Wawatay News

The Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, and the Ontario Minister of Education, Mitzie Hunter issued the following statement today concerning student safety in Thunder Bay and the First Nations youth safety crisis in Northern Ontario.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum, on behalf of the Executive Council, congratulates 17-year-old Chapleau Cree First Nation citizen Emma Morrison, who was crowned Miss Teenage Canada over the weekend:

A late draft resolution put forth at the 2017 AFN General Assembly for the current Commissioners of the National MMIWG Inquiry to resign was not passed in a vote late Thursday evening.

The Resolution 57 #2 read:

Direct the Assembly of First Nations National Chief to meet with Prime Minister Trudeau to inform him that the current MMIWG National Inquiry Commissioners must be replaced with new Commissioners who will respect MMIWG families and survivors. Be trauma-informed and put families first.

As First Nations leaders, Elders, women and youth from across Canada gathered in Regina, SK today for the opening of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Annual General Assembly, AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde and federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, announced that First Nations will have more control of financial resources from one year to the next.

Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs, his wife and one other person, have been charged with extortion.

Keith and Marisa Hobbs have each been charged with extortion and obstructing justice, an OPP release said. Mary Voss has also been charged with extortion.

The OPP statement said the charges relate to "an investigation of allegations of criminal wrongdoing that include a municipal official and a local resident."