Ontario PCs pledge $500-million for critical minerals processing but spending questions loom
By Darius Snieckus, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives have pledged to set up a $500-million critical mineral processing fund to invest in “strategically located” facilities to develop the province’s vast resources of lithium, graphite, zinc, cobalt and other key minerals and metals. The fund, a central economic plank in the party’s re-election platform released on Monday, is the biggest government pledge so far to build a network of refining facilities mining experts say are needed to ensure Canada reaps the benefits of producing minerals and metals important for the global energy transition. The fund would target regions home to numerous deposits of the 34 metals and minerals identified in the federal government’s critical minerals strategy as key to the defense, energy and automotive sectors, including the Ring of...
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Icy stairs and snow bank signs: campaigning in Ontario’s winter election
By Allison Jones and Liam Casey -CP-Falling down stairs, pushing stuck cars out of snow banks and cancelling events are just some of the challenges candidates have faced on the winter campaign trail, but Sol Mamakwa may have them all beat. This is Ontario’s first winter election campaign since 1981 and the incumbent NDP candidate for Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario has rented a plane with skis so he can try to visit some of the 24 fly-in First Nation communities in his riding that spans nearly 300,000 square kilometres. “(It’s) not too bad, but it’s frickin’ cold right now,” he said recently during a break from campaigning in Pickle Lake. “Last week has been minus 40.” He was trying to visit two to three fly-in communities a day with his...
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Alberta truck driver on probation after plea bargain
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A man charged with sexual assault and sexual interference instead pleaded guilty to common assault Feb. 24 and will spend the next two years on probation. BC Supreme Court Justice Marguerite Church gave Darryl Martin Perry a suspended sentence with conditions, after he maintained his not guilty pleas to the two charges. Court heard that Perry was accused of committing offences between Sept. 24, 2017 and Sept. 17, 2021 in Prince George. The 51-year-old was arrested 3 1/2 years ago after a victim told RCMP that Perry had frequently been drunk and violent towards her. Prosecutor Anne Baines read from the victim’s statement to police, that said Perry yelled and screamed, used an open hand and sometimes a lightly closed fist in attempts...
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Nunavut health minister again warns of shortfall in Non-Insured Health Benefits funding
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News The Government of Nunavut is still struggling to reach a deal with the federal government to fund a health services program covering medical boarding homes and dental care for Inuit, says Health Minister John Main. Speaking in the Nunavut legislative assembly Feb. 20, Main told MLAs his department has found itself in a “difficult situation” with Indigenous Services Canada for a funding agreement for the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. The comments came up when Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok pressed Main about the possibility of building a medical boarding home for patients travelling through Rankin Inlet — something he’s asked the GN about many times in the past. For the boarding home, Main said his department is still working...
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Canadian North tentatively sold to Winnipeg firm for $205 million
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A Winnipeg firm that owns several northern airlines has announced it plans to buy Canadian North, the airline that serves the Arctic. Exchange Income Corp. said it made a deal to buy Bradley Air Services Ltd., which operates as Canadian North, for $205 million from the two Inuit organizations that own the airline. It announced the plan in a news release issued Monday afternoon. Nunavik-based Makivvik, one of Canadian North’s two co-owners, announced in its own news release that it is selling its share of the airline. Inuvialuit Regional Corp., which co-owns the airline, announced in a social media post it was doing the same. “Having a strong parent company with roots in northern aviation is critical to our success,” said Shelly De...
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Northwest B.C. ERs begin to emerge from crisis as physician shortage eases
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Patients in Northwest B.C. are experiencing a refreshing shift as emergency room (ER) doors remain open in local hospitals. Although by February 2025, Northern Health (NH) hospitals are still facing a 20.17 per cent vacancy gap in their baseline healthcare positions, the staffing situation has shown incremental improvement. The ERs in Prince Rupert, Masset, and Kitimat experienced a high rate of interruptions in the first half of 2024, but showed a significant drop in closures from August 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025. From August 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025, the ERs in Prince Rupert, Masset and Kitimat reported a notable reduction in closures compared to the previous six-month period. In Masset (northern Haida Gwaii), the ER faced around 33 closures between Feb....
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Fort Nelson First Nation to receive $1.2 million via Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships Program
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort Nelson First Nation’s Tu Deh-Kah (TDK) Geothermal project got a big $1.2 million hand from the federal government. While announcing the launch of the $5 billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation on February 21st, federal minister of natural resources Jonathan Wilkinson said Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) would receive $1.2 million via the government’s Indigenous Natural Resources Partnerships (INRP) Program. According to a press release, TDK is one of seven First Nations-led forestry and energy projects in B.C. to receive a combined $6.2 million through the INRP. FNFN will use the money to advance the TDK project, according to project coordinator and media specialist Andrea Warren. It will go toward gas well testing, environmental studies, engineering, permitting,...
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‘People stay silent’: Treaty 8 executive director reacts to vandalism
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A stark reminder of division between the non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities was prevalent in Fort St. John over Family Day weekend. The Treaty 8 Association’s offices in the downtown core were vandalized with swastikas, a Nazi symbol, and profanity on Sunday, February 16th. In the ensuing days, reaction to the images has been swift. City Mayor Lilia Hansen stated Fort St. John has “no place for hate,” and provincial minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Christine Boyle said such displays “take us backwards” in the movement toward reconciliation. In addition, the RCMP is investigating the act as a hate crime. However, for the Indigenous community, it’s another reminder of the deep racism even in 2025 still existing...
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First Nations must not be forgotten amid Trump threats, outgoing Chief Picard says
By Maura Forrest -CP-Indigenous people risk being pushed aside as Canada looks to defend itself against a possible trade war with the United States, says an outgoing regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Ghislain Picard, who has represented the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador since 1992, is concerned by Quebec Premier François Legault’s recent promise to accelerate energy and construction projects to bolster the province’s economy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats. “It seems like the government of Quebec is trying to stage a response that has not a single consideration for First Nations peoples and their role,” he said in a recent interview. “But we shouldn’t forget the fact that we have to sit down with First Nations and get their approval.”...
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Doig River First Nation discusses Land Use plan with Chamber of Commerce
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Further discussion surrounding Doig River First Nation’s Land Use plans were the topic of lunch last week. The First Nation hosted a luncheon at the Northern Grand Hotel in Fort St. John, with an assist from the city’s Chamber of Commerce. The presentation about DRFN’s land use plan and K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park were the focus of the meeting following the public World Cafe event in January. DRFN Chief Trevor Makadahay said the key to the land plan’s success was finding a balance between industry and DRFN’s overall goals for land development. “Misinformation can get out there,” said Makadahay. “We want to work with our neighbours. So we can do this together, for our children and yours.”...
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Homelessness rising in the region: study
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative, TimminsToday.com TIMMINS – A new survey reveals a rise in homelessness across multiple communities along Highway 11’s northern corridor. The Point-in-Time (PiT) count findings were presented to the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) on Feb. 20. The count is one way for the agency to measure and understand homelessness in the region. On Oct. 10, 2024, 390 people experiencing homelessness were documented. The 2021 PiT count — the first time the district participated — there were 312 people experiencing homelessness. KayLee Morissette, who was contracted as the project manager, talked about the findings and the implications for policy and community action. According to Morissette, the PiT count is not just about numbers — it provides insight into the real experiences of people facing homelessness....
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Editorial Roundup: United States
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: Feb. 20 The Washington Post says Musk’s mass firings are backfiring President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have been rapidly firing federal workers with little consideration for which ones are critical to government functioning. So now, the Energy Department is scrambling to rehirepeople abruptly let go from the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Federal Aviation Administration is struggling to explain why 400 stafferswere let go mere days after one of the deadliest airplane crashes in U.S. history. And the Agriculture Department is attempting to bring back peoplefired despite being part of the effort to stop avian flu, which has decimated chicken farms and sent egg prices soaring. Americans widely agree that their government is burdened by “waste, fraud and abuse.”...
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B.C. Conservative MLA backs lawyer in residential school row with Law Society
-CP-British Columbia’s Opposition attorney general critic is questioning the “apparent mistreatment” of a lawyer after he asked for the rewording of Law Society training material about residential schools. Dallas Brodie of the B.C. Conservatives says on social media that she’ll reach out to Attorney General Niki Sharma and the Law Society of British Columbia in the coming days about the situation facing lawyer James Heller. Brodie’s posts on Saturday shared a link to an article about Heller, who unsuccessfully pushed last year for the society’s training material to say there were “potentially” burial sites at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., instead of using more definitive language. Heller is now suing the society over what he calls “false and defamatory” imputations of racism that he says the society republished,...
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B.C. Conservative MLA backs lawyer in residential-school row with Law Society
By Chuck Chiang and Marcy Nicholson -CP-British Columbia’s Opposition attorney general critic is questioning the “apparent mistreatment” of a lawyer after he asked for the rewording of Law Society training material about residential schools. Dallas Brodie of the B.C. Conservatives says on social media that she’ll reach out to Attorney General Niki Sharma and the Law Society of British Columbia in the coming days about the situation facing lawyer James Heller. Brodie’s posts on Saturday shared a link to an article about Heller, who unsuccessfully pushed last year for the society’s training material to say there were “potentially” burial sites at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., instead of using more definitive language. Heller is now suing the society over what he calls “false and defamatory” imputations of racism...
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Lil’wat using ‘tiny homes’ approach to ease housing crunch
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Pique Newsmagazine The Lil’wat Nation has completed construction on six brand new “tiny homes” in Mount Currie, just off main street before Fish Hatchery Road and the train tracks. These homes have mostly gone to young, first-time renters in the Nation. “All the youth are very excited and happy to have their own first home places,” said Gayle Andrews, Lil’wat Nation’s housing coordinator. The project was in the works for 14 months. Lil’wat Nation provided 30 per cent of the funding, while the remaining 70 per cent was provided by Indigenous Services Canada, which is “responsible for providing and managing housing on reserve.” That funding can go towards construction, lot servicing, renovation, maintenance, insurance, debt servicing, planning and managing a housing portfolio, and...
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Musqueam and Feds make deal to share Vancouver airport lease revenue
By Ashley Joannou -CP-The Musqueam Indian Band has signed an agreement with the federal government to share ground lease revenue from the Vancouver International Airport. The specifics of the agreement are being kept confidential but Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree told a signing ceremony Monday that it’s the first revenue-sharing deal involving major federal government infrastructure. “This marks a serious milestone in our journey together. Essentially, your rights to self determination, your rights over your traditional territories, are being restored in an incremental way, I must admit, but in a very important way,” he said. “It means a stronger partnership between Canada and Musqueam, contributing to economic equality and advancing economic reconciliation.” Chief Wayne Sparrow said in a statement that the deal is an incremental measure that “will undoubtedly...
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Indigenous-led early childhood education course introduced
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Urban Circle Training Centre has launched a new holistic course to recruit more early child-care educators and increase diversity among daycare staff across Winnipeg. The centre has partnered with Red River College Polytechnic to run an accredited diploma program that will equip graduates with academic and Indigenous cultural lessons. Trista Harry signed up to build on her babysitting experience — the third oldest in a family of 11 children, she has plenty of it. The 25-year-old said helping her parents care for her siblings, the youngest of whom is six, sparked both her interest in early childhood education and desire to become a positive role model for Indigenous youth. “It’s really important that they see their own people working. I know when I...
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First Nation report says communication shortfalls hampered B.C. landslide response
By Chuck Chiang -CP-A report from a First Nation says the massive Chilcotin River landslide in the B.C. Interior last year revealed shortfalls in communication and co-ordination of the emergency response from provincial and federal governments. The Tsilhqot’in National Government’s report says it had to overcome “jurisdictional confusion,” and that the province “struggled” to share information about the slide. It says that as a result, the First Nation’s own emergency management was “largely hamstrung” when trying to help residents due to a lack of up-to-date information. In a joint written response, the B.C. ministries of Emergency Management and Water, Land and Resources Stewardship say they will be reviewing the report’s findings and calls to action. The federal government did not provide a response immediately after the report’s release. The July...
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B.C. Opposition law critic defies Rustad’s request to delete ‘zero graves’ comment
By Chuck Chiang and Marcy Nicholson -CP-The B.C. Conservatives’ attorney general critic is defying Opposition Leader John Rustad’s request to take down a social-media post saying there are “zero” confirmed child burial sites at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. Dallas Brodie’s post on the social-media platform X was called “racist denialist rhetoric” by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “The comments made by Ms. Brodie are deeply disturbing, and ignore the ample physical, archival, and testimonial evidence which detail horrific human rights abuses and atrocities against Indigenous peoples at residential schools,” Phillip said in a statement on Monday. In Saturday’s social-media post, Brodie questions the “apparent mistreatment” of a lawyer who had asked for the rewording of Law Society training material about...
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First Nations must not be forgotten amid Trump threats, outgoing Chief Picard says
By Maura Forrest -CP-Indigenous people risk being pushed aside as Canada looks to defend itself against a possible trade war with the United States, says an outgoing regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Ghislain Picard, who has represented the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador since 1992, is concerned by Quebec Premier François Legault’s recent promise to accelerate energy and construction projects to bolster the province’s economy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats. “It seems like the government of Quebec is trying to stage a response that has not a single consideration for First Nations peoples and their role,” he said in a recent interview. “But we shouldn’t forget the fact that we have to sit down with First Nations and get their approval.”...
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