Ontario Birchbark

The Métis Nation of Ontario has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rainy River Resources Ltd. to guide their working relationship in the development of the Rainy River Gold Project in the Township of Chapple, about 65 km northwest of Fort Frances. The MOU lays out the way in which the local Métis community, as represented by the MNO’s Treaty #3/Lake of the Woods/Lac Seul/Rainy River/…

This September, Carleton University will bring together artists, world-class experts and community heritage activists to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s passage up the Ottawa River. Champlain in the Ottawa Valley: History and Memory of an Encounter is a collaboration between academics, First Nations and the community, focusing on Champlain’s encounter with the…

The Nation to Nation Bike Tour, a joint initiative of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives and The Otesha Project, saw 14 participants cycle along the St. Lawrence River, from the Kanien'kehaka (Mohawk) communities of Akwesasne to Tyendinaga. The Otesha Project is a youth-led organization that uses bike tours, theatre, experiential activities and storytelling to inspire people of…

Beginning in the fall of 2014, students at Queen’s University will have the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Arts general degree plan in Indigenous Studies through the Faculty of Arts and Science. The plan in Indigenous Studies will be interdisciplinary, and can be completed either as a minor in combination with any major offered in the Faculty of Arts and Science or as a stand-alone…

With the increase on the demand for hydro imminent in the north due to mining development, Northern Superior Regional Grand Chief Peter Collins is supporting the proposal put forward by the City of Thunder Bay to have the Thunder Bay Generating Station converted to Natural Gas. “The demands on hydro are expected to increase significantly and this proposed conversion is the most efficient and…

In a split decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal quashed a manslaughter conviction against Clifford Kokopenace. The court ruled that the provincial government violated Kokopenace’s rights by failing to ensure Aboriginals were properly represented on jury rolls despite knowing about the long-standing problem. A non-Aboriginal jury in Kenora convicted Kokopenace in 2008 of stabbing a friend to…

The Chiefs of Ontario have been granted status to participate in the initial investigative phase of the Inquest into the Deaths of Seven First Nation Youths. COO’s objective is to collaborate with the coroner and the other parties to secure a broad inquest that will examine root causes and arrive at meaningful and realistic recommendations for all affected First Nations in Ontario. The inquest…

The University of Guelph recently announced a $1 million commitment from the RBC Blue Water Project to support teaching and research initiatives in water and ecosystem monitoring, as well as treatment and conservation on First Nations reserves. “Water contamination is one of the most important health-related environmental problems facing First Nations communities,” said president of the…

The Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund recently received $73,800 in FedNor funding from the federal government, and will provide independent power authorities in Northwestern Ontario with financial and business management software to enhance the operation of diesel generating stations in remote First Nation communities. Among other things, the software will help the First Nation…

A team of experts led by University of Ottawa law professor Ghislain Otis has been awarded $1.9 million by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for a large-scale project that will lead to a better, more sustainable legal diversity and coexistence of state and Aboriginal systems. The project, which is funded under SSHRC’s Partnership Grants program, groups 14…

Ojibway author and journalist Richard Wagamese, known for his profound, compelling stories about Aboriginal life, is the recipient of the Molson Prize in the arts. The award is worth $50,000 and is handed out annually to distinguished Canadians, one in the arts and the other in the social sciences and humanities. Ann Dale won in the social sciences and humanities, recognized for her…

The Batchewana First Nation and Sprott Power Corp. have a proposed partnership and business relationship, subject to negotiation of final legal documentation, which would provide Batchewana First Nation with a 49 per cent partnership interest in the 25 MW renewable energy Goulais Wind Farm. The Goulais Wind Farm, located north of Sault Ste. Marie, will be built along the Mile Hill…

Mikawaa (Marten Falls), Eabametoong (Fort Hope), and Webequie First Nations signed multi-year agreements with Wisk Air Helicopters, enabling the First Nations to participate in helicopter services within their traditional territories, focusing on the Ring of Fire. Wisk Air has agreed to provide opportunities for Aboriginal youth, including sanctioned forest fire training, drill…

The First Nations in Ontario were represented at the Twelfth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the United Nations in New York in May. This year special focus was on the implementation of the recommendations regarding Indigenous health, education and culture throughout the world.  The Permanent Forum is a mechanism of the UN to address Indigenous rights worldwide.  “It’s…

Delia Opekokew, IPC, received the 2013 Law Society Medal at an awards ceremony at Osgoode Hall in Toronto on May 29. A renowned leader of the Indigenous Bar, she organized residential school survivors to press for recognition of their claims. Opekokew is the first Aboriginal woman to be called to the Bars of Ontario (1979) and Saskatchewan (1983). The Law Society medal is presented…