Sens bidder Neko Sparks met with western Quebec First Nation
CBC
23-05-16 19:08
First Nation members Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg are discussing potential partnerships with multiple bidders for the Ottawa Senators. Neko Sparks and Snoop Dogg are leading the Los Angeles-based group that has partnered with the First Nation. Representatives from Kitigan Zibi are also due to meet with at least one other bidder later this week. With no formal agreement in place yet, Chief Dylan Whiteduck says that the community is happy to meet with all groups bidding for the NHL team. The Senators have been for sale since November last year, and a new owner is expected to be announced shortly.
Air quality warnings have been issued in northern and central Alberta as smoke from 90 raging wildfires wafts across the countryside, threatening Canadians' health. Almost 20,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and a state of emergency remains in place. A spate of 100km/hr winds are forecast to hamper efforts by 2,500 specialist firefighters to quash the flames.
Displaced Kátł'odeeche residents want to return home, but fear what they'll find
CBC
23-05-16 23:46
Residents of Kátł'odeeche First Nation in Canada have been left homeless following wildfires. It is unclear how long members of the community will be forced to live at evacuation centres. Lorne Poitras, a Kátł'odeeche resident, said: "Our house burned. We got nothing left ... all our family heirlooms are gone. Everything we had is all gone". Debra Chambaud added: "If it is destroyed as she's heard, this would be the second home Chambaud has lost to a fire — she said her first home burned down in 2017 too, claiming the life of her 27-year-old son". Fire officials with the N.W.T. government said a widespread level of damage had been inflicted on the area.
Indonesia's population growth will slow to 0.4% by 2045, according to the Ministry of National Planning, meaning the country will lose its status as the fourth-most populous nation. By 2045, it is estimated that Indonesia will be home to 324 million people, placing it behind Nigeria and Pakistan in the demographic ranking. The proportion of Indonesians aged over 65 years old is estimated to rise to 14.6% in 2045 from 6.2% in 2020.
Zambia raises key interest rate to 9.5% to tame inflation
Reuters
23-05-17 09:52
The Bank of Zambia has increased its key interest rate by 25 basis points from 9% to 9.5% due to high inflation in the copper-rich country. The bank said that inflation was expected to remain above the 6%-8% target band until the last quarter of next year. Zambia was the first African country to default on its sovereign debt during COVID-19 and has struggled to agree a relief deal with its external creditors. It secured a $3bn IMF funding last August. The central bank warned that further delays in external debt restructuring negotiations and tighter global financial conditions could pose risks to the inflation outlook.
If a wildfire threatens Yellowknife, what will the city do?
CBC
23-05-17 08:00
The Canadian city of Yellowknife has raised concerns over how it would deal with a wildfire after hundreds of evacuees fled to the city due to a blaze at the Kátł'odeeche First Nation reserve and nearby Hay River. While the city has an emergency management plan, it does not refer specifically to wildfires or include a detailed evacuation strategy. Instead, residents will receive instructions via newspapers, TV news and through the N.W.T.'s emergency alert system. The city would only consider an evacuation plan based on the fire's direction, but has not ensured a specific location for potential evacuees.
Over 19,500 people in Alberta have been displaced from their homes as wildfires continue to ravage across the region. As of Tuesday, 91 fires were active in the area, with 27 out of control. Fort St. John in neighboring British Columbia remains on high alert due to a 130 square kilometer fire. British Columbia itself and many parts of the Prairie provinces are currently under air quality alerts due to the blazes, with warnings of hotter conditions and a change of wind adding to the concerns. Saskatchewan has reported 27 active wildfires so far.
How this hide tanning camp brings good medicine to Fort William First Nation
CBC
23-05-17 08:00
Fort William First Nation in northwestern Ontario held its fourth annual hide tanning camp in late August, an event which brings together people of all ages and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to participate in the tanning of hides from animals including moose, deer and beaver. Participants learned about all stages of hide tanning from preparing the animal to skinning it, preparing the hide, and smoking the finished product. The event provided much-needed space to share knowledge of traditional culture and healing methods, according to instructor Jean Marshall. The camp is hoping to expand to include neighbouring First Nations and hopes to see Indigenous youth become adept at hide tanning as part of the process of rediscovering traditional Indigenous practices.
Cadmus Delorme talks about his 7 years as chief of Cowessess First Nation
CBC
23-05-17 08:00
Cadmus Delorme, who served as chief of Cowessess First Nation for seven years, has spoken about his time in office. He explained that he felt it was important to open the suitcase of inherited issues when he became chief, including those left by previous administrations. He added that Indigenous people needed a bigger representation in decision-making positions, saying that “when you're making decisions for the best impact of us moving forward, we gotta make sure that the tone is set, with the equal amount of right voices at those decision-making tables.” Delorme discussed how his administration has focused on a range of issues, including case-by-case support for families dealing with social services. He has recently taken on a new role as the chair of the new Residential School Documents Advisory Committee, which will meet every three months for at least the next four and a half years. The committee is working to catalogue and transfer over one million files related to Indigenous children placed in residential schools to the National Centre on Truth and Reconciliation.
KFN, Hay River leaders urge wildfire evacuees to stay put
CBC
23-05-17 19:19
Evacuated residents of Hay River and Kátł'odeeche First Nation in Canada are pleading to go home recently after their area was threatened by a nearby wildfire. Over 1,800 hectares of land has been destroyed so far, along with 15 structures in Kátł'odeeche. The leaders of both communities request that residents stay away for the time being until the fire can be contained and it is safe to return, but guaranteed timescales have not yet been given by officials, who remain cautious. As climate change increases the risk of wildfires, these events become more frequent and more severe.
Alex Greenwich, an influential independent MP in New South Wales, has confirmed that he is suing state MP Mark Latham for defamation after Latham refused to apologise for a string of homophobic and sexualised slurs against the gay MP. Greenwich says the lawsuit is on behalf of young and old LGBTQIA+ people who face regular abuse, and has said that Latham’s attack “has exposed me to contempt, ridicule and extreme abuse, based on my sexuality, and demands action”. Earlier this month, Greenwich lodged a complaint that Latham had used a carriage service to harass or offend, while the NSW Anti-Discrimination Body is also investigating a complaint of homosexual vilification.
Anti-abortion campaigners and pro-life religious groups are moving to the forefront of the battle over abortion, hoping that the new wave of laws in Republican states will trump state laws. Activists who sway legal opinions warn that any effort to retreat from national abortion restrictions would be a serious mistake, and Kellyanne Conway believes a 15-week limit on abortion is an effective way to put Democrats on defense on the issue. Two-thirds of Americans say they oppose the decision to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, and despite abortion restrictions becoming more prevalent, the pro-choice lobby is seen as powerful and a key issue for many voters in the Democratic party. Trump, as a candidate, has not yet given his opinion on where he will draw the line on federal legislation concerning abortion since the Supreme Court ruling overturning the right to an abortion.
The sustainability of the monarchy has been in question recently as a recent Angus Reid poll revealed that more than half of Canadians want to no longer be aligned with the British monarchy. Moreover, most Canadians favourably view Prime Minister Justin Trudeau than King Charles III. Critics argue that the monarchy, which encourages the community to ignore more significant challenges, is grounded on an outdated and anti-democratic ideology unsuited to a multicultural nation. The monarchy is losing relevance as Canada becomes increasingly electrified and comes to grips with its awful connections to Western imperialism. While some see the monarchy as necessary for unifying the country, other Canadians believe that the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms better serve the purpose of bringing Canadians together. However, getting rid of the monarchy may be more complicated than it’s worth, as all the provinces and Parliament would have to agree to it. Therefore, some believe ignoring it to be the best option.
N.W.T. officials to give update after another challenging day of firefighting
CBC
23-05-18 08:00
Wildfire in the Northwest Territories, close to Hay River and the Kátł'odeeche First Nation, could grow worse due to dry weather conditions, warned NWT Fire. Despite firefighters' and aviation crews' efforts, "much greater fire activity" was recorded over Wednesday, with strong winds blowing ash and heavy smoke towards the local communities due to easterly winds. With high temperatures damaging visibility, the fire was now closing in on Highway 5. There has been no rain yet and evacuations in the two areas remain in force.
A wave of forest fires are affecting different parts of Canada in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and the Northwest Territories. Smoke haze from wildfires spreading across Western Canada were so thick that warnings of reduced air quality reached as far as northern Ontario. Climate change is said to be behind an increase in wildfires in Canada and has made them more frequent and destructive. So far in Alberta, 487 fires have started, with 92 of those still active. Alberta and Western Canada have a history of experiencing regular wildfires, though this year the number of blazes starting has exceeded expectations and the fire season has commenced earlier than predicted. Relentless fires are especially devastating for rural communities as learning about how communities deal with fires and how their people cope with them could provide important insights for emergency responders.
Politicians in Queensland, Australia, are accused of playing into fears over crime and violence in order to gain political popularity. Analysis of government figures over five years, tackled by Brisbane Times, shows that levels of juvenile crime have remained relatively steady in the state. However, media reports have portrayed an apparent crisis, while Queensland's Palaszczuk government has switched from an evidence-based approach to one based on the “toughest youth justice laws in the nation”.
The Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation community in Quebec has endorsed the lead investors of a group bidding to buy the Ottawa Senators NHL ice hockey franchise. Chief Dylan Whiteduck said that, while multiple bids had been received, none had been as proactive as that of the lead investors behind the Los Angeles-based businessman Neko Sparks' group. The community has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the investors but has stated that further consultations are necessary. The Algonquins of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg have a land claim on LeBreton Flats, where the Senators intended to build a new arena.
The Garden River First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the Ontario province and the Canadian federal government, claiming that its land was stolen through coercion in a treaty. The First Nation claims that 70% of its land was lost in a treaty signed in 1859. Chief Andy Rickard hopes the lawsuit will open a discussion with the province and allows the First Nation to reclaim land in the east of Sault Ste. Marie.
The Royal Ontario Museum has returned a 200-year-old tomahawk pipe to the Garden River First Nation, as the Ojibwa Anishinaabe First Nation seeks the return of land they say should be returned to them under an 1850 treaty. This lawsuit is being pursued against both the federal and provincial governments, who the First Nation says wrongly acquired land east of Sault Ste. Marie that used to belong to Garden River. The tomahawk pipe is one of a number of artifacts to be returned to the Sault Ste Marie-area Ojibwa Anishinaabe First Nation.
Sports, cultural organizations recognized for reconciliation efforts in P.E.I.
CBC
23-05-18 20:55
The Charlottetown Islanders, Summerside Western Capitals, King's Playhouse and River Clyde Pageant are among four organizations honoured at the third annual L'nuey Reconciliation Recognition Awards. Recipients were chosen based on a series of criteria that serve to recognize, respect, and include the Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island "in such a way that it creates a positive and inclusive Island community with lasting impacts for future generations." The Cowboys were recognized for their efforts to raise awareness about residential school survivors by hosting an Every Child Matters game in 2021. The arts organizations, the Kings Playhouse and the River Clyde Pageant, were recognized for their Indigenous programming.
