Defendants file against Quesnel mayor’s wife in defamation case
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen In separate BC Supreme Court court defence filings, a Quesnel city councillor and a First Nations lobby group both denied that they defamed the wife of Quesnel Mayor Ron Paull. Coun. Laurey-Anne Roodenberg and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) maintain they rightfully offered opinions about Pat Morton’s promotion of a book skeptical of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 2015 report and the 2021 claim that remains of 215 children had been buried near at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The Tk’emlups te Secwepemc band’s ground-penetrating radar expert clarified her findings, to say that equipment detected 200 “anomalies.” The site has not been excavated. Morton’s May lawsuits against Roodenburg and UBCIC accused them of harming her reputation, causing...
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Almost three years in jail for man on 2024 firearms possession charges
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A Provincial Court judge in Prince George sentenced a man to 34 months in jail for firearms possession on July 23. Garnet Alexander Izony, born in 1991, pleaded guilty March 26 to possessing a loaded, prohibited or restricted firearm and possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so. Judge Peter McDermick agreed to a joint proposal from Crown and defence and sentenced Izony to three years, before subtracting 60 days for time served. “So you’re going to go to jail today, which that may sound that I’m angry or upset with you, but holding you accountable for your actions is treating you like a man, which I’m about to do,” McDermick said to Izony. McDermick also banned Izony from firearms...
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Shooting victim ‘put everybody first’
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun KEESEEKOOWENIN OJIBWAY FIRST NATION — A woman who was killed in a suspected targeted shooting early Monday morning is being remembered as a loving and selfless person by her family in Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation. Vanessa Bone, a 33-year-old mother of four, is journeying to the spirit world this week, her family said, following her sudden death. Family have gathered outside her home and dug a fire pit, ignited it with medicine, and stewarded the flames for more than 48 hours. The fire ritual guides Bone through her four-day journey to the other side, family members told the Sun. They were grieving together around the bonfire, as its smoke drifted skyward on Wednesday afternoon. “She never went to bed angry with...
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NEWS ALERT: Accident shuts down portion of Chiefswood Road in Six Nations of the Grand River
OHSWEKEN, SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-Six Nations Emergency Services have a portion of Chiefswood Road in the Village of Ohsweken blocked off after an accident in front of the Iroquois Village Centre plaza. Fire, ambulance and police are on the scene. Traffic is being diverted away from the area . Photos by Jim C. Powless ...
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Supreme Court won’t hear case of Ontario man who fatally shot Six Nations’ man
The case of an Ontario man found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man has come to a close after Canada’s top court declined to hear it. The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected a leave to appeal request from Peter Khill, who shot and killed Jonathan Styres after finding the man breaking into his truck in the early morning hours of Feb. 4, 2016. As is its standard practice, the high court did not give reasons for its decision to not hear the case. Khill was charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty, testifying that he acted in self-defence and in accordance with his military training. In 2022, a jury found him not guilty of second-degree murder but guilty of the lesser offence of...
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Focus turns to data after B.C. cancels tsunami advisory in wake of huge Russia quake
By Ashley Joannou A Canadian earthquake expert says authorities will be looking at data from the massive Russian earthquake that triggered a tsunami scare in British Columbia, as they consider the science and response to such emergencies. The B.C. government cancelled a tsunami advisory Wednesday that was issued after the underwater quake that was one of the strongest ever recorded and set off tsunami alerts and warnings around the Pacific. The advisory initially said tsunami waves of less than 30 centimetres were expected to hit Tofino, B.C., around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, after the quake that had a preliminary magnitude of 8.8. Overnight, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the waves were highest in B.C. at Winter Harbour on northern Vancouver Island, at 27 centimetres. An update on...
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The search is back on: Parks Canada considering new sites for $37M facility
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com NIPIGON — Federal officials are receiving new proposals to site a multi-million dollar tourism and administrative centre for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. The project, which had been valued at $37 million, was slated to be built on a site at the Nipigon marina, but the property was disqualified once excavation uncovered pre-contact Anishinaabe ancestral remains. Now, mayors from both Nipigon and neighbouring Red Rock say their communities have pitched alternative properties for the building. Suzanne Kukko, the mayor of Nipigon, told Newswatch her community has proposed several sites throughout the township, but said they feel the property where the plywood mill sat before it burned down in 2007, is the most suitable. “Although it’s not right on the waterfront,...
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Ontario officially cancels Starlink contract, won’t say how much that cost taxpayers
By Liam Casey Ontario has officially cancelled its $100-million contract with Starlink, but the province refuses to say how much it cost taxpayers to get out of the deal. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce did not answer numerous questions Wednesday about the kill fee the province will have to pay Elon Musk’s SpaceX. “I can confirm we’ve cancelled the contract at this point, and we look forward to bringing forth alternatives to the people of Ontario so we can get people connected,” Lecce said at an unrelated press conference. Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma announced the deal last year to deliver high-speed internet to 15,000 residents in rural and northern Ontario. The deal, which was set to go live in June, would have covered hardware and installation costs but not...
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Manitoba government poll suggests concerns over health care, crime and immigration
By Steve Lambert The number of Manitobans concerned about crime and public safety has risen steadily, an opinion poll done for the Manitoba government suggests. The Benchmark poll by Leger is commissioned by the province and conducted every few months to gauge public concerns. The latest available survey, done in October and obtained by The Canadian Press under Manitoba’s freedom of information law, suggests affordability and health care remain the most popular concerns. The survey involved an online panel of 818 Manitobans between Oct. 21 and 31. Because online panel polls do not randomly sample the population, they cannot be assigned a margin of error. Three in four respondents cited rising costs as a concern, while 70 per cent cited wait times for health care. Both figures were in the...
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PM Carney says trade talks with U.S. may not end by Aug. 1 deadline
By Kelly Geraldine Malone Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that Canada’s negotiations with the United States might not conclude by Donald Trump’s Aug. 1 deadline as the president added new trade measures that could further hinder some Canadian businesses. Carney said talks have been complex, comprehensive and constructive. He also said they are ongoing and cover “a broad variety of topics.” “There are many areas for co-operation between Canada and the United States, including defence spending, security spending, investments, which is one of the reasons why we’re having these broader discussions,” Carney said at a news conference in Ottawa. Trump sent a letter to Carney threatening to impose 35 per cent tariffs if Canada doesn’t make a trade deal by Friday. The White House has said those duties...
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South Slave residents asked to unplug appliances as NTPC struggles with power outages
By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North Residents of Hay River, K’atl’odeeche First Nation and Enterprise are being asked to unplug appliances as Northwest Territories Power Corporation is struggling to restore power after issues with one of the diesel generators meant to take over for the Taltson Hydroelectric Dam. A total power outage during a heat wave has impacted all three communities throughout the July 30 afternoon. Environment Canada issued a heat warning for the region on July 30, warning temperatures could get as high as 30 C. NTPC communications manager Doug Prendergast referred NNSL to posts published on the power utility’s social media feed, which began detailing the issue at 12:28 p.m., noting there was an issue with a diesel engine and workers were on sight. At...
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Indigenous explainers: How smokehouse meat helped protect winter food supplies
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca PINK MOUNTAIN, B.C. — It’s a picturesque setting at Pink Mountain Ranch for the annual Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) Cultural Camp. Surrounded by a vast, grand valley, the event is in full swing. Towards the exits, there are several people lined up, with the smell of cured meat swirling in the air. The process of drying meat goes back generations for the Indigenous people of North America. Historically, in the Peace region, the area was subject to sudden ‘chinooks’ or thawing spells in which meat would readily spoil and a winter’s supply could not be left to the mercies of the weather, according to writer Dorthea Calverley in a 1973 article published by the South Peace Historical Society. Thus, excess meat...
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Manitoba monument to Chief Peguis, planned for 2024, still a year away
By Steve Lambert A planned monument to commemorate Chief Peguis and the first treaty signed in Manitoba has been delayed again. The structure, originally planned for 2024 then pushed back one year, is now expected to be completed in the latter part of 2026. Bill Shead, co-chair of the group planning the memorial, says there have been several legal, administrative and other issues over the past year, and efforts to obtain charitable status from Revenue Canada are ongoing. He says work on the bronze statue is well underway, but more time is needed for fundraising and construction of the monument’s large plinth or foundation. The monument is to be built on the northwest section of the Manitoba legislature grounds. It is to pay tribute to a gathering in 1817, when...
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Weston family wants to buy Hudson’s Bay charter and donate it, museum says
By Tara Deschamps The Canadian Museum of History says the Weston family wants to buy the royal charter that formed Hudson’s Bay 355 years ago and donate it to the Quebec institution. The document issued by King Charles II gave the Bay rights to a vast swath of land spanning most of Canada and extraordinary power over trade and Indigenous relations for decades. The museum says the acquisition still needs court approval but if that is obtained, the Westons will donate the document immediately and permanently. The Bay put the charter up for sale to put a dent in the roughly $1.1 billion in debt it had when it filed for creditor protection in March. The Weston family has made its fortune through Canadian retail chains including Loblaw Cos. Ltd....
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Ottawa says it wants to improve income assistance program on First Nation reserves
The federal government says it is committed to working with Mi’kmaq First Nations in Nova Scotia to improve the income assistance program. The comments are in response to criticism that there is a gap of more than $25 million a year between what First Nations people on reserve receive from Ottawa and what they would get from Nova Scotia if they lived off reserve. Ta’n Etli-tpi’tmk, a group that represents 12 of 13 Mi’kmaq First Nations in Nova Scotia, says some people living on reserve who rely on income assistance from Ottawa are being kept in deep poverty. A spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada and for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada says Ottawa is working to make its income assistance program “more responsive” to people in need. Anispiragas Piragasanathar...
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Quebec man facing charges after stolen vehicle rammed in Brantford city police cruisers
BRANTFORD, ONT-A Quebec man is facing a series of charges after ramming a stolen vehicle into two city police cruisers in an attempt to flee. Brantford Polic Service (BPS) received a report a vehicle was stolen from a Bilanski Farm Road residence driveway Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at about 4:00 a.m.. Police later had the stolen vehicle blocked in at the intersection of Wayne Gretzky Parkway and Elgin Street when the driver rammed two police cruisers with the stolen vehicle in an attempt to flee. Both cruisers were significantly damaged. BPS said the accused left the stolen vehicle in the intersection and ran towards Campbell Street with officers in pursuit. Police chased the man to Elgin Street and Stanley Street where he was placed under arrest. As a result a...
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Manitoba government poll suggests concerns over health care, crime and immigration
By Steve Lambert The number of Manitobans concerned about crime and public safety has risen steadily, an opinion poll done for the Manitoba government suggests. The Benchmark poll by Leger is commissioned by the province and conducted every few months to gauge public concerns. The latest available survey, done in October and obtained by The Canadian Press under Manitoba’s freedom of information law, suggests affordability and health care remain the most popular concerns. The survey involved an online panel of 818 Manitobans between Oct. 21 and 31. Because online panel polls do not randomly sample the population, they cannot be assigned a margin of error. Three in four respondents cited rising costs as a concern, while 70 per cent cited wait times for health care. Both figures were in the...
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Wildfire near Lytton, B.C., larger than initial estimate after aerial mapping
BC Wildfire Service data show a blaze south of Lytton that has triggered multiple evacuation alerts is three times its original estimated size and continues to burn out of control. The service’s latest update on the Cantilever Bar wildfire says it is now measured at 4.6 square kilometres, up from the 1.5 square kilometres reported earlier this week. The update says the larger estimate is due to more-accurate perimeter mapping after smoke cleared enough to allow aircraft to fly overhead. Evacuation alerts over the fire have been imposed by Thompson-Nicola Regional District and three local First Nations communities. The wildfire service says the blaze is about 10 kilometres south of Lytton — a community devastated by fire in 2021 — and on the west side of the Fraser River. It...
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Registering to vote necessary for people who have moved
By Pearl Lorentzen Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader The next municipal election is October 20, 2025, and people who have moved since or weren’t registered in the federal election will have to change their information ahead of time. Ashley Lindbergh is the returning officer for the Town of Slave Lake. She answered a few questions about the permanent voter list. “If a member of the public registered to vote for the federal election they will be on the list,” says Lindbergh. “However, if residents have moved within the municipality and their physical address has changed since they last registered, they will have to change their information.” People can register at www.voterlink.ab.ca. The deadline to register for the list varies by municipality. August 15, 2025 is the deadline to register...
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Ontario officially cancels Starlink contract, won’t say how much that cost taxpayers
By Liam Casey Ontario has officially cancelled its $100-million contract with Starlink, but the province refuses to say how much it cost taxpayers to get out of the deal. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce did not answer numerous questions Wednesday about the kill fee the province will have to pay Elon Musk’s SpaceX. “I can confirm we’ve cancelled the contract at this point, and we look forward to bringing forth alternatives to the people of Ontario so we can get people connected,” Lecce said at an unrelated press conference. Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma announced the deal last year to deliver high-speed internet to 15,000 residents in rural and northern Ontario. The deal, which was set to go live in June, would have covered hardware and installation costs but not...
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