FIVE STORIES ON TURTLE ISLAND
1. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to the North last week to present Bill C-5 and meet with the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee.
By most accounts, this meeting went far better than the disastrous “summit” with First Nations leaders in Ottawa earlier in the month.
This time, Inuit leaders proposed 79 projects that would fit the parameters of “projects in the national interest.”
Carney appears to have learned from his mistakes after his meeting with First Nations leaders, as he is now regularly (and very publicly) promising to “fully respect treaty rights” and appeared regularly with president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Natan Obed (even co-chairing the summit with him).
Prime Minister Mark Carney walks with Duane Smith, left, chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and Natan Obed, right, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, to a meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee in Inuvik, N.W.T., on July 24. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)
Next up for a “summit” on Bill C-5: the Métis. But: who will represent the Métis in view of the federal government?
The Manitoba Métis Federation and the Métis National Council — arguably the two largest representative entities in the Métis world, do not associate with one another, with the MMF questioning the legitimacy of the MNC.
2. Indigenous programs can expect federal cuts worth nearly $4.5 billion as Carney’s government promises to divert funding to higher military costs and tax cuts, among other changes.
The cuts to Indigenous programs represent nearly a fifth of total cuts across federal programs, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The funding reductions will result in “deep cuts” to First Nations education, health care, policing, and infrastructure projects. Indigenous Services warned “difficult decisions” were on the way in an internal email when the department announced these cuts nearly three weeks ago.
Carney has told the Assembly of First Nations that education, health care, policing, and infrastructure on First Nations do not qualify for forthcoming “projects in the national interest.”
3. A majority of Canadians believe the country is making “good progress” on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, according to a new online poll from the firm Leger.
The survey was conducted between June 20 to 22. Nearly half of those polled self-identified as Indigenous. An age divide appeared: 40 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 24 said Canada was making progress, while 67 per cent of respondents 65 and older said the same.
Another kind of odd fact: Roughly six in 10 non-Indigenous respondents said they trusted Indigenous people, with the highest percentage in Nova Scotia (71 per cent) and Ontario (64.3 per cent) and lowest in Saskatchewan (38.3 per cent), P.E.I. (43.8 per cent) and Manitoba (44.8 per cent).
Online surveys such as this one cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
4. Indigenous-led cannabis and hemp businesses in North America are exploding — from dispensaries to agricultural operations to construction companies that create building blocks from fibre.
The boom follows a June 2023 Senate of Canada report that offered 13 recommendations to expand the cannabis industry in Indigenous communities.
Indigenous-led cannabis operations are also expanding in the United States, with many tribal nations applying federal laws in savvy ways to target a potential market in Europe.
The U.S.-based Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association released the first-ever map of tribal cannabis and hemp programs this past May.
5. Due to the wild fire situation in Manitoba and its impact on many Indigenous communities in the province, the First Nations Pavilion will not be part of this year’s Folklorama Festival.
It’s the first time in recent memory the First Nations pavilion has not been a fixture at the annual summer festival. Folklorama is on from Aug. 3 to Aug. 16.
Dancers perform at the Folklorama First Nations pavilion in 2023. (John Woods / Free Press files)
An Indian taco is served up at the First Nations pavilion. (Jen Doerksen / Free Press files)
IN PICTURES
A dancer in Indigenous clothing performs during a celebration to mark the 700th anniversary of the founding of Tenochtitlan, known today as Mexico City, in the capital’s main square on July 26. (Eduardo Verdugo / The Associated Press files)
A dancer dressed in Indigenous clothing blows on a conch shell during the 700th anniversary celebration in Mexico City. (Eduardo Verdugo / The Associated Press files)
RECONCILI-ACTION OF THE WEEK
Every week I highlight an action, moment, or milestone forwarding reconciliation, illustrating how far Canada has come — and how far the country has yet to go.
This week’s reconcili-action is for my friend Dan Lett, my Free Press colleague and Niigaan and the Lone Ranger podcast co-host, who announced his semi-retirement and departure from Winnipeg this week via his newsletter, Not For Attribution.
Dan and I have done 54 episodes of our “pod” together, and we’ve had an incredible time bringing local, national and international stories together with banter, chats, and the occasional argument. The two of us will continue to offer NTLR episodes, but not on a regular schedule.
You’re likely familiar with Dan’s dynamic political columns, but you may not know he’s become a leading voice in Canada for commenting deftly and uniquely on Indigenous issues.
Check out this 2013 piece, for example, on the Brian Sinclair inquest, or his career-long commitment to advocating for the wrongfully convicted — many of whom are Indigenous.
Truth be told, I have learned a lot from Dan’s vast and intricate knowledge of Canadian election campaigns, Manitoba political history, and his rich sense of music and humour.
There is, of course, his sarcasm and blunt way of speaking the truth, too. Although I’d never tell him to his face, I’ll miss the Lone Ranger and I wish him and his wonderful wife Danielle good travels. I look forward to seeing them both down the trail.
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