Vibration travels through the earth / Onhontsà:ke ia’tenwatóhetste’ ne awihsonhkwáhtshera’
By Geraldine Standup Edited by: Melissa Stacey – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Translation by: Karonhí:io Delaronde, The Eastern Door I spent some time with the Blackfeet in Montana and that’s where I really started to get a handle on what was actually happening. Our community is not a spiritual one, you have to find people who are spiritual for you to be able to bring out that aspect of yourself, I couldn’t do it here. Anyway, I spent some time in Browning, Montana where the Blackfeet have a reserve. We didn’t spend time right in the community because the community has a bar on every corner, so we were on the mountaintop. I was invited there, and I found myself at a gathering of traditional healers from across the western...
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Federal grocery benefit ‘not enough’; delayed Nutrition North report concerning: Nunavut MP Lori Idlout
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News MP Lori Idlout has changed political parties, but she hasn’t changed her stance on the federal tax rebate and the external review on Nutrition North. Idlout said she still wants more action on the cost of living than the federal government’s increase to the GST rebate for five years starting in July. “The cost of living is still too high. It will make a small impact, but not enough,” Idlout said of the GST rebate hike. The Government of Canada announced on Jan. 27 that tax rebates for Canadians making less than $60,000 would increase by 25 per cent, starting with a one-time payment that’s 50 per cent higher than in previous years. One in five Nunavummiut will benefit from...
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What you need to know about the new Enbridge LNG pipeline approval
By Nick Murray Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said on Friday that the federal government has approved Enbridge Inc.’s $4-billion Sunrise natural gas pipeline project in British Columbia. Here’s a quick rundown of the project and why it’s important. What is the Sunrise Expansion Project? The Westcoast Energy Limited Partnership, an affiliate of Enbridge, runs the Westcoast natural gas pipeline system, which connects gas fields in northeastern B.C. and northwestern Alberta to the Canada-U.S. border. It currently has peak capacity to ship 3.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The Sunrise expansion would add 300 million cubic feet per day of transportation capacity. The project involves adding almost 140 kilometres of new pipe by constructing 11 looping segments parallel to the existing line. While the gas that would flow through the...
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Miss Indian World pageant winners mark the end of a decades-long tradition
By Savannah Peters ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Codi High Elk was a shy teenager most comfortable caring for horses on her family’s ranch on the Cheyenne River Reservation when she threw away an application to compete in a new pageant for Indigenous women — an application her brother fished out of the trash, sending her on a path to becoming the first Miss Indian World. That was in 1984, when High Elk remembers letting her six older siblings do most of the talking and wanting no part in a competition that required public speaking. But the event that transformed her from shy teen to an ambassador for her people has come to an end. “From the day I got my crown, my life changed,” said High Elk, who credits her...
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Lifelong politicians, educators and elders on list for NTI top job
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Nunavut beneficiaries will face a crowded ballot in the upcoming Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. presidential byelection. With 10 candidates running, this will be NTI’s second-most crowded presidential election ballot since Nunavut became a territory. Only in the 2010 byelection and 2012 election did more people put their names forward, with both contests boasting 11 candidates. NTI is the legal representative for Inuit beneficiaries in Nunavut. It is responsible for ensuring promises set out in the Nunavut Agreement are carried out by the federal and territorial governments. This May 27 byelection was called to fill the vacancy created by Jeremy Tunraluk, who resigned in January. Here are the candidates who will be on the ballot: Samuel Alagalak, Rankin Inlet Alagalak is chairman of...
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Yuri Fulmer, Caroline Elliott clash early during B.C. Conservative leadership contest
By Wolfgang Depner All five candidates running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of B.C. said during a debate in Vancouver on Friday that they would repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. They also promised to revive the provincial economy and improve public safety. But that might have been the extent of their agreements as the debate featured several feisty exchanges between the candidates. Perhaps none were more testy than those between entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer and commentator Caroline Elliott, who clashed several times over past statements and actions during the first debate among the remaining leadership candidates. Former Liberal cabinet minister Iain Black, former MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay and current MLA Peter Milobar also took part in the event hosted by the Canada Strong and Free...
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Indigenous Senior Housing in Edmonton Under Strain, With Calls for Relationship-Based Solutions
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News (ANNews) – Indigenous seniors in Edmonton are facing increasing barriers to safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing as demand continues to rise and available supports struggle to keep pace. Deborah Rose, Executive Director of the Edmonton Aboriginal Seniors Centre (EASC), says the situation has reached a critical point. “We struggle with finding them safe and appropriate housing that they can afford,” Rose said. “There’s a lot of conversation around affordable housing and homelessness, but for seniors it becomes especially significant.” She says even when housing exists, it is often not suitable for Elders with complex needs. “There’s housing popping up, but it’s not always safe,” she said. “Some areas are challenging, and seniors are being pushed back or unable to...
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Mounties say there’s no evidence supporting some new N.S. government cannabis claims
By Lyndsay Armstrong A staff prepares flower bud of marijuana for a customer at a cannabis shop after Thailand started banning the sale of cannabis to those without a prescription in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) The RCMP are dismissing recent claims made by the Nova Scotia government that unregulated cannabis dispensaries are selling guns and women. The remarks, made by Nova Scotia Minister of L’nu Affairs Leah Martin, are the latest in a series of unsubstantiated claims shared by members of the provincial government after it directed police to crack down on illegal dispensaries last December, urging First Nations leaders to co-operate to stop this activity in their communities. Martin made the comments during a legislative committee meeting. “We’ve had nine deaths in our community...
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A major housing development is in the works east of Toronto, but some are crying foul
By Sharif Hassan The City of Pickering is set to vote next month on a secondary housing development plan that could transform the municipality’s landscape east of Toronto over the next quarter-century. Mayor Kevin Ashe is presenting the move, which could result in the building of homes for more than 70,000 people, as a job creator and key solution to address the housing shortage. But critics argue the plan to develop the agricultural area is costly and unnecessary, and a local First Nation is sounding the alarm about a lack of consultation. The area under consideration covers more than 17 square kilometres. It is bordered by 6th Concession Road to the south, 8th Concession Road to the north, Lake Ridge Road to the east and Westney Road to the west....
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Selkirk man facing impaired driving charges
By Alex Murray Writer A Selkirk man is facing charges after a multi-collision impaired driving incident on April 17, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said on Wednesday (April 22). Members of the Haldimand detachment of the OPP responded to a report of a possible impaired driver at a business on Highway 6 in Haldimand County on April 17, 2026, at around 5:30 p.m. OPP said a vehicle located at a nearby business had been involved in multiple minor collisions on its way into the area. OPP have charged Andrew Palermo, 40, with: Operation While Impaired Operation While Impaired – Blood Alcohol Concentration (80 plus) Drive Vehicle or Boat with Cannabis Readily Available Having Care or Control of a Motor Vehicle with Unsealed Container of Liquor Driving Motor Vehicle with Liquor Readily...
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Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs asks government to pause two treaties to resolve dispute
By Wolfgang Depner B.C.’s Indigenous Relations minister says two First Nations nearing the end of their treaty process have developed “accommodation packages” with some neighbouring nations, but there’s still more work to do. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling on government to pause the treaty bills for the K’omoks and Kitselas First Nations, but Spencer Chandra Herbert says government has received such requests in the past and has been able to work them out as the process continues. The union says in a statement that it “stands in support” of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation in their dispute with the K’omoks, as well as a coalition of nations in their dispute with the Kitselas First Nation. The statement says neighbouring First Nations have raised serious concerns...
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Floodwaters near Peguis First Nation may start to recede soon, chief says
-CP-The chief of one of Manitoba’s largest First Nations says floodwaters from the nearby Fisher River could start to recede in a matter of days. Chief Stan Bird from Peguis First Nation says in a video posted to social media that community members must remain diligent. The community north of Winnipeg in Manitoba’s Interlake region has been prepping for flooding that was widely expected to wash out critical roads and threaten more than 100 homes. Provincial officials have said more than half a million sandbags have been sent to Peguis and the nearby Fisher River Cree Nation. Bird says devastating floods — and the struggles that come with them — have become far too common and is hoping to work with the federal government on “permanent flood mitigation.” He says...
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Anand argues pursuit of new trade ties not coming at expense of aid, human rights
By Dylan Robertson Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is rejecting claims that her government is prioritizing trade over humanitarian aid and human rights. The federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has been criticized for cutting foreign aid, signing economic deals with autocracies and avoiding openly criticizing American actions against multilateral institutions. But Anand told the Ottawa Civic Space Summit on Thursday that Canada’s values are “deeply integrated” into its economic and defence interests. “I want to gently push back against the idea that civic space is somehow different from our objectives relating to economic growth and defence and security,” Anand said. “In order for a country to be strong, in order for institutions to thrive, citizens themselves must feel safe and protected and they must have the economic means...
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Most flood preparations complete in First Nation as it braces for rising water
Sandbagging efforts are complete in Peguis First Nation and residents are playing a waiting game to see if the nearby Fisher River causes extensive flooding. “Today and tomorrow (are) big days to watch and see what happens, and to see how high it’s going to go,” Doug Thomas, spokesman for the First Nation, said on Thursday. The community, located in Manitoba’s Interlake region, has spent nearly two weeks prepping for an anticipated flood that could wash out critical roads and threaten more than 100 homes. Water levels from the Fisher River began to exceed its banks on Thursday, said Thomas. It is expected to crest Friday, which could see water make its way through the whole community like a wave. Thomas said levels are supposed to subside after Saturday. Officials...
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Archaeological digs in Amazon provide clues about Indigenous inhabitants before colonization
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa And Eraldo Peres MACAPA, Brazil (AP) — Paving roads in the Amazon rainforest has long brought deforestation that threatens the people who live there. The same roadwork, however, has also allowed archaeologists to get glimpses of the region’s past long before Europeans arrived to reshape it. The construction often requires archaeological surveys before the paving starts, and some of the latest discoveries have emerged along the BR-156 highway in Brazil’s northern state of Amapa. Among the findings so far from nine dig sites: pottery vases that may be funerary urns, as well as small artifacts that resemble human faces. “What we now about the region’s past is also tied to the opening created by these projects, which gives our relationship with them a somewhat ambivalent character,”...
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Local activists support the coalition’s legal challenge of Bill 5
By Meg Deak, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Woolwich Observer The Ford government’s Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, has been a source of controversy since its introduction last June. Rolled out amid economic uncertainty, partially due to U.S. tariffs, the bill aims to accelerate development and major infrastructure projects, such as mining and electric vehicle projects. One of the most controversial portions of the bill is section 9, the Special Economic Zones Act (SEZA), which allows the cabinet and the environment minister to bypass any law within an area they deem a designated special economic zone. Citing the bill as a threat to democracy and environmental protections, a coalition of four public-interest and environmental organizations announced earlier this month that they would launch a collective legal...
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Coastal B.C. First Nation leaders go to Calgary to dissuade pipeline investors
By Lauren Krugel A delegation of First Nations leaders from British Columbia have come to Calgary to relay a message to pipeline executives face-to-face — steer clear of investing in a new bitumen pipeline to the northwest coast or risk a prolonged legal fight. Haida Nation President Jason Alsop, who also goes by Gaagwiis, said he and fellow community leaders are obliged to look after the ocean and the food security it provides. Crude tankers sailing northern B.C. waters would risk that, he said. “We are prepared to use all the tools available to us to uphold that responsibility,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “And that makes investment in a pipeline to the north coast a significant risk — legal risk, financial risk.” Chief councillor Arnold Clifton of the...
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Dene national chief supports call to end RCMP Indigenous surveillance programs
By Kody Ferron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yellowknifer The Dene Nation wants all police surveillance of Indigenous peoples to cease. In an April 20 statement, the Dene Nation expresses solidarity with Manitoba chiefs and the Assembly of First Nations, who began the call for action after learning of a secret RCMP surveillance program that targeted Indigenous groups and rights activists. ‘We demand an immediate end to these practices and a comprehensive investigation into their extent and impact,’ says the Dene Nation. The organization’s statement comes roughly a month after CBC broke the story of the RCMP Indigenous surveillance campaigns that operated during the 1960s and 1970s. At least six CBC articles detail evidence of RCMP spies, paid informants, physical surveillance, covert photography and filming, movement tracking and media monitoring. These...
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Sask. RCMP issue wanted-persons list
By Brook Wagner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Medicine Hat News Saskatchewan RCMP has released its monthly list of wanted persons for April 2026. Ten people are being sought across Saskatchewan, with some believed to be in parts of Alberta as well. The RCMP publishes this list every month to ask the public for help finding people with active arrest warrants. This means a judge has officially authorized police to arrest them. The list is not every wanted person in the province, but rather those considered most important to find based on how serious their alleged crimes are according to the Crime Severity Index. Do not attempt to contact, approach or apprehend any wanted persons on your own. If you recognize any of these individuals and have information regarding their whereabouts,...
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Alberta panel report supports leaning into nuclear power, but province won’t commit
By Dayne Patterson Canadian Press Calgary-Alberta Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf says a public feedback report that suggests support for nuclear energy is not a “slam dunk” for the industry given the report urges the pursuit of nuclear power while also doing the legwork to keep people safe. The report from Alberta’s Nuclear Energy Engagement panel heard from close to 6,000 people in a survey, with more than 400 tuning in to webinars on the topic. “We didn’t have a baked-in solution before we started. We want to hear from Albertans and, to be perfectly honest, they raised a lot of questions,” Neudorf told reporters Wednesday as he released the report. Those questions included where the water to cool the facilities would be drawn from and how the province would manage...
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