Five northern Ontario First Nations file human rights complaints over ongoing states of emergency
By Jon Thompson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ricochet A month after Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation declared a state of emergency over lacking health services, its leaders say Ontario’s failure to respond has left them no choice but to take legal action.Chief and council for the fly-in First Nation of 1,500 people declared a state of emergency on July 31, demanding equitable paramedicine resources and Emergency Medical Services, following the poisoning deaths of two local 14-year-olds. The girls were admitted to the nursing station in the morning but medivac wasn’t able to fly them the 600 kilometres south to Thunder Bay until that evening. Their families said doctors told them the deaths could have been prevented with timely care. KI councillor Jacob Ostaman says Ontario has since taken no action, whatsoever....
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Chiefs vote down pitch to include First Nations infrastructure in major projects push
By Brittany Hobson First Nations chiefs today voted down a resolution that would have called on Ottawa to include First Nations infrastructure ventures in its national push to fast-track major projects. The resolution, which also would have allowed the Assembly of First Nations to intervene in lawsuits against the federal government’s major projects legislation, failed to obtain the required 60 per cent support at the Assembly of First Nations annual general meeting in Winnipeg. Regina Crowchild of Tsuut’ina First Nation says she voted against the resolution because there’s no guarantee Canada will follow through on its commitment to consult affected communities when it decides which projects to approve. Other chiefs from Alberta say the resolution would have amounted to an endorsement of the federal major projects legislation and could have...
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Quebec’s proposed Constitution sparks tensions with Kahnawake, other First Nations
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Grand Chief Cody Diabo warned Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette against overstepping his bounds while discussing the proposed Quebec constitution last Wednesday. “They can do whatever law they want for their own citizens,” Diabo said, adding “as long as … First Nations are exempt from whatever you’re trying to do.” The Coalition Avenir du Quebec (CAQ) is preparing to table said constitution in the National Assembly this fall, hoping to pass it before the next provincial election in October 2026. Brian Tanguay, political science professor at the University of Wilfrid Laurier, said the idea of a provincial constitution dates back to the early 2000s following the second sovereignty referendum. “The idea seems to have been resurrected by...
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Smoketember Is Rolling In. Here’s How to Protect Yourself
By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Wildfire smoke will continue to coat the southern half of the province over the next couple of days. By this evening, smoke is forecast to blanket Fort St. John, Prince George, Quesnel, Squamish and Williams Lake, creating an air quality health index of 10-plus — on a scale that goes only from one (low risk) to 10 (very high risk), according to the federal government. And that’s with the caveat that the air quality health index sometimes underreports health risks caused by smoky air. Wildfire smoke is harmful for everyone. Seniors, young children and infants, people who are pregnant, people with pre-existing health conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and diabetes, and people with respiratory infections like COVID-19...
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Two dead, including suspect, in mass stabbing on Manitoba First Nation
By Steve Lambert HOLLOW WATER FIRST NATION, WINNIPEG-Two people, including a suspect, are dead after a mass stabbing on a First Nation in Manitoba. RCMP said at least six people were in hospital after the attack Thursday morning on the Hollow Water First Nation, about 200 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. Health officials said two victims were airlifted to Winnipeg, while others were taken by ground ambulance. RCMP described the attack as a “senseless act of violence.” They said there’s was no longer a risk to public safety, but officers were to remain in the community as well as on a highway to the south near Black River First Nation. A code orange, which means a sudden influx of patients, had been declared at the largest hospital in Winnipeg, although it...
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Inuit entrepreneurs learn to believe in themselves
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Nunavummiut who are just beginning their entrepreneurial journey will get paid to develop self-confidence and become business-minded this September through Small Economy Works. The online training program’s Nunavut chapter is set for Sept. 22-Dec. 12. Participants learn marketing, how to write grant applications and how to turn their passion projects into profit. The information comes from founders of businesses who have done it all before. Perks include a payment of $700 every second week, program-specific travel and up to three micro-credentials from the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. The Inspire Nunavut program has instructed 250 Nunavummiut in 21 communities since 2015, according to Small Economy Works. Annie Oyakyoak, 23, from Cambridge Bay, enrolled in Inspire Nunavut’s 12-week entrepreneurial...
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Manitoba premier says proposed supervised consumption site will be changed
By Steve Lambert The Manitoba government is changing the planned location of its first supervised consumption site after facing stiff opposition from area residents. The province, in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, submitted a licensing request with Health Canada last November for a site at 200 Disraeli Freeway, in the core area of Winnipeg. The idea quickly ran into opposition from many local residents, who said the location is too close to schools, a child-care centre and some homes. Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday the province will look for a new address. “We will be bringing a new location forward for people to consider,” Kinew told reporters. “Basically, what we’re going to do is just draw a 250-metre radius around the potential sites that are under consideration...
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Health warnings as minister says shroud of wildfire smoke set to worsen in B.C.
By Chuck Chiang British Columbians are being told to prepare themselves for the worsening of a dense shroud of wildfire smoke that has descended over the province, with health experts saying the dangerous impacts of the pollution might not be immediately apparent. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar told a briefing on Wednesday that the smoke would be a “major factor” in the next 24 to 72 hours, with more arriving in the central and southern Interior in the evening or on Thursday, and reaching the Fraser Valley by Friday. “We should expect wildfire smoke to come south in the days ahead,” Parmar said, adding that the smoke was coming from fires in B.C., Yukon and the Northwest Territories, as well as from the United States. After a summer of relatively clear...
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B.C.’s late-season wildfires a serious issue, minister says, as smoke descends
By Brenna Owen Drought, heat and lightning have spurred late-season wildfire activity in British Columbia, with the forests minister saying the risk of new starts and growth remains a “serious issue” and there is no relief in the short-term forecast. Ravi Parmar said the heat is expected to persist through the weekend, with temperatures reaching 10 C above seasonal in some areas. There is no significant rain in the forecast for the coming days, and another bout of lightning strikes is expected along B.C.’s coast later this week, he said. “I cannot stress enough how vigilant people need to be at this time,” the minister told a wildfire-related news briefing on Wednesday. There are about 150 active wildfires across B.C., with close to 60 classified as burning out of control....
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Former Dene national chief calls for Sahtu leaders to take action on marred Canol Trail
By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North Norman Yak’eula has had it with the Americans’ garbage. Having recently completed his annual hike through the Canol Heritage Trail in July, the former Dene national chief is calling on current Sahtu leaders to take charge of the cleanup, which has been repeatedly delayed. “There’s really nobody there to pay any interest to the trail, other than the Canol Youth Leadership hike we have every year,” Yak’eula told NNSL Media. “We’ve been doing that for 20 years. “I would like to see the land claim presidents take a very active interest in sitting the federal and territorial governments across the table and negotiate an operational type of budget for the Canol Heritage Trail and and create a park.” Used as a...
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Dene Nation says it wasn’t consulted on new funding for EAs
By Claire McFarlane, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio The Dene Nation said it was “neither consulted nor informed” of the GNWT’s intention to put up to $14 million toward educational assistants previously funded by the federal government through Jordan’s Principle. That territorial funding, described by the GNWT as a temporary measure, was announced last week. In a news release published on Wednesday, the Dene Nation said the territory’s statement – which said Indigenous governments were “united with the GNWT in calling for action” – was misleading. The Dene Nation called for a collaborative approach to addressing education and for Indigenous Services Canada, which administers Jordan’s Principle, to work directly with Indigenous governments to develop more sustainable funding for Indigenous students’ educational supports. It also called for transparency in how...
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Swatting incidents hit residence and school, Haldimand OPP warn of false emergency calls
IHALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – A Jarvis home and Hagersville Secondary School have both been hit in the past two days by two incidents of Emergency Call Fraud, also known as “swatting”, in Haldimand County during the past two days. The Haldimand detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a residence on Haldimand Road 53 near Jarvis on September 2, 2025, at about 8:10 p.m. to a report of a bomb threat. Haldimand OPP received a similar call of a bomb threate at about 1:35 p.m., Wednesday Aug., 3 pushing a Hagersville school into a lockdown. Haldiand OPp said in both incidents, 9-1-1 calls were made to report emergencies, which required police and other emergency resources to attend only to find upon arrival the information provided by the caller...
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Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew tells Assembly of First Nations in Manitoba they will talk to First Nations first
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew tells Assembly of First Nations in Manitoba the province will talk to First Nations before shovels go in the ground...
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Fishery officers in Nova Scotia seize more than 1,000 lobster traps, make arrests
By Michael MacDonald Federal officials say fishery officers have seized more than 1,000 lobster traps off southwestern Nova Scotia since June 1 as part of a crackdown on unauthorized harvesting and illegal sales. The Fisheries Department says the seizures and resulting arrests are also aimed at ensuring the Indigenous food, social and ceremonial lobster fishery can proceed without interference. A spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that charges are pending against those arrested, though it could take some time before the alleged offences are brought before the courts. The spokesperson, however, could not say whether any of the seizures or arrests were connected to Indigenous-led fisheries. The department issued a statement Tuesday saying that in the last three months, officers in southwestern Nova Scotia have inspected 61 holding facilities and released more than...
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Six Nations marks award winning career of the late Graham Greene
OHSWEKEN, ON – Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has issued an expression of sympathy as the community mourns the passing of noted actor, story teller and Six Nations community member Graham Greene who passed away peacefully on August 31 at the age of 73. Graham Greene’s award winning acting career made him a trailblazer for First Nations “representation in film and television, opening doors for generations to come,” SNEC said in a statement. Graham Greene is known for his Oscar-nominated performance as Best Supporting Actor in Dances with Wolves and roles in Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Green Mile, and Thunderheart, that have left “a lasting impact on the industry.” Graham Greene’s award-winning career “earned him recognition as a Member of the Order of Canada, induction into Canada’s Walk...
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Nunatsiavut minister says Labrador Air Access Program ‘risks reinforcing existing inequities’ for Inuit
By Justin Brake, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent The provincial government’s new pilot program intended to make air travel more affordable for Labrador residents “doesn’t go far enough to address the needs of Labrador Inuit communities,” Nunatsiavut Government First Minister Melva Williams said in a news release Tuesday. The Inuit government, which represents around 7,000 Inuitin or from coastal Labrador, says while the new program subsidizes a 30 per cent reduction in airfares for flights out of Labrador, it’s not equitable for Inuit living within Nunatsiavut. The Labrador Air Access Pilot Program, announced by the Liberals on Aug. 28, will subsidize 175 airline tickets per week via an online form, with an annual limit of two round trips per person. The program is intended for personal and leisure travel...
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Evacuation alert issued for additional properties in West Chilcotin
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune An evacuation alert has been issued for an additional 309 parcels of land in the Beef Trail Creek Fire Area 2, in and around Ulkatcho First Nation (Anahim Lake). The alert was issued at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2 to prepare residents to evacuate should wildfire conditions worsen. An evacuation order may be issued with limited notice due to fast changing conditions. Those affected should ensure they have a plan in place to transport all family members and people needing additional assistance out of the area via a designated evacuation route. Gas tanks in personal vehicles should be filled and critical items such as medications, eyeglasses, IDs and important documents should be readily available. Residents are also asked...
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NLPS advocates for NDSS replacement, seeks letters of support
By Claudia Culley, Local Journalism Initiative, Gabriola Sounder The Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS) board is ramping up its advocacy efforts to replace Nanaimo District Secondary School (NDSS) by seeking letters of support to send to the provincial government. The board has actively advocated for NDSS’s replacement for years yet is facing challenges getting this request to the top of the government’s list of priorities amid competing interests and province-wide needs with limited money. To help prioritize NDSS, the board is working to mobilize local and regional governments, rights holders and community partners, including the Regional District of Nanaimo and Snuneymuxw, Snaw’naw’as and Stz’uminus First Nations, in writing letters to the Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Education and Child Care, copied to local MLAs. The board hopes this joint...
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Native healer convicted of assaulting client receives probation as penalty
By Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Penticton Herald A native healer convicted of assaulting a woman during a healing ceremony was sentenced Friday to two years of probation and banned from all Syilx Okanagan Nation lands. The incident, which occurred in October 2022, has caused lasting trauma and sparked widespread condemnation from Indigenous leaders and the community. Donald Wayne Ashley, 51, was found guilty of one count of common assault following a month-long jury trial. Originally facing six sexual assault charges involving six women, Ashley was acquitted of three charges and convicted of one assault. Two other charges were withdrawn, and one was stayed. Justice Michael Brundrett, citing a serious breach of trust, declined the defense’s request for a conditional discharge, which would have spared Ashley a criminal record....
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Public art committee picks artists for next set of murals
By Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal Sussex has selected artists as part of the next wave of murals to be installed across the community. At the town council meeting Aug. 18, councillors voted to make deals with six artists totalling $63,500 for new public art projects. The deals are part of a wave of seven murals done this year as part of the town’s public art strategy to keep continuously cycling artwork through the community. “We had a little peek at them and we think the public are really going to enjoy it,” Mayor Marc Thorne told Brunswick News. The town established a public art committee in 2024 in connection with AX: The Arts and Culture Centre of Sussex to refresh the town’s collection of murals, most of...
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