This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....
The tragic death of a young woman in Kasabonika Lake First Nation has reignited debate over the state of policing in Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities, once again calling into question the idea of First Nations policing in Canada.
The skyrocketing number of Aboriginal people in jail has sparked a special report by Canada’s prison watchdog, in which blame is pointed squarely at the federal government for failing indigenous people.
In the report Howard Sapers, Canada’s correctional investigator, notes that incarceration rates of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in federal prisons have jumped over 43 per cent in the last five years.
While the Aboriginal population makes up four per cent of Canada’s population, 23.2 per cent of those in prison are Aboriginal.
As Team Ontario gears up for the 2013 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and the 2014 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), the founder and chair of the organization behind the teams continues to promote the benefits of healthy living through sport.
While the decision in the Grassy Narrows versus Ontario legal battle, expected sometime this year, will impact treaty rights for First Nations across the country, one of Grassy Narrows’ closest neighbours may be the most affected by the decision.
Wabauskang First Nation of Treaty #3 is in the midst of its own legal struggle over resource development on its traditional territory, since it took gold mining company Rubicon Minerals to court in December 2012.
As health care providers in the Sioux Lookout zone work to educate communities on the ongoing spread of Hepatitis C and the potential for an HIV outbreak in northern Ontario, the importance of needle exchange programs in First Nations is being highlighted.
Niki Kiepek of the Sioux Lookout First Nation Health Authority (SLFNHA) is helping the health organization take over the needle exchange program from Health Canada in the 31 communities served by SLFNHA.
Allegations that a First Nations youth was dropped off outside of Thunder Bay by members of the Thunder Bay police have turned out to be untrue.
A 19-year-old male had alleged that on the night of Dec. 2, 2012, he was dropped off on the outskirts of Thunder Bay and left to walk back to his residence in the city.
After an investigation, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) determined that the allegations were unfounded.
NDP MPP Gilles Bisson has raised the alarm over Ontario’s plan to allow Cliffs to export about 50 percent of its Ring of Fire chromite ore to China for processing.
Bisson, the MPP for Timmins-James Bay, said the province is effectively “low-balling” itself on the Ring of Fire.
“Allowing Cliffs to remove the ore, 50 per cent of it, on ships to China for processing is selling Ontario short when it comes to our capacity to add value to the minerals that will come out of the Ring of Fire,” Bisson said.
Months after sending a request for mediation on Cliffs Natural Resources’ proposed Ring of Fire mine, Neskantaga First Nation has renewed its call for Ontario’s Environment Minister to bring the two parties together.
Neskantaga sent a letter to Minister Jim Bradley on Feb. 4, requesting mediation on Cliffs’ amended terms of reference.
“Our constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights and title and treaty rights are not appropriately addressed (in the terms of reference),” Neskantaga wrote.
An Aboriginal sports organization is hoping the sporting background of Ontario’s new Aboriginal Affairs minister will result in an increased focus on the benefits of sport for First Nations and Metis youth.
The Aboriginal Sports and Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO) says that new minister David Zimmer’s background in swimming, hiking and weightlifting should help him to “personally understand the benefits of physical activity.”
The James Bay coast communities of Kashechewan, Fort Albany and Moosonee are planning to document the spring breakup in a photovoice project with its roots in the issue of homelessness and migration.
Mandy Scott, the First Nations coordinator with Laurentian University’s Poverty, Homelessness and Migration project, said the spring break up photovoice project will add to the individual projects already taking place in the communities.
This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....