Chief says infrastructure drive could trigger another Idle No More protest movement
OTTAWA - A First Nations chief is warning that Canada is 'staring down the barrel' of another wave of protests like the Idle No More movement if governments pursue 'national interest' projects without their input and consent.
Anishinabek Nation Regional Chief Scott McLeod has joined Indigenous leaders from across the country who say they're alarmed by government efforts to accelerate infrastructure development.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Opposition MPs add call for a spring economic update to throne speech
OTTAWA – Government whip Mark Gerretsen insists nothing went wrong with a throne speech sub-amendment vote that now calls on the government to table an economic update before Parliament breaks for the summer. The Liberals were defeated 166 to 164 Monday evening after four Liberal MPs did not vote because of paired abstentions. 'Paired abstentions' happen when parties agree to have a member sit out a vote because someone from another party is not able to attend. The sub-amendment, tabled by interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer, adds a passage to the throne speech that calls for some kind of spring economic update. It also says that update should include the government's plan to 'unleash Canada's economic potential' and explain how it will respect provincial jurisdiction and Indigenous rights. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon says this is a non-binding motion and the vote that really matters is the confidence motion tomorrow on adopting the throne speech. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wildfire forces more out in Saskatchewan, hotels open up for Manitoba evacuees
Winnipeg hotels were opening up Monday to evacuees who fled their homes due to raging wildfires, while to the west in Saskatchewan thousands more were ordered to flee. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued an alert late Monday afternoon saying the northern town of La Ronge had ordered an evacuation as fire had breached its airport. The agency said flames were fast moving and that people in the community of 2,500, as well as anyone within 20 kilometres, including nearby Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, had to leave immediately. The blaze was listed as 836 square kilometres in size. Earlier in the day in Saskatoon, where Canada's premiers and the prime minister were meeting, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said all of Canada has come together to help out the Prairie provinces. 'Many others around this table are consistently reaching out to the three of us to offer resources,' he said before the meeting. More than 8,000 Saskatchewan residents were already out of their homes due to fires before the order was made for the La Ronge area. As of Monday, 18 fires were burning in Saskatchewan, with seven of them not contained. In Manitoba, more than 17,000 people have been displaced since last week, including 5,000 residents of Flin Flon near the Saskatchewan boundary. Emergency centres were set up as available hotel rooms in cities have been scarce. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said some 1,000 hotel rooms were being made available for evacuees in Winnipeg. 'Nobody wants to sleep on a cot for more than a day or two, even in an emergency,' Kinew said. 'We're connecting folks who need those enhanced accessibility supports first and then broadening it out to everybody else who needs help, too.' Some residents from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, east of Flin Flon, were taken to hotels in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Sunday. About 600 more were expected to land there Monday. 'This has been a harrowing experience for many of our people. But at the end of the day, it's all about saving lives. It's all about keeping people safe,' said Grand Chief Garrison Settee with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an advocacy group representing some northern First Nations in the province. Efforts to get First Nations evacuees out of Manitoba are being spearheaded by Xpera, a firm offering various security and evacuation support services. Settee said the company is handling buses, flights and hotel accommodations. Higher courts in Manitoba and Saskatchewan were also to meet this week in Winnipeg for a conference, but it was cancelled to make hotel spaces available to evacuees. The fire threatening Flin Flon began a week ago across the boundary in Saskatchewan and had grown to 400 square kilometres. Crews have said the fire was contained to outside the community's perimeter highway. Residents were ordered out Wednesday in an evacuation that Flin Flon local Derek Kemp called 'immediate and hectic.' A longtime musician, Kemp rounded up his guitars, amplifiers and a hard drive with 20 years' worth of music he couldn't leave behind. He watched the fire grow in the days leading up to the evacuation. 'I just remember seeing a little bit of black smoke,' he said. 'And then the next day, when I woke up, it was just giant plumes of smoke.' Manitoba RCMP said evacuation efforts were completed in Flin Flon and surrounding areas, Lynn Lake and Pimicikamak, Mathias Colomb and Tataskweyak Cree Nations. Manitoba reported 25 active wildfires Sunday. Officials said rain on Monday, while welcome, was 'not enough to contribute towards wildfire suppression efforts.' Kinew said support his province has received from other jurisdictions is appreciated but Canada needs to scale up its firefighting capabilities. 'As a nation, we're going to have to contend with future fire seasons being more and more like this,' he said. 'We could use every water bomber we can get our hands on.' Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her province has seen nearly 5,000 people evacuated. There were 26 fires there listed as out-of-control. The province experienced shifting winds, so some fire crews sent elsewhere have been called home, Smith said. 'With so many communities facing evacuation … we've got to be able to respond in a way that is going to be rapid.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. — With files from Lisa Johnson, Aaron Sousa and Jack Farrell in Edmonton, and Sharif Hassan in Toronto
Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Carney meets the realities of governing + RCMP probes potential war crimes in Israel-Hamas conflict
Good morning. This is the Tuesday, June 3 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. There's a running club for almost everyone in the city — Black runners, women, dog owners — but there are none quite like the Ravers Run Club. And here's the latest on what happened at the first ministers meeting, Markham seniors who are being hit with expensive repair fees and an RCMP probe into potential war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS The first ministers agreed on 'nation-building' priorities, but First Nations raised alarms The Assembly of First Nations warned there's not enough time for consultations. Catch up here. First Nations infrastructure critical but not nation-building: minister Liberal government legislation to further tighten Canada-U.S. border expected today The RCMP is probing potential war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict The RCMP launched the investigation quietly in early 2024. Here's everything we know. Gaza officials say Israeli forces killed 27 heading to aid site. Israel says it fired near suspects. These seniors bought 'life leases.' Now they might owe money for repairs Wyndham Gardens Apartments residents said the roof repair was never supposed to be their responsibility. Deadline looms for Toronto pilot program providing air conditioning to low-income seniors Toronto Fire ordered their landlords to comply with the fire code. Now, these tenants fear losing their affordable rentals for good WHAT ELSE Photos from one of two scathing auditor's reports on the city's parks department. Toronto Auditor General The city and the head of its beleaguered parks division parted ways. Here's what lies ahead. Edward Keenan: Toronto is messy. That might be the best thing about it. A man died in an accident at a Metrolinx rail yard in Mississauga yesterday. Here's what we know so far. Closing arguments are expected next week in the Hockey Canada trial. Catch up on what happened yesterday. It's Pride Month in Toronto. Here's what you need to know. Max Mosher: Pride is under attack making this year's events as important as ever. Recruiters spend an average of eight seconds reading a resume. Here's how to make yours stand out. 'Anne of Green Gables' has a new adaptation at the Stratford Festival. Here's our critic's review. Gregor Chisholm: Two steps forward, two steps back: Will the real Blue Jays please stand up? Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have Raptors fans wondering what might've been. Not much, Bruce Arthur writes. The Rink Hole will be shorter, and probably sweeter, at this year's RBC Canadian Open. Easton Cowan isn't about to replace Mitch Marner, but he has what the Leafs are looking for. POV Here is the truth about Alberta's myth that it's ignored by the federal government. CLOSE UP Shahyrya Rafiei dances to electronic music in Trinity Bellwoods Park. Nick Lachance Toronto Star TRINITY BELLWOODS: Shahyrya Rafiei dances to electronic music in Trinity Bellwoods Park. 'I did a 75 km bike ride and found this on my way home!' Rafiei said. The Sunday event was hosted by Family Beats, which runs afternoon dance parties in the park. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
