Doug Ford apologizes for comments on First Nations

Doug Ford apologizes for comments on First Nations
Ontario Premiere Doug Ford apologized for comments some First Nation leaders deemed racist ahead of meeting about mining development.

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National Observer

32 minutes ago

• National Observer

The climate discussion requires Indigenous leadership — every single day

Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a time for people across the country to come together to reflect on and celebrate the unique heritage, traditions and knowledge of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. Today we're reflecting on the importance of Indigenous leadership when it comes to climate policy. That's not always the first thing that comes to mind when people reflect on Indigenous contributions — but it should be. Indigenous people are often at the forefront of climate impacts and leaders in the development of the clean economy. We see this playing out in our current moment: Indigenous communities are grappling with the devastating impacts of wildfires supercharged by climate change and spreading across vast stretches of territory. Concurrently, Indigenous nations are leading the charge to be better prepared for future fires by reviving cultural burning practices that have been a longstanding part of land management. With much of the country seized by how to get major projects off the ground in the wake of trade uncertainty south of the border, Indigenous people continue to remind the country that they are critical partners in any path forward. Indigenous nations have shown the way ahead when it comes to the energy transition, developing renewable energy, battery storage, electricity transmission and mining projects, among many others. Indigenous knowledge systems have sustained communities since time immemorial, embedded in relational and holistic approaches to lands and waters. The reflection of this relationship must extend beyond a single day. It must be engrained in how we think about, develop and deliver climate policy. If you've learned the language of a country you've visited, ask yourself: Have you learned any of the Indigenous languages of the land you live on now? Learning these words can transform how we understand the land, the climate crisis and the cultural survival of those most deeply connected to it. Supporting Indigenous climate leadership requires moving beyond conventional ideas of co-development toward centering Indigenous nationhood. This includes supporting Indigenous land and water governance systems, which would contribute to more equitable and reciprocal policy and decision-making approaches. Indigenous Peoples are often at the forefront of climate impacts and leaders in the development of the clean economy, write Maria Shallard, Shianne McKay and Grace Donnelly Amplifying Indigenous-led climate solutions Five years ago, the Canadian Climate Institute and Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources partnered to create the Indigenous Perspectives Program. This mentorship and case study initiative was designed to amplify Indigenous-led research that identifies successful strategies, highlights systemic barriers and shares lessons learned from Indigenous responses to climate impacts, mitigation efforts and the clean energy transition. Each year, we support the development of case studies with stipends, offering a platform for research led by and for Indigenous people. Case studies are given an opportunity for language translation as a way to advance the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to support language and culture, and as a way to respect time-honoured ways of knowing and being. The case study program culminates in a live, virtual roundtable that brings together a national audience of community members, government representatives, industry leaders, academics, and non-profits. The roundtable is a space to elevate Indigenous climate policy recommendations, uphold reciprocity in participant feedback, and spotlight the individuals and organizations enacting change in their communities. The roundtable brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders to listen, learn and collaborate in pursuit of Indigenous-led climate policy. Indigenous governance is power for climate policy This year, as with the previous five years, we heard powerful testimony from Indigenous climate leaders across the country. Their insights highlight both successes and ongoing systemic failures, including the persistent limitations of co-development frameworks that do not fully account for Indigenous governance systems. On the East Coast, we heard about the incredible opportunities Indigenous communities like the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council have to lead in the clean energy transition through community-owned distributed energy systems. This approach not only cuts emissions, it also supports self-determination and economic independence. In light of the current national conversation around energy corridors, we heard how Indigenous-inclusive transmission projects offer a path to unlocking Canada's remarkable renewable energy potential — a crucial part of building the bigger, cleaner, smarter electricity systems needed to cut emissions and support a cleaner economy. In Cowichan territory, we heard about the opportunities and challenges faced by a commercial fishing business owned and operated by the Cowichan tribes called Quw'utsun Kw'atl'kwa Enterprises, as they work to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, industry practices, and environmental sustainability in adaptive fisheries' management through a holistic lens. In the territory of the Omushkego Cree, also known as the water people, we learned how the Friends of the Attawapiskat River are raising grassroots Indigenous voices to protect the land for future generations in Ontario's Ring of Fire region. These risks, alongside the call to return to Indigenous governance, were themes that were echoed in the stories of the Anishnabe Moose Committee, a grassroots collective from several Anishnabe (Algonquin) communities working directly to protect moose, land, and culture from deforestation, mismanagement and climate impacts. A call to reflect and learn Each of these authors' perspectives adds an important dimension to how we address the challenge of climate change and build a better future together. As we mark National Indigenous Peoples Day, we invite everyone to reflect on the lands they inhabit. Consider the diversity of Indigenous nations, the history of treaties — or their absence — and the deep relationships between people, place and non-human kin. Maria Shallard is the Director, Indigenous Research at the Canadian Climate Institute and lives as a guest on unceded K'ómoks territory. Shianne McKay is a member of the Minegoziibe Anishinaabe, a Senior Project Manager at the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources & representative of Canadian Climate Institute Council of Advisors.

CTV News

42 minutes ago

• CTV News

‘We love you, come on down,': Business owner's message to Canadians boycotting U.S. travel

FILE - American and Canadian flags fly near the Palace Playland amusement park, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, a summer seaside resort town popular with French-Canadian tourists. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File( As the summer tourism season heats up and some Canadians choose to boycott U.S. travel, New England states and business owners want to draw Canadian tourists back. Maine's rugged coastline and sandy beaches have helped to earn it the license plate slogan 'Vacationland.' But this year, fewer Canadians are showing up. David Rowland, co-owner of York Beach Beer Company, has noticed fewer Canadian license plates and fewer Canadian surfers in York Beach. 'Down here at Long Sands Beach, it's usually lined with Quebecois or New Brunswick (tourists), and they're not here. Some are. But not like normal,' he said. 'We still have great beer and we're still nice people. And we have great waves and great mountains,' Rowland said. 'I would say, don't be afraid of us. We're not afraid of you. We're sorry.' From February to May, land crossings into Maine were down 27 per cent compared to last year. Other northeast states feel the drop of Canadian travellers too. At a summit in between northeast U.S. governors and Eastern Canadian premiers in Boston earlier this week, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey told reporters her state expects to see a 20 per cent decline in bookings. 'Vermont reports that hotel reservations by Canadians are down 45 per cent. Credit card spending by Canadians down 36 per cent. In New York City, bookings by Canadians are down 45 per cent,' said Governor Healey. Democratic governors blame U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric, after he repeatedly said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state. Trump also imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, including steel and aluminum. Maine's Governor Janet Mills said she's spoken with a bed and breakfast owner whose business has welcomed Canadians for generations but is now dealing with cancellations. 'It's not the tariffs that are affecting them so much as the hurt pride and Canadian citizenry,' said Mills. Maine has set up signs to welcome Canadians at border crossings and tourism visitor centres throughout the state. Its governor will travel to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia next week to meet with premiers, but also to promote her state as a destination. A Leger poll from May found that while Canadians' summer travel intentions are 'strong,' interest U.S.-bound travel this summer is 'collapsing' as only 10 per cent plan to travel to the U.S. this summer, down from 23 per cent last year. The poll also said 75 per cent of those polled who were planning a trip to the U.S. say tariffs announcement influenced their plans. More than half who had planned to visit the U.S. now plan to travel elsewhere. Other factors such as safety concerns, poor exchange rates, not feeling welcome and concerns about border delays also influenced their decisions. How the drop in Canadian tourism is impacting businesses varies depending on who you ask. At The Nevada Hotel in York Beach, Maine, its manager Valerie Fedorchak said they welcome guests from all over the world. Their Canadian guests are still coming. 'I'm really grateful to be able to say that we haven't noticed a substantial impact,' said Fedorchak. Typically, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Canadians account for up to 40 per cent of tourists each year. When announcing how Canada would respond to Trump's tariffs In March, former prime minister Justin Trudeau singled out Old Orchard Beach and Florida as places Canadians would choose to avoid. Family-run businesses like the Sandpiper Beachfront Motel welcome regulars from Canada every year, especially from Quebec. For some families, it's a 40-year tradition. 'For us personally we've only had a maybe a handful of people cancel if that,' said manager Michael Rioux, noting their longtime repeat clientele are still coming except one family that gave up seven rooms at the end of July. Rioux said the guest didn't want to cancel but her family did. 'Given the political situation, they wanted to boycott the U.S.,' he said. Rioux said his brother's business has also been dealing with more Canadian cancellations. He thinks the exchange rate, coupled with political turmoil will impact tourism in Old Orchard Beach. 'It's sad, because Canadians lose out on one of their places to go and then the mom and pop places like us lose as well,' Rioux said. Suzanne Ellis, the owner of Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster said the season started off slow, but she's noticed more Canadians showing up recently, especially this week. Ellis said she's very happy to have them here. The operator had been worried because a lot of her friends in Canada said they wouldn't be coming. Ellis estimates about 60 per cent of her customers are Canadians. 'We want to see you, we love you, come on down,' she said. Rioux message for Canadians is to do what you've been doing every year and enjoy your summer vacation. 'I think a lot of the political stuff is keeps us divided. I think we should stay together and help each other out and not fuel into a lot of the political theater and division that they perpetrate in the media,' said Rioux.

National Post

2 hours ago

• National Post

In Alberta, separatism is on the ballot in a rural byelection on Monday

OTTAWA — Cameron Davies, the leader of the separatist Republican Party of Alberta and the party's candidate for Monday's Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills byelection, admits that his party's name and MAGA red branding are causing some confusion at the doors. Article content 'It certainly has come up in conversation,' Davies told the National Post on Thursday. Article content 'People want to know more about it, what it means and that's just an opportunity to explain why the word 'republican' and why a constitutional republic is something we want to look at.' Article content Davies' Republican party isn't formally aligned with the more well-known one south of the border — notably swapping out the latter's elephant for a more local buffalo as its logo — but it does aspire to make Alberta an independent republic governed similarly in principle to the U.S. Article content 'The form of government Canada has doesn't work for Alberta, and the form of government we have here in Alberta doesn't work for Alberta,' said Davies. Article content Davies, an ex-UCP organizer, is one of two separatist candidates who'll be on the ballot in Monday's byelection in the south-central Alberta riding, where the governing United Conservative Party won more votes than anywhere else in the province in 2023's provincial election. Article content The other is employee benefits specialist Bill Tufts, running under the banner of the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition. Article content Under normal circumstances, the byelection would be a tap-in for first-time UCP candidate Tara Sawyer. But these are anything but normal circumstances, with support for Alberta separatism spiking on the heels of the federal Liberals fourth straight election win. Article content Article content What's more, Davies and Tufts have a fortuitous piece of Alberta election lore to point to. Article content Western Concept candidate Gordon Kesler notched a surprise 1982 byelection win in predecessor riding Olds-Didsbury, briefly becoming the first and only separatist to hold a seat in Alberta's legislature. Article content Kesler is still active in the area's politics and is backing Davis in the byelection. Article content Ex-Alberta MLA Derek Fildebrandt, whose now-defunct riding of Strathmore-Brooks crossed into the riding's east end, says he expects the Republicans to place a strong second, possibly even pushing the UCP below a majority vote share. Article content 'Based on my gut, nothing hard,' said Fildebrandt.