Latest news with #IndigenousPeoples
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Indigenous group condemns Trump's call to restore controversial team names
Article content WASHINGTON — The Association on American Indian Affairs is condemning U.S President Donald Trump's call for Washington's football team to revert to its old name, saying any claim that Indigenous nations support the use of Indigenous-themed mascots is false. Article content 'These mascots and names do not honour Native Peoples — they reduce us to caricatures,' the Association on American Indian Affairs said in a statement. Article content Article content 'Our diverse Peoples and cultures are not relics of the past or mascots for entertainment. Native Nations are sovereign, contemporary cultures who deserve respect and self-determination, not misrepresentation.' Article content Article content The Commanders and the District of Columbia government announced a deal earlier this year to build a new home for the football team. It's not clear if Trump can delay the deal. Article content Article content The president also called for MLB's Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former name, which was also seen as offensive to Indigenous Peoples. Article content Article content In an earlier post, Trump called the NFL team the 'The Washington 'Whatever's' and claimed Indigenous people 'in massive numbers, want this to happen. Article content 'Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!' Trump posted. Article content The Association on American Indian Affairs is the is the oldest national Native American non-profit in the United States and has been operating for more than 100 years. Article content It said Indigenous communities and experts have repeatedly and clearly said that these themed mascots are offensive and dehumanizing. Article content
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Indigenous organization condemns Trump's call to bring back Washington NFL team name
WASHINGTON - The Association on American Indian Affairs is condemning U.S President Donald Trump's call for Washington's football team to revert to its old name, saying any claim that Indigenous nations support the use of Indigenous-themed mascots is false. On Sunday, in a social media post, Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if the NFL's Washington Commanders team doesn't return to its old name, which was considered offensive by Indigenous Americans. Trump also called for Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name — which was also seen as offensive to Indigenous Peoples — claiming 'there is a big clamoring for' the change. The Association on American Indian Affairs says in a statement that Indigenous communities and experts have repeatedly and clearly said that these themed mascots are offensive and dehumanizing. The national Indigenous non-profit organization says the mascots and names reduce Indigenous Peoples to caricatures. The Washington football team announced its name change in 2020 as many sports franchises, including some in Canada, stopped using similar names and logos following decades of pushback from Indigenous activists and communities. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025. 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 .
Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
As Canada's economy faces serious challenges, the Indigenous economy offers solutions
Share article Print article Canada faces economic headwinds due to geopolitical change, including a trade war with its closest economic partner, the United States. Canada's policymakers are searching for new, sustainable sources of economic strength. One such source is already here and is being overlooked: the emerging Indigenous economy. It has the potential to boost Canada's economy by more than $60 billion a year. But Indigenous Peoples are still largely seen as an economic liability to manage instead of an opportunity for growth. It is time for a mindset shift. For it to happen, the federal government should remove unfair economic barriers and invest in closing the employment and income gap. Economic growth is projected to decline over the coming years for developed nations, with Canada expected to have the lowest GDP of the 38 OECD countries by 2060. As growth stalls, living standards will decline and governments will face increased fiscal pressure. Compounding this challenge is Canada's aging labour force. The number of people aged 65 and over is growing six times faster than the number of children aged 14 and under - those who will be entering the job market in the coming years. This demographic shift places additional pressure on pensions, the health-care system and the economy. But these gloomy projections often overlook one of Canada's comparative advantages: a young Indigenous population, growing at a rate outpacing the non-Indigenous population. While Indigenous Peoples comprise five per cent of Canada's population, they only contribute 2.4 per cent of the total GDP. If Indigenous Peoples could participate in the economy at the same rate as non-Indigenous Canadians, their GDP contribution could increase from about $55 billion to well over $100 billion annually. Despite this potential, Canada has largely failed to invest in Indigenous Peoples and reform the colonial structures that create inequality. While some progress has been made, such as the First Nations Fiscal Management Act that offers communities tools to strengthen their economies, progress is still too slow. There are two parts to every economy: economic advantages and the institutions that make those advantages actionable. Some institutions lower the costs of doing business and encourage investment, while others do the opposite. Investment naturally flows to places that have both economic advantages and low costs of doing business. In Canada, strong property rights lower the costs of doing business and support the finance of business ventures. An efficient tax system creates predictability and allows governments to provide services. Business-grade infrastructure reduces logistical costs. All these institutions work together to support Canada's economic development. In contrast, First Nations communities are constrained by Canadian institutions. The Indian Act limits First Nations' authority over their own affairs, segregating them from mainstream finance mechanisms. Unclear legal jurisdiction between federal, provincial and Indigenous governments and weak property rights discourage business investments. Limited authority and fiscal powers mean First Nations governments cannot provide services at national standards and must depend on other governments. Compounding these issues is the fragmented, insufficient and culturally inappropriate nature of federal support systems. First Nations people have economic advantages and an entrepreneurial spirit, but they are burdened with unfair economic barriers, such as inadequate infrastructure, limited access to capital and administrative hurdles. In 1997, the Royal Bank of Canada predicted that not investing in Indigenous Peoples would widen the socioeconomic gap. As predicted, this is what happened. Canada has consistently chosen to manage poverty instead of investing in growth. While financial support for Indigenous Peoples more than doubled over the last decade, it only resulted in modest improvement in living standards. The RoadMap Project, a national initiative led by the First Nations Financial Management Board and other Indigenous organizations, proposes a pathway to economic reconciliation. Investing in the Indigenous economy means supporting Indigenous training, providing access to capital for Indigenous organizations and reforming the institutions that continue to impose systemic barriers. Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, improve health outcomes and drive economic development. The federal government should therefore support training programs designed to meet Indigenous needs. Online learning could help remote communities achieve educational goals, but its success depends on major investments in high-speed internet access, which remains lacking in many areas. Indigenous organizations are best positioned to understand and respond to local training needs. That is why Indigenous control over revenue transfers and program design must be central to any future investments in education. To support this, the federal government should partner with Indigenous education institutions to develop common goals and values. only receive 0.2 per cent of available credit. Most Indigenous enterprises are small and cannot grow without viable financing options. Yet, individual Indigenous entrepreneurs and First Nations governments face challenges securing loans and financial support. Internationally, development banks have been used to fill credit gaps when the private sector is unable to meet the needs of emerging economies. In Canada, the First Nations Financial Management Board and other Indigenous organizations are calling for a similar solution: the creation of an Indigenous Development Finance Organization. By lending to Indigenous governments and businesses, this finance organization could bridge the gap between the financial markets and the Indigenous economy. While investments in capacity and development finance are urgent needs, only the dismantling of economic barriers and increased access to effective institutions can assure Indigenous development. Legislation such as the First Nations Fiscal Management Act and the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management can support Indigenous economies through taxation, budgeting, land codes and financial laws. They offer a pathway between the Indian Act framework and self-government, without waiting on lengthy negotiations. Canada's economic future will remain uncertain if short-term solutions keep being prioritized while ignoring the growth potential of the Indigenous economy. Improvements to the status quo are no longer sufficient. The federal government must support Indigenous-led initiatives like the RoadMap Project to foster shared growth and prosperity for Indigenous Peoples and all Canadians alike. Investments are needed to narrow the employment and income gap through new supports for capacity, access to capital and institutional reform.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Indigenous organization condemns Trump's call to bring back Washington NFL team name
WASHINGTON – The Association on American Indian Affairs is condemning U.S President Donald Trump's call for Washington's football team to revert to its old name, saying any claim that Indigenous nations support the use of Indigenous-themed mascots is false. On Sunday, in a social media post, Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if the NFL's Washington Commanders team doesn't return to its old name, which was considered offensive by Indigenous Americans. Trump also called for Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name — which was also seen as offensive to Indigenous Peoples — claiming 'there is a big clamoring for' the change. The Association on American Indian Affairs says in a statement that Indigenous communities and experts have repeatedly and clearly said that these themed mascots are offensive and dehumanizing. The national Indigenous non-profit organization says the mascots and names reduce Indigenous Peoples to caricatures. The Washington football team announced its name change in 2020 as many sports franchises, including some in Canada, stopped using similar names and logos following decades of pushback from Indigenous activists and communities. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
2 days ago
- Business
She's fought for clean water for years and fears proposed Ontario permit changes will hurt First Nations
Makasa Looking Horse Henry remembers the moment she learned some people in her community had never tasted clean tap water. A lot of people have to rely on buying water, not having any hooked-up water, piped-in water and running water in their households, she said. This is a huge stressor on Indigenous women's mental health and Indigenous families' mental health. For the past eight years, Henry has fought for water sovereignty in a place that's been her home her entire life, Six Nations of the Grand River, which is near Brantford and is home to people from all six Haudenosaunee nations. Now, Henry says, a proposed regulation from the Ontario government could roll back years of advocacy and sideline voices of Indigenous communities like hers. It's honestly really, really disappointing and disheartening, she said. It feels as if the proposal is designed to keep Indigenous Peoples out of the decision-making from water extraction, and governing our own waters and governing our own lands, Henry added. Enlarge image (new window) Henry, of Six Nations near Brantford, Ont., has been advocating for Indigenous water rights for the past eight years. Photo: Submitted The proposed regulation Under the province's current regulations, companies that want to extract groundwater must apply for a permit to take water, triggering environmental assessments, public consultation, a review of the purpose for taking water and a duty to consult Indigenous communities. Businesses that might want to take groundwater include agriculture, gravel mining and water-bottling plants. The proposed regulation would allow those permits to be transferred from one company to another without reapplying, so long as the intended use for the water and amount taken stays the same or declines. That means a business could be sold to a new owner who could inherit the water rights with minimal additional review. In an emailed statement from a Ministry of the Environment spokesperson, the province said this streamlines the permit approval process, potentially cutting months off the current approval wait time. The ministry said it would also continue to review all applicants in the streamlined process to ensure requirements are met. But according to critics, such changes to the process would bypass meaningful environmental checks. What's at stake Arlene Slocombe, executive director of Wellington Water Watchers, shares Henry's concerns. The [Premier Doug] Ford government wants to make water-taking permits transferrable, meaning no input, no consent and no accountability if corporate ownership changes hands, she said in a phone interview with CBC News. Enlarge image (new window) Arlene Slocombe of Wellington Water Watchers says the proposed regulation to make water-taking permits transferrable would bypass key environmental assessments. Photo: Submitted This move to change the water-taking permit process is essentially a water-grabbing tactic that would make water-taking permits functionally and potentially eternal once approved. Slocombe warns the regulation could lead to unchecked withdrawals from groundwater systems with unknown limits. It's essentially like writing checks on a bank account that you don't know the balance of, and at some point, you run out, she said. Nobody's really tallying exactly when that 'zero' mark happens. Slocombe said while most municipal wells supplying houses and businesses eventually return water to the watershed, facilities like bottling plants could permanently remove it by shipping it beyond the local ecosystem. Another major concern is the removal of the 30-day public comment period that currently accompanies water-taking applications. Slocombe said that when BlueTriton applied for its permit to run its Aberfoyle water-bottling operation, more than 32,000 people submitted feedback. Under the new rules, a permit transfer would not require any public input. Nor would it require consultation with Indigenous groups. Again, something else that they're trying to push and take our voices out of the entire conversation, said Henry. We're not going anywhere and they need to respect us as sovereign nations. The economics of water-taking Roy Brouwer, executive director of the University of Waterloo's Water Institute and an economics professor, said the province is undervaluing the true cost of its water. Enlarge image (new window) Roy Brouwer, an economics professor at the University of Waterloo and executive director of the university's Water Institute, says the province is undervaluing the true cost of its water. Photo: Submitted He said that when he moved to Waterloo region a decade or so ago, the cost was under $5 for 1,000 cubic metres of water (one million litres). Since then, the cost has increased, but not in a way that reflects limited supply or environmental impact. They just added $500 like a round number, $500 on the permit, he said. It has all the appearances of an administrative fee. And it doesn't necessarily reflect the scarcity costs of the resource now and into the future, benefiting multiple users, said Brouwer. He believes the transfer system, as proposed, ignores the fact that water is limited. Brouwer said he's also concerned about the environmental impact. Over time … what you initially identified as a maybe limited or moderate ecological risk is perhaps a bigger risk because you actually do the pumping and you can actually observe what is happening to the natural environment. The fight in Aberfoyle Henry was a vocal critic of the former Nestlé bottling plant in Aberfoyle, later sold to BlueTriton and now owned by Ice River Springs. Despite it being part of the application process, indigenous consultation was minimal. Nobody knew in my community that water extraction … was happening. And with the lack of consultation, not even the governments knew that that was happening either, she said. Our people had no idea. Over the years, she's held groundwater awareness rallies — sometimes by herself — and delivered cease-and-desist letters on behalf of her band council. She said she secured those by going to meetings at our long house and letting our clan mothers, faith keepers and chiefs know what was happening. And so they said deliver the cease-and-desist to them. And so that's what I did. Ice River Springs, an Ontario-based bottling company and the newest owner of the Aberfoyle water-bottling facility, has yet to apply for its water-taking permit. In an emailed statement to CBC News, executive vice-president and co-owner Sandy Gott said the company supports initiatives that maintain environmental protection and it would do its work with respect for the communities in which [they] operate. Concerns about being cut out The public comment period for Ontario's proposed water permit regulation runs until Aug. 1. After that, it moves to a review and decision stage. There is no fixed timeline for when a final decision will be made. Henry said she's concerned about being cut out of the process entirely. Right now, they're trying to take every single thing that they can and they're trying to take more water, she said. And so we're just trying to fight with everything we have to protect our waters and our lands. They go hand in hand.
