All posts by Guest Post

First Nations criticism of Danielle Smith goes national

By Jeremy Appel,  Alberta Native News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – The national advocacy organization for Treaty First Nations has joined the chorus of First Nations telling Alberta premier Danielle Smith that a referendum on Alberta independence would be illegitimate without consulting the land’s original inhabitants.

“Any proposed separation of Alberta from Canada would be fundamentally illegitimate and unconstitutional without the explicit, prior, informed and collective consent of the First Nations whose lands and rights predate the formation of the province and of Canada,” Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak said in a May 12 news release.

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BC’s development agenda tramples rights, First Nation leaders warn

By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Indigenous leaders across BC are sounding the alarm over two new provincial bills they say threaten to undermine their people’s rights and weaken environmental safeguards.

The legislation introduced by Premier David Eby’s government aims to fast-track major infrastructure developments and clean energy projects. But First Nations leaders argue the bills were developed without the proper consultation required under BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).

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New book offers an easy-to-read primer on Indigenous Rights

By Regan Treewater, Alberta Native News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – “This book is not intended for lawyers,” begins author Bruce McIvor in his new book Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation. “It’s meant for non-lawyers interested in Canada’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and how to make it a reality” (10).

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The Lip Sync Video

By Howie Roman

Rick Bockner, Immanuel McKenty and I have spent a year and a half working on this. Rick and I spent 18 months looking at over 30 hours of Lip Sync that Immanuel digitalised for us. We selected 16 acts and 7 mc bits for a usb video of Highlights of Lip Sync. It was a constant reminder of how great the shows were and what a special thing they were. We did 23 shows in 11 years  It provided an outlet for the island’s performers that is now missing.

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The B.C. agency overseeing oil and gas is about to get more powerful. Here’s why you should care

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporters

One of British Columbia’s government agencies is poised to get a lot more power.

Premier David Eby’s NDP government has just introduced legislation to give new responsibilities to the BC Energy Regulator (BCER), which oversees the province’s growing oil and gas sector and other energy projects.

The changes will put the regulator — largely funded by the oil and gas industry — in charge of fast-tracking renewable energy projects like wind and solar, along with the $3-billion North Coast transmission line that will power liquefied natural gas (LNG), mining and other industrial projects.

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