Brant/Brantford/Six Nations MPP Will Bouma takes on new role
TORONTO- MPP Will Bouma is taking on a new role as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development “By supporting ministers with legislative and committee responsibilities or taking on important projects with dedicated leadership, parliamentary assistants play a critical role in delivering on our plan to rebuild Ontario’s economy,” said Premier Ford in a statement. “With today’s announcement, I’m thrilled to recognize and showcase our team’s in-depth experience, which will help us continue to get it done for the people of Ontario.” As the MPP for Brantford-Brant, Dr. Will Bouma represents the Six Nations of the Grand River – the most populous First Nations reserve in Canada as well as Missisauga of the Credit First Nation. Parliamentary...
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Five longtime employees retiring
Six Nations honoured five long-standing employees who are embarking on retirement this month. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) presented retiring employees with a plaque to recognize their contributions to SNEC and the community as well as a warm send off at its General Council meeting on March 26. Ronald Bomberry retired after a 23-year career as a paramedic with Health Services. He worked with the Brantford Paramedic Service for six years before assisting SNEC set up the Six Nations Paramedic Service. He was one of the first hires when it started in 2000. “He is a respected member of the community. Thank you for your years of service and dedication,” Hill said. “Your dedication to your patients and community will be remembered.” SNEC played a video of Bomberry’s last call...
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Anderson and Whitby teammates celebrate Arena Lacrosse League championship
By Sam Laskaris Writer A Six Nations member was among those celebrating following the conclusion of this year’s Arena Lacrosse League (ALL) championship match. Daris Anderson was part of the Whitby Steelhawks’ squad that hoisted the ALL Cup following its 14-12 victory against the Oshawa Outlaws in the league final held Sunday afternoon. The game was held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville. For Anderson, this marked his second ALL title. He was also part of the Six Nations Snipers club that won the 2022 championship. “It was awesome,” Anderson said of the fact his squad came out on top in the tilt which featured the league’s two Durham Region entrants. “It was an intense game.” The two clubs were deadlocked at 10-10 about five minutes into the...
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Community pool at Six Nations
Arlene Martin is swimming closer to an indoor community pool on Six Nations. Martin, who established the We Swim Together initiative, came to Six Nations Elected Council’s General Council meeting on March 26 to gain support for a community pool to give youth, families and elders a place to have fun, work out and relax. “This is another thing we want to dig our heels into and see come to pass,” she said. She and Steve Williams, president of Grand River Enterprises (which has offered to help fund the pool) visited a state-of-the-art community pool in Oakville built by Lee Hulan, owner of Austin Carroll Pool Construction, based in Milton. Martin and Hulan visited a site behind the Community hall that former Elected Chief Mark Hill indicated could host the...
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Six Nations members named assistant coaches for Hamilton Bengals’ Senior B lacrosse club
By Sam Laskaris Writer A pair of Six Nations members will be among those guiding the fortunes of the Hamilton Bengals’ Senior B lacrosse squad this year. Vince Longboat and Matt Attwood have been named as assistant coaches for the Bengals, who will compete in the six-team Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL). The Bengals will be operated by the Hamilton Lacrosse Association. Though this will mark the first season of operations for the Hamilton franchise, it is not an expansion team. The Hamilton Lacrosse Association recently acquired the rights for the Oakville Rock’s Senior B squad and relocated the franchise. The club will play its home games at Hamilton’s Mountain Arena. The Bengals will kick off their 2024 regular season on Apr. 28 with a home contest versus the Ennismore James...
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Six Nations members forming Indigenous squads for international hockey tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer Ryan Davis, a Six Nations member who advanced to the minor pro hockey ranks, has a vision. Davis’ dream is to form both women’s and men’s Indigenous hockey clubs that will compete at the highest levels internationally. Davis would eventually love to see all-Indigenous teams participating at world championships and the Olympics. But he’s starting out on a much smaller scale. Davis is currently forming a pair of clubs that will take part in the Dream Nations Cup. The inaugural tournament, which runs Apr. 24-26, will be staged at the American Dream facility located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “This has been a dream of mine for a long time,” Davis said. “It’s been in the back of my mind for quite a while.” The event,...
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GRCA warns keep away from rivers and watercourses as heavy rains hit area
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – As temperatures drop and heavy rains hit the Grand River territories this week, the local conservation authority advises to keep kids and pets away from rivers and other watercourses. The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) is warning of a “weather system” hitting the Grand River watershed beginning today (April 2) until Wednesday (April 3). GRCA says the system will bring “above freezing temperatures” along with 40 to 50 mm of rain, causing “increased river flows” throughout the Grand River watershed. GRCA says flooding is “not expected” at this time, but other concerns are present. “River flows in local waterways will be higher than normal for this time of year, increasing the risk in low-lying areas typically prone to flooding GRCA reservoirs,”...
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Woman hopes her mother’s story can ‘awaken something in you’
By Marissa Lentz Local Journalism Initiative A Cree woman is speaking out about Timmins’ Indigenous homelessness crisis after the death of her mother. Sarah Hookimaw is the daughter of Cecilia Scott, who died outdoors in downtown Timmins in 2018, just one week after her 45th birthday. Hookimaw participated in the recent relocation review regarding the city’s emergency shelter, Living Space. At the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board’s (CDSSAB) March 21 meeting, the final review was presented by Nicole Swerhun of Third Party Public. Some substantial findings in the review were related to the city’s Indigenous population. SEE: ‘Your community is divided’: Timmins shelter review leaves politicians with questionsRELATED: Final Living Space relocation report released At the meeting, Hookimaw shared her story, saying providing a safe space for introspection and retrospection...
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Tribes blast South Dakota governor’s claim that leaders are benefitting from drug cartels
By Jack Dura THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Relations between South Dakota tribes and Republican Gov. Kristi Noem have long been strained, but they have become even more contentious recently as Noem has pointedly criticized tribal leaders, accusing some of profiting from drug dealing and questioning their commitments to children on reservations. In speeches at community forums, Noem has slammed leaders of the tribes in the state as being more interested in hurting her politically and profiting from drug cartels than improving the lives of children and others amid persistent poverty on reservations. “We’ve got some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefiting from the cartels being there and that’s why they attack me every day,” Noem said at a forum last month in Winner. “But I’m going to fight for...
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B.C. introduces bill for First Nations land acquisition, holding rights
VICTORIA- British Columbia’s government has introduced a bill that would give federally recognized First Nations the legal right to acquire and hold land in the province. B.C.’s Ministry of Indigenous Relations says in a statement that the changes to land title and property laws would allow First Nations to register at the land title office, “reducing discriminatory and racist barriers” for them to own land. The statement says First Nations in the province are currently not able to acquire, hold or dispose of land in their own names unless “enabled by specific legislation” such as a treaty. It means that First Nations without those pathways would need to set up corporations or alternative arrangements for land acquisition and holding purposes. Indigenous Relations Minister Murray Rankin says the proposed change is...
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Birtail Sioux First Nation funded for unique trades program
By Ryan Kiedrowski Local Journalism Initiative Reporter It’s an intense but effective initiative promising to propel participants from having no experience in the trades to being job ready, all in under two weeks. That’s the goal of a new study being funded by the federal government on the Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation to the tune of $352,500, part of a larger announcement on March 6 that saw Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships devote a total of $10.4 million to seven mining projects. “Government, over the last two decades, has done a pretty darn good job of training up Indigenous people and getting them ready for the workforce and the work environment,” said Greg Farney, co-founder of Straight Talk Advisory and Training. “The one thing that we’ve all failed at is we...
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Stranded orca calf remains in B.C. lagoon, breaching at regular intervals
ZEBALLOS, B.C.- A stranded killer whale calf is showing signs of regular activity as it breaches every seven to 10 minutes in a lagoon near the northern Vancouver Island village of Zeballos. The two year-old orca has been alone in the lagoon near Little Espinosa Inlet since March 23 when its mother became trapped by the low tide and died on the rocky beach. The orca calf is rising out of the water from a mid-section of the lagoon but it is staying clear of the narrow exit area that leads to the open ocean, which is also where its mother died. Efforts by members of the area’s Ehattesaht First Nation, Fisheries Department marine mammal scientists and others to coax the orca calf through the narrow channel area, using boats,...
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Reflecting on the significance of Nunavut’s 25th anniversary
By Kira Wronska Dorward Local Journalism Initiative Reporter It was 1999, I was 14 years old, the draw was between my best friend and me. Like most teenage boys we were fiercely competitive, wanting to best each other at every turn. But this one was a big one. We were in Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord). I had joined the Canadian Junior Rangers to try new things and learn new skills, but also because it came with opportunities for travel. I loved my tightknit community, but like most young people I was eager to visit new places and meet new people. The leader explained that only one of us could go to Iqaluit as a Junior Ranger for the celebration. At the time, I didn’t grasp the historic importance of the event,...
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Two sides battle over whether Wolastoqey are meaningfully consulted
By John Chilibeck Local Journalism Initiative Reporter New Brunswick’s provincial government and the Wolastoqey Nation battled in court Thursday as lawyers from both sides argued whether Indigenous communities were being properly consulted or given short shrift on big forestry decisions. For four days, legal teams representing the province, Ottawa, Indigenous leaders and big timber companies have been presenting arguments before Justice Kathryn Gregory of the Court of King’s Bench. She’s presiding over the Wolastoqey Nation’s big title claim for more than half of New Brunswick’s territory, on the western side, on what they consider their traditional lands. The province has presented a motion to strike out a portion of their lawsuit, asking the judge to remove more than 250,000 land parcels owned by everyday New Brunswickers and private property held...
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Secwepemc family launches human rights complaint about Correctional Service Canada
By Meral Jamal Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Content warning: This story includes details about the prison system and the overrepresentation and mistreatment of Indigenous inmates. Norman LaRue, a member of Tk?emlups te Secwepemc, is an intergenerational survivor of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS). His father, who passed away when Norman was 17, had endured life at KIRS. But in 2021, when his nation announced it had found evidence of 215 unmarked graves on the grounds of the institution, Norman was away from his family in prison at the Pacific Institution, as he has been serving a life sentence. To cope with the news, Norman said he painted a mural on a wall outside of his cell depicting a teddy bear with a heart on one side and a...
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It’s up to the province to avoid ‘total chaos’: Wolastoqey lawyer
By John Chilibeck Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A lawyer for the Wolastoqey Nation has told a judge New Brunswick’s government could avoid “total chaos” if it stops neglecting its constitutional obligations and sorts out how a declaration of >Aboriginal title would affect property owners. Jaclyn McNamara, a lawyer with the OKT law firm, was responding Wednesday to a motion put forward by the province to absolve private property owners from the big title claim that includes more than half of New Brunswick’s territory on the western side. The provincial government insists that the property rights of the majority – close to half a million residents living in homes and running businesses – could be put at risk if the Wolastoqey leaders representing about 8,400 Indigenous people get their way. “Declaration...
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B.C. First Nation, Catholic Church announce ‘sacred covenant’ to be signed on Easter
KAMLOOPS, B.C.-Vancouver’s Catholic Archbishop says a ‘Sacred Covenant’ agreement has been reached with the First Nation in Kamloops, B.C., that announced the discovery the remains of more than 200 children at the site of a former residential school. Archbishop J. Michael Miller of the Catholic archdiocese of Vancouver says the agreement with the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc will open a “new chapter” in the relationship between the church and First Nations in B.C. Miller says the church recognizes its complicity in the Canadian government’s colonialist policies toward First Nations and the “resulting tragedies” from the residential school system. Chief Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlups te Secwepemc says the covenant will see the church share records and information as the nation continues to investigate the site of a former Kamloops Indian Residential School where...
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With budget mostly silent on climate change, critics say Ontario lacks plan to adapt
By Jordan Omstead THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO- The Ontario budget’s failure to directly address climate change represents a “gross abdication of responsibility” by the government, some critics argue, saying the province rapidly needs to do more to adapt to a changing climate. The budget presented Tuesday cites investments in climate-friendly public transit, electric vehicle manufacturing and conservation, but critics say it’s mostly silent on how the government will specifically help communities mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to the realities of it. “This is a gross, abdication of responsibility because the climate crisis continues to worsen,” said Keith Brooks, a programs director with Environmental Defence, an environmental advocacy organization. “Many of the tools that need to be used to fix the climate crisis are in the provincial toolbox.”...
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Manitoba budget, set for Tuesday, to include several tax breaks and hits
By Steve Lambert THE CANADIAN PRESS WINNIPEG- Manitoba’s NDP government is set to deliver tax breaks, and some tax increases, as part of its first budget since winning last October’s election. The government has already sent strong hints that the fiscal plan, which will be tabled Tuesday, may extend the province’s fuel-tax holiday for a few months. The government temporarily suspended the 14-cents-a-litre tax on Jan. 1 for six months, and has repeatedly said the door is open to a brief extension. The budget is also expected to fulfil some of the promises the NDP made during the election campaign: a doubling of the tax credit for fertility treatments, free prescription birth control, rebates of up to $4,000 for people buying electric vehicles and a $300 rebate for people buying...
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Laurentian University’s new president looks forward to tenure
By Hugh Kruzel Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Preparing for her installation as the new president of Laurentian University on April 1, Lynn Wells is more than willing to speak about her plans and mandate. Her contract is for five years, but already she says she would willingly look at extending that. `Yes, if offered a second term I would stay,” Wells said. Set for the move to Sudbury, she fondly recalls a childhood visit to the Big Nickel. More recently, she had a guided tour of the city and campus. Speaking from her then home at Brock University in St. Catharines, she says is looking forward to moving to Sudbury with her husband, who was a research officer in government and retired nearly a decade ago. “We were introduced to Sudbury...
