Little Pine First Nation is seeking support from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations in their plans to build a casino complete with sports betting, 800 slot machines, a 200-room hotel and a 1,500-seat convention centre in Lloydminster. However that support did not come in October because of a lack of delegates at the FSIN assembly. The vote will likely take place in December. Chief Wayne Semaganis is asking for FSIN approval to make Little Pine First Nation the sole owner of the casino.

The BC Ferries plan to decrease its northern ferry services in April 2014  will have serious economic impacts on the Heiltsuk Nation, said Chief Marilyn Slett. The Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chief Councillor said ferry service is a life line for those who live on B.C.’s coast.

Work on a TransGas transmission line has come to a halt near Bethune, Sask., where ancient human bones were discovered. University of Saskatchewan forensic anthropologist Ernie Walker is examining the bones which seem to be the remains of a single person. Archaeologists have determined the remains are human and estimate the bones are more than 1,000 years old.

Saskatoon City Hall joined its Regina and Lloydminster counterparts in flying Métis and Treaty Six Territory flags permanently. Saskatoon held a special ceremony on Oct. 25. In attendance were Perry Bellegarde, grand chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians Nations, Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas, Métis Nation Saskatchewan President Robert Doucette, and the province’s Lieutenant-Governor Vaughn Schofield. “Saskatoon has the number one economy overall in Canada,” said Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison.

Kawacatoose, Day Star and Muskowekwan First Nations have signed an opportunities agreement for the Jansen potash project with BHP Billiton. There will also be assistance for building First Nation businesses by giving entrepreneurs and community-owned business development access to opportunities at the project. The agreement will also see the sharing of environmental management practices and governance processes to co-manage implementation of the agreement.

The Change of Command ceremony was held at the Regina Armoury on Nov. 6 when outgoing Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Russ Mirasty, welcomed the incoming Commanding Officer, Chief Superintendent Brenda Butterworth-Carr. Butterworth-Carr is from Dawson City, Yukon, and a member of the Tr’ondeck Hwech’in Han Nation and becomes the first Aboriginal women to lead an RCMP division. Mirasty, a member of the LaRonge First Nation, also made history in 2010 when he became Canada’s first Aboriginal person to head a division. Butterworth-Carr presented him with a gift of an eagle feather.

Constance Lake First Nation has signed an exploration agreement with GTA Resources and Mining Inc. for the continued exploration on GTA’s Auden Property in northern Ontario, located within CLFN traditional territory. The agreement compensates CLFN for cultural and environmental impacts and includes the issuance of 100,000 GTA common shares on signing and the issuance of 200,000 common share purchase warrants on the first to the third anniversary dates (subject to regulatory approval).

A fire on Oct. 29 destroyed the James Street Bridge, which links Fort William First Nation to Thunder Bay. Chief Georjann Morriseau said she will be pursuing the construction of a new bridge. The James Street Bridge was also a railway bridge that a sawmill business relied on. The bridge outage will impact many offices in Fort William, including the Union of Ontario Indians satellite office, Chief of Ontario, Indian Affairs, Dilico and Wasaya. Cause of the fire is undetermined.

The Anishinabek Nation and Ontario have signed their fifth memorandum of understanding to ensure coordination on natural resource management issues. The MOU extends the work of the Anishinabek/Ontario Resource Management Council for the next three years. “This forum is crucial to convey our First Nations priorities and the current relevant issues of our regions directly to the MNR,” said Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee, in a news release.