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First Nations poverty an embarrassment, Rae says
Interim Liberal Party leader Bob Rae says the gaps in education, health care and housing between First Nations communities and other Canadians are an embarrassment.  First Nations Politics6/15/2013
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Atleo, Valcourt at odds over First Nations progress
(Canada) -- There's been "no real change" in the federal government's approach to First Nations issues, says the national chief for the Assembly of...
6/9/2013
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Native groups see federal funding cuts
(Prince Edward Island) -- Native groups on P.E.I. are trying to understand how they'll be affected by substantial funding cuts from the federal government. This week...
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Valcourt says consensus with First Nations outweighs confrontation
(Calgary) -- The federal minister of aboriginal affairs says he understands quite well why First Nations youth are rebelling, but says that as he travels the country to...
6/8/2013
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Minister urges approval of $14-million-plus Yale First Nation treaty
(British Columbia) -- MPs should embrace a $14 million-plus treaty for a tiny B.C. band despite aggressive objections from the vastly larger Sto: lo Nation, federal...
6/7/2013
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Aboriginal groups face 30% cut to project funding
(North Canada) -- The Assembly of First Nations and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami are facing 30 per cent cuts to project funding from the federal government starting this year...
6/6/2013
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Alternative to AFN called for by Manitoba grand chief
(Manitoba) -- Manitoba's top aboriginal leader says it's time to create an alternative to the Assembly of First Nations, which some say has become disconnected...
6/5/2013
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Manitoba's relationship with First Nations strained: chiefs
(Manitoba) -- Aboriginal leaders in Manitoba say they were surprised to learn the provincial government is suing four First Nations in response to a lawsuit over damages...
5/31/2013
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Harper’s Canada: Aboriginal rights mean nothing to him
(British Columbia) -- As Kwitsel Tatel’s case for illegal possession of fish, contrary to provisions in Canada’s Fisheries Act is now in its ninth year, the Aboriginal...
5/27/2013
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As Aboriginal Affairs’ legal bills rise, so does Aboriginal anger
(Canada) -- Over the last six years, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AANDC) has spent more than $35 million on legal fees according to information obtained...
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OP/ED: Building a new future
(Ottawa) -- Every day, we see the tremendous difference caring adults make in the lives of young people. We are heartened by support we receive from millions of...
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OP/ED: Ottawa must act now on aboriginal child welfare
(British Columbia) -- In 1907, Canada's Department of Indian Affairs sent Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce to investigate residential schools in Manitoba and the Northwest...
5/23/2013
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Lil'wat Nation gains greater control over reserve lands after signing federal act
(Ottawa) -- The Lil'wat Nation has become a signatory to the federal government's First Nations Land Management Regime (FNLM), a process that will allow it to...
5/22/2013
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Aboriginal Affairs fails to disclose spying investigation documents during human rights case
(Canada) -- Aboriginal Affairs has refused to release any documents related to its investigation into allegations officials with the federal department spied on a First...
5/21/2013
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OP/ED: Ties with First Nations are more positive than thought
(Calgary) -- Probe the mind of the average Canadian and you'll likely find a complex knot of feelings and thoughts about aboriginal Canadians - a mixture of guilt,...
5/19/2013
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Harper government withheld documents in indigenous human-rights case
(Ottawa) -- The Harper government withheld tens of thousands of documents that it was obligated to disclose as part of a human-rights case in which it is accused of...
5/14/2013
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Chief wants Bill 22 deferred until fall
(Canada) -- The acting grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations is demanding the Alberta government withdraw an aboriginal consultation bill he claims is...
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COLUMN: Aboriginal education vexes Canada (and Paul Martin)
(Canada) -- Former prime minister Paul Martin could have put up his feet after leaving political life, but relaxation is not part of his DNA.
5/11/2013
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How natives find power in a long-distance walk
(Ottawa) -- They are 30 years apart in age, but Stanley Vollant and David Kawapit share a vision. Quebec’s first aboriginal surgeon, Dr. Vollant is a 48-year-old...
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Quebec to give land back to Mohawks
(Quebec) -- A group of South Shore mayors are reeling after the Parti Québécois government announced its decision Friday to give back 300 hectares of land to the...
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APTN’s political panel discusses feds responsibility to sick First Nations children – Part 1
(Canada) -- This week’s political panel delved into the government’s responsibility towards sick First Nations children and the highly anticipated byelection...
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APTN’s political panel discusses feds responsibility to sick First Nations children – Part 2
(Canada) -- This week’s political panel delved into the government’s responsibility towards sick First Nations children and the highly anticipated byelection...
5/9/2013
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Senator Brazeau told to pay back $48,000 in housing expenses
(Ottawa) -- Algonquin Senator Patrick Brazeau has been told to pay back at least $48,000 following an audit into his claimed living expenses.
5/2/2013
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Political expediency trumps First Nations issues
(Ottawa) -- When Prime Minister Stephen Harper was asked about why people turn to terror, his answer spoke volumes: "It is no time to commit sociology."
4/26/2013
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First Nations meet with gov't leaders over claim delays
(Saskatchewan) -- The federal and provincial governments have kept their promises to meet with First Nations from the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council. Last week...
4/24/2013
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BLOG: A Canadian Indian Stands Up for Her Aboriginal Rights
(British Columbia) -- The item below helps to illuminate the next round in the Canadian government’s political prosecution and persecution of Kwitsel Tatel.
4/23/2013
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Ontario wants Canada to step in with more cash for First Nations education
(Ontario) -- Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne wants the federal government to start spending more cash on First Nations students. The former Aboriginal Affairs minister...
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Star obtains documents outlining federal objectives for meeting with aboriginal leaders
(Ottawa) -- The Conservative government went into its January meeting with aboriginal leaders against the backdrop of the Idle No More movement planning to focus on how...
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‘There is no Indian problem; it’s a government problem’: Chief Theresa Spence
(Ontario) -- It’s a history of broken treaties that has broken the spirit of First Nations people, says Chief Theresa Spence, and it will take a true partnership...
4/22/2013
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Star obtains documents outlining federal objectives for meeting with aboriginal leaders
(Ottawa) -- The Conservative government went into its January meeting with aboriginal leaders against the backdrop of the Idle No More movement planning to focus on how...
4/19/2013
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Financial Transparency Legislation Renews Controversy Over First Nation Chiefs' Salaries
(Canada) -- Newly enacted federal legislation forcing First Nations to disclose their leaders' salaries and spending online has been decried by critics who say the...
4/16/2013
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Harper needs to meet TRC to avoid First Nations uprise: Commissioner
(Canada) -- A Truth and Reconciliation Commission commissioner says the federal government’s legislation is counterproductive. Chief Wilton Littlechild says there...
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First Nations leaders to meet with Ottawa
(Ottawa) -- The federal minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada will be meeting with some Saskatchewan First Nations leaders to discuss flood...
4/11/2013
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Elder Raymond Robinson Ends Hunger Strike as Health Deteriorates
(Manitoba) -- Elder Raymond Robinson ended his hunger strike on April 9 after nearly a week without food or water, as his health started to deteriorate significantly.
4/9/2013
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Northern Ontario First Nations sign education agreement with province, Ottawa
(Ontario) -- Canada, Ontario and a large group of northern First Nations have signed a joint plan to give the communities a larger say in the schooling of about 7,000...
4/7/2013
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First Nation examining final settlement
(Ontario) -- A contractor working for the Department of National Defence is demolishing 23 buildings at Camp Ipperwash as the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation...
4/6/2013
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BLOG: Is Stephen Harper trying to provoke a confrontation with First Nations?
(Canada) -- You have to wonder if Stephen Harper isn’t actively trying to provoke serious conflict with First Nations. There has been over 4 months of ongoing...
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First Nations Claim Coercion as Harper Makes Aid Contingent on Legislation Support
(Ottawa) -- Numerous First Nation bands are alleging that the federal government is threatening them with loss of funding for essential services if they do not, in...
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Nishiyuu Walkers: In Restlessness, There Is Power
(Ottawa) -- When the Nishiyuu Walkers arrived in Ottawa on March 25, 2013, 68 days and 1,600 kilometres from the start of their journey, they were fulfilling a time-...
4/5/2013
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A chat with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne
(Ontario) -- There are a lot of hot button issues on the table for Ontario’s new premier. Kathleen Wynne is the province’s former Aboriginal affairs...
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Youth for Lake walkers face highway hostility on trek to Ottawa
(Manitoba) -- A group from Manitoba going by the title, Youth for Lakes, are walking across the country. They hope to raise awareness about corporate water pollution and...
4/4/2013
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Aboriginal Affairs Minister Valcourt meeting with hunger-striking Elder Robinson Friday
(Ottawa) -- Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt is scheduled to meet with hunger-striking Manitoba Elder Raymond Robinson on Friday in Ottawa.
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Raymond Robinson to begin second hunger strike
(Canada) -- You may remember his name. Raymond Robinson is back in Ottawa and for the same reasons. Robinson ended his fast with Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa...
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Human rights tribunal into First Nations discrimination underway again
(Canada) -- A human rights case is once again underway on whether Canada discriminates against First Nations children. The complaint against the federal government...
4/1/2013
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Distrust of Harper government grows over First Nations funding rules
(Canada) -- First Nations are pushing back at the Harper government over strings they say have been unfairly attached to their federal funding.
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Chiefs prepare to break ranks with AFN on treaty process
(Canada) -- Chiefs are working to create a new National Treaty Alliance that would mount a tough stand on treaty rights, raising the spectre of a fractured Assembly of...
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First Nations leaders fear First Nation Education Act will be federally imposed without adequate consultation
(Ottawa) -- It’s the next major issue the Conservative government is tackling in aboriginal affairs: the First Nation Education Act to be passed by September 2014...
3/31/2013
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Native Children Ask for Equal Rights in 'Letters to Canada' Video
(Canada) -- As the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the First Nations Children & Family Caring Society duke it out in the courts and before the Canadian Human...
3/27/2013
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Idle No More spokesperson says Harper government continuing First Nations ‘smear campaign’ in newly-released budget
(Canada) -- The Harper government's 300 plus page Budget 2013 contains 124 references to "First Nations." Economic Action Plan 2013 includes renewals of...
3/24/2013
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Native groups, opposition parties push for reserve education funds
(Ottawa) -- First Nations groups and opposition parties continue to push the feds to fund reserve education and address crises in the system.
3/23/2013
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Atleo gives his thoughts on the 2013 budget
(Canada) -- After months of demands and expectations the Assembly of First Nations is now mulling over what communities received in the 2013 federal budget.
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Budget offers mixed-bag on infrastructure for Indigenous communities
(Ottawa) -- While Finance Minister Jim Flaherty mentioned funding for First Nations infrastructure at least twice during a press conference Thursday, the 2013 federal...
3/22/2013
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Manitoba grand chief furious over feds training program
(Ottawa) -- First Nations leaders are unhappy with a federal government plan to offer trades training on reserves. The Conservative government announced plans to spend $...
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Native leader frustrated by lack of consultation with Ottawa on job program
(Ottawa) -- The head of Canada’s largest aboriginal group says the fact that a controversial job-training measure was written into the federal budget without his...
3/21/2013
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Federal budget 2013: No grand aboriginal strategy from Conservative government
(Ottawa) -- There is no grand aboriginal strategy or focus in this year’s Conservative budget, but myriad measures designed to improve the health, welfare and...
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Budget shows Ottawa’s “commitment” to First Nations: Minister Valcourt
(Ottawa) -- Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt dismissed opposition budget attacks aimed at a $241 million program linking job training and on-reserve welfare...
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Harper giving First Nations “the back of his hand” by linking welfare payments to job training: Mulcair
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper is giving First Nations “the back of his hand” by introducing a program linking welfare payments to job training,...
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Harper government ties training to welfare for natives on reserve
(Ottawa) -- The Harper government will provide job-training money to first nations that agree to force young people on social-assistance to take part in skills-...
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Ottawa budget creates $241M workfare program for First Nations youth
(Ottawa) -- A major budget initiative to make social assistance for First Nations youth contingent on entering into a training program is likely to get a rough ride on...
3/18/2013
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First Nations could be forced to bow in contract dispute with Ottawa
(New Brunswick) -- One of the poorest aboriginal communities in Canada is considering signing a $16 million funding agreement with Ottawa despite worries the document...
3/16/2013
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Think aboriginal rage has cooled? Think again.
(Canada) -- Some people might think that Canada’s aboriginal spring was about fake hunger strikes, mawkish speeches and hokey ceremony, all put in its place by a...
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Harper Government Pressures Poorest Community To Sign Agreement Despite Court Injunction
(New Brunswick) -- It was just another day at the band office on Tuesday when Burnt Church First Nation councillor Mr. Curtis Bartibogue first noticed the files on his...
3/15/2013
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Penashue returned over $46,500 in ineligible campaign donations
(Ottawa) -- Former federal cabinet minister Peter Penashue’s campaign has returned a total of $46,560 in ineligible donations, Elections Canada records show.
3/14/2013
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Dogged by complaints over electoral financing irregularities, Penashue resigns cabinet post, seat
(Ottawa) -- Former Innu leader Peter Penashue resigned his cabinet post along with his Labrador seat Thursday saying donation irregularities to his federal election...
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Ottawa still blocking UN Indigenous peoples rapporteur from landing in Canada on official visit
(Ottawa) -- The Harper government continues to prevent the UN special rapporteur on Indigenous peoples from visiting Canada. James Anaya, the special rapporteur on the...
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The journey of Nishiyuu making tracks to Ottawa
(Canada) -- Armed with walking sticks and fighting blistered feet, a group of walkers is slowly making tracks to Ottawa. It’s a journey that started months ago...
3/10/2013
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Human Rights Groups seek action from Harper Gov’t
(Ontario) -- Human Rights Groups have the Harper Government under fire again. The Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights passed a motion calling on the Prime...
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Canadian Supreme Court says Ottawa reneged on land deal for Metis people
(Ottawa) -- In a case that dates back to Canada’s infancy as a country, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled here Friday that the federal government failed to provide...
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High court sides with Métis in land claim dispute
(Ottawa) -- The head of the Manitoba Métis Federation is heralding the future of his people after the Supreme Court ruled Friday the federal government failed to live up...
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5 things to know about devolution in the N.W.T.
(Northwest Territories) -- The Northwest Territories is expected to get a final devolution agreement Monday, which will give the territory control over its Crown lands...
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PM expected to announce devolution deal in Yellowknife on Monday
(Northwest Territories) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be in Yellowknife on Monday where it is expected he will announce that a final devolution agreement has...
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Nova Scotia chief says he will resign over hunger strike
(Nova Scotia) -- A prominent Mi'kmaq chief says he would rather resign as head of Nova Scotia's treaty rights organization than see two young First Nation women...
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Comment: Beyond ‘quick wins’: Decolonizing British Columbia
(British Columbia) -- British Columbians will soon be going to the polls to determine the next government of the province. Whatever happens, the new government will face...
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Historical letters not wanted at Library and Archives Canada, critics say
(Ontario) -- Many of his comrades were sick from fouled water after breaking camp on Lake Erie that fall. But as his 21st U.S. Infantry Regiment prepared to attack...
3/7/2013
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Aboriginal affairs minister slammed over reserve school funding
(Ottawa) -- Comments about funding for reserve schools made by newly minted Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt before a Commons committee Thursday were met...
3/5/2013
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AFN national chief Atleo optimistic about change
(Ottawa) -- The seemingly insurmountable issues facing First Nations communities across the country require a transformative structural change in how the federal...
3/4/2013
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First Nations policing funds renewed for five years
(Saskatchewan) -- Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announced Monday that funding for the First Nations Policing Program will be renewed for the next five years.
3/3/2013
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Former prime minister Paul Martin joins campaign to help First Nations
(Canada) -- A former prime minister, Olympian and a social activist are standing together. It’s no joke but there is a punchline. They’re trying to spread...
2/28/2013
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Bernard Valcourt Replaces John Duncan at Helm of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
(Canada) -- Bernard Valcourt, Progressive-Conservative Member of Parliament for New Brunswick, has replaced John Duncan as Minister of aboriginal Affairs and Northern...
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All about treaties in Gatineau this week
(Quebec) -- The architects responsible for crafting modern day treaties are gathering this week in Gatineau. They’re coming together to not only celebrate their...
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Feds retaliated against Cindy Blackstock after she filed complaint against them
(Canada) -- A human rights tribunal hearing a case of alleged discrimination on First Nations children by the federal government heard Thursday from the person who filed...
2/24/2013
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Judge rips former Roseau River chief
(Ottawa) -- A federal judge delivered a scathing rebuke to former Roseau River First Nation chief Terrance Nelson in a ruling Thursday that upholds the 2011 decision by...
2/23/2013
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Atleo presses Toews on funding to police services
(Ottawa) -- It's crucial that the new minister of aboriginal affairs and northern development hit the ground running and get to work right away to tackle the urgent...
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FSIN reacts to new Ottawa aboriginal affairs minister
(Saskatchewan) -- A First Nations leader in Saskatchewan says the newly appointed federal aboriginal affairs minister has a lot of valuable experience to bring to the...
2/22/2013
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Aboriginal file goes to streetwise Valcourt
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper has tapped an experienced hand to take over the trouble-plagued Aboriginal Affairs ministry following the surprise resignation...
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New Aboriginal Affairs minister is a Mulroney-era veteran
(Ottawa) -- A New Brunswick MP who was a minister of state for Indian affairs during the Mulroney years has been tasked with steering the federal government through what...
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PM Harper shuffles cabinet to fill aboriginal affairs gap
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shuffled his cabinet a week after accepting the resignation of John Duncan as aboriginal affairs minister.
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UN panel hears natives’ complaints against Harper government
(Geneva) -- Twenty Canadian first nations have taken to the world stage to accuse the Harper government of violating the human rights of their people and of failing to...
2/20/2013
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Assembly of First Nations, RCMP co-operated on response to mass protests in 2007
(Canada) -- The Assembly of First Nations worked closely with the Mounties and provincial police to exchange information about protests and develop common stances before...
2/19/2013
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7 questions about First Nations accountability
(Canada) -- From Attawapiskat to Idle No More, when First Nations have been in the headlines this year, accountability issues have been prominent.
2/18/2013
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Northern leaders react to John Duncan's resignation
(Canada) -- Though leaders in the North are mixed on how effective John Duncan was as minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, some feel his resignation...
2/16/2013
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First Nations look to new minister
(Ottawa) -- Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has resigned from cabinet because of an inappropriate letter he sent to the Tax Court of Canada nearly two years ago...
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FSIN responds to minister resignation
(Saskatchewan) -- The chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) said he was surprised to learn the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs resigned yesterday.
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Native leaders: Federal minister’s resignation ‘shell game’
(Toronto) -- The surprise resignation of Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan is being met with cynicism among some First Nations leaders, who call it a diversion as...
2/15/2013
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Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan resigns over inappropriate letter
(Ottawa) -- Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has resigned from cabinet over an inappropriate letter he wrote to the Tax Court two years ago, a mistake seen as...
2/14/2013
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Chief of Ontario Stan Beardy Declines Queen's Jubilee Medal
(Ontario) -- Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy, like Anishinabek Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee a few weeks ago, has declined a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee...
2/11/2013
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Feds plan aboriginal agenda
(Canada) -- Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan says the Conservative government plans to pass legislation next year that will provide better educational standards...
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First Nations object to education proposal
(Saskatchewan) -- Protesters clashed with security outside a meeting room in Saskatoon where Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan had come to hear from educators,...
2/8/2013
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Aboriginal Housing Crisis in Canada Threatens to Explode
(Canada) -- When the housing crisis in Attawapiskat First Nation made headlines worldwide in October 2011 after the community declared a state of emergency, few had...
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Brazeau charged with assault and sex assault, released on bail
(Quebec) -- Sen. Patrick Brazeau was freed on bail Friday morning after being charged with assault and sexual assault. The charges stem from an incident at his home...
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Senator Patrick Brazeau crashes after years of boorish behaviour: Tim Harper
(Ottawa) -- Patrick Brazeau awoke one morning just before Christmas in 2008 to the news that he had won the lottery. Thursday, he sat in a Gatineau, Que., jail cell, the...
2/6/2013
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How does native funding work?
(British Columbia) -- The recent Idle No More protests, as well as Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence’s 45-day hunger strike, have raised awareness of native issues.
2/5/2013
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Brazeau says CTV “altered” recording of his speech
(Ottawa) -- Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau says a major television network “altered” a recording of his speech to make it appear he called Attawapiskat...
2/3/2013
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Harper government presses on with aboriginal agenda
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended his government’s aboriginal policies for a second straight day in question period as opposition leaders grilled...
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“No further meetings with the Prime Minister” Chief Isadore Day tells National Chief
(Canada) -- Fault lines continue to appear in the Assembly of First Nations after Serpent River Chief Isadore Day wrote National Chief Shawn Atleo Monday warning him to...
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Tim Harper: Tribunal will rule whether Ottawa retaliated against native rights’ advocate Cindy Blackstock
(Ottawa) -- Cindy Blackstock has spent more than five years trying to hold Ottawa accountable for a funding gap on the welfare of aboriginal children on reserves.
2/2/2013
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Spence’s protest shows need for reconciliation
(Canada) -- Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence officially ended her six-week fast on Thursday. People all over the country are acknowledging her determination to raise...
2/1/2013
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Ex-AFN national chief Mercredi blasts chiefs over divisions during closed-door meeting
(Manitoba) -- Tensions over Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo’s leadership spilled onto the floor of the 8th floor conference hall at the...
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Opposition hammers Harper government on First Nation issues
(Ottawa) -- It was “opposition day” in the House of Commons Thursday. And that means the opposition parties stepped up efforts to force the Stephen Harper...
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FRUM: The Hunger Strike Diet: You Don't Lose Weight AND You Accomplish Your Goal!
(USA) -- The hunger strike by Canadian aboriginal leader Theresa Spence - now just ended - may be the first hunger strike in history staged to prevent attention to the...
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OP/ED: Chief Theresa Spence's exceptional accomplishments
(Canada) -- In media time, it's been light years since Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence ended her 44-day fast last week. But beyond the dismissive attention span of...
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PMO silent on Brazeau, Galipeau comments about Spence, First Nations
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper so far has refused to address comments made this week by a member of his party and a Conservative senator he appointed that...
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Senator Patrick Brazeau goes after Spence again, but this time had company
(Ottawa) -- Two federal Conservatives decided to take shots at Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence at a Tory fundraiser in Ottawa Tuesday.
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Moving forward with devolution in the North
(Northwest Territories) -- The government of the Northwest Territories has been meeting with their federal counterparts in Ottawa this week.
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A Good Use of Heartbeats: An Interview With First Nations Activist Caleb Behn
(British Columbia) -- First Nations activist, attorney and writer Caleb Behn talks about the continuing colonial incursions into his Dene homeland in Northeastern...
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OP/ED: Canada has nothing to gain, much to lose by ignoring land rights of indigenous peoples
(British Columbia) -- Community hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline wrap up this week in Vancouver. As an international human rights organization with...
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Kaska First Nation wants veto rights of gas and oil developments on land
(Yukon) -- The Kaska First Nation is made up of three separate Nations in southeast Yukon. They are disappointed Premier Darrell Pasloski has rejected their offer to...
1/30/2013
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Harper government presses on with aboriginal agenda
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended his government’s aboriginal policies for a second straight day in question period as opposition leaders grilled...
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Alberta First Nations chiefs gather in Calgary to elect representative to AFN
(Calgary) -- First Nations chiefs from across Alberta will gather in Calgary on Thursday to elect a regional representative to the Assembly of First Nations.
1/29/2013
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Conservative press on with aboriginal strategy
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended his government's aboriginal policies for a second straight day in question period as opposition leaders grilled...
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OP/ED: Legislation must not erode aboriginal rights
(Canada) -- For almost 15 years, the federal Department of Justice has conducted a campaign to erode the constitutional and legal status of aboriginal and treaty rights...
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Island’s First Nations pushing back and seeking support from non-aboriginals
(Canada) -- The chief of the Lennox Island First Nation, Darlene Bernard, suggests opposition to the Federal government’s Bill C-45 amendments has the potential to...
1/28/2013
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Budget, First Nations, trade, pipeline politics will dominate Parliament: Hébert
(Ottawa) -- With a mid-term budget on the way, it is a no-brainer to expect Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to continue to do a lot of heavy lifting in the House of...
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Tories dig in on first-nations legislation
(Ottawa) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper defends the supports offered by his government to Canada’s first nations, and his House Leader says there will be no...
1/27/2013
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Struggling Native Tribes Press Canada to Act
(Ontario) -- Nestled amid an industrial complex nicknamed Chemical Valley, the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, one of Canada's many semiautonomous native tribes, has...
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Canadians want change on aboriginal policy, poll suggests
(Canada) -- Canadians want change on aboriginal policy, poll suggestsAn exclusive Nanos Research poll conducted for CBC News indicates more than half of Canadians feel...
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What Shawn Atleo wants from Stephen Harper: real change, real commitment
(Canada) -- Shawn Atleo relies on no small degree of understatement when he describes the most recent chapter of the relationship between first nations and the rest of...
1/25/2013
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First Nations leaders vow to keep pressure on government
(Canada) -- First Nations leaders vowed Thursday to keep up the pressure on the federal government, as Shawn Atleo returned to work following medical leave and Theresa...
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First nations undivided in desire for change, Atleo says
(Vancouver) -- The Assembly of First Nations' national chief says that any divisions in the aboriginal community are trumped by shared objectives, including ending...
1/24/2013
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Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence Hospitalized in Ottawa
(Ottawa) -- Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, who spent the past 44 days on a hunger strike, was taken to a local hospital in Ottawa, Canada late last night.
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Chief Spence admitted to hospital, remains on IV
(Ottawa) -- Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence may have officially ended her fast Thursday but Wednesday was admitted to hospital as a precaution and remains there on an...
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Chief Theresa Spence Ends Fast With 13-Point Declaration of Commitment to First Nations
(Ottawa) -- Before agreeing to end her six-week-long liquids-only fast, Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence and her supporters crafted a Declaration of...
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Spence and Robinson end fasts, call on Canadians to fix years of oppression
(Ottawa) -- The fast may be over, but the fight continues. That was the message delivered Thursday as Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and Elder Raymond Robinson...
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Spence surprises everyone at Ottawa hotel
(Ottawa) -- Chief Theresa Spence spent the night in hospital as a precaution after 44 days without eating solid food. By mid-afternoon Thursday, she surprised everyone...
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Students give their thoughts on Spence
(Nova Scotia) -- We went over to Dalhousie University in Halifax Thursday. We asked some students about what they though of Chief Theresa Spence ending her fast.
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Theresa Spence agrees to end hunger protest amid reports of ultimatum threat from Attawapiskat band
(Ottawa) -- Theresa Spence is set to end her six-week hunger protest Thursday morning, a spokesman for the Attawapiskat chief has confirmed.
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OP/ED: Great White Father knows best: On privilege, power and Chief Spence's hunger strike
(Toronto) -- Imagine, if you will, that there was a white man born of wealth and privilege sitting beside Rosa Parks on the bus that momentous first day of December in...
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Grand Chief Madahbee Declines Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal
(Canada) -- Citing the Crown’s refusal “to discuss the broken treaty relationship directly with First Nations representatives,” Anishinabek Nation...
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Canada’s dealings with First Nations unfair: former INAC deputy minister
(Canada) -- The Idle No More movement has led Scott Serson to rethink his time as deputy minister of Indian Affairs. “This has shaken my faith in our system. Our...
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Robinson doesn’t leave quietly
(Ottawa) -- Elder Raymond Robinson may have gone without solid food for weeks, but he had plenty of energy at a news conference in Ottawa Thursday.
1/22/2013
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Sask. economist says education, employment gaps hindering First Nations could lead to social upheaval
(Saskatchewan) -- The greatest problems facing Saskatchewan today are the education and employment gaps of aboriginal people that, if not addressed, will lead to social...
1/21/2013
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Blood Tribe debates next step
(British Columbia) -- Filled with hope after a recent meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Blood Tribe chief and council are working with the Blackfoot...
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Natives are under-represented in Parliament – and for women and youth, it’s even worse
(Canada) -- Canada’s aboriginals have made their voices heard over the last few weeks. But do they have the numbers to have their voices heard in the House of...
1/20/2013
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BLOG: Chief Spence decries Harper’s “paternalistic relationship” with Aboriginals
(Canada) -- Chief Spencer to Harper: We don't want a paternalistic relationship, but a “Nation to Nation” meeting because We are Sovereign Nations.
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Buckingham Palace rejects appeal to intervene in Chief Spence's protest: letter
(Ottawa) -- The Queen has rejected an appeal to intervene in Chief Theresa Spence's liquids-only protest, but says she is taking "careful note" of concerns...
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Pleas to Top Canadian Officials Urged on Chief Spence's Behalf
(Ottawa) -- In what may be the beginning to a tragic end of life for Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, information coming from an unnamed source tells Native News...
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Two First Nations Challenge Constitutionality of Bill C-45
(Alberta) -- Two Alberta, Canada, First Nations have applied for Judicial Review of the federal government’s omnibus bills C-38 and C-45, claiming that they should...
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Conservative MP Clarke says everyone agrees Indian Act should go
(Saskatchewan) -- Northern Saskatchewan Conservative MP Rob Clarke introduced a private members bill last year proposing changes to the Indian Act.
1/19/2013
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Queen Elizabeth II Defers to Canadian Feds on Chief Theresa Spence's Fast
(Ottawa) -- Queen Elizabeth’s office has written a letter to a supporter of Chief Theresa Spence deferring to the federal cabinet when it comes to intervening in...
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OP/ED: Five ideas to help Canada’s indigenous people
(Ottawa) -- Many of the problems facing Canada’s indigenous people are longstanding, serious and seemingly intractable. Still, almost two-thirds of Canadians want...
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Devolution of the North: Part 2
(Northwest Territories) -- The debate over devolution in the Northwest Territories is a highly contentious issue, one that has split the territory’s First Nations.
1/18/2013
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AFN hands Ottawa a draft action plan on resource-revenue sharing, education
(Ottawa) -- The Assembly of First Nations wants Canada’s natives to have a seat at the table during equalization talks, greater opportunities for resource-revenue...
1/17/2013
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Not ready to push Atleo out, Manitoba chief says
(Manitoba) -- A rumoured movement to unseat National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Shawn Atleo is being denied — at least for now — by a Manitoba...
1/15/2013
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Scrap Indian Act, taxpayers federation urges Ottawa
(Manitoba) -- The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the federal government to end the Indian Act and give First Nations full control over their land. The...
1/13/2013
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Rift opens among chiefs as some attack Atleo for meeting Harper
(Ottawa) -- A B.C. aboriginal leader has denounced chiefs who publicly questioned the leadership of Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo on Friday.
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Theresa Spence Walks Out of Governor General Meeting, Continues Fasting
(Ottawa) -- First Nations were split over the effectiveness of meetings between their leaders, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a later gathering with Governor General...
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SATIRE: First Nations audit of Federal Government reveals billions in mismanaged funds
(Ottawa) -- The Canadian Government has been mismanaging funds for over 140 years according to a damaging audit commissioned by the First Nations released this morning.
1/12/2013
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Canadian authorities must start meaningful dialogue with aboriginal leaders – UN expert
(United Nations) -- A United Nations independent expert today urged the Canadian Government to establish a meaningful dialogue with the country’s aboriginal...
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Harper gives illusion of consultation with First Nations: Activist
(Canada) -- Thousands of Aboriginal rights activists protested in front of Canada’s Parliament as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and First Nations chiefs...
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Court rules Metis, off-reserve aboriginals qualify as 'Indians'
(Canada) -- The Federal Court ruled Tuesday that Metis and non-status Indians qualify as "Indians" under the Constitution Act of 1867, and therefore fall under...
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Metis and non-status Indians are ‘Indians’ court rules
(Canada) -- Metis and non-status Indians are in fact “Indians” under the Constitution Act a federal court ruled Tuesday. Which means they are the...
1/11/2013
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Defining who is Indian: A confusing question of identity and belonging
(Canada) -- On the one hand it looks like a mere change in definition: the expansion of a category – Indian – that most Canadians, including Indians...
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Métis office in Saskatchewan swamped with calls
(Saskatchewan) -- A landmark court decision dealing with who should be considered an Indian, under the Constitution, has led to a flood of calls to the Métis Nation -...
1/10/2013
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Atleo to take chiefs’ case to Harper in eleventh hour attempt to salvage Friday’s meeting
(Ottawa) -- Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo was expected to make an eleventh hour attempt to convince Prime Minister Stephen Harper that a larger...
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GG to host “ceremonial meeting” with chiefs Friday
(Ottawa) -- Moments after Manitoba chiefs stated during an Ottawa press conference they would not participate in a planned meeting Friday with the prime minister unless...
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Lack of trust heading into Harper’s meeting with First Nation leaders
(Ottawa) -- Despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreeing to meet with First Nation leaders this Friday there is still a lack of a trust that is prolonging protests.
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First Nations Resources: Chiefs Vow To Block Projects If Ottawa Doesn't Play Fair
(Ottawa) -- They can — and they will. If the chiefs and protesters making noise across Canada have a common message for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, it's...
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Two First Nations Taking Ottawa To Court, Arguing They Weren't Consulted Over Bill That Could Affect Treaty Rights
(Ottawa) -- Ottawa is facing a new challenge from this country's aboriginal people. Two First Nations from Alberta are taking the federal government to court, over...
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Federal government trying to silence Aboriginal media in the North: CKLB
(Northwest Territories) -- The largest Aboriginal broadcaster in the Northwest Territories is accusing the federal government of trying to shut down Aboriginal media in...
1/9/2013
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One quarter of Canada's First Nations are under financial scrutiny by feds
(Ottawa) -- One-quarter of Canada's First Nations bands are under some kind of financial supervision ordered by the federal government, suggesting issues with money...
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After court ruling, officials expect to be ‘swamped’ with people claiming Métis heritage and benefits
(Canada) -- Now that the Federal Court has ruled that Métis enjoy First Nations rights, a fresh question is emerging: Exactly who are the Métis?
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Dwight Newman: Of aboriginals, Métis, First Nations, Inuit and Indians (status-holding and otherwise)
(Canada) -- The reaction to this week’s Daniels decision from the Federal Court — which extends federal jurisdiction to Métis and non-status Indians —...
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Métis court decision significant for Saskatchewan: Wall
(Saskatchewan) -- The impact of a federal court decision to classify Métis as Indians is significant for Saskatchewan, according to the premier of the province.
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Number of recognized aboriginal people should double, court rules
(Ottawa) -- The number of constitutionally recognized aboriginal people in Canada should double, the Federal Court of Canada has ruled in a judgment saying Métis and...
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NWT Premier Speaks Out About Federal Court Ruling
(North Canada) -- The decision to classify Metis and non-status natives as Indians by the federal court should not affect the NWT.
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OP/ED: What the Métis decision means for Canada
(Canada) -- The Government of Canada will spend about $250-billion on all of its programs in 2013-2014. Put that in the context of the assertion made by a lawyer...
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Walkom: Why the court’s Métis decision is wrong
(Canada) -- This week’s federal court decision on Métis and non-status Indians has opened a Pandora’s box.
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Who are the Métis and non-status Indians?
(Canada) -- The ruling by the Federal Court declaring Métis and non-status Indians as “Indians” under the Constitution Act of 1867 carries the potential for...
1/7/2013
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Education reform to trump property rights in first-nations talks with Tories
(Ottawa) -- The Conservative government is making education reform the dominant priority in native affairs in 2013, at the expense of reforms to property rights.
1/3/2013
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B.C, Ottawa ordered to pay costs in land claims case
(British Columbia) -- A B.C. First Nation that won a partial victory last year in a long-standing land claims case will have some of its legal bills paid for by the...
12/31/2012
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Harper highlights relationship with First Nations in year-end statement
(Ottawa) -- As Idle No More protests continue, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has pointed to Ottawa’s relationship with First Nations in a year-end statement...
12/23/2012
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BLOG: The Indian Act in plain English
(Canada) -- The Indian Act is a sweeping piece of legislation that afffects all status and many non-status Indians in Canada. While this legislation has defined...
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Canada First Nations Facing Critical Situation with Harper Government
(Ottawa) -- This letter was part of a release issued on Sunday by the Assembly of First Nations by National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo: On behalf of the National...
12/20/2012
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Aboriginal leaders to protest in Ottawa
(Ottawa) -- Aboriginal leaders are set to march through the streets of Ottawa today after meeting with a chief who is on a hunger-strike.
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Idle No More members march in Montreal to protest omnibus bill
(Montreal) -- Dozens of members of the Kahnawake Mohawk community blocked traffic today in Montreal as part of the national Idle No More movement, in protest of a...
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First Nations protests set for Millbrook, causeway
(Nova Scotia) -- Motorists will be idling today near Millbrook and the Canso Causeway as Idle No More protests hit Nova Scotia highways.
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OP/ED: Quiet Theresa Spence has mobilized a nation
(Canada) -- Whether by accident or design, Theresa Spence has come to symbolize the broken relationship between Canada's aboriginal leaders and its federal...
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Thousands take over Saskatoon mall for Idle No More protest
(Saskatoon) -- There were periodic eruptions of cheers and yelps as a massive group of protesters shutdown parts of the Midtown Plaza. People held hands as they danced...
12/19/2012
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First nations protests push for ‘reckoning’
(Canada) -- First nations protests that are sweeping the country are a “call to action” and Canada must pay heed to indigenous peoples in ways it never has...
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For first nations, a season of righteous indignation takes hold
(Canada) -- ‘Now is the winter of our discontent.” Those are the opening words of Shakespeare’s Richard III, a play about a profoundly unhappy man...
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Aboriginal Rights on the line in Bill C-45
(Canada) -- First Nations communities are up in arms over the Prime Minister's latest omnibus Bill C-45, which will become law in 2013.
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Sask. 'Idle No More' bus bound for Ottawa rally
(Ottawa) -- A busload of people concerned about federal legislation affecting the environment is setting out from Regina to join a rally of other 'Idle No More'...
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Sask. Idle No More supporters en route to Ottawa
(Saskatchewan) -- When the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo made a national call for action, Saskatchewan answered.
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Protest movement goes beyond First Nations community
(Ontario) -- Theresa Spence gets dizzy if she walks mo re than a few steps. The Attawapiskat chief is getting weaker as her hunger strike is in its second week, but...
12/18/2012
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'Idle No More' campaign arrives at downtown Regina mall
(Saskatchewan) -- A downtown Regina shopping mall was the venue for what was described as flash-mob style of protest, part of the 'Idle No More' that seeks to...
12/16/2012
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Bill C-45 passes through Senate; to become law
(Ottawa) -- The federal government’s omnibus Bill C-45 passed through Senate today which is a main thorn in the side of all the First Nation peoples gathered in...
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BLOG: Indigenous ‘Idle No More' Movement Sweeps Canada
(Canada) -- Thousands of people across Canada mobilized Monday, 10 December 2012 under the banner “Idle No More” to protest the effects of current and...
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Mikisew Cree First Nation Challenges Bill C-45
(Alberta) -- Chief Steve Courtoreille and the Council of Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) are proud to announce their unwavering opposition to Bill C-45 (Jobs and Growth...
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As AFN pushes for Harper meeting, Attawapiskat Chief Spence says Crown needs to be involved
(Ontario) -- The Assembly of First Nations is trying to organize a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and First Nations leaders in the New Year which is one...
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First Nations “war drums” will “ring loudly” if Attawapiskat Chief Spence dies: Nepinak
(Ottawa) -- The “long silent war drums” of First Nations people will pound again if Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence dies from her hunger strike, says the...
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Aboriginals step up protests
(Saskatchewan) -- Emil Bell drove two hours from his home in Saskatchewan to the Cole Bay First Nation on Tuesday to ask for his daughter's permission to die.
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