Latest news with #Alty
Hamilton Spectator
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Minister meets with Kahnawake Council
Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo said he feels hopeful about the future relationship between the community and Rebecca Alty, the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, after a successful introductory meeting this week. 'I think overall the meeting went really well, the minister was really engaged, she had a lot of questions and was wanting to really figure it out, and echoed the same things as us,' Diabo said. Alty is non-Indigenous but hails from the Northwest Territories and served as the 15th mayor of Yellowknife until this year. She was appointed to the office of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs in May, taking over from minister Gary Anandasangaree, who had held the office after Marc Miller under Justin Trudeau's leadership as prime minister. Mark Carney, who was elected to the office of prime minister in March, shuffled Anandasangaree to Public Safety, making Alty the first-ever full cabinet minister with a named portfolio to be from the Northwest Territories. Alec Wilson, a representative for Alty's office, said that the minister was 'grateful' to participate in the meeting. 'The minister looks forward to staying engaged and working together as partners in the weeks and months to come,' Wilson said. Diabo said several topics were discussed, including the topic of negotiations for the Seigneury of Sault St. Louis, and the need for better communication between the federal government and the MCK. 'I really liked the sense that with fresh eyes, maybe she can see something that the others didn't. So there's a lot of hopes right now, it was a really great meeting,' he said. He said that he also took the opportunity to express his discontentment with the recently passed Bill C-5, now known as The Building Canada Act. The Act seeks to fast-track major infrastructure projects, but several communities across Turtle Island, including Kahnawake, have expressed concern that rushing through projects might come at the expense of Indigenous rights. Diabo was in Ottawa on Thursday to meet with federal leadership to discuss the bill further, including Mandy Gull-Masty, who is the first-ever Indigenous person to lead Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). This week, it was also announced that nine First Nations in Ontario have filed a legal challenge against the law, in tandem with a challenge against Ontario's Bill 5, which is similar in nature. 'I told her that in Kahnawake we're very vocal. We say what we need to say, we say what's on our mind, and we'll definitely be reaching out when there's concerns and things like that. It's not personal against her, but it's about the machine that she represents,' he said. eve@ Eve Cable, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Woman got unexpected call while out with friends - then made 'foolish' decision
Abigail Alty took a call from work asking her to do an extra shift after she had gone out drinking with friends leading to a 'foolish' decision that would see her standing in court soon after A woman appeared in court after she 'foolishly' chose to get behind the wheel of her car after agreeing to an extra shift at work despite being twice over the alcohol limit. Housing manageress Abigail Alty took a call from work asking her to do an extra shift the following day after she had gone out drinking with friends. Police stopped the 31-year-old at 2am when she overtook a police car and struggled to stay in her lane while on her way home in her Fiat 600. Cops administered a breath test which showed she was almost twice the alcohol limit. When questioned, Alty, of Southport, Merseyside claimed she had stopped drinking for up to two hours after taking the work call and mistakenly thought she would be fine to drive. At Sefton Magistrates' Court she was fined £415, ordered that she pay £166 in costs and surcharge and was banned from driving for 17 months, the Manchester Evening News reports. She was offered the chance to take a drink drive awareness course which if completed will reduce the ban by a quarter. Andrew Page, prosecuting, said: 'The matter goes back to May 17 of this year. PC Shearer was on duty at 1.50am on Liverpool Road, Crosby, going towards Crosby Village when he saw a vehicle behind him. "It appeared to be quite close to his vehicle and he moved to the left to allow it to go past, this being the defendant's Fiat 600. The vehicle was observed to have poor lane discipline and crossed over the white central line. The officer caused it to stop on Moor Lane. He spoke with the driver who identified herself as Miss Alty. 'Due to a suspicion she may have been driving above the alcohol limit she was asked for a roadside sample of breath. She did not provide a roadside sample of breath so she was arrested and cautioned and taken to a police station where two samples of breath were provided. The defendant is a lady of good character, no matters being recorded against her.' Tests showed Alty had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35mg. In mitigation, her lawyer Marcela Salter said: "She was with friends and she received a telephone call asking if she would do an extra shift the following day. She agreed and stopped drinking alcohol at that point. "She remained with friends for approximately an hour-and-a-half to two hours before making the foolish decision to drive. She felt she was able to drive her motor vehicle. She accepts that she was followed by the officer and stopped. "This was the first time she had ever come into contact with Merseyside Police in terms of any criminal involvement. She panicked and wished to make a call to her father and was then arrested for failure to provide a sample of breath at the roadside. Obviously at the police station she cooperated. She was just scared of what was going to happen.'' Miss Salter added: "Miss Alty works full time as a housing manager. She earns £1,800 a month. She also does some voluntary work for the Samaritans and she is also registered care for her aunt. To some extent this is a very busy lady who does not frequent the court on a regular basis. "This was a one off and I am sure that you will never see Miss Alty again. She is extremely remorseful and has found the whole experience embarrassing and difficult." Sentencing Alty, JP Michael Readitt said: "In relation to this matter we give you full credit which means that any sentence will be reduced by a third... We also have taken into account your previous good character and that you cooperated with the police on the day."
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
First Nations infrastructure critical but not nation-building: minister
OTTAWA — The new Crown-Indigenous relations minister says there's a "critical" need to build up First Nations infrastructure — but that work won't qualify for the federal government's push to fast-track what it calls "nation-building" projects. The federal government is developing legislation to speed up work on certain projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty told The Canadian Press that closing the First Nations infrastructure gap is important but it's not considered nation-building work and would be pursued outside the proposed legislation. "It's about looking to make sure that it's not just for one community or one region," Alty said of the legislation. "It's a separate and really important issue that we need to focus on." Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said last week First Nations infrastructure should be considered nation-building because addressing the shortage of all-season roads and internet connectivity in many communities would boost the economy. In an interview Monday, she said it's "terrible" that the minister doesn't consider those projects nation-building, adding she hasn't met with Alty since she was sworn in last month. "This is the mother of all Canadian infrastructure and reconciliation projects," Woodhouse Nepinak said. She cited a report drafted by the Conference Board of Canada for the AFN that said closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $630 billion in economic growth and create more than 330,000 jobs. "I just think that's wrong to even just say right off the bat because there's many children without access to proper schools … We need proper roads and community infrastructure, clean water, quality housing, modern schools," she said. Alty's statement came as premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney were meeting in Saskatoon to discuss a draft list of "national interest" projects. First Nations are organizing opposition to the federal fast-track legislation and to bills at the provincial level that are attempting to do something similar. Woodhouse Nepinak addressed First Nations leaders' concerns in a letter sent to Carney on Friday. In it, she said she fears the proposed legislation could violate the rights of First Nations people and undermine the treaties they signed with the Crown. "Very clearly, the rights of First Nations under international law and the Constitution of Canada are at stake in this legislation," she wrote. "Presumably, the government has a draft of the proposed legislation and a consultation draft should be provided to all First Nations immediately." The federal government gave First Nations leaders a short briefing document on the legislation last Monday and asked them to report any concerns they had about the plan by the end of that week. A regional chief for Anishinabek Nation told The Canadian Press they were only formally briefed on Ottawa's plans just hours before that deadline. "It would be unfortunate if this opportunity to close the gap on First Nations infrastructure is lost. First Nations' free, prior and informed consent must first be obtained," Woodhouse Nepinak wrote in the letter to Carney. "Otherwise, this legislation, like so many before it, will become marred in conflict and protracted litigation because First Nations rights have once again been ignored." Alty said there will be more engagement when the bill is tabled. Woodhouse Nepinak told Carney consultations through a House of Commons committee process won't be enough. "We note that parliamentary committees that study bills often are not able to accommodate the numbers of First Nations likely wishing to engage on a matter of this magnitude and significance," Woodhouse Nepinak wrote. "In addition, parliamentary process alone is not suitable or conducive to the depth of legal consultation likely required in this case to meet the Crown's consultation and consent obligations." In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford's government attempted to consult with Indigenous Peoples through the committee process on legislation similar to what the federal government is proposing. That led chiefs to accuse Ford's government of breaching of protocol and to threaten blockades and protests. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Toronto Star
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
First Nations infrastructure critical but not nation-building: minister
OTTAWA - The new federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister says there's a 'critical' need to build up First Nations infrastructure — but that work won't qualify for the federal government's push to fast-track what it calls 'nation-building' projects. The federal government is developing legislation to speed up work on certain projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty told The Canadian Press that closing the First Nations infrastructure gap is important but it's not considered nation-building work and would be pursued outside the proposed legislation. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'It's about looking to make sure that it's not just for one community or one region,' Alty said of the legislation. 'It's a separate and really important issue that we need to focus on.' Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said last week First Nations infrastructure should be considered nation-building because addressing the shortage of all-season roads and internet connectivity in many communities would boost the economy. In an interview Monday, she said it's 'terrible' that the minister doesn't consider those projects nation-building, adding she hasn't met with Alty since she was sworn in last month. 'This is the mother of all Canadian infrastructure and reconciliation projects,' Woodhouse Nepinak said. She cited a report drafted by the Conference Board of Canada for the AFN that said closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $630 billion in economic growth and create more than 330,000 jobs. 'I just think that's wrong to even just say right off the bat because there's many children without access to proper schools … We need proper roads and community infrastructure, clean water, quality housing, modern schools,' she said. Alty's statement came as premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney were meeting in Saskatoon to discuss a draft list of 'national interest' projects. First Nations are organizing opposition to the federal fast-track legislation and to bills at the provincial level that are attempting to do something similar. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Woodhouse Nepinak addressed First Nations leaders' concerns in a letter sent to Carney on Friday. In it, she said she fears the proposed legislation could violate the rights of First Nations peoples and undermine the treaties they signed with the Crown. 'Very clearly, the rights of First Nations under international law and the Constitution of Canada are at stake in this legislation,' she wrote. 'Presumably, the government has a draft of the proposed legislation and a consultation draft should be provided to all First Nations immediately.' The federal government gave First Nations leaders a short briefing document on the legislation last Monday and asked them to report any concerns they had about the plan by the end of that week. A regional chief for Anishinabek Nation told The Canadian Press they were only formally briefed on Ottawa's plans just hours before that deadline. 'It would be unfortunate if this opportunity to close the gap on First Nations infrastructure is lost. First Nations' free, prior and informed consent must first be obtained,' Woodhouse Nepinak wrote in the letter to Carney. 'Otherwise, this legislation, like so many before it, will become marred in conflict and protracted litigation because First Nations rights have once again been ignored.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
CBC
05-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
2 Yellowknife city councillors want to be city's next mayor
Two Yellowknife city councillors have stepped forward to become Yellowknife's next mayor, hoping to fill the seat Rebecca Alty left vacant when she was elected to be the N.W.T.'s Member of Parliament. Garrett Cochrane and Stacie Arden-Smith both announced on social media that they want the job, though council hasn't yet said how it will replace Alty. Arden-Smith has been on Yellowknife city council since 2018. She said she is running to increase representation of Indigenous women in leadership roles. "I have a passion for my community, I want to be of service and I think it's important to make sure that all voices are being heard," she said in an interview with CBC. Cochrane has been on city council since 2022 and said he wants to serve as mayor because of his love of the city. "This community is my passion," he told CBC. "As mayor, I will continue to collaborate with my colleagues and work with the administration in addressing the defining issues of our city." City council has not yet decided how Alty's replacement will be chosen. The territory's Local Authorities Elections Act offers city council three potential courses of action: appoint a new mayor from within its ranks, hold a byelection, or leave the seat empty until the next municipal election. CBC has previously asked Yellowknife city councillors if they would be interested in taking on the mayor's role. Councillors Warburton, Cat McGurk, Tom McLennan and Steve Payne said they would not. Councillor Hendriksen declined to say yes or no, and Councillor Ryan Fequet did not respond.
