Six Nations needs more health care options, more doctors, and more funding to attain those goals.
Six Nations needs more health care options, more doctors, and more funding to attain those goals. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is preparing to host Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team and former federal Minister of Health, on July 23 to raise urgent concerns ranging from the community’s exclusion from Ontario’s new primary care strategy to an integrated health facility. Councillor Amos Key, chair of the Wellbeing Committee confirmed the visit at the General Council meeting on July 8 during his committee update. “We do have a meeting from the Chief’s office organized… that’s going to be great because there are lots of things we want to share with her,” Key said. The province’s current approach to primary care expansion has left First Nations, including Six...
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Volunteer group brought Bread and Cheese to elders homes
A grassroots effort by Six Nations community members has ensured some of the community’s most vulnerable members were able to participate in the community’s 150-year-old Bread and Cheese tradition this year. The Victoria Day (May 24) event marking the historical alliance between the Haudenosaunee and British Crown is one of Six Nations most popular events. Thousands of slices of bread and hunks of cheese are given out to community members in a fair like atmosphere. But for some Six Nations people it almost went by without their participation. Jennifer Mt. Pleasant appeared before Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) meeting July 8 to provide an update on a newly launched volunteer-led delivery effort. “There were a lot of community members wanting bread and cheese,” she said. “They were not able to...
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New funding amendment for long term care
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has approved a new funding amendment addition for long-term care as part of its ongoing five-year Comprehensive Funding Agreement with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), which covers the period from 2021 to 2026. SNEC approved one additional funding amendment for $201,000 at the General Finance meeting held on July 7. Jennifer Court, Director of Finance, presented the latest amendment to SNEC. The addition includes $201,400 in funding for Home and Long Term Care, Assisted Living Institutional Care. That would include the Jay Silverheels Complex and Iroquois Lodge. Iroquois Lodge remains closed after large-scale flooding in the community affected the lodge. Long-term care residents were forced to evacuate in the early morning hours of June 18. Buildings for Community Care, including community support at the Jay Silverheels...
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Norfolk deserts water supply plan
By Tara Lindemann Writer After almost 20 years of efforts, Norfolk has backed out of a multi-jurisdictional water supply deal that leaves Six Nations of the Grand River without a plan to access a reliable safe water supply. “SNGR had been collaborating with Norfolk on this project and pursuing the opportunity to bring water into the southern portion of the community,” said Public Relations Coordinator Darrien Bomberry, who confirmed that “funding is the main barrier.” Norfolk announced the stoppage at its July 8 meeting, citing the failure of critical provincial and federal funding to help support the water-starved county. Due to post-pandemic supply-chain disruption and inflation, the price tag for Norfolk’s part in the inter-urban project for Norfolk escalated from $60 million to $450 million, money that Norfolk wanted from...
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Area chiefs declare Ring of Fire a protected homeland
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative, TimminsToday.com ATTAWAPISKAT – A youth-led movement is gaining momentum as Mushkegowuk Council chiefs formally declared the Ring of Fire a protected homeland. Meeting in Ottawa on July 15, the Mushkegowuk Council of Chiefs passed a resolution asserting that no development can take place in the Ring of Fire without the free, prior, and informed consent of any affected Mushkegowuk First Nation. The resolution also called for the withdrawal and repeal of Ontario’s Bill 5 and Canada’s Bill C-5, legislation many say undermines Indigenous rights by streamlining development approvals on traditional lands. The motion was sparked by a presentation from 21-year-old Jeronimo Kataquapit, an Attawapiskat resident who recently launched the movement Here We Stand. For nearly a month, Kataquapit and his family have camped along...
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First Nation Youth Protest Ottawa National Meeting Regarding Bill C5
By Xavier Kataquapit Writer First Nation youth from northern Ontario protested a major meeting between hundreds of Chiefs and Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on Thursday July 17. The federal government had set up the meeting with the Chiefs in a tightly controlled event that was held at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. Jeronimo Kataquapit, an Attawapiskat First Nation youth leader led a group of 20 other young First Nation protesters to the entrance of the meeting and were turned away by security. Media had also been blocked from the event. “When people come into your home, you don’t stand by and watch them do whatever they want. You protect it,” said Kataquapit speaking to reporters outside the meeting. The meeting only included an invited list...
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Turtle conservation on Turtle Island
By Tara Lindemann Writer Mama turtles are wrapping up their egg-laying, but thanks to a joint project between Kayanase, Six Nations Wildlife and Stewardship office and Nature Canada, 50 future hatchlings have a chance at life. Six Nations Stewardship and Wildlife announced the project in the spring, offering community households a limited number of turtle nest protectors where they saw a turtle nest. The protectors are a screen secured by a wood frame, barring consumption of eggs by their many predators: a variety of birds, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks. When they emerge from their eggs, hatchlings, who have a one-percent chance of survival, can exit through small doorways built into the frame and from there, having spent most of their energy emerging from the nest, they make an imperiled...
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Close the door, give them a pen…the Mark Carney way
Ouch! It just didn’t go well. It wasn’t consultation…it was barely engagement! Prime Minister Mark Carney was meeting with his board and told them what was going to happen. The Prime Minister’s first real meeting with Indigenous leaders couldn’t have been more corporate. Chiefs had to submit any questions in advance of the meeting or as soon as they arrived and pens and paper were provided for them to write down their questions. On their tables were lists of questions for them to comment on, or provide answers to. And PM Carney’s officers kept a close eye on who was coming and going and kicked media out, firstly of the room then the building. Like any other corporate head, PM Carney was in control of the room. This after he...
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Today in History
July 21 In 1961, the government-built town of Inuvik, N.W.T., was officially opened. The town, the largest Canadian community north of the Arctic Circle, was constructed to replace the old settlement of Aklavik, which was being threatened by flood and erosion. Located on the Mackenzie River delta, the town’s economy is centred on nearby oil and gas exploration. In 2021, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister appointed former cabinet minister Eileen Clarke to a powerful financial oversight committee, only to have Clarke reject the position. Clarke resigned from the Indigenous and northern relations portfolio earlier in the month, after Pallister stirred up controversy with remarks about Canadian history. July 22 In 1974, about 100 armed Ojibwa Indians seized the Anicinabe Park at Kenora, Ont. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled...
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Rivermen kick off playoffs with series against Hamilton Bengals
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rivermen wrapped up their regular season on Sunday. Members of the Senior B squad entered the week knowing they would square off against the Hamilton Bengals in a best-of-five Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) semi-final series. The series was expected to begin this Saturday, with the Rivermen hosting Game 1 at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA) at 7 p.m. Other series dates, however, had yet to be announced on Monday morning. The Rivermen are potentially just three wins away from advancing to this year’s national Presidents Cup tournament. The OSL’s Brooklin Merchants will host the Canadian tourney in Whitby, starting on Aug. 23. As hosts, the Merchants receive an automatic entry into the national event. Because the Merchants are the hosts, the OSL is...
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Bomberry to be inducted into Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame
By Sam Laskaris Writer Six Nations’ Cory Bomberry will become a Hall of Famer later this year. And he won’t have to travel far for his induction ceremony. It was announced this past Friday that Bomberry will be inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The national hall of fame is located in New Westminster, B.C. But this year’s induction ceremony will be staged on Nov. 1 at the MontHill Golf & Country Club in Caledonia. “I’ll go,” Bomberry said. “I just live around the corner.” Bomberry will enter the hall of fame via the Players’ category. This year’s induction class includes 15 others, in various categories. For Bomberry, who won a pair of national Mann Cup championships with the Six Nations Chiefs and was also a member of...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: Arrows sweep over, Six Nations Chief square off tonight
By Sam Laskaris Writer Arrows swept in playoff series The Six Nations Arrows’ dreams of participating in this year’s Minto Cup tournament have come to an end. The local Junior A squad had hopes of a lengthy playoff run, including an appearance at the national Minto Cup tourney, which will be held in St. Catharines next month. But the Arrows had their 2025 campaign come to an end this past Wednesday, without even winning a single playoff match. Six Nations was swept 3-0 in its best-of-five Ontario Junior Lacrosse League quarter-final series by the Peterborough Lakers. The Lakers captured the series by downing the host Arrows 10-8 in Game 3, which was held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Peterborough also won the series opener, 6-5 in overtime, which was held...
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OPP investigating after remote garage openers used to break into buildings and vehicles in Caledonia and Cayuga
HALDIMAND COUNTY – Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating after several unlocked vehicles were entered and remote garage door openers were used to break into garages where items were stolen and buildings accessed. Haldimand County OPP investigated several vehicle entries on Abbey Road, Tyneside Road, Haldimand Road 66, Moores Road and Pike Creek Drive, in rural Caledonia and Cayuga July 17, 2025 finding several insecure vehicles were entered by unknown individuals during the early morning hours. A quantity of property was removed from the vehicles and OPP said once access had been gained to the vehicles, further access to garages and outbuildings was gained with remote garage door openers. Among the items stolen, were a 2021 black coloured Dodge Ram pickup truck, a 2018 orange coloured BMW which...
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‘You want my consent? You improve my people’s health’: Chief to Carney
By Carl Meyer, The Narwhal The chief of a First Nation downstream of the Alberta oilsands wants Canada to address the toxic contaminants in his waters and take seriously his community’s concerns about cancer rates before he’ll consent to new fast-tracked fossil fuel projects. Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro said he delivered this message personally to Prime Minister Mark Carney during a summit with First Nations in Canada’s capital region last week. “I’m 48 years old. I lived in the bush off the land when I was a kid. I remember drinking water from the rivers and the lakes. There’s no way we do that shit nowadays,” Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro told The Narwhal in an interview in Ottawa. “By the time my people are actually seen in an...
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Earlton airport handles its first forest fire evacuation flights
By Diane Johnston, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temiskaming Speaker EARLTON – For what’s believed to be the first time in its history, the Earlton-Timiskaming Regional Airport has served as a landing stop for forest fire evacuees. On July 19, it handled four flights carrying a total of 136 passengers who were evacuated from Pikangikum First Nation in Northwestern Ontario. “Everything ran smoothly,” said airport manager Jamie Smith earlier this week. Smith said the airport was notified on Friday evening that flights would be coming on Saturday afternoon. The first flight landed at about 2:30 p.m. He said it was a tight turnaround to get passengers off the plane and on to buses to take them to Kirkland Lake, and then refuel the plane so it could depart before the next...
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Should Indigenous storytellers be limited to telling Indigenous stories? Métis author says no
By Shari Narine Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Tasha Hilderman is proudly Metis whether or not her children’s picture books are about her Mtis culture. “With Lights at Night I can be Métis, but not everything I do has to be about being Métis,” said Hilderman, who is of Métis descent through her mother’s side. Lights at Night, vibrantly illustrated by Maggie Zeng, depicts a Métis family taking part in marshmallow roasts, cheering at football games, trick-or-treating on Halloween, and disembarking from the school bus right next to combines in the autumn field. There is also a family of foxes that make their way throughout the pages of the book. Lights at Night, which will be released Aug. 5, is Hilderman’s follow-up to her first children’s picture book, Métis Like...
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Manitoba and Saskatchewan sign agreement to boost trade corridor through the Arctic
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was hopeful after meeting Tuesday with the prime minister and other premiers about the potential for a large Arctic trade corridor through the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. But some provinces are also supporting a trade route through a port on James Bay in northern Ontario that would also serve the Arctic. The two megaprojects are among many being pitched as part of a national effort to diversify trade and protect the Canadian economy from U.S. tariffs. The governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan signed a memorandum to expand trade through Churchill in a five-year deal that also includes Arctic Gateway Group, which owns the port and the northern rail line that leads to it. Material shipped through the port can reach Europe and other destinations....
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B.C. Chilcotin youth speak at UN session on rights of Indigenous peoples
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune Two Tŝilhqot’in youth ambassadors were in Geneva, Switzerland last week to represent their nation at the international level. Sierra William and Dakota Diablo attended the United Nations’ 18th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP). “I can’t even describe how amazing it was to be there,” said William. At 22 years old, William already attended the UN twice before. William graduated last year with a Human Rights Diploma from Thompson Rivers University and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work. She also aims to get her law degree. “The purpose of my work for me is…so we can lessen the number of Indigenous youth in the child welfare system,” William said. Her...
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Uplifting what?
By Gilles Cyrenne, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Megaphone Magazine A motion now before Vancouver city council purported to improve social, economic and health outcomes for residents of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) does nothing to support the people who call the area home. Instead, the motion — Uplifting the Downtown Eastside and Building Inclusive Communities that Work for All Residents — is a profit-driven, institutional attack on our community, one that paves the way for luxury condos and rising rents while pushing out low-income residents. This motion, which aims to update the 2014 Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan, appears designed to benefit SRO (Single Room Occupancy) landlords and real estate developers who’ve long had their eyes on this neighbourhood — a neighbourhood we’ve fought to keep accessible and affordable. Even worse,...
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