Proposed ‘planned community’ would add 2,500 homes to Caledonia
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator Haldimand County residents will soon have the chance to weigh in on a large housing development proposed for Caledonia. A public meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 13 at council chambers in Cayuga to discuss a proposal from Corragreen Properties Limited for a “planned community” in the northeast end of town. Corragreen’s project would turn just under 200 acres (80 hectares) of farmland into nearly 2,500 homes, plus about 2,000 square metres of retail space and a series of parks. The development is proposed for two adjoining properties within Caledonia’s urban boundary at McClung Road and Haldimand Road 66. Haldimand council would need to rezone the agricultural land to permit residential and commercial uses before the developer can...
Register
Caledon residents furious after FOI documents uncover gaps in Town record-keeping around opposition to mega-blasting quarry proposal
By Anushka Yadav, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Pointer Caledon resident Tony Sevelka’s days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and now years since he started digging into the details of a proposed blasting mega-quarry steps away from his home. His quest led him to file a freedom of information request this summer, seeking access to all public objections to the contentious project. Instead, what he received revealed a systemic failure. Out of the 73 pages the Town of Caledon sent him in response to the specific public information he had asked for, Sevelka found dozens of submissions against the quarry proposal were missing, including many formal objections that Sevelka and his neighbours had assumed would have been entered into the public record. For a proposal that could reshape...
Register
Carney says Canadian oil will be competitive after Maduro’s ouster
By Sarah Ritchie and David Baxter Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is working to expand access to oil markets in Asia now that Canada faces the prospect of Venezuelan oil displacing Canadian product in the American market. His remarks came after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged Carney to “immediately approve a pipeline to the Pacific Coast” in an letter shared on social media Tuesday morning. In Paris for talks on Ukraine Tuesday, Carney was asked if U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry heightens the need for a pipeline to B.C.’s northwest coast. “We welcome the prospects of greater prosperity in Venezuela. But we also see the competitiveness of Canadian oil,” Carney said. “And in that context, a pipeline and exports to Asia,...
Register
Haldimand OPP charge driver in single vehicle collision
HALDIMAND COUNTY – An Ohsweken man is facing charges after a single vehicle collision Jan., 5, 2026 on New Credit Road in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Haldimand Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said the collision, at about 1:45 p.m., saw a passenger vehicle, with the driver and one passenger, had left the roadway at that location. No injuries were reported. Jordan General, 33, from Ohsweken was charged with: Operation While Impaired – Blood Alcohol Concentration (80 plus) Drive Motor Vehicle – No Licence Use Plate Not Authorized for Vehicle Operate a Motor Vehicle Without Insurance The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Cayuga on February 3, 2026....
Register
A chance to ‘be involved’: Nuclear waste site assessment begins
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com IGNACE — The years-long process for regulators to decide whether a proposed nuclear waste storage site gets the green light has begun. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has posted the initial project description for the deep geological repository being proposed in the Ignace area by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, or NWMO. The public posting officially kicks off the assessment done jointly between the impact assessment agency and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The first chance for people to comment on the NWMO’s proposal to federal regulators has also begun, with initial submissions being accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 4. “It’s an opportunity for the public to be involved and to learn more about this, what I call, an incredibly...
Register
Alberta’s Danielle Smith says Maduro capture outlines urgency of West Coast pipeline
By Lisa Johnson Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the American capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro underlines the urgency of building oil pipelines to export Canadian oil to new markets. U.S. President Donald Trump sent political shock waves around the world with the weekend military raid, saying Washington aimed to seize the South American country’s oil reserves for American companies to exploit. “Recent events surrounding Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro emphasize the importance that we expedite the development of pipelines to diversify our oil export markets,” said Smith in a Monday statement. That includes a new pipeline to British Columbia’s West Coast to reach markets in Asia, she said. In November, Smith signed an agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney paving the way to a potential Indigenous co-owned bitumen pipeline and...
Register
‘Dances with Wolves’ actor Nathan Chasing Horse disrupts court week before sex abuse trial
By Jessica Hill LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nathan Chasing Horse, the former “Dances with Wolves” actor accused of sexual abuse, was temporarily thrown out of court Monday after he disrupted proceedings with demands he be allowed to fire his defense attorney a week before trial. Judge Jessica Peterson in Las Vegas ordered his jury trial to proceed next week as planned. Chasing Horse has pleaded not guilty to 21 charges, including allegations that he sexually assaulted women and girls and that he filmed himself sexually abusing a girl younger than 14. Prosecutors allege he used his reputation as a spiritual leader and healer to take advantage of Native American women and girls over two decades. Peterson ordered him removed from court Monday for trying to speak over her. He argued...
Register
Poilievre calls for immediate pipeline approval following U.S. action in Venezuela
By Sarah Ritchie Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is warning the federal government that the possible end of American sanctions on Venezuelan oil could displace Canadian exports to the U.S. — and is urging the Liberals to “immediately approve a pipeline to the Pacific Coast.” In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media Tuesday, Poilievre said the action taken by the United States over the weekend has “altered the global energy landscape.” U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a military raid on the Venezuelan capital, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and bringing him to New York to face charges. Trump also has openly said that he plans to take control of the country’s oil industry and encourage American companies to revitalize the sector. Canada and other democracies condemned Maduro...
Register
Trump says the US ‘needs’ Greenland for Arctic security. Here’s why
By Danica Kirka Location, location, location: Greenland’s position above the Arctic Circle makes the world’s largest island a key part of security strategy. But for whom? Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Greenland at the heart of the debate over global trade and security, and U.S. President Donald Trump wants to make sure his country controls this mineral-rich island that guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America. Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally that has rejected Trump’s overtures. Greenland’s own government also opposes U.S. designs on the island, saying the people of Greenland will decide their own future. The island, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people...
Register
Trump-Era Tariffs Hit Indigenous Tourism Hard: A Call for Action
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News The Indigenous tourism sector in Canada is facing a crisis, with recent U.S. tariffs and the ongoing trade dispute threatening businesses, jobs, and reconciliation efforts. The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) released its May 2025 U.S. Tariffs Survey Report, highlighting a potential 68% drop in U.S. bookings for 2025 – a devastating blow for a sector that relies heavily on international visitors. “The impact of tariffs has been significant, especially during our peak summer season in 2025,” said Keith Henry, President of Indigenous Tourism Canada and respected Métis leader in Indigenous cultural tourism. “Many tourism businesses faced a dual challenge – rising costs from the pandemic alongside these new barriers. Too often, Indigenous businesses aren’t even considered in tariff...
Register
B.C. title claim decision creates fear that resonates in New Brunswick
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner A decision last summer by a British Columbia court to recognize an Indigenous title claim on the lower Fraser River and in the city of Richmond has sent homeowners and business property owners into a panic. B.C. Premier David Elby has tried to calm fears by telling a business crowd in November he’d “go to the wall” to protect their private property rights. The NDP leader has pledged to appeal the court decision that was in favour of the Cowichan Tribes. He also says the provincial government will guarantee anyone’s mortgages that could be rejected by banks and other lenders who are worried about rightful property ownership. The uncertainty the Cowichan victory has created in B.C. sounds a lot like...
Register
No timeline for return to Manitoba First Nation after power outage, chief says
The chief of a Manitoba First Nation says there is no timeline for thousands of people to return home after they were forced out due to a power outage more than a week ago. Manitoba Hydro fully restored power Friday to Pimicikamak Cree Nation, 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, but its water plants, pumps, tanks and pipes froze after an outage Dec. 28. Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias says the more than 4,000 people forced to leave the community are eager to go home after having to spend part of the holiday season in hotels in different parts of the province. He says the frozen water system, as well as the pipes that have burst, have destroyed homes and affected the community’s infrastructure, putting people’s well-being at risk. Monias...
Register
Quebec students must address teachers as ‘Mr.’ and ‘Ms.’ under new civility rules
By Morgan Lowrie Quebec students returning to class after winter break will now have to use formal language to address their teachers under new rules designed to foster civility. The province announced last year that public and private schools had until January to create a code of conduct that includes requirements for students to address teachers and staff as “Mr.” or “Ms.” and use the formal form of “you” in French. As well, elementary and high schools must also outline respectful conduct between students and toward school property, and specify that men and women are equal and faces must be uncovered on school property. The president of an association representing school principals and administrators says he’s generally in favour of requiring students to use formal language because he thinks it...
Register
US allies and adversaries use UN meeting to blast Venezuela intervention as America defends action
By Farnoush Amiri And Jennifer Peltz UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Both allies and adversaries of the United States on Monday used an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to voice opposition to the audacious U.S. military operation in Venezuela that captured leader Nicolás Maduro. Before the U.N.’s most powerful body, countries blasted President Donald Trump’s intervention in the South American country and his recent comments signaling the possibility of expanding military action to countries like Colombia and Mexico over drug trafficking accusations. The Republican president also has reupped his threat to take over the Danish territory of Greenland for the sake of U.S. security interests. Denmark, which has jurisdiction over the mineral-rich island, carefully denounced U.S. prospects for taking over Greenland without mentioning its NATO ally by name. “The...
Register
RCMP “break and enter” Chief Allan Adam’s home on Christmas
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation was in Fort Chipewyan celebrating Christmas with his family when he learned the Wood Buffalo RCMP had broken into his home. Adam told Alberta Native News that on Christmas Day, the Mounties broke down the front door of his house, tore into a ceremonial drum that was gifted to him from the Athabasca Tribal Council, damaged the doors to his wife’s and grandson’s bedrooms, and took three pairs of his wife’s boots. “I can’t call the RCMP, because it was the RCMP that broke into my house,” Chief Adam said in a Facebook live stream recorded when he arrived at his Fort McMurray home in the early hours of Dec. 26. The...
Register
Former Millbrook First Nation employee sentenced to federal prison over theft, fraud
A former employee of the Millbrook First Nation in Nova Scotia has been sentenced to 4 1/2 years in federal prison after admitting to fraud. Dawn Ellis-Abbott was sentenced in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Truro on Friday. Ellis-Abbott admitted to defrauding the First Nation of more than $4 million from 2016 to 2019. Ellis-Abbott was also ordered to pay that money back to the First Nation over the next 15 years. In a statement posted to social media, Millbrook First Nation Chief Bob Gloade said that no amount of time served will replace the lost economic opportunities that resulted from the theft. Gloade said he was disappointed in the length of the sentence, noting that many Millbrook members have felt a lack of trust and accountability from leadership. This...
Register
Ribbon Skirt Day leader reflects on changes since her cultural attire was shamed
By Dayne Patterson In Isabella Kulak’s home is a box of about a few hundred letters, notes and hand-drawn pictures of ribbon skirts sent to her from across Canada and beyond — fan mail from those who consider her story and the origins of “Ribbon Skirt Day” as inspirational. “I have like a whole notebook of letters, a whole stack of drawings from all these schools and it makes me feel so happy and it warms my heart,” said Isabella, a shy 15-year-old, on a phone call from her home in Kamsack, Sask., located about 270 kilometres east of Regina. “I do want to eventually write back to them, but I am really busy with school.” After all, the Anishinaabe girl is still a teenager. This past week, she had...
Register
Former CBC ‘Igalaaq’ host named to Order of Canada
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Rassi Nashalik, the original host of CBC’s Igalaaq Inuktitut TV news program, is a member of the Order of Canada. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon announced Wednesday that Nashalik is one of 80 appointees to the Order, which is one of Canada’s highest civilian honours. A news release from Simon’s office described Nashalik as “a trusted voice for Canada’s North.” “She is a valued advocate for the preservation of Inuit language and culture, and a sought-after elder and community adviser,” it said. Raised traditionally on the land on Baffin Island, Nashalik became host of Igalaaq when it first aired in 1995. She stayed on until her retirement in 2014. Since departing that role, Nashalik has held positions as an elder adviser with...
Register
Ottawa man’s remains found in North Bay
NORTH BAY, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating the discovery of human remains in Head, Clara and Maria Township. The North Bay OPP Detachment responded to a report of suspected human remains Sunday, December 28, 2025, at 8:00 a.m., on North River Road, north of Cedar Lake in Head, Clara and Maria Township. The deceased has been identified as 26-year-old Hakeem Mukikira, 26, of Ottawa. OPP said there were no signs of a broader threat but residents were notified of an increased police presence in the area as the investigation continues. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available. This investigation is being conducted by the North Bay OPP Crime Unit under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, in conjunction with the Office...
Register
Three earthquakes rattle Alaska-Yukon border area within minutes just before Jan. 1
Earthquakes Canada says it registered three earthquakes in the same region near the Yukon-Alaska border within minutes of each other, little more than an hour before the stroke of midnight Dec. 31. It says the first earthquake struck with a magnitude of 5.7 in Alaska about 140 kilometres west of Haines Junction, Y.K., just before 10:47 p.m. PST. Earthquakes Canada says the earthquake could be felt in Whitehorse, Y.K., but did not receive any reports of damage, and none were expected. It says an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.0 struck at around 10:51 p.m. about 142 kilometres west of Haines Junction, followed by an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude about 143 kilometres west of Haines Junction just before 10:55 p.m. Earthquakes Canada says the third and final earthquake could also...
Register
