOM. And a change is in the air. Band council elections will be held Nov., 4th, for 12 councillors and a band chief for another four year term ( an oddity itself compared to a three year term) The current elected chief is not running and two of the remaining seven councillors (2 Wendy Johnson and Nathan Wright have resigned) are not running. Already the election is mired in controversy. The Chief Electoral Polling Officer (CEPO) has resigned citing threats and anger from some unhappy...
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Weekly Cartoon
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Canada Post National Day for Truth and Reconciliation released
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND -A haunting black and white photograph of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School may grace the cover of Canada’s Post information package outlined its four new commemorative stamps, for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, but it isn’t on a stamp. Canada Post released their new stamps September 28 with about 75 people, including survivors and their families, attended the unveiling at the Woodland Centre on Wednesday (September 27). The release marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, said Heather George, a Mohawk from Akwesasne and Executive Director of the Woodland Cultural Centre. “Truth and Reconciliation is not easy and it will take time, but it is possible providing there is a willingness to understand the hurt...
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Haudenosaunee Nationals squad capture bronze medal at historic international tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Haudenosaunee Nationals, a women’s box lacrosse squad stacked with Six Nations players, managed to bring home some hardware from a prestigious American tournament. The club captured the bronze medal in the women’s category at the North American Invitational, also known as LAXNAI. The event, which also included three male divisions, concluded on Sunday in Utica, New York. This marked the first year a women’s category had been staged at the tourney. And for many coaching and managerial reps, it was an opportunity for them to assess players who could potentially play at the inaugural world women’s box lacrosse championships, which will be held next year in Utica. “It’s really exciting to see where this team is going,” said Joni Squire-Hill, one of the 14 Six...
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Sam Laskaris – BEHIND THE ACTION – Brandon Montour
By Sam Laskaris Writer There’s no denying the 2022-23 campaign was a career year for Six Nations’ Brandon Montour. Though he’s still 29, there are no guarantees Montour, a defenceman with the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, will have another season, both personally and team-wise, quite like last season. Montour racked up career highs for goals (16), assists (57) and points (73) in his 80 regular season appearances last year. He was also one of the major reasons why the Panthers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup finals this past spring. Montour made quite a name for himself in the 2023 playoffs with his impressive play. He scored eight goals and added five assists in 21 matches. Yet Montour and the rest of the Panthers were unable to...
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Winners of the Bitove Indigenous Award are announced
By Sam Laskaris Writer A half dozen athletes are the latest recipients of a Bitove Indigenous Award. The awards, established last year, are through the Canadian Olympic Foundation via the prominent Bitoves, a Canadian business family. Each recipient receives $5,000 to cover the financial costs of their training and competitions. Alternatively, award winners can utilize their funding to support initiatives that they are contributing to within their own Indigenous communities. The Canadian Olympic Committee released its Team Canada Impact Agenda last year. The agenda includes the commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so that more young people can play and also stay involved in sport. The Bitove Indigenous Award is part of that commitment. The six award recipients this year are ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt, wrestler Justina Di...
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‘Photography not allowed,’ Poilievre says of ceremony with Algonquin leaders
OTTAWA-Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he did not share photos of a ceremony he participated in with Algonquin leaders on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation out of respect for their traditional customs. Poilievre shared two photos on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday with a post about joining Algonquin elders and leaders at the eternal flame on Parliament Hill to mark the occasion. The women in the photos were not Algonquin but Inuit, including Manitok Thompson, who was a cabinet minister in the Northwest Territories and then in Nunavut after the territory was created in 1999. Sebastian Skamski, a spokesman for Poilievre, said Saturday the Conservative leader had been at an earlier event with Algonquin leaders to commemorate the day on Parliament Hill. He said...
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Gwichin Assembly opens with concern over suspensions, governance
By Aastha Sethi Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Before the meeting even reached its printed agenda, Ruby McDonald, of Fort McPherson’s Teet?’it Gwich’in Council, questioned the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s board about the absence of Teet?’it Gwich’in president Abe Wilson. Wilson is one of two directors suspended by the GTC’s board in the past two years for code of conduct violations, Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik said earlier in the summer. The other suspended director is Mavis Clark, interim president of Tsiigehtchic’s Gwichya Gwich’in Council. A forensic audit to be discussed later at this week’s assembly has raised issues that Kyikavichik says include “inappropriate payments” from some of the Designated Gwich’in Organizations, the four community councils, to related parties, and insufficient record-keeping. Kyikavichik posted a summary of the audit, conducted by accounting firm...
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Statement by the Prime Minister on the results of the provincial election in Manitoba
October 4, 2023 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the results of the provincial election in Manitoba: “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate Wab Kinew and the New Democratic Party of Manitoba on their election. “Last night, Manitobans elected their first First Nations premier – a historic win for Indigenous Peoples and for Canadians. “I look forward to working with Premier-designate Kinew and the provincial government to deliver results on the things that matter most to Manitobans. This includes making life more affordable for families, driving economic growth, advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, building more homes, faster, strengthening our universal health care system, and accelerating climate action while putting more money back in people’s pockets. “Together, we will build a...
