Latest news with #FirstNations-owned
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
CentrePort Canada adds three firms to West Creek Industrial Park
Three businesses have expanded in Manitoba's rapidly growing CentrePort Canada — and European companies might be on the way. Medline Canada, a medical supplies manufacturer and distributor, has doubled its company's Manitoba warehouse footprint by leasing 46,000 square feet in CentrePort at the northwest edge of Winnipeg. Arctic Beverages — Canada's only First Nations-owned Pepsi franchise — has cemented 36,000 sq. ft. of space. And Polymershapes Winnipeg, which distributes products like plastic sheets, has settled into 19,000 sq. ft. All three are tenants of the West Creek Industrial Park. The new development is notable because it was built before any tenants had signed on, said Carly Edmundson, CentrePort Canada's chief executive. West Creek Industrial Park spans 294,150 sq. ft. in the Rural Municipality of Rosser. Of the space, 189,860 sq. ft. is left available. Hopewell Development LP created the park's two buildings. '(They) believed that the market was strong enough,' Edmundson stated. A delegation of 18 European Union ambassadors toured CentrePort during their April visit. Edmundson described the event as 'really positive.' 'They were … extra excited when they considered the connectivity to the Port of Churchill,' she added. — Free Press staff
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Stars of Tomorrow celebrates a half century of talent
Over 400 people attended the 50th annual Stars of Tomorrow Showcase on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The free event was held in honour of Michelle Farmer's Studio of Dance and Modelling's 50th anniversary. Located in Ohsweken, it's one of the longest running First Nations-owned and operated talent studios in Canada, and for five decades now, Farmer has dedicated her time to empowering thousands of Indigenous youth through the art of dance, modelling and performing. Hosted by Gary Farmer, Michelle's older brother and a well-known film and television actor, the evening featured a line-up of performances from several musicians as well as Nova Scotia born comedian, Janelle Niles. In all, the night was stacked with 27 dance performances from Michelle's competitive teams as well as her recreational dancers. From jazz to tap, hip-hop and ballet, performers of all ages had the opportunity to show off their talent throughout the nearly four hour event. While introducing the competitive mini team large jazz group, Gary noted that Michelle's students' hard work and dedication often pays off at competitions throughout the U.S. 'Michelle's got about 65 dancers in the whole school this season, and 30 of them are competitive dancers,' he said. 'That means they travel around North America to compete in various festivals and events, so that's quite an accomplishment.' In between the dances, there were two modelling demonstrations and five different video presentations, as well as a vocal performance by Adalyn Miller. The nine-year-old junior singer delivered a rendition of 'Defying Gravity' from the hit Broadway musical Wicked. Keeping with the broadway theme, the young musical theatre group performed 'Maybe' and 'It's the Hard-Knock Life' from the musical, Annie. As well, the adult jazz group later performed to 'Cell Block Tango' from Chicago. Ange Hart and her aunts, Marcia Davis and Cynthia Monture, were just a few of the attendees there to support their loved ones and celebrate Michelle's 50th anniversary. 'We've been coming to this for 40 years now, so we're really glad to be here again,' said Davis. 'It's great, everyone is just killin' it out there,' added Hart. 'I'm really happy that I could come out and see my family dance. During intermission, Gary sat down with Michelle for a short interview. The two discussed how she got her start in dancing and modelling, her journey to becoming a teacher and creating her own studio, her pursuits of a professional career in dance, as well as potential ambitions in regards to creating her own Broadway-style musicals. Before resuming the showcase, Gary brought up Sherri-Lynn Hill, the 59th elected Chief for Six Nations of the Grand River, as well as Councillor Greg Frazer, to say a few words. 'We're here today and I'm just amazed at the quality of the production; I can just see the dedication and how much work and effort has gone into putting on a production like this,' said Frazer. 'I really commend you Michelle on all that you've done for our community. It's amazing that we can keep our young children active, interested and dedicated. …On behalf of the Six Nations Council and the Chief, we'd like to give Michelle a little plaque of excellence for the 50 years that she's put this on.' Six Nations of the Grand River musicians, Derek Miller and Lacey Hill, also performed during the show. The two sang several original songs including 'Colorado Springs,' 'Delphine' and 'Can't Get You Out of My Head.' As well, Six Nations singer-songwriter, James Wilson, also performed for the crowd. The 28-year-old sang his original song, 'Good Life,' along with a cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' and The Animals, 'House of the Rising Sun.' Kimberly De Jong's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at .
Hamilton Spectator
24-04-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Grand chief requests halt to auction of Hudson's Bay items linked to First Nations
As Hudson's Bay heads to court seeking permission to auction off 1,700 pieces of art and more than 2,700 artifacts, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is requesting a halt to the sale of items that may belong to or be linked with First Nations people. A letter by assembly Grand Chief Kyra Wilson to the monitor for Hudson's Bay, which is operating under court protection from creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, said there is 'deep concern' over the potential auction of artifacts from its collection. 'Given the nature and scope of HBC's long-standing relationship with First Nations, it is likely, if not certain, that many of the artifacts slated for auction are of profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to First Nations people,' Wilson said in the letter on Tuesday. 'Selling these items at auction without full transparency and consultation with impacted First Nations would not only be morally irresponsible but also represent a continuation of the colonial dispossession of First Nations' lands and belongings that the HBC directly profited from for centuries.' It is still unclear what specific artifacts could be included in the auction beyond the 355-year-old royal charter that launched the company. Hudson's Bay announced Wednesday it will liquidate all of its remaining stores and has previously said an auction 'is the most transparent, fair and efficient approach to monetize the art collection while recognizing and protecting its cultural and historical significance.' In addition to halting the sale or transfer of artifacts with possible links to First Nations, Wilson requested the full catalogue of items being considered for liquidation be made public. She also said there should be a First Nations-led review process. 'These artifacts are not simply 'valuable assets' or one-of-a-kind collectibles, but pieces of living history, some of which may be sacred, stolen from First Nations or properly First Nations-owned,' she wrote. Others have asked the company to transfer its royal charter to a public archival institution such as the Archives of Manitoba to ensure its preservation, rather than risk it being sold to a private buyer. The charter, granted by King Charles II in 1670, is 'one of the most significant archival documents that exists in Canada,' said Cody Groat, chair of the Canada Advisory Committee for Memory of the World, which is under the umbrella of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Groat called the document 'foundational' to discussions around political governance in Canada and treaty negotiations with Indigenous people. That's because the charter, which established Hudson's Bay as a fur trading company, also granted it 'semi-sovereign rights' which allowed it to operate both 'as a business entity and as a colonial government at the same time,' Groat said. 'So when we look at this, it's not just a document that established a business. It's a document that really created a unique political colonial structure in Canada.' Other Hudson's Bay artifacts have previously been donated to the Archives of Manitoba. In 2007, those received UNESCO's Memory of the World designation, meant to safeguard documents of historical and cultural importance. But the charter, which has remained in the company's possession, hasn't received that recognition. Groat said that to be designated, an item must be assessed to have been properly preserved according to archival conservation standards, and the general public must have reasonable access to it. 'What we're calling for is a recognition that this should not be viewed as just another corporate asset,' he said. 'If a private corporation buys it, it could be designated, but it entering a public institution is kind of how we know it's going to be preserved in a way that it ought to be preserved.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2025.
CBC
24-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Auctioning Hudson's Bay artifacts with First Nations significance would be 'morally irresponsible': chief
As Hudson's Bay heads to court seeking permission to auction off 1,700 pieces of art and more than 2,700 artifacts, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is requesting a halt to the sale of items that may belong to or be linked with First Nations people. A letter by Grand Chief Kyra Wilson to the monitor for Hudson's Bay, which is operating under court protection from creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, said there is "deep concern" over the potential auction of artifacts from its collection. "Given the nature and scope of HBC's long-standing relationship with First Nations, it is likely, if not certain, that many of the artifacts slated for auction are of profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to First Nations people," Wilson said in the letter on Tuesday. "Selling these items at auction without full transparency and consultation with impacted First Nations would not only be morally irresponsible but also represent a continuation of the colonial dispossession of First Nations' lands and belongings that the HBC directly profited from for centuries." It is still unclear what specific artifacts could be included in the auction beyond the 355-year-old royal charter that launched the company. Hudson's Bay announced Wednesday it will liquidate all of its remaining stores and has previously said an auction "is the most transparent, fair and efficient approach to monetize the art collection while recognizing and protecting its cultural and historical significance." In addition to halting the sale or transfer of artifacts with possible links to First Nations, Wilson requested the full catalogue of items being considered for liquidation be made public. She also said there should be a First Nations-led review process. "These artifacts are not simply 'valuable assets' or one-of-a-kind collectibles, but pieces of living history, some of which may be sacred, stolen from First Nations or properly First Nations-owned," she wrote. Others have asked the company to transfer its royal charter to a public archival institution such as the Archives of Manitoba to ensure its preservation, rather than risk it being sold to a private buyer. The charter, granted by King Charles II in 1670, is "one of the most significant archival documents that exists in Canada," said Cody Groat, chair of the Canada Advisory Committee for Memory of the World, which is under the umbrella of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Groat called the document "foundational" to discussions around political governance in Canada and treaty negotiations with Indigenous people. That's because the charter, which established Hudson's Bay as a fur trading company, also granted it "semi-sovereign rights" which allowed it to operate both "as a business entity and as a colonial government at the same time," Groat said. "So when we look at this, it's not just a document that established a business. It's a document that really created a unique political colonial structure in Canada." Other Hudson's Bay artifacts have previously been donated to the Archives of Manitoba. In 2007, those received UNESCO's Memory of the World designation, meant to safeguard documents of historical and cultural importance. But the charter, which has remained in the company's possession, hasn't received that recognition. Groat said that to be designated, an item must be assessed to have been properly preserved according to archival conservation standards, and the general public must have reasonable access to it. "What we're calling for is a recognition that this should not be viewed as just another corporate asset," he said. "If a private corporation buys it, it could be designated, but it entering a public institution is kind of how we know it's going to be preserved in a way that it ought to be preserved."
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Episode 2: Battling the elements – how eye care innovations are keeping Aussie eyes healthy
Jeena Tan, head of clinical systems, Specsavers Amy Kenefeck, head of dispensing advancement, Specsavers Madeline Crowe, optometrist, Specsavers Adam Byrne (Garigal/Gadigal), co-founder, Bush to Bowl Mark Lucey, lecturer, School of Allied Health, Optometry, University of Western Australia Proud Garigal/Gadigal man Adam Byrne has always loved the outdoors. Playing footy, surfing, and pursuing a career in landscaping and horticulture keep him under the sun. Byrne co-runs Bush to Bowl, a First Nations-owned social enterprise that grows native plants, hosts workshops and mentors Indigenous youth, helping them connect to Indigenous food, culture and Country. Now in his 40s, Byrne needs glasses for the first time. Madeline Crowe, an optometrist at Specsavers in Erina, on the New South Wales Central Coast, sees a lot of sun damage in her patients. 'Living in Australia means that we can be exposed to dangerous levels of UV even when it is a cloudy day,' she says. If you look at the UV index in a weather app, a higher number correlates to a higher risk of UV damage. But if you thought it was only your skin that could get burnt, think again. Mark Lucey, a lecturer from the School of Allied Health, Optometry, at the University of Western Australia, says: 'The front of the eye can get sunburnt just like your skin can get sunburnt.' In this episode we find out how to protect your eyes from UV, why we all need an OCT scan and why eye health checks aren't just for people who need glasses. The Future Looks Bright is produced by Guardian Labs Australia. Narrator: Fenella Kernebone Series producer and editor: Cinnamon Nippard Guardian Labs producer: Ciara Bowe Lead Commercial Editor: Nicola Harvey The Future Looks Bright is paid for by Specsavers. Find your local Specsavers store for optometry and audiology services Bush to Bowl is a First Nations-owned social enterprise Find out more about the University of Western Australia's School of Allied Health (Optometry) Read more about The ultraviolet (UV) index
