Indigenous leaders stress need for consultation on federal firearms legislation
By Jim Bronskill THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-A House of Commons committee heard criticism, as well as some measured support, as Indigenous leaders testified Tuesday about Liberal efforts to outlaw assault-style firearms. Chief Jessica Lazare of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake told MPs the realities of Indigenous people who take their firearms on trips to hunt for food are being overlooked due to lack of consultation. Gwich’in Tribal Council Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik said he does not question the intent of the federal measures, but noted there is a clear requirement for engagement and consultation with Indigenous Peoples and, more broadly, Canadians at large. The Liberals banned some 1,500 firearm models and variants, including the AR-15, through an order-in-council in May 2020, saying they have no place in sport shooting or
On International Women’s Day, Maamiqsu are guiding the path to the revival of sacred ways
By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter For Marjorie White of Huu-ay-aht, she was given her traditional name, Nanaahimyis, at a potlatch she hosted for her family in 2010. This Tseshaht name had been passed down in her family maternally for generations and given to the eldest daughter. At the 2010 potlatch, White’s brother said that it was time for her to take the traditional name, Nanaahimyis, that had belonged to her great-grandmother of Tseshaht. “To carry that name is an honor and I carry it with pride,” said White. “I carry it with dignity because of where it comes from.” At the very same potlatch, roughly 80 family members were named. “I had called my siblings together and told them that we had to name all of our children,
New Indigenous housing collaborative challenges CMHC on strategy co development
By Shari Narine Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A newly-formed Indigenous housing alliance wants the federal government to back away from the co-development of a northern, urban and rural Indigenous housing strategy. “Co-development is not a phrase that appeals to me. Co- development is not `for Indigenous by Indigenous’. It’s ‘for Indigenous by government’,” said Jeff Loucks, interim CEO and lead consultant with National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc. (NICHI). NICHI was formalized in January after a coalition of Indigenous housing providers from across Canada met in November 2022. The goal of the group is to push the Trudeau Liberals to provide sufficient federal funding to support Indigenous people who live off-reserve and for NICHI to be the delivery vehicle for that funding. “At NICHI we’re talking about `for Indigenous by Indigenous’?
N.W.T. MLAs will discuss introducing a rent cap
By Caitrin Pilkington Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Great Slave MLA Katrina Nokleby is set to bring forward a motion on Thursday calling for a limit to rent increases in the Northwest Territories. The idea of a rent cap in the territory has been gaining momentum. In February, tenants who lack heat in units at a Yellowknife apartment complex faced rent increases of up to 46 percent. A petition to limit rent increases using legislation, as happens in various other jurisdictions, began circulating shortly afterward. Nokleby’s motion will call on the N.W.T. government to update the territory’s Residential Tenancies Act “to include maximum allowable rent adjustments which are no more than the five-year average of the Canada consumer price index.” The motion suggests that rent increases above the cap should be
RCMP told feds it could offer advice to Winnipeg police on landfill search: document
By Stephanie Taylor THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- A newly released document shows the head of the RCMP told Ottawa the national police force could offer guidance to the Winnipeg police on searching a landfill for the remains of two First Nations women. As anger grew over the initial refusal by the Winnipeg police to search the site, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki told federal deputy ministers about some of the ways the Mounties could help, including by sharing their experience searching the pig farm of serial killer Robert Pickton. “This is in no way a detailed list or plan but it does provide an overview of some of what we can do in this space,” Lucki wrote in a Dec. 16 email, obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information
Credit First Nation Gimaa Stacey Laforme received a painting of a Messi Warrior
Credit First Nation Gimaa Stacey Laforme (left) received a painting of a Messi Warrior from the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton president Andrew Tyrrell at the first Treaty and Allies Celebration at Credit First Nations Sunday March 5th....
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Six Nations applies to water advisory class action
By Turtle Island News Six Nations has gotten more time to work its way into compensation from the class action lawsuit providing First Nations who suffered damages from long-standing boil water advisories. The deadline to apply for compensation was extended from March 7, 2023 to March 2024. Six Nations has now submitted an application for inclusion in the class action and the administrator has acknowledged receipt of that. Laura Edwards and Robert James from JFK Law provided an update on the process at Six Nations Elected Council’s General Council (SNEC) meeting on February 28. They said they continue to be optimistic” that Six Nations will receive approval to enter the class action. “Now, I’m optimistic you’ll get in, and if you get in it will be a good thing because all...
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Six Nations seeks extension to Indian Day School deadline
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is taking the federal government to court seeking an extension to the Indian Day School survivors’ compensation January 2023 deadline saying COVID-19 has derailed a chance for some survivors to file. SNEC announced today (March 2, 2023) it, along with survivor Audrey Hill, are in a case conference today on procedural matters “which concerns a class action settlement intended to compensate survivors of systemic abuse at government-run schools for Indigenous children.” SNEC and Hill filed statements claiming the compensation process, that ended on January 13, 2023, was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic . SNEC and Hill are claiming “a significant number of survivors have not been able to make a claim before the deadline due to the lack of...
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Bell Canada tried to offer service while under no dig order
By Turtle Island News Bell Canada learned it fumbled when it sent door-to-door sales representatives to Six Nations recently while the company had outstanding no dig orders and a cancelled agreement. The company learned it still had outstanding orders after attending a Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) meeting February 28th. Melanie Pilon, Bell Canada’s Senior Manager, Indigenous Relations told SNEC she’s looking to have a no dig order, which was implemented in 2017, lifted so Bell can offer better services on the territory. Pilon said she’s new in the role, for about a year, and has been working with Six Nations Consultation and Accommodations Process CAP Team to renegotiate Bell’s service agreement that ended in 1999. The telecom company’s agreement with Six Nations to allow the company to maintain phone lines...
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Six Nations brother found guilty of second degree murder
BRANTFORD, ONT- Two Six Nations brothers who shot a man while he held his young daughter have been found guilty of second-degree murder in the Nov., 30, 2020 shooting death of Andrew Davis, 27, of Six Nations. Eric Jerome Smoke, 24, and Andrew Brent Smoke, 26, were found guilty of the shooting death after a jury heard testimony including video and audio of the shooting during the week-long trial. Court was told Andrew Smoke was arrested quickly but a search was launched to find Eric Smoke. He was found a week later. The Public had been warned the man may be armed and dangerous. The shooting occurred while Davis was picking up his daughter from her mother’s home. Court was told he got into an argument with her new boyfriend,...
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Six Nations seniors’ relief fund gets boost to $100,000
The Six Nations Senior Relief Fund will see a boost in funding and advertising this year. The Six Nation Elected Council (SNEC) voted unanimously to allocate an additional $100,000 to the Six Nations Senior Relief Fund at the General Finance meeting on March 6, despite staff asking for a total of $60,000. Elected Chief Mark Hill said SNEC can make any changes to the program they wish because it’s run by the administration and the funds do not come from the federal or provincial governments. “This is entirely our program and initiative. We’ve made changes [in the past],” he said. Alana Hill, SNEC’s acting director of Health Services said the program has run since 2011, but was officially funded by SNEC in 2015 after council passed a resolution to support...
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The Feather Report
“Style is the feather in the arrow, not the feather in the cap.” George Sampson What Are Feathers All About? By Rachel A. Powless Feather Reporter Photos by Carl Pascoe & Rachel A. Powless The feather is defined as; n. keratinous (protein) outgrowths from the skin of birds, used for insulation, flight, camouflage, attraction, and identification. In humans, keratin is a protein that helps form hair, nails & the outer layer of skin. When Carl and I began our journey into the scientific process of bird banding, I was stunned at the beauty of birds up-close. Feathers are an evolutionary marvel: functional, aerodynamic, and fascinating. I was both privileged and grateful to become part of an undertaking which allowed me to spend time in our woodlands where my heart is...
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Indigenous Service’s Canada not protecting education funding
Six Nations must ensure Indigenous students continue to receive continuously improving education in the face of government’s changing the funding model. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) councillor Audrey Powless Bomberry says the federal government may claw back its funding protection for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. She told councillors she’s working on a report for SNEC to inform the community at the General Finance Committee meeting on March 6 and hopes to give a more detailed presentation in the coming weeks. Powless-Bomberry sits on the Chiefs of Ontario’s (COO) Language and Education Committee who is tackling an Indigenous Service’s Canada (ISC) decision to stop protecting funding for elementary and highschool programming. “They discussed at the last meeting the funding protecting K to 12 education programing in light of ISC...
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Six Nations Social Service building to be expanded
The ball is rolling on an expansion to facilities on Six Nations. The nearly completed drawings for an expansion to the Six Nations Social Services building on Sunrise Court were approved for tender review and construction at the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) General Finance meeting on March 6. KL Martin and Associates Corp. was awarded the contract for $622,600 from a combination of the 2017-18 Federal Immediate Relief funding (FIRF) and Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IECC) funds and Capital funds from CHRT Tribunal to complete the Contract Administration and Tender/Construction. Elected Chief Mark Hill said the expansion “is a long time coming.” Arliss Skye, Director Six Nations Social Services said the expansion will be constructed off the back of the building and will include three storeys to...
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Mohawk Institute survivers’ film “The Nature of Healing” premieres
LOS ANGELES – Survivors of the former Mohawk Institute will present the world premiere of their film in LA March 8. Survivors and film-makers will share their film The Nature of Healing, a documentary officially selected for the 14th Native Women in Film Festival. The full-length documentary is premiering March 8 at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. Seven survivors including Six Nations grandmother Dawn Hill, grandfather Jimmie Edgar of Baawating (Sault Saint Marie) and elder Blanche Hill-Easton of Six Nations of the Grand River.share their stories in The Nature of Healing. Grandmother and Survivor Dawn Hill, who is featured in the film, spoke with Turtle Island News about the project and how the film is bringing a deeper awareness of the residential school experience. “Not just here in...
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Snipers’ fourth-quarter efforts prove costly
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Snipers appeared to be well on their way to evening their record at .500 this season on the weekend. The Snipers were enjoying a six-goal lead, 12-6 over the Toronto Monarchs, in an Arena Lacrosse League (ALL) contest staged Saturday. But the Monarchs rallied big time, outscoring the Snipers 10-2 in the final quarter, to register an 18-14 triumph. The match was held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville. “We played great for three quarters and then went to sleep,” said Snipers’ head coach Darcy Powless. With the loss, the Snipers, the defending league champions, saw their record fall to 4-6. With the victory the Monarchs boosted their mark to 9-2, good for top spot in the standings of the eight...
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Snow snakes made their way to Six Nations
By Lynda Powless Editor Snow snakes are on! The travelling tournament made its way to Six Nations on the weekend with over 30 throwers in both adult and junior divisions along with a lot of laughs and camaraderie and a crowd anxiously watching the ancient game Snow snakes is a traditional game of the Haudenosaunee that has survived through the turmoil of colonization and continues to thrive with tournaments held in Haudenosaunee communities on both sides of the Canadian/USA border. The game involves, firstly snow! A track is built of snow. following the ups and down of the land, at times up to a mile in length and a track made through the middle for players to toss their wooden snakes down, one stick per player. The stick is held...
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Sam Laskaris – BEHIND THE ACTION
By Sam Laskaris It’s just a matter of time. Members of the Six Nations Ironmen, a local men’s hockey team, believe they have what it takes to compete with the best of them across the country. And one of these times, maybe even this year, things will go their way, with a lucky bounce here or there, and they will end up with national bragging rights. For the third straight year the Ironmen will participate in the Fred Sasakamoose Chief Thunderstick National Hockey Championship. As in the past, the event, considered the national championship for Indigenous players – there’s both women’s and men’s divisions – will be staged in Sasakatoon. This year’s tournament, which includes 16 women’s and 40 men’s entrants, will begin May 18 and continue until May 21....
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First Nations artist designs mural to be featured on NBA restaurant
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The National Basketball Association has once again come calling for a Nipissing First Nation member. but this First Nations person will not be dunking any basketballs or shooting three-pointers. Jenny Kay Dupuis, however, will play a key role for a new facility that the NBA will open up this spring. Dupuis was chosen to design an outdoor mural for the NBA Courtside Restaurant, a 10,000-square foot facility that will open in downtown Toronto. The restaurant will be located at 15 Queen’s Quay East, mere steps from Lake Ontario and near the base of Yonge Street, one of the longest and most famous streets in the world. Dupuis had previously worked for the NBA during its 2021-22 season. She was one of five artists...
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The Lil’ NHL is coming!!!
There’s going to be an invasion and we couldn’t be happier. For the first time since COVID-19 hit the Lil’ NHL is coming! Hockey players from First Nations across Ontario are about to don their skates and take to a wonderful fun and warm competition that brings smiles to the faces of Indigenous youth and their families from across the province. The Lil’ NHL brings with it not just the fun of meeting new people and playing a game we all love, it’s about pride, unity and a chance to show the talent of young Indigenous athletes. A chance they were being denied years ago when competitions near First Nation communities denied entrance or benched First Nation players just because they were Indigenous!. Indigenous adults understood that pain, a pain...
