Indigenous

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/62614078

A deal to bring Colorado River water to Native American communities in northern Arizona, where a third of homes lack running water, is being blocked by neighboring states, caught up in a broader battle over how to divide the dwindling river.

The largest tribal water rights settlement in U.S. history — the product of decades of negotiations to secure water for the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe — was on the verge of being realized before Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming stepped in to oppose it being codified by Congress.

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/59215

As the impacts of climate change continue to escalate, a growing number of climate scientists and policymakers cite Indigenous lands as a model for their rich biodiversity and effective carbon storage. But that recognition has not always translated into space for Indigenous leaders in climate negotiations, access to climate resilience funding, or enforcement of human rights standards.

That has been the case for decades. But the problems do not stop there. New research shows that approach overlooks the key role that Indigenous knowledge and culture can play in mitigating climate change. It also reveals a dangerous misconception that has taken hold in global climate discussions: the idea that Indigenous lands are so rich because they are remote or sparsely populated.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The health of Indigenous lands and their ability to store vast quantities of carbon stem from the stewardship of the people who inhabit them.

That’s the finding of research from Conservation International, which shows that traditional knowledge, community protocol, and Indigenous culture play a direct role in protecting forests, wildlife, and the environment. Sushma Shrestha, who is Indigenous Newar from Nepal and the study’s lead author, said the research comes at a critical time.

“All of humanity relies on everything that Indigenous peoples have to contribute and offer in terms of their lands, in terms of carbon storage, in terms of biodiversity conservation,” she said.

The study, released as a narrative report and a peer-reviewed study, explores how Indigenous knowledge and practices benefit the planet. It also found that all 43 of the surveyed communities are experiencing drought, extreme weather, and other adverse impacts from climate change. More than half are affected by extractive industries like mining and logging.

Researchers interviewed 49 Indigenous leaders from six continents about how they steward their land, which ranged from the Amazon rainforest to East African savannas and Pacific Islands. They found that traditional management practices like avoiding overfishing, maintaining sacred spaces, watching for fires and other threats, and direct resistance against extraction contribute to the remarkable health of Indigenous territory. Ninety-six percent of respondents said they had land set aside for special uses, like spiritual practices, that also benefit the environment by protecting those spaces and ecosystems. Shrestha stressed that although each Indigenous community is distinct, there are shared lessons the entire world can learn from.

“It’s a time where all hands need to be on deck,” Shrestha said. “And collectively, actions need to be taken, and indigenous peoples have been doing this on their own for a very long time.”

The study builds on years of research that shows, among other things, that the world’s healthiest forests are on Indigenous lands and conservation efforts are more effective when they incorporate Indigenous autonomy and decision-making at every step.

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The key to better climate outcomes? Respecting Indigenous land rights and autonomy.

Anita Hofschneider

Drought and extreme weather were the top climate impacts cited, but 61 percent of those interviewed also called mining, commercial agriculture, logging, and other incursions serious concerns. These issues threaten to disrupt land stewardship practices that have endured for millennia. To help mitigate these challenges, Indigenous peoples are asking for mitigation and resilience funding, legal advice for protecting their territories, and recognition of national and international land rights.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge cannot exist without Indigenous Peoples or without the ecosystems where we live,” Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, who is Indigenous Mbororo from Chad and a former chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, wrote in a forward to the report. “To protect our knowledge, there is an urgent need to recognize us, and our rights and lands must be secured.”

Respondents from a wide range of countries, including Bolivia, Mexico, and the Philippines, mentioned using community monitoring or patrols to protect their land from outsiders and violations of traditional protocol. Several also called for stronger legal protections to protect their lands from being sold or developed.

Shrestha, Ibrahim, and other Indigenous experts said that as much as Indigenous peoples are asking for help, they are also urging the world to learn from them. The Kichwa people in Ecuador, for example, restrict hunting of female tapirs and other animals to help slow population decline. The Tacana people in Bolivia, among others, do not permit tree clearing along rivers, which helps maintain water quality and prevent erosion. The list goes on, and could help the rest of the world mitigate climate change and protect the environment.

“It is my hope the voices of the sisters and brothers from all over the world reflected in this report trigger the action we need for the planet we all want, the action we need for Indigenous Peoples Knowledge to flourish, and honor our grandparents and our children that are yet to come,” Ibrahim said.

Given the scale of the threats facing the world and the urgency with which they must be addressed, Shrestha said that policy changes and enforcement of Indigenous land rights is more important than ever. She also stressed that these actions will benefit the entire world. “One thing that everybody can do, whether that is at the national level, or at the global level, is to really secure indigenous peoples’ rights to lands,” she said.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Indigenous cultural practices are a climate solution, report finds on Jun 24, 2026.

From Grist via This RSS Feed.

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/57378

Photo: Christopher Katsarov Luna / The Canadian Press

Federal Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty has unveiled a new and long-awaited bill to provide safe drinking water to First Nations, which she says was written to ensure “we have provincial partners at the table.” Ontario chiefs say they were shut out and their right to clean water was not recognized.

Gull-Masty denied her government caved to provincial pressure in Bill C-37, or An Act respecting water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on First Nation land, that sets out principles to provide safe drinking water and disposal of wastewater for First Nations.

“My conversations with leadership and the chiefs that have spoken to me understand that we are trying to pass a bill that is going to be protected and stand the test of time,” the minister said at a press conference on Parliament Hill on June 16.

“I’m not trying to put a bill forward that is going to be challenged,” she said. “I’m trying to put a bill forward that partners, provinces and territories feel can advance, that they can work with us.”

Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty has denied the federal government caved to pressures from the Ontario government in creating Bill C-37, saying the bill was generated after consultation with First Nations leaders. Photo: Spencer Colby / The Canadian Press

The Chiefs of Ontario, however, say First Nations were not consulted in the process. The group is “cautiously optimistic” but remains concerned about the approach to this issue by the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney.“Unlike previous legislative efforts, which were developed through meaningful dialogue and partnerships with First Nations Knowledge Keepers [and] technicians, Bill C-37 was introduced without broad or meaningful input from First Nations,” Linda Debassige, Anishnabek Nation Grand Council Chief, and a member of the Chiefs of Ontario leadership council, said in a Tuesday press conferencein Rama, Ont.

“Our letters of advocacy have been met with a deafening silence, to be honest. We do not have access to parliamentary privileged dialogue or cabinet discussions in relation to this.”

It’s been over a year since the Liberal Party promised in their election platform to “immediately introduce and pass legislation affirming that First Nations have a human right to clean drinking water.” In the last six months, two First Nations in northern Ontario have declared severely worsening water crises due to failed infrastructure; one of the communities, Kashechewan, remains entirely evacuated.

The bill released this week states that the quality of water on First Nations lands must at minimum meet either federal guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality and for wastewater, or the standards in place in the province or territory where the lands are located.

The minister will also have to come out with regulations for a “protection zone,” which the bill leaves undefined. The use of these zones would hand First Nations jurisdiction over water sources adjacent to their lands — that is, if the nation and the federal and provincial governments have all agreed on the rules in force.

“We have to acknowledge that [water] is not stagnant, it moves around,” Gull-Masty said. “For water that is adjacent or flowing in and out, I think that the important part of the work that we’re undertaking is that partners and territories understand that they also have a role to play.”

In addition to defining “protection zones,” the bill empowers the minister to come out with regulations on a dozen different aspects of water services, including source water protections, training and certification, occupational health and safety, monitoring and inspections, emergency planning, permitting and more. The government can even design regulations to govern the disclosure of information.

But the bill doesn’t commit to the same kind of rights language that the Liberals promised in their platform. Instead, it declares that the government’s policy is to “further the progressive realization, for individuals on First Nation lands, of the human right to safe drinking water as protected by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.” That covenant is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations that came into force in the 1970s.

Grand Chief Linda Debassige of Anishinabek Nation said the new water bill was developed without meaningful dialogue or input from First Nations. ”Our letters of advocacy have been met with a deafening silence.” Photo: Spencer Colby / The Canadian Press

“To me, [this] is insane,” Debassige told reporters. “It’s been a progressive realization for many of our nations for decades.”

Debassige has been working on First Nations water issues for more than a decade and has been involved in negotiations over previous federal bills on the matter.She said that by excluding language like “in collaboration with First Nations” in Gull-Masty’s new legislation, the Carney government is “hiding from their obligations.”

“We must remember that most of the drafters of Bill C-37 have never spent time in our community,” she said, citing the speedy passage of the federal Bill C-5 and the provincial Bill 5, both of which aim to “fast-track” infrastructure and mining approvals and construction. “And we’ve seen the pushback on the previous iteration of this bill. And now we see the results of that weakening of our inherent rights to pave way for economic development.”

“I think it’s a deflection of responsibility, a fear of provinces, a fear of nation-building projects not coming through because our nations want to protect water.”

The bill comes as tensions grow over these issues between the federal government, provincial governments and First Nations.

Some chiefs, particularly in Treaty 8 territory, which spans northern B.C., Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, asked the federal government to rethink its approach. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation’s chief said the bill didn’t meaningfully incorporate inherent and Treaty Rights to water while Mikisew Cree First Nation’s chief said that bill didn’t do enough to deal with the potential release of oilsands wastewater into rivers.

Last July, the environment ministers from Ontario and Alberta asked the federal government to “refrain” from introducing a new First Nations water bill, claiming it would “undermine competitiveness, delay project development and disproportionately harm specific provinces and territories without any quantifiable benefits to the natural environment.”

Areas like northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region, which are facing a push for fast-tracked resource development, represent crucial sources of water for local First Nations. Photo: Christopher Katsarov Luna / The Canadian Press

Ontario’s Environment Minister Todd McCarthy apologized for any “confusion” the request may have caused First Nations. But First Nations have not been convinced by the apology. The Ontario government has skirted meaningful consultation with First Nations in its push to open the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario, with significant implications for water use and sources, and broadly speed up mining approvals and development. It has also signalled its own plans to make broad changes to provincial clean water rules.

As Canada and Ontario rush to expedite major projects, including in the mining sector, First Nations have long been asking for the same expediency to pass laws to protect drinking water before shovels hit the ground. With a few days left before MPs are scheduled to rise for the summer, this bill is unlikely to become law before the fall.

“I wish one of Canada’s major projects were to provide us clean drinking water,” Knowledge Keeper Sally Gaikezheyongai said, as she offered a prayer to begin the Tuesday press conference by the Chiefs of Ontario. “I ask the Creator to make sure that happens hopefully within my lifetime.”

Why does Canada need a law to protect access to clean drinking water on First Nations?

Indigenous Services Canada reports that there are 36 Indigenous communities that have been under orders for more than a year to boil their drinking water for one minute. Most of these communities are in Ontario. The longest-standing boil water advisory is for Neskantaga First Nation in northern Ontario, just south of the Ring of Fire region. It hasn’t had clean drinking water since 1995. (The federal count is not comprehensive, as some jurisdictions, such as B.C., track their own boil-water advisories in Indigenous communities.)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to end all these boil-water advisories by March 31, 2021, but did not succeed. Post-colonization, and as stated in the Indian Act, the federal government has a fiduciary obligation to ensure safe, potable drinking water for First Nations. Instead, there is a regulatory black hole for and chronic underinvestment in on-reserve water and wastewater services.

A month before Trudeau’s deadline, a government audit found that Indigenous Services Canada “did not provide the support necessary to ensure that First Nations communities have ongoing access to safe drinking water,” thus prolonging boil water advisories.

The impacts of these failures are severe, including preventable illnesses, costly reliance on bottled water and long-term evacuations.

Kashechewan First Nation, a community of 2,000 residents, has been entirely evacuated since January due to a catastrophic sewage pump failure. There is still no access to safe drinking water on their reserve.

In May, Pikangikum First Nation declared a second state of emergency, a year after the original declaration, due to collapsing water and wastewater systems. The community’s only water treatment plant is operating beyond capacity, even as more than 300 homes remain without direct water service. The community’s reservoir is also at critically low levels and is losing water at a rate roughly four times greater than it can be filled.As a result, the nearly 4,000 on-reserve residents are dealing with daily water rationing and forced evening shutdowns. As wildfire season looms, Pikangikum is now suing the federal government.

“It’s so important that we take action as a country, as First Nations leadership, to ensure that there are no more Kashechewans, that there are no more Pikangikums,” Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, told reporters.

“It’s unacceptable that this is a reality that many of our communities are being put in: to try to negotiate on big, major nation-building projects while they’re trying to make sure that their children and their youth can have access to water to drink.”

Why is the federal law to protect clean drinking water on First Nations so delayed?

There have been different iterations of this legislation, Kathleen Padulo, director of environment for the Chiefs of Ontario, told The Narwhal in a conversation before Bill C-37 was released, but none have proved durable.

Since the 1970s, the federal government has been promising to provide Indigenous communities with water and wastewater systems equal to those enjoyed by most Canadians, but no matter which party is in power, it has continuously fallen short of that goal.

In 2013, the Stephen Harper government passed the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act. This law created a regulatory regime to govern water infrastructure on First Nations lands, but without any financial backing or centring Indigenous decision-making or rights. It also didn’t protect the sources of water flowing onto First Nation lands.

“It had no teeth, and it was really watered down,” Paduro said. “It was a piece of paper just floating around for years.”

Federal governments have been making promises to offer adequate water infrastructure to First Nations for decades, but have continued to fall short on this commitment. Photo: Vanessa Tignanelli / The Narwhal

As a result, this law was met with widespread disapproval from First Nations. Several, including Neskantaga, launched a class action lawsuit in 2019, claiming “Canada has been negligent, breached its fiduciary duties, breached the honour of the Crown and breached various rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

Ottawa settled that lawsuit in 2021, agreeing to provide $1.8 billion in compensation and spend $6 billion on water infrastructure over nine years. The federal government also promised to repeal and replace the Conservative law.

That didn’t happen until 2023 when the Trudeau government introduced Bill C-61, or the First Nations Clean Drinking Water Act. The landmark bill involved First Nations in its creation, doing so over a two-year-long consultation and co-development process. This bill established clean drinking water as a human right, set minimum standards for drinking water and wastewater on reserves and pledged funding for water-related infrastructure. This bill also created an Indigenous-led First Nations Water Commission to help implement the law and monitor its impact.

After weeks of consultation with First Nations, the bill did not pass before Parliament was prorogued in January 2025. Then-Indigenous services minister Patty Hajdu said the delay was the fault of opposition parties.

Paduro said they’ve been waiting for this bill to reemerge and be passed “with the speed of light like Bill C-5” and then put it in place in communities right away.

“What is happening here is colonization at the end of the day, that’s what it is,” Paduro said. “And Canadians not understanding that not everybody has basic human rights.”

What happens next?

Anishnabek Nation Grand Council Chief Debassige is asking the government to ensure “sufficient engagement” with First Nations as this bill goes through the parliamentary process, urging the government to move quickly from legislation to action.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” she said, but with the Liberals holding a majority government, “It’s going to be a difficult process.”

“Water is a human right. Full stop,” Debassige said. “We are looking to Canada to help us champion a shift from the outdated and colonial perspectives of First Nations being viewed as second-class citizens to ensuring our people can enjoy the same clean and safe drinking water guaranteed to non-First Nations across this country.”

Gull-Masty said the government supports consultations with First Nations governing bodies to develop the many regulations that the bill authorizes.

Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict told reporters that the government needs to focus on accountability to ensure First Nations communities have “confidence in the drinking water.”

“We are calling on the federal government to move swiftly from legislation to action. The goal must not only be to eliminate advisories, but to prevent new ones from coming on,” he continued. “Legislation is only the beginning of ending these challenges.”

“Our communities have waited long enough.”

The Narwhal’s reporters are telling environment stories you won’t read about anywhere else. Stay in the loop by signing up for our free weekly dose of independent journalism.

From The Narwhal | News on Climate Change, Environmental Issues in Canada via This RSS Feed.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/53687223

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/8741740

RAPID CITY, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - All nine South Dakota tribes are moving forward on legislation aimed at returning federal lands in the Black Hills to the Great Sioux Nation.

In a press release, leaders said the early draft focuses on protecting sacred sites, clean water, and land management, without involving private property or existing legal treaty claims.

“The Oceti Sakowin people are coming together to claim the land that is rightfully and legally owed to us,” said Madonna Thunder Hawk, Cheyenne River Sioux elder. “We are here to say, loud and clear, that the Black Hills are not for sale. We love our land, and will continue defending it – from Pe’ Sla to Craven Canyon and beyond.”

Tribal officials said the goal is to preserve the Black Hills and curb mining activity across the region.

“The ability to live with and care for our land is essential to our collective healing,” said Russell Eagle Bear, Sicangu Lakota elder and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Presidential Cultural Liaison. “The fight for the Black Hills to be returned to its rightful stewards is not only a material one, but also a spiritual one.”

This comes after a proposed graphite drilling project near Pe’Sla, a deeply sacred ceremonial site in the Black Hills, was halted.

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/54876

The ICT Newscast for Friday, June 5, 2026, covers state primary elections, wildlife preservation, PRIDE month, NoDAPL, LandBack and more. Check out the ICT Newscast on YouTube for this episode and more.

Native Women Take Center Stage in Midterm Elections

Credit: AP/KOAT

Several Native American women are making history as candidates in this year’s midterm elections. Deb Haaland is running for governor of New Mexico, while Mary Peltola of Alaska and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota are vying for seats in the U.S. Senate. If elected, each candidate would become the first Native American woman to hold her respective office.

Lac du Flambeau Tribe and State at Odds Over Fishing Regulations

On May 28, a federal judge heard arguments from the State of Wisconsin and Lac Du Flambeau Band regarding fishing regulations passed by the band. So far, the judge has declined to issue a ruling. The tribe considers the matter critical to the preservation of specific fish species and the long-term health of their waters.

Two-Spirit Identity Holds Deep Cultural Roots

As Pride Month is celebrated across the country, tribal citizens are sharing the meaning of the Two-Spirit identity and explaining how it differs from LGBTQ+ terminology. More than a label, Two-Spirit carries cultural and communal significance, representing both an identity and a responsibility within the community. Tribal members note that while the understanding of Two-Spirit people varies from tribe to tribe, the concept predates colonization and is deeply woven into Indigenous tradition.

North Dakota Summit Addresses Tribal Energy Gaps, Marks #NoDAPL Anniversary

A three-day summit in North Dakota will bring together tribal leaders and advocates to address inequities in energy funding for Native communities. The Indigenized Energy Initiative, which provides renewable energy products to tribal communities at no cost, hosts the gathering to mark the 10-year anniversary of the No Dakota Access Pipeline movement. The summit, set for  Sept. 16-18, features conversations, music, and a forward-looking discussion on tribal energy sovereignty. Indigenous allies and advocates, including Shailene Woodley and Mark Ruffalo, are among the special guests.

Haudenosaunee Cousins Reflect on a Lifetime of Making Music

Rex Lyons and Irv Lyons, Haudenosaunee cousins and members of the band the Ripcords, have been making music together for more than 50 years. Award-winning musicians, the duo released their album White Cadillac in 2024. In a recent interview, the cousins spoke about the influences that shaped their sound and how a shared love of music brought them together from the start.

Fond du Lac Band Celebrates Return of 3,400 Acres

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians is celebrating the return of 3,400 acres of ancestral land most recently held by the University of Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz signed legislation formalizing the land transfer, and the tribe has announced plans to restore and revitalize the land.

Author Blends Hip-Hop and Tradition in New Book and Soundtrack

Author That Native Thomas has released Native Love: An X-Indian Chronicle, a new book accompanied by an original soundtrack blending hip-hop with traditional Indigenous music. Thomas says the music was crafted to reflect the emotional tone of the writing. The book weaves together old legends and contemporary life, tackling personal subjects including relationships, substance use and the complexity of identity. Thomas describes the stories as drawn directly from his own experiences and journey.

View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.

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The post ICT NEWSCAST: Native women politicians win, Two-Spirit pride, #NoDAPL anniversary and more appeared first on ICT.

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The land-use restriction orders, which, it should be emphasized, are absolutely necessary measures, should have a short time frame, until the Indigenous territory is demarcated as quickly as possible, observing the legal procedure. They have been effective in some situations or in some aspects, and not fully effective in others.

Without this instrument, the situation would certainly be even worse. However, a series of other measures is needed to protect these territories. Funai [the federal agency for Indigenous affairs] needs to provide trained personnel and financial resources for monitoring and inspecting the areas. It needs to initiate and complete the demarcation process; environmental protection agencies and bodies and the police need to fulfill their obligations to protect and combat crimes in these areas, a task complemented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the judicial aspect.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/65241453

Government of Canada 'sustained a strategy to evade accountability,' says tribunal judge

Archived version: https://archive.is/newest/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/permanent-peoples-tribunal-interim-statement-9.7217256

Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.today/post/53650229

An international opinion tribunal is holding hearings in Montreal to investigate crimes against Indigenous children in residential schools across Canada.

The Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM), in partnership with Amnistie internationale Canada francophone (AICF), is hosting the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) on Missing Children and Unmarked Graves in Canada at the Daphne Art Centre from May 25 to 29. The hearings are streaming live here.

The assessment, released earlier this month, adds to a growing body of national reports that highlight the harmful impacts of colonial policies on Indigenous peoples and the environment. In 2023, the United States’ Fifth National Climate Assessment found that land theft and colonization had exacerbated climate change’s impact. The year before, Australia’s State of the Environment report was prepared with an Indigenous lead author for the first time; it found that Indigenous peoples were more likely to be impacted by extreme weather events like fires. It too called for incorporating Indigenous knowledge into climate policies. Despite these findings, Indigenous leaders around the world say national governments are still not listening to them.

Author: Andrew J. Karesa | Adjunct Professor, Indigenous Business, The King's University Canada

An excerpt:

In the 21st century, leadership is typically framed in the position of power, strategy and authority and oftentimes considered interchangeable with management.

What if there was a different way to perceive and demonstrate our leadership in a way that empowers and supports others?

For Pitikwahanapiwiyin (Chief Poundmaker), leadership was about something more: it was about service, peace and an unwavering, relentless commitment to his people.

Throughout the late 1800s, Cree Chief Poundmaker used his unique leadership abilities to navigate political and cultural tensions while successfully advocating for the survival of his community. His legacy, while often misunderstood or unknown, has the potential to provide significant value in the leadership development of contemporary leaders globally.

Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) is pursuing the acquisition of a longstanding revenue-generating asset rooted in Hastings Park in Vancouver.

On Friday, the First Nation announced it has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation for an agreement in principle to acquire the “casino business and related real property interests” at Hastings Racecourse & Casino.

This appears to signal that Great Canadian does not intend to pursue a renewal of its lease to operate the racecourse and casino at the site. The company’s lease began in 2004 and is set to expire next year.

Upon inquiry, the City of Vancouver told Daily Hive Urbanized today that Great Canadian’s current operating agreement runs until May 2026, with an additional five-year renewal option subject to mutual consent.

“Great Canadian Gaming Corporation is the operator of Hastings Racecourse and the City cannot disclose specifics of operating agreements,” the City stated.

As the property is owned by the City, this could trigger potential lease negotiations between the municipal government and the First Nation regarding the site’s future use beyond May 2026.

Before the Usual Time is a short book (180 pages) that spans multiple indigenous cultures. I appreciated getting a taste of each of the authors' experiences and cultures, and the poems are approachable for those new to poetry. The stories are inventive and the writing is excellent. I'd highly recommend it!

Featuring writings from:

• Leanna Marshall - Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Ontario)
• Emma Petahtegoose - Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
• Joan Naviuyuk Kane - Inupiaq
• Ardelle Sagutcheway - Eabametoong (Ontario)
• Craig Santos Perez - Chamorro Guahan (Guam)
• Sherwin Bitsui - Diné of the Todich'ii'nii (Arizona)
• Chuquai Billy - Lakota Sioux/Choctaw (New Mexico)
• David Groulx - Ojibway (Ontario)
• Sy Hoahwah - Comanche/Southern Arapaho
• Cathy Smith - Mohawk
• Dennis Saddleman - Coldwater Reserve
• Craig Commanda - Kitigan Zibi
• Emily Clarke - Cahuilla
• Darlene Naponse - Anishinaabe from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
• Lori Flinders - Couchiching First Nation, Lynx Clan
• Ajuawak Kapashesit - Cree, Ojibwe, and Jewish descent

I'm unfamiliar with this topic so I don't want to comment further, here are some key excerpts from the article:

Findings Our search identified 2037 studies, of which 42 peer-reviewed articles and nine grey literature reports met inclusion criteria: these studies were in Canada (n=3), Australia (n=17), New Zealand (n=9), and the USA (n=22). With the exception of Māori children in New Zealand, who seem to have similar rates of epilepsy to children of European ancestry, the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy seemed to be higher in Indigenous peoples in these regions than non-Indigenous populations. In the included studies, Indigenous peoples showed a higher number of epilepsy hospital presentations, decreased access to specialists, decreased access and longer waits for antiseizure medication, and increased prescriptions for enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications when compared with non-Indigenous peoples. In Australia, the number of disability-adjusted life years among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with epilepsy was double that for non-Indigenous people with epilepsy. Mortality rates for Indigenous peoples with epilepsy in New Zealand and Australia were higher than in non-Indigenous people with epilepsy.

Interpretation Although Indigenous people from CANZUS have unique cultural identities, this review identified similar themes and substantial disparities experienced by Indigenous versus non-Indigenous people in these nations. Concerningly, there were relatively few studies, and these were of variable quality, leaving substantial knowledge gaps. Epidemiological epilepsy research in each specific Indigenous group from CANZUS countries is urgently required to enable health policy development and minimise inequity within these countries.