Manitoba NationTalk

Manitoba First Nation sues three levels of government over lack of flood protection – National Observer

April 25th 2024

A Manitoba First Nation that has suffered from chronic flooding is suing three levels of government for failing to provide adequate protection over decades.

Peguis First Nation filed a statement of claim Wednesday that alleges the federal and Manitoba governments failed to protect the community from frequent flooding that damaged homes and forced evacuations.

“Over the course of its history on the reserve land, Peguis has been flooded repeatedly and severely due to natural and man-made causes without the plaintiff receiving any or any meaningful protection, remediation or compensation,” the document says.

The lawsuit also alleges two nearby municipalities diverted water from their areas to improve drainage, but in a way that added to flooding on the reserve’s land.

The lawsuit contains allegations that have not been proven in court, and the defendants have not yet filed statements of defence.

AMC Calls for Removal of Trustee Member from Mountain View School Division Over Racist Remarks, Demands Public Apology

April 24, 2024

Treaty One Territory – The Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is calling for the prompt removal of Paul Coffey from the Mountain View School Division Board of Trustees following a slew of racist and discriminatory remarks he made during a Public Board meeting earlier this week.

“Paul Coffey’s remarks demonstrate a deep ignorance that is counterproductive to the goals of reconciliation,” said Grand Chief Cathy Merrick. “Continuing to provide a platform for someone with such profoundly racist beliefs is as irresponsible as it is violent, and this rhetoric has no place in any public education system.”

Throughout the board meeting, Paul Coffey made several comments encouraging the use of derogatory language when describing First Nations people, referring to First Nations as ‘Indians’ or ‘red savages.’ Coffey also voiced his support of the residential school and day school systems, claiming these institutions were of great benefit to First Nations. Further, Coffey vehemently opposed efforts by the school board to fight racism, such as the public display of gender-inclusive signs and treaty land acknowledgements.

Beyond removing Paul Coffey from the Mountain View School Division Board of Trustees, the AMC is demanding the province provide First Nations-led anti-racism training to all members of the provincial education system. There is no excuse for Paul Coffey to have said those statements, and it brings to question the integrity of the board in attendance for allowing such rhetoric to be displayed without challenge.

“School board trustees play a significant role in the overall direction and policies for a school division,” continued Grand Chief Merrick. “Their actions and words become policy, their beliefs become echoed in hallways of our schools, and this can deeply impact students and staff. Those in positions of authority within the education system must be committed to fostering an environment of respect, understanding, and inclusivity.”

The AMC believes removing Paul Coffey is necessary to ensure that the Mountain View School Division upholds these values. Furthermore, we would expect a public apology from Paul Coffey to fully acknowledge the gravity of his remarks and the harm they have caused and an apology from the Mountain View School Division for allowing and supporting this hateful presentation to go unchallenged.

“Beyond his removal, myself, and every First Nations person in the province of Manitoba and across Turtle Island deserves a public apology. Enough is enough. It is 2024, and First Nations people will no longer tolerate such ignorance. We demand accountability and respect and will not settle for anything less.”

For more information, please contact:

Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com

About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba, with a total of more than 151,000 First Nation citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anishininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) peoples.

NT4

Jury selection begins for Winnipeg trial of man accused of killing four women – Winnipeg Sun

Apr 25, 2024

The partial remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a garbage bin and at a city-run landfill in the spring of 2022.

Police have said they believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are at a different, privately owned landfill outside the city.

A fourth unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Buffalo Woman has not been found and police have not said where her remains might be.

Countrywide protests were held after police said they would not search the Prairie Green landfill for Harris and Myran, but last month the federal and Manitoba governments committed $40 million for a search.

The trial is scheduled to start next week and is to run for six weeks.

Peguis seeks $1 billion in lawsuit over flood damages – Winnipeg Sun

Apr 24, 2024

A Manitoba First Nation has filed a lawsuit seeking $1 billion in damages from chronic flooding and the displacement of its people.

“This is about the repeated mistreatment of our people and promises that were never fulfilled,” Bird said in a phone interview Wednesday morning. “I don’t think there is any other segment of the population or any other community in Manitoba or possibly in Canada that has had to experience this repeatedly.”

On Tuesday, the Peguis First Nation announced they have filed a claim in the Court of King’s Bench seeking $1 billion in total damages from the government of Canada, Manitoba’s provincial government, and the RMs of Fisher, and Bifrost-Riverton.

According to the lawsuit, between 1966 and 2021, forestland upstream from Peguis, a community located more than 150 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has been converted to farmland, and wetlands have been drained, and those land use changes have led to a “30% rise in flood peaks at Peguis.”

In the spring of 2022, Peguis experienced what was described as a “devastating” flood when water from the Fisher River spilled its banks and flooded the community. More than 1,900 residents were evacuated, and many were forced to live in hotel rooms in Winnipeg and in other southern Manitoba communities.

Dominating the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships: What Makes Manitoba So Strong?

April 24, 2024

The 2023 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) was a memorable tournament for Team Manitoba Male, where they captured Gold in front of home fans in the event’s host city of Winnipeg. There were many talented players on the team, some of whom will return for NAHC 2024 in Grande Prairie, while others have moved on to new hockey challenges. This article will unpack where each 2023 Team Manitoba player is today, which will help explain how the team was so dominant in a national setting.

Returning Players (10):

Ian Buors (F) – U18 AAA + MJHL
Maxx Hamelin (F) – U18 AAA + MJHL
Marlen Edwards (F) – MJHL
Peyton Allard (F) – MJHL
Hubert Clarke (D) – U17 AAA + U18 AAA
Ayden Collins (D) – U17 AAA + MJHL
Tavon McCorrister (D) – MJHL
Gage Sutherland (D) – MJHL
Luke Wagner (D) – MJHL
Mariko Bercier (G) – SMAAAHL

Most returning players spent 2024 in Manitoba’s Junior “A” league, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), one of the best hockey opportunities for young hockey players in Manitoba, while some played AAA hockey or a mix of both AAA and the MJHL. Thinking back to the 2023 Team Manitoba Male team, that roster had a great mix of older and younger players, with six 2005s, eight 2006s, and seven 2007s. This set the team up well for this year’s tournament, where 2006s-2008s can play, allowing multiple returnees to enter Grande Prairie with valuable past tournament experience. Among these players, 2023 NAHC Top Forward Award winner Marlen Edwards returns after posting 35 points in 55 MJHL games as a 17-year-old rookie. Players such as Ian Buors, Maxx Hamelin, and Hubert Clarke should get more of the spotlight at the 2024 NAHC with others graduating and moving on to other hockey opportunities. Goaltender Mariko Bercier returns after going 4-0 at the 2023 NAHC, looking to go back-to-back with another competitive roster in front of him.

Graduates (6):

Ben Roulette (F) – MJHL
Carter Campbell (F) – SJHL
Carter Zalischuk (F) – MJHL
Cole Robertson (F) – NAHL
Dawson Andries (F) – MJHL
Darian Sinclair (D) – KJHL

Most 2005-born graduates played Junior “A” level hockey or better this season, with players like Ben Roulette putting up significant numbers against Junior “A” competition. Specifically, Roulette had 49 points in 50 games as an 18-year-old in the MJHL this year with Wayayseecappo, which ranked him 19th in league scoring. Players with stats like Ben Roulette may play for a competitive college or university following their junior careers because of their impressive statistical profile. While the MJHL is a lower-tiered league compared to “Major Junior” leagues like the Western Hockey League (WHL), there are talented MJHL hockey players who move on to leagues like the WHL and other high-level opportunities each year.

High-Level Players not returning:

Hayden Paupanekis – WHL
Jett Lajoie – WHL

Two of 2023 NAHC Champion Team Manitoba’s key forwards were Hayden Paupanekis and Jett Lajoie, where Paupanekis had 12 points in 6 NAHC games as the #1 centre for the team, and Jett Lajoie had 8 points in 6 NAHC games in a ‘top-six winger’ role. Both players have since moved on to the top junior hockey league in western Canada, the WHL. Pauapnekis played for the Spokane Chiefs this season, putting up 20 points in 61 games as a 16-year-old rookie. Lajoie played for the Prince George Cougars, putting up 10 points in 60 games as a 16-year-old rookie himself. Born one day apart, these two players will both be 17 going into next season, meaning that they still have another year before their NHL draft year. Having each played a full season for their WHL team at age 16 is impressive since very few hockey players get that opportunity. Team Manitoba was fortunate to have Paupanekis and Lajoie on the 2023 team, and since they have moved on to Major Junior hockey, their team’s seasons will likely continue until May, making them unable to play in the 2024 NAHC. They will be missed, but Team Manitoba is so proud of them for their accomplishments so far and we are excited to see them continue their WHL journeys as they work towards careers in professional hockey.

Conclusion

Overall, it is clear that the 2023 Team Manitoba hockey team was full of talented players, as a large portion of that team has since gone on to play Junior “A” level hockey, with two players playing in the WHL this season. As we look towards the 2024 roster in Grande Prairie, 10 returning players will have a chance to “defend the crown” along with some new faces. Time will tell on the success of this year’s Team Manitoba athletes, but many promising pieces to this year’s team could end up in high-level hockey leagues one year later, just as we unpacked here for the 2023 roster, in their “NAHC+1”.

The 2024 NAHC tournament begins in Grande Prairie on May 6th – make sure to stay connected via MASRC socials and the NAHC 2024 website to watch the future of Indigenous hockey!

Written by Nick Lacoste.

NT5

‘Strides made, challenges remain’ to provide drinking water in Manitoba – The Graphic Leader

Apr 24, 2024

This comes more than two years after a court ordered the federal government to put aside billions to bring safe drinking water to First Nations communities.

“I received overwhelming direct testimonies about harsh living conditions in the Reserves where First Nations have historically been forced to live and where, in many cases, not even their right to drinking water is guaranteed,” UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation Pedro Arrojo Agudo said on Friday in Ottawa.

Last week, a tour of Canada took Arrojo Agudo to stops across the country and included meetings with Indigenous people, government officials, and civil society groups to examine “issues of concern” in Canada related to safe drinking water and sanitation in Indigenous communities.

AMC Renews Call for Enhanced Cultural Sensitivity Training in Healthcare Following Tragic Death of Indigenous Woman

April 23, 2024

Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is renewing its call for the province to work with First Nations Leadership to administer enhanced cultural sensitivity training for healthcare professionals across the province. This call to action comes a day after the daughter of Jean Kemash filed a statement of claim alleging her mother’s race played a role in negligent medical care that caused her death. Jean Kemash, a 68-year-old Indigenous woman, died at Winnipeg’s Grace Hospital in 2022.

“First Nations’ lived experiences of racial bias and systemic racism within healthcare institutions raise urgent questions about the equitable treatment of First Nations patients and the disproportionate impact of systemic racism and practitioner prejudice on their health outcomes,” said AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

Such allegations underscore broader concerns about the quality of healthcare provided to First Nations in Manitoba and across Canada. In fact, just last year, the college that regulates Manitoba’s physicians apologized for its current and historical failure to respond to indigenous-specific racism in the medical profession. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba said its responsibility also extends to the racist actions and inactions perpetuated by physicians, residents, medical students, clinical assistants, and physician assistants.

The loss of Jean Kemash serves as a stark reminder of the persistent barriers faced by First Nations citizens in accessing culturally safe and dignified healthcare services. “First Nations experience the consequences of institutionalized racism when trying to access services in provincial health systems. Look at the case of Brian Sinclair, an indigenous man who died at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre in 2008 or that of Joyce Echequan, an Atikamekw woman in Quebec. Across the country, healthcare professionals are quite literally ignoring our people to death,” continued Grand Chief Merrick.

“Reconciliation demands that the province and health authorities collaborate with First Nations Leadership to confront and dismantle these systemic barriers to transform Manitoba’s health system into one that upholds the dignity and self-identified rights of First Nations. That is the standard that I expect.”

The AMC remains dedicated to advocating for justice, accountability, and meaningful reforms within the healthcare system to ensure the well-being and survival of all First Nations seeking care in provincial healthcare systems.

For more information, please contact:

Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com

About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anisininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) peoples.

NT4

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Response to 2024 Federal Budget

April 23, 2024

Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, Mb – Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. Response to 2024 Federal Budget. On April 16, 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Canada released the 2024 federal budget, themed “Fairness for Every Generation”. Overall, the 2024 federal budget allocated a total of $9 billion towards Indigenous programs and services across Canada over the next five years.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) Grand Chief Garrison Settee states “while federal spending has increased, I am mindful that fiscal allocations also reflect the ongoing class action law, such that include Indian Residential Schools settlement, boil water advisories and the recent child welfare settlement which has earmarked approximately $23 billion”.

MKO Grand Chief states, “the Trudeau government had previously missed all budgetary targets for Indigenous spending, so the increase in this budget reflects the ongoing gaps that can no longer be ignored. I am very pleased to see fiscal commitment to addressing emergency management. The MKO region continues to see the impacts of climate change, we are having longer and drier summers that have increased the risk of wildfires and have seen more community wide evacuations.

I am also pleased with the allocation of $5 billion in loan guarantees for natural resources and energy projects that will be available to First Nation communities. Economic reconciliation is dependent on the ability of First Nations to build infrastructure to support investment projects. However, acquiring capital to advance projects remains a roadblock for many First Nations led projects. This loan program should create pathways for First Nations to create sustainable, revenue generating projects for future generations.”

The federal budget also announced significant health funding of $369 million over three years. The plan is to hire 400 additional doctors, 300 more nurses, 200 paramedics and 100 home care workers. Grand Chief Settee states, “the challenge with this plan is to ensure health professionals are well versed in anti-racism practices. In Manitoba, we have been working diligently to address Indigenous-specific racism in health care. I would also like to know what the allocation to federal nursing stations would be, many First Nations in the north continue to struggle with nursing and physician shortages. I can’t remember when any of our nursing stations had a full complement of staff.”

In addition to an increase in health staff, Grand Chief Settee was disappointed with the investments in mental health and substance use. Grand Chief Settee states “$150 million over three years is not sufficient for the ongoing crisis of substance use. Many First Nations have declared states of emergencies due to substance use; we will have to work closely with government to ensure resources and services extend to First Nation communities.”

MKO has a robust justice program with both provincial and federal partners supporting MKO’s Whole of Government Response. Grand Chief Settee states, “I am very pleased to see this government continue to support the important and innovative work MKO has been undertaking in partnership with both federal and provincial governments”.

An area of concern for Grand Chief Settee is with the housing and infrastructure allocation. Grand Chief Settee states, “the housing and infrastructure gap remains wide and there does not appear to be a definitive pathway to address the widening gap. The theme of “Fairness for Every Generation” does not and will not meet the housing needs of current or future generations. Our First Nations will continue to feel the housing burdens and homelessness will continue to increase in First Nations.”

MKO is pleased with the $63 million investment earmarked for Remote Passenger Rail Program. Several MKO communities still rely on railway for transportation and are in dire need of repair. This investment will contribute to economic stability for Indigenous-owned rail lines.

Furthermore, the federal budget includes funding for economic development initiatives, job training programs, and skills development opportunities for Indigenous youth and adults in the MKO region. These investments aim to create economic opportunities, reduce unemployment rates, and empower individuals to build sustainable livelihoods within their communities.

Overall, the 2024 federal budget demonstrates a commitment to addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by First Nations citizens living within the MKO region. Through targeted investments in health, education, housing, and economic development, the budget aims to improve the quality of life and well-being of Indigenous communities in northern Manitoba. However, ongoing collaboration and partnership with Indigenous leaders and communities will be essential in ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of these initiatives.

We will provide more in-depth reaction to each of the spending areas such as health, Jordan’s Principle, MMIWG and more in the days to come.

For more information:

Naomi Clarke, MKO Communications
Email: naomi.clarke@mkonorth.com
Web: https://mkonation.com/

NT4

The man acquitted in the death of Tina Fontaine is dead, and Indigenous leaders react – CityNews

Reports are circling, that Raymond Cormier has died, about two hours east of Winnipeg in Kenora, with area Indigenous leaders reacting to the news. Mitchell Ringos reports.

Portage la Prairie Mayor outlines vision for City’s future in address – The Graphic Leader

Apr 23, 2024

Mayor Sharilyn Knox recently addressed the citizens of Portage la Prairie, highlighting some of the city’s accomplishments and outlining a comprehensive vision for the city’s future in the State of the City Address