Métis youth Mélanie-Rose Frappier has received the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award. The awards are presented annually to individuals, groups and communities that have made outstanding contributions to conserving Ontario’s heritage. Frappier is involved in a range of youth, community and cultural activities that led …cole secondaire du SacrÈ Cúur to nominate her for the Heritage Award in the Youth Achievement category.

Legal Aid Ontario is expanding Gladue writing services in northeastern Ontario with funding to Aboriginal Legal Services in Toronto to hire Gladue writers for Windsor, Sudbury, North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. Gladue reports provide background on the lives of Aboriginal†people in conflict with the law. Jonathan Rudin with Aboriginal Legal Services in Toronto said hiring Gladue writers for the communities will reduce the long waiting list. “We’ve been advocating for this for a very, very long time, and we’re very pleased that Legal Aid Ontario has stepped up,” he said.

Algonquins of the Pikwàkanagàn First Nation have joined with Innergex Renewable Energy Inc to stop further development of the Nodinosi prospective wind project located near Mattawa. The Nodinosi project was located in the townships of Phelps, Olrig and Mattawan of the Nipissing District. With a proposed installed capacity of approximately 150 MW, it was in the very early stages of development. “We strongly believe in a collaborative approach to project development, because social acceptability is essential to a successful project.

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) filed a lawsuit against the government and their current and previous third-party managing companies, Hartel Financial Management Corp. and BDO Canada. The lawsuit for $30 million in damages claims that the government and managers have harmed the community “by mismanaging and withholding funds that were to be used for the benefit of the community and its members.”†The managers currently hold the ABL’s money in a trust, according to ABL’s press release, which places ABL community’s funds out of their control.

Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy says Canada’s way of getting oil to market is in direct conflict with Indigenous rights and public safety. The statement comes after a second oil spill on Mattagami First Nation territory, the third CN derailment in northern Ontario in less than a month, and the second near the First Nation community within three weeks.

NAIG Might Head To Toronto

Canada’s most populous city might end up hosting the next North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

That’s because only one association, the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO), submitted a letter of intent to bid on hosting the 2017 NAIG.

The deadline to submit a letter of intent to the NAIG Council to host the Games was Feb. 11.

ASWCO has identified Toronto as the host candidate city.

Despite being the lone bidder, ASWCO is not automatically awarded the rights to host the next NAIG.

The national roundtable on murdered and missing Indigenous women held in Ottawa Feb. 27 resulted in little concrete action, but it has still given hope to one long-time activist.

“For the first time in any incident that I’m aware of have the police, the government, the social services agencies, have anyone recognized the pain and suffering encountered by the families,” said Muriel Stanley Venne.

Stanley Venne attended the roundtable as the representative for the Metis Nation of Alberta. “The emphasis was totally on the families. They were given priority.”

A war of words has erupted between the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations’ Interim Chief Kim Jonathan and high ranking members of the provincial government.

Jim Reiter, minister responsible for First Nations, Metis and Northern Affairs, is accusing Jonathan of “splitting hairs” over concerns that FSIN wasn’t included in discussions on a draft agreement for providing emergency services to reserves. The federal and provincial governments worked together on the draft.

B.C. storytellers Roy Henry Vickers and Robert “Lucky” Budd will be launching the third in a series of illustrated Northwest Coast legends on April 25.

Titled Orca Chief, it takes its place alongside their previous bestsellers Raven Brings the Light (2013) and Cloudwalker (2014).

For Vickers, already a renowned First Nations artist, the series has been a chance to merge his artwork with the oral histories he has shared with audiences across Canada for the past 30 years.

I was driving down the main street of Peterborough, Ont. when I saw it. It had been sitting there for years I’m told, a non-descript shop selling a wide set of accoutrements for those who enjoy smoking a variety of substances. I believe they are called head or bong shops.

I make no judgement on the recreational activity, but up until now, I never bothered to notice the actual name of the store. That’s where the issue lies. The establishment was called The Peace Pipe.