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Six Nations 2024 audited financials released: cash down by $40 million
By Donna Duric
Six Nations cash assets went down by $40 million in 2024.
The Six Nations of the Grand River financial statements were released last week and although cash assets fell, total financial assets increased from $253 million to $314 million.
The biggest factor in that jump came from investments, from $87 million in 2023 to $179 million in 2024.
Six Nations’ accumulated surplus jumped overall from $245 million to $270 million from 2023 to 2024.
Total revenue also increased, from $145 million to $163 million.
The province provided $10 million less in funding but federal funding increased from Indigenous Services Canada to $71 million, up from $59
million in 2023.
Rental income and investment income accounted for much of the revenue increase.
Expenses grew by about $9 million in the past year, at $129 million, up from $121 million in 2023.
“Other” expenses made up about $5 million of that increase.
The band also continues to lose money through the Six Nations Cannabis Commission.
Its net income from the commission was in a $2.9 million deficit in 2023 and in 2024, that deficit grew to $3.5 million.
When it comes to band departments, health services continued to get the lion’s share of funding out of all the departments from Indigenous Services Canada, at $32 million, compared to $27.6 million in 2023.
Social services came in
at a distant second, with $12.2 million from ISC; general government at $9.4 million; and public works at $8.7 million.
Education had one of the lowest ISC transfers, at $526,000; lands and
Monday December 23rd to Friday January 3rd
resources at $129,000 and Iroquois Lodge at $108,000.
Six Nations fire services budget received $1.4 million and welfare (Ontario Works) received $3.7 million from ISC.
Provincial funding dropped by $10 million, notably, toward social services, which received $20 million in 2023 and only $8.8 million in 2024.
Total revenues from all sources was up slightly from $118 million in 2023 to $120 million in 2024.
Total revenues were $163 million while total expenses were $138 million leaving the band in a $25 million surplus.
The majority of all department heads were all receiving compensation well above $100,000 in 2024.
tion is the chief executive officer, with a salary range of $226,400 to $339,600.
Honoraria for former Chief Mark Hill was $65,694. His travel expenses were $25,909, totalling $92,593.
Councillors Greg Frazer, Audrey Powless-Bomberry, Helen Miller, Hazel Johnson and Melba Thomas took home the highest honoraria.
Only three department heads: housing, education, and communications, had a minimum annual compensation below $100,000. The salary range for those positions is $98,400 to $147,600.
The highest paid posi-
Frazer took the top spot, at $58,096, while Councillors Thomas and Miller took home $57,196 each. Councillors Johnson and Powless-Bomberry took home $56,596 each.
Total councillor honoraria, benefits and travel came to $808,967.
SNGR reps did not return emails seeking more information about the financial statements by press time.
Total revenues were $163 million while total expenses were $138 million leaving the band in a $25 million surplus. FILE
Jaimee (a.k.a. Ms. Claus) from Port Dover braved the chilly Friday, December 13th weather to show her support
Ec-dev's $538 million financing for Hagersville battery storage project
By Donna Duric
Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and Boralex have announced the closing of $538 million financing for the Hagersville Battery Energy Storage Park.
With a capacity of 300 MW/1,200 MWh, the park will be the biggest battery energy storage project to date in Canada once it reaches commissioning.
According to Boralex,
the financing was obtained from a banking syndicate composed of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Canada Branch (SMBC), KfW Ipex-Bank GMBH (KfW), the Korean Development Bank, Crédit Industriel et Commercial, New York Branch et DZ Bank, all acting as Joint Lead Arrangers (JLA). SMBC also serves as administrative agent, collateral agent, as well as green loan and hedging coordinator,
and KfW is designated as the project's technical bank.
The Hagersville project financing includes:
-A $366 million construction loan
-A $141 million bridge loan, allowing the financing of investment tax credits to which the project is eligible -A $31 million letter of credit
"I am pleased to see this project progressing and look forward to the next steps now that this key fi-
nancing has been secured," said Matt Jamieson, President and CEO of SNGRDC. "Boralex continues to be one of our most valued partners and this latest venture further cements SNGRDC as an Indigenous leader in the battery energy storage space.”
Bruno Guilmette, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Boralex, said, "I would like to congratulate the Boralex teams for securing
this financing with optimal financial conditions, which provides the company with enhanced financial flexibility. It is important to note that this project represents a major step forward in our commitment to sustainable and innovative energy solutions.”
The Hagersville Battery Project is a 300 MW battery storage facility designed to efficiently store and seamlessly inject energy into the Ontario energy grid.
It is located just south of the Six Nations reserve off Highway Six. Commercial operation of the plant will start by the end of 2025.
SNGRDC manages Six Nations’ economic interests in 25 energy projects and other economic development opportunities in and around the Six Nations territory.
March opening for claims period of FNCFS and Jordan’s Principle Settlement
Class members will not have to pay for help submitting claims
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak announced that the first two claims processes for the Removed Child and the Removed Child Family Classes, regarding the First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) and Jordan’s Principle Settlement Agreement, have been approved by the Federal Court since late October and intends to compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the FNCFS Program.
The announcement signifies a major advancement in compensating First Nations children and
experienced harm,” said Nepinak in a December press release. “We thank the representative plaintiffs for their dedication and for being pillars of advocacy throughout this process.”
families who experienced discrimination through the FNCFS Program and narrow application of Jordan’s Principle.
“This announcement is a significant step forward in ensuring compensation reaches those who have
Nepinak continued to say that despite this being only the beginning, with more claims processes to follow, the announcement is an important step forward in fulfilling the commitment to those affected by Canada’s discrimination.
The Removed Child Class and Removed Child Family Classes include First Nations individuals who, while living on reserve or in the Yukon, were removed from their homes as children and placed into
care funded by Indigenous Services Canada between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2022, as well as their caregiving parents or caregiving grandparents, according to the release.
Those impacted by the federal government’s interpretation of Jordan’s Principle are also included. The nearly $24 billion settlement agreement followed compensation orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2019, addressing systematic discrimination against First Nations children and families.
The Removed Child Class and the Removed Child Family Class represent two of the nine classes included in the settlement and are slotted to open on
March 10, 2025.
When the claims period opens, Removed Child and Removed Child Family Class members can claim compensation by submitting a Claim Form to the administrator.
“Until then, compensation is not available,” read the release.
Those who are adults as of March 10, 2025, will have three years from the claims period’s opening date to submit their claim; however, minors will have three years from the date they reach the age of majority to submit their claim.
“Class members can take steps now to prepare for when the claims period opens,” said Class Counsel, Partner at Sotos LLP and member of the Settlement
Implementation Committee David Sterns. “If you are planning to submit a claim, we encourage you to start getting ready for the claims period by making sure you have government-issued identification and a mailing address. You should also have a bank account in your name so that the administrator can deposit compensation directly into your account.”
Class Members will not have to pay anyone to help them submit their claim to receive payment under this settlement, according to a release. Resources and support will be available at no cost to help class members submit claims. Currently, the settlement’s contact centre is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET, excluding statutory holidays and can be reached at 1-833-8520755.
When the claims period opens, the contact centre will also be able to connect class members with claims helpers, who can provide one-on-one support with completing the claim form virtually or in person where available. Claims helpers can also assist class members with connecting to local services and wellness resources. General information and updates about the settlement and the claims process are available to class members through the FNCFS and Jordan’s Principle website.
The seven other classes yet to receive opening dates are: the Kith Child/ Family Class; the Jordan’s Principle Class/Family Class; the Trout Child/ Family Class; and the Essential Service Class. The amount of money a caregiver may be entitled to depends on the Category. The Kith Child Class and Kith Family Class include First Nations individuals who were placed by a caregiving parent or caregiving grandparent off-reserve with a non-family caregiver when the child was a resident on reserve or living in the Yukon and where a child welfare authority was involved in the placement between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2022. And their caregiving parents or
JACE KOBLUN
The announcement signifies a major advancement in the effort to deliver compensation to First Nations children and families who experienced discrimination through the FNCFS Program and narrow application of Jordan’s Principle. SUBMITTED
Canadians won't be taxed on disability benefit under proposed rule change
By Alessia Passafiume
The Liberals are planning to introduce legislation to exempt the Canada Disability Benefit from being treated as income under the Income Tax Act.
The fall economic statement, which was released on Monday, is also calling on the provinces and territories to ensure the program's recipients do not have their other benefits reduced as a result of it.
"The government will be monitoring the decisions of provinces and territories and is prepared to take action to ensure the federal benefit is not clawed back," the fall economic statement says.
The disability benefit, which is set to take effect in July, would see eligible people receive up to $200 per month.
While advocates critiqued the amount for being too low, some have also raised concerns that if the benefit were considered taxable income, it could lead to a reduction in provincial and territorial government benefits.
Amanda MacKenzie, the national director of external affairs for March of Dimes Canada, said the government's plan to exempt it from taxation is welcome news.
"This is a thing that makes it easier for provinces, frankly, to make the
right decision," she said.
She also said it's a signal from the government to the community that it's going to work with people with disabilities to realize the "full value" of this benefit.
But, she said, the amount of money people can receive through the benefit is not enough.
"It's a start — I'm not going to say it's a good start," MacKenzie said.
"People with disabilities continue to push for an increase in that amount."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.
In the true spirit of the season, a joy-filled memory.
By Thohahoken
OHSWEKEN--Rain and ice on Christmas Eve
1971. The day starts on the damp and drizzly side. But as the grey day went on, the rain turned to ice. Back in the day, the dirt roads on Six Nations were mostly gravel. But that gravel became icy as well.
I was the Indian scout for Bob, the firefighter turned Sally Ann delivery man. We delivered 120 baskets to Six Nations. We journeyed back and forth to the Sally Ann on Darling Street three times. Each time I was awed by how Bob knew how to get across town and rarely hit a stop light.
“It’s something you get to know about when you need to get somewhere fast,” Bob the fireman said.
That didn’t work on the reserve. People rolled stop signs on the gridwork of roads. There were few four way stops and no stoplight in the village. But we managed to deliver 119 baskets as the roads grew icier. As darkness fell, we had one hamper left.
We pulled into a laneway off what is now known as Mohawk Road. In the dimness growing outside I knocked on the door. And slowly the door opened. A mom came outside. Bob placed the hamper on the steps, filled with a ham, canned fixings, powdered potatoes, toys, and an assortment of treats. We said who we were. The mom gasped.
“I have nothing for my kids and wondered if anything would come,” she
said tearfully grasping my arm. “And here you are. Thank you so much.”
The joy-filled heart of the mom is something I remember in this current age where our luxuries have become needs. To see a mom’s joy to brighten her children’s lives is one thing I know about this season. This season has meaning because of a mom’s heart.
On December 25th, the Christian church celebrates the birth of Jesus to bring joy to the world. That’s okay. Some people know it that way. Just remember, Roman records say Jesus was born in June and the Holy Church moved the celebration of Christ’s Mass to December 25.
The church moved Christ’s Mass to coincide with Europe’s traditional midwinter festival—a festival that had nothing to do with Jesus. And there are plenty of Yuletide songs that show this. "Good King Wenceslaus". "Oh Tannenbaum". "Auld Lang Syne". Here's what these songs are about.
The traditional European (Pagan) midwinter meant raising an evergreen tree. The Twelve Days of Feasting includes the Feast of Stephen. Their spirit entities, like elves and angels, are recognized.
They “ring out the olde” to remember those who perished. They “ring in the new” by giving gifts to children, they call. Nothing to do with Christianity, these customs are part of the Old Religion. What is the Old Religion? Honour-
ing the Sun’s return on December 25 to bring a new year filled with life.
What does this mean to us?
We also have a Midwinter festival. We have the Tree of Great Peace. We observe the winter solstice, and in our tradition the solstice brings in our new year. We ring out the old when we stir ashes. We feast and dance to honour our own little people and star-beings, medicine societies, and the earth. We ring in the new when we give babies their names. We participate in the Peach Bowl game to share our prosperity. All celebrated by this land’s Original country folk.
Also, many Original People remember a special teacher born to walk among us. This Peacemaker taught that everyone gets to eat, everyone gets to be healed, and everyone gets to be happy. The Peacemaker was born in our country during the shortest days of the year.
The season is about ending one year and beginning another, celebrating family and friends who made it through, and remembering those who didn’t. The season is about cherishing and brightening your life.
Just remember: enjoy the longest nights of the year, when the stars are amazing, the moon is powerful, the Earth is at rest, and everyone is home safe.
(Thohahoken is Six Nation’s scholar Michael Doxtater.)
Mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey and across the US
By: Mike Catalini
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over New Jersey and across the eastern U.S., sparking speculation and concern over where they came from and why.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim have both gone out on drone hunts, hoping for answers. The FBI, Homeland Security, state police and other agencies are investigating.
Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft — and to be allowed to shoot them out of the sky.
Federal authorities said Monday evening that the reported drone sightings have been identified as legal commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned aircraft, helicopters and even stars. Officials said that assessment was based on technical data and tips.
The House Intelligence Committee grilled federal law enforcement and intelligence officials about the drones during a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut told CNN. Authorities told the panel there still is no evidence of public safety or national security threats, Himes said.
What has been seen in New Jersey?
Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones statewide since mid-November, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
Murphy, a Democrat, said Monday that drone-detection equipment supplied by the federal government has yielded little new information. He declined to describe the equipment except to say it was powerful and could even disable the drones, though he said that’s not legal on U.S. soil.
Murphy urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones.
Meanwhile, the FBI and New Jersey state police warned against pointing lasers at suspected drones, because aircraft pilots are being hit in the eyes more often. Authorities also said they are concerned people might fire weapons at manned aircraft that they have mistaken for drones. But do the drones pose a threat?
The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks from any of the
reported drone sightings in the northeast, saying officials believe they were lawfully flown drones, planes or even stars.
“There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.”
The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said.
About 100 of the more than 5,000 drone sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were deemed credible enough to warrant more investigation, according to a joint statement by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense. Who is operating the drones?
Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said it's unlikely the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. And he repeated Tuesday that the drones being reported are not being operated by the Department of Defense.
Canadians return to Canada Post with relief — and shakier faith in the service
By Christopher Reynolds
Canada Post trucks, conveyors and mail carriers swung back into motion Tuesday after a month-long strike by more than 55,000 postal workers left letters and parcels in limbo and a massive backlog to sort through.
Following a ministerial directive, the country's labour board ordered employees back on the job when it determined the two sides stood too far apart to reach a deal by year's end.
The resumption of operations brought relief to Canadians across the country amid the peak holiday shopping season, though some customers' faith in the 157-year-old institution emerged a little bruised.
Narintip Wiang In said she was excited and relieved to pick up her Thai passport, which had arrived at a postal outlet in downtown Vancouver the day before the strike began.
“I didn’t catch up with the news, so I didn’t know,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for a month to
collect this.” She said she needed her passport for a travel visa to the U.S., and she’s also applying for immigration to Canada with a deadline clock ticking down. After leaving the post office, she said she was headed straight to Staples to ship the documents with FedEx because she no longer trusted the postal service with her important immigration papers.
“I’m running out of time. It may cause my visa to be refused.”
Canada Post warned that customers should expect delays as it works through big backlogs — "mail and parcels trapped in the system" — and that holdups will likely persist into the new year.
"With a large, integrated network of processing plants, depots and post offices, stabilizing operations will take time and the company asks Canadians for their patience," it said in a release Monday. Items stranded in the system include passports, health cards, Christmas cards and gifts, medication and even at-home cancer screening kits.
Canada Post handled nearly 8.5 million letters and 1.1 million parcels per weekday on average last year — and much more of both in the holiday season. Post offices will not take new commercial letters and packages until Thursday, the Crown corporation said.
They began accepting individuals' shipments Tuesday morning. Ontario resident Roland Horner dropped off envelopes bearing donations to the Salvation Army and other charities soon after doors opened at a location in Burlington.
“Hopefully they’ll get them before the year end,” he said.
Don Suppelsa, mailing a gift package bound for his sister and brotherin-law in Nova Scotia, complained that private carriers had been taking advantage of Canadians in the postal service's absence.
“They were charging a lot more to send stuff, but I waited,” he said at an outlet in Oshawa, Ont.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered workers back on the job after a directive from
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, who said Friday he was giving the two sides a "timeout" as negotiations seemed to have stalled.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has contested the move, with the labour board set to hear its challenges in mid-January, the union said.
Canada Post employee Kim Gozzard said she was “very happy” to return to the office and expecting a busy day.
“I feel wonderful to be back at work … to look after my customers, and hopefully get everything moving and going again,” she said in Oshawa.
Gozzard said while Ottawa's intervention will put the union in a weaker position at the next round of bargaining, it was necessary to kick-start service.
“I feel both sides needed to be willing to sit and negotiate," she said.
“It shouldn’t have been drawn that long and I blame both sides.”
Not all workers were back in uniform Tuesday. Employees refused to cross a picket line drawn by an assortment of unionized groups — not
postal workers — at a Canada Post processing centre near the Vancouver airport in Richmond, B.C. Meanwhile, the broader labour dispute continues to simmer.
Key issues include the size of wage increases and a push by Canada Post to expand delivery to the weekend, with the two parties at odds over how to staff the move.
The money-losing Crown corporation has pitched the expansion as a way to boost revenue and compete with other carriers, arguing that a mix of parttime and full-time shifts will create flexibility while keeping costs down.
However, the union has characterized this as an attack on full-time work.
The government has appointed an industrial inquiry commission to look into the sticking points and come up with recommendations by May 15 on how a new agreement can be secured. Existing contracts have been extended to May 22.
The inquiry will also assess "the entire structure of Canada Post from both a customer and business model standpoint," given
the challenging competitive climate it faces, the labour minister said Friday. The organization has lost $3.3 billion since 2018, as letter mail declined and competitors gobbled up large chunks of the parcel market.
While months of hardnosed bargaining lie ahead, the holiday spirit permeated the halls of one downtown Fredericton post office.
Mary Bardsley arrived at the brick building bearing Christmas cards and a Tim Hortons gift card for employees, who were greeting a steady stream of morning customers. She said she's not worried about her holiday mail being held up.
“I’ve lived a long life,” Bardsley said with a laugh. “I can cope with almost anything.”
— With files from Darryl Greer in Vancouver, Sharif Hassan in Oshawa, Ont., Nicole Thompson in Burlington, Ont., and Hina Alam in Fredericton This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.
Tories call for House hearings on U.S. tariff threat amid Liberal tumult
By Dylan Robertson
The Conservatives are calling for Parliament to hold hearings in January on Canada-U.S. trade ahead of president-elect Donald Trump's entry to the White House, as Canadian businesses and experts seek a coherent response to the threat of tariffs.
"We have a U.S. president(-elect) with a strong mandate, who is a powerful negotiator who can spot weakness from a mile away," Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Tuesday.
Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods from Canada unless it stops the flow of migrants and illegal drugs into the U.S., though officials say both cross from Canada in negligible amounts.
The Tories say they have no faith in the Liberals to handle the situation after
Monday's resignation of former finance minister
Chrystia Freeland, who was set to have a major role in shaping Canada's response to Trump. Meanwhile, premiers have proposed conflicting policies to deal with the U.S. The Conservatives called on Tuesday for the House trade committee to hold hearings starting the week of Jan. 6 through to Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 to hear from ministers, senior officials and Canada's ambassador in Washington. The Tories brought a motion before the House of Commons on Tuesday to try to schedule those meetings, but did not get support to proceed. The House is currently scheduled to resume sitting on Jan. 27.
Freeland played a pivotal role negotiating the new North American free trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico during Trump's first
presidency.
She was set to lead the way again, chairing a Canada-U.S. relations committee in cabinet that was revived after Trump won the election in November, and taking part in two recent first ministers' meetings with premiers trying to shape a united Team Canada approach.
Freeland walked away from her role as finance minister on Monday, saying Trudeau had offered her a different job in cabinet and that they disagreed on what she called "costly political gimmicks" as Canada braces for a tariff war.
"She did an excellent job on the renegotiation of the NAFTA," said Roland Paris, who leads the University of Ottawa's graduate school of international affairs.
"Clearly, the situation was mishandled and Freeland felt humiliated."
Paris, who used to advise Trudeau on foreign policy,
said it's clear Freeland irked Trump. On Monday, the president-elect decried Freeland on the platform Truth Social, saying she won't be missed.
"Her behaviour was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada," Trump wrote.
Poilievre argued this shows the Liberals' mismanagement of the relationship with the U.S., and argued he would do a much better job as prime minister.
"President Trump has made it clear that he wants our jobs and our money.
Justin Trudeau's chaotic clown show will only help him get it," Poilievre told reporters in Mississauga, Ont.
The Liberals on Monday earmarked $1.3 billion over six years to bolster border security and ensure the integrity of the immigration system, in response to
Trump's concerns.
Poilievre would not say how much he would spend on securing the border, arguing the issue is not about spending amounts, but "boots on the ground" and the number of helicopters and drones.
Meanwhile, provinces have been at odds over how to respond to Trump's threat of tariffs. All have been asked to identify measures that Ottawa could use to retaliate against the U.S. if needed, though some have gone further.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said he's prepared to cut off electricity exports to bordering states, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has ruled out doing the same for oil and gas exports.
Smith has proposed a provincial border force for the 300-kilometre boundary with the U.S., while Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called for an election
based on how Canada should deal with Trump. Despite the mixed messages, Ford argued Monday the premiers will take a "Team Canada" approach and are more stable than the federal government.
Paris said it's crucial that premiers have a coherent response that aligns with Ottawa, or risk Trump exploiting domestic divisions. He said differences in opinion are normal, but it "simply isn't helpful at this moment" to have premiers openly debating whether to cut off energy exports or if Canada's top priority should be to avoid counter-tariffs under all circumstances.
"There is a huge temptation for politicians to exploit the obvious unpopularity of Justin Trudeau for their own, local advantage," Paris said.
New Indigenous led licensed child care program opens in Waterloo
Waterloo – The Healing of the Seven Generations "A Community Healing Strategy & Support Program" will open the community’s first Indigenous-led licensed child care program called Ga'nigǫhi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre at 30 Christopher Drive in Cambridge.
The program will provide culturally responsive childcare for up to 65 children, ages zero to four years old. Focused on holistic and accessible programming that responds to the needs of Indigenous children and families in our community, Healing of the Seven Generations will prioritize access for Indigenous children.
“While the Region of Waterloo focuses on creating more childcare spaces across the commu-
nity, prioritizing culturally responsive childcare is essential to meet the needs of all children and families who call Waterloo Region home,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “The Region is excited to be able to offer a high-quality space to the Healing of the Seven Generations to support the creation of this important licensed childcare program in our community.”
Healing of the Seven Generations approached
Regional staff about starting this program, and envisioned what this program could become. The local Indigenous community also expressed the importance of having childcare that reflects traditional culture, knowledge, and wisdom.
“Ga'nigǫhi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre is a vision rooted in our responsibility to heal the next seven generations,” says Donna Dubie, Executive Director of Healing of the Seven Generations. “It’s an act of reclamation and resurgence, a way to restore what was stolen through
residential schools and colonization. By nurturing our children, we honor them as sacred gifts who carry the wisdom of our ancestors and the potential to teach us. They are not only our future but our greatest teachers, guiding us all towards healing and transformation. Through them, we have an opportunity to awaken our spirts and reignite the fire of our blood memory.”
Ga'nigǫhi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre embraces the standards set by the province under the Child Care Early Years Act 2014 and cen-
ters on Indigenous ways of knowing and being. The centre will provide a safe, nurturing and culturally attuned environment designed for children, with nourishing meals, programming designed to reconnect children and families with their Indigenous roots, and an inclusive Indigenous team. This will ensure children grow in a space that reflects their identify, is safe, nurturing and wrapped in community support – where all families can thrive together. The centre will also have a family visiting room, designed for families to meet and connect, providing an alternative to Family and Children’s Services. The licensed child care centre, Ga'nigǫhi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre, is set to open in early 2025. Increasing access to high quality, safe, affordable and culturally responsive licensed childcare is essential to the Region’s strategic plan Growing with Care, and provides benefits to the community as a whole.
“Ga'nigo'hi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre is a vision rooted in our responsibility to heal the next seven generations,” says Donna Dubie, Executive Director. FILE
Saugeen First Nation victorious
By 2RT Staff
Court confirms First Nation's ownership of North Sauble Beach pursuant to 1854 Treaty Saugeen First Nation, Ontario: Today, the Court of Appeal for Ontario confirmed that North Sauble Beach is and always has been part of Saugeen Indian Reserve No. 29. The Court dismissed the appeals of the Government of Ontario, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, and two private landowners from a lower court ruling that Saugeen First Nation was wrongfully dispossessed of approximately 1.4 miles of beach after signing Treaty 72 in 1854. "The rights of the Saugeen people have been vindicated," said Saugeen Chief Conrad Ritchie.
"After generations of struggle, this is a victory that belongs to our entire community. Our relationship with our lands and waters is central to our way of life and Sauble Beach - known to us as Chi Gmiinh-is an integral part of our community. Out of all our vast territory, this was the place that our ancestors
chose to reserve for their future generations when they took treaty with the Crown."
In its decision, the Court of Appeal upheld the April 2023 trial judgment of Justice Susan Vella of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on all issues relating to ownership of Sauble Beach.
The appeal court confirmed the trial court's declaration that the Crown breached fiduciary duties and Saugeen First Nation's treaty rights by failing to protect and preserve all Saugeen First Nation's reserve lands after a Crown surveyor improperly surveyed the reserve in 1856.
The federal government recognized its error in the 1970s and subsequently supported Saugeen First Nation in its claim, which was filed in 1995. "Receiving the trial judgment in this case was a powerful moment for the Saugeen community. It validated the long fight for our rights and our determination to overcome the injustices that our people have faced over many decades. The
court heard our story in detail at trial, and we are very pleased that the Court of Appeal went back and reviewed all that evidence and upheld the trial ruling. After generations of not being heard by colonial governments, Saugeen First Nation is gratified by the recognition that we have finally received from the Ontario courts. Justice was done today."
Chief Ritchie also acknowledged the importance of Sauble Beach to the larger Ontario community and the importance of working closely with all its neighbours.
"As I said after the trial decision, the Court has recognized the importance of Sauble Beach to Saugeen First Nation, but we recognize that it is important to others as well, including as a tourist destination.
We look forward to continuing the good work that we have done with our neighbours and partners over the past two summers to keep the beach a special place for everyone under Saugeen First Nation's jurisdiction."
Potential scenarios for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals
By Kyle Duggan
The Liberal government was thrown into disarray this week when Chrystia Freeland stepped down from cabinet as finance minister, reviving calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down or call an election.
Way down in the polls with 2025 set as an election year and no signs of a Liberal recovery on the horizon, Trudeau is
facing a key moment where he must decide whether he should stay or go.
Here's a look at some of the scenarios and possibilities the Liberals now face:
Cabinet shuffle
Carlene Variyan of Summa Strategies, a former senior Liberal staffer, said a lot is hinging on what the prime minister does "in the next 24 hours."
She said if Trudeau wants
to remain prime minister, he should move to solidify his cabinet as soon as possible and shore up the Canada-U.S. relations team by showing he's reorienting toward focusing on the Trump relationship.
"He needs to signal to his cabinet, to caucus and to the country that he remains firmly in control of his government," she said, adding that Trudeau must also replace the
ministers who announced months ago they will not seek reelection.
The behind-the-scenes chatter in Ottawa political circles about a looming cabinet shuffle as soon as Wednesday died down after Freeland abruptly resigned from cabinet on Monday.The Liberals may now be waiting for the heat to die down before moving to shuffle their front bench and get new ministers in place to deal
with the incoming Trump administration, which is threatening to wallop Canada with 25 per cent tariffs.
Variyan said Trudeau should not wait.
"If he can bring that renewed sense of stability and being in control of his government...he has a real shot of being able to hold the government together until spring," she said.
Otherwise, caucus members and cabinet ministers could start "peeling off much earlier than that" and parliament could collapse "not long after they come back at the end of January."
Trudeau steps down
The House of Commons has downed tools for the holidays and won't return until Jan. 27 — after Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
If Trudeau is going to step down, that gives him until mid-to-late January to take his proverbial "walk in the snow," as his father famously did, to mull passing on the reins of Liberal leadership.
Former Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan said what happens next is all in Trudeau's hands.
"I honestly believe that one of the reasons he's hanging on is because he's so far behind in the polls and he doesn't want to be seen as having been
chased out. But all it's doing is fuelling this environment where he's looking like he's being chased out."
Van Loan sees Trudeau proroguing and stepping down in January as the most likely scenario, though not one set in stone.
"He'll stay around as leader until his successor is chosen and the party goes about selecting his successor in, I don't know, late May, June," Van Loan suggested, then "nothing happens until there's a new leader in place."
The party's national board of directors would name an interim leader until the party grassroots elects a new one, and set a date for the race.
In this case, the Liberals would have to really hustle. The party would likely look to book a space and run a race in far less time than past leadership contests allowed.
Party brass would also have to deal with running the race under significant rule changes ushered in under Trudeau that radically expanded the Liberal party base to anyone who wants to register to become a member, making it more than just an exclusive club of paying, card-carrying members.
Trudeau stays on
March opening for settlements
caregiving grandparents of the children of the Kith Child Class.
The Jordan’s Principle Class and Jordan’s Principle Family Class include First Nations individuals who suffered the highest level of impact due to a delay, denial or service gap for an essential service from Canada when they were a child, between December 12, 2007 and November 2, 2017. And their caregiving parents or caregiving grandparents of the children of the Jordan’s Principle Class.
The Trout Child Class and Trout Family Class include First Nations individuals who faced a delay, denial or service gap for an essential service from Canada when they were a child between April 1, 1991, and December 11, 2007. And their caregiving parents or caregiving grandparents of the children of the Trout Child Class.
The Essential Ser-
vice Class includes First Nations individuals who were confirmed to have needed an essential service and did not receive that service or experienced a delay in receiving it from Canada when they were a child, between December 12, 2007 and November 2, 2017.
According to fnchildclaims.ca, each eligible child may receive $40,000 or more in compensation depending on the number of eligible claimants. Parents or grandparents who were caring for an eligible person at the time of removal may also be entitled to compensation in cases of multiple removed children. Siblings and other family members of a removed child will not be entitled to any payment under the settlement.
The minimum amount available for eligible individuals depends on when the essential service gap or the denial or delay of an essential service happened, and the severity of the impact experienced.
In certain circumstances, individuals may also be entitled to additional compensation if the denial or delay of an essential service had a severe impact on them. Any additional payments will depend on the severity of the impact, the number of eligible claimants, and the availability of funds.
Class members who have questions about the settlement can also contact the administrator at 1-833-852-0755.
Mental health counselling and crisis support are available to class members 24 hours a day through the Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 or the Hope for Wellness website. Counselling is available in English, French, Cree and Ojibway upon request.
Children and youth can also call the Kids Help Phone anytime at 1-800668-6868 or text FIRSTNATIONS to 686868.
Support Services for Six Nations
Support services are available to community members of all ages who may need support.
To access support via phone, call:
Six Nations Crisis Line (519) 445-2204 OR 1 (866) 445-2204, (24/7)
Ohsweken Public Health* (519) 761-9053, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm. Closed Dec. 25, 26, Jan. 1
Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team 1 (226) 446-9902
Monday-Friday, 1-9pm
Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services (519) 445-4324
Indigenous Victims Services (519) 445-2204 OR 1 (866) 445-2204 (Office Line) 1 (866) 964-5920 (IVS Manager) Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4pm
Get support via Text/Chat:
Talk 4 Healing for Indigenous Women Text: 1 (855) 554-4315, 24/7 or online chat: www.beendigen.com, 24/7
HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURE
All Six Nations of the Grand River departments will be closing on Friday, December 20 at 2pm.
Regular office hours will resume Thursday, January 2, 2025 @ 8:30 am.
First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line Online Chat: hopeforwellness.ca
First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line
1 (855) 242-3310, 24/7
Talk Suicide Canada 1 (833) 456-4566, 24/7
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line
1 (866) 925-4419, 24/7
Talk 4 Healing for Indigenous Women
1 (855) 554-4315, 24/7
Kids Help Line
1 (800) 668-6868, 24/7
Talk Suicide Canada Text: 45645, 24/7
Kids Help Line Text ‘CONNECT’ to 686868, or online chat: kidshelpphone.ca, 24/7
Drop-in for In-Person Support:
Mental Health & Addictions 1769 Chiefswood Road Monday-Friday, 1-9pm
*Nurses will be working from home at this time. Immunizations will be unavailable.
Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team 1769 Chiefswood Road Monday-Friday, 1-9pm
FINAL DAYS TO GET YOUR
Potential scenarios for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals
Trudeau could attempt to continue on as normal and try to last until the scheduled fall election date, when the Liberals might stand a better chance at the polls if cost of living and other affordability matters improve.
Trudeau can remain in charge since his party did not adopt a formal mechanism to oust its leader, as the Conservative party did when it adopted the Reform Act, which ultimately led to the Tory caucus dumping former leader Erin O'Toole. But he would face a much harder time keeping his hold on the position if a large enough number of his own caucus called on him to resign.
In this scenario, the governing party is banking on waiting it out as long as possible, hoping voters become less disgruntled with the Trudeau brand.
For that to work, the New Democrats would have to continue to prop up the
government throughout the duration of the current minority Parliament.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh demanded this week that Trudeau step down, and his House Leader Peter Julian threatened in an interview on CBC's Power and Politics to bring down the government in a confidence vote in February or March if Trudeau remains at the helm.
That could bring an election around March, if the party follows through.
House Leader Karina Gould pointed out in question period Tuesday that the NDP has supported the Liberals through every confidence vote of the fall sitting, even as recently as last week.
Snap election
The next federal election is currently scheduled for late October, but the Trudeau government could fall on confidence votes in the House of Commons and trigger one sooner.
Those votes happen on
the spending matters, such as the budget and fall economic statement, and the government has a lot of control over when those votes happen.
But the opposition can put forward its own confidence votes on special calendar days called opposition days or supply days — which the government has some flexibility in scheduling. As many as seven of those have to happen by late March, according to the House of Commons standing orders. They do not have to be confidence motions.
A winter, spring or summer election could happen if the Conservatives, Bloc and NDP vote down the government on any of these votes — but they all need to gang up at once to do it.
Once that happens, the campaign period must be at least 37 days but no more than 51 days, according to an Elections Canada backgrounder. Election day must always fall on a Monday.
Prorogue
In any of the scenarios Trudeau faces, he could choose to hit the pause button on Parliament by proroguing. He could make the request to the governor general while the House is sitting, or when it is adjourned for recess.
A prorogation would allow the government to avoid confidence votes that could topple the government and trigger an early election.
And it would buy enough time for a leadership race if Trudeau steps down, but it would have to be a short one.
Thomas Hall, a former House of Commons procedural clerk, said there's a time limit that comes with that move.
Parliament would have to return after a few months to continue supplying the government with funds to keep the lights on. That's because once in the past, the late former prime minister Brian Mulroney had prorogued
Parliament before it was supposed to return in February in 1989, leaving it shuttered from December through April, and leaving routine spending approvals to the governor general through signing special warrants.
Former Liberal MP Peter Milliken decided that created a political accountability problem, so he championed a private members' bill that forces parliament to return to vote on supplying the government with funds.
Milliken's successful play to change the rules back in 1996 means Trudeau cannot prorogue to avoid an election throughout the entire spring sitting.
Privilege debate
The House of Commons has been gridlocked throughout most of fall, unable to pass most of the government's legislation because of a privilege debate and filibuster over the release of documents in an ethics/spending scandal.
"If they prorogue now, any
new session they start, there would be no privilege filibuster debate. That would be over with," said Hall. The opposition could also attempt to revive that debate.
Hall thinks Speaker Greg Fergus made a misstep in handling this debate, and that he could have recently brought it to a swift end had he made a different set of procedural moves in the House.
"Unless they change the rules, then they're going to be back in the same position pretty quickly," he said, meaning the spring sitting could wind up just as gridlocked as the fall.
"In order to not have more opposition days where (the government) will be defeated, and where they will still face the privilege motion, I think they have no alternative but to prorogue."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.
14 dead and hundreds injured in magnitude 7.3 quake
By: Charlotte Graham-mclay
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A magnitude
7.3 earthquake that struck off Vanuatu killed at least 14 people, injured hundreds more and caused widespread damage across the South Pacific island nation, officials said early Wednesday.
Frantic rescue efforts got underway after the quake hit early on Tuesday afternoon, and rescuers worked through the night, trying to reach people screaming for help from under the rubble.
The earthquake hit at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles) and was centered 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands home to about 330,000 people. A tsunami warning was called off less than two hours after the quake, which was followed by large aftershocks.
The Red Cross said early Wednesday that 14 had died, citing government information. Widespread damage to telecommunications and other infrastructure impeded the release of official reports and phone service remained down.
More than 200 people have been injured, said Katie Greenwood, Fiji-based head of the Red Cross in the Pacific, in a post on X. Vanuatu's main hospital has been damaged, and there is no power or water. Clement Chipokolo, World Vision's country director for Vanuatu said Vila Central Hospital was already under strain before the quake and was overwhelmed by the deluge of patients when he visited on Tuesday.
“They definitely are not coping,” Chipokolo told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The U.N. humanitarian office said access to the airport and sea port was “severely limited due to road damage." Assessments of damage at the airport were to be undertaken Wednesday.
Some people are still trapped Videos posted on social media show efforts through the night as rescuers try to reach people trapped in buildings, including a three-story structure in a busy down-
town area that collapsed onto its lower floors. The building was full of lunchtime shoppers when the quake hit.
Amanda Laithwaite, whose husband was among those searching for people, said they could hear yelling inside but progress was slow.
Three people were pulled alive from the rubble overnight, her husband, Michael Thompson, wrote
on Facebook. In one video he shared, a dust-covered woman is seen lying on a gurney. Army personnel and civilians are seen working with tools and shovels.
A local garage owner helping with the rescue efforts, Stéphane Rivier, told The Associated Press he estimated that 20 people had died, with 50 still missing. “I worked all night,” he
said. “We got out two survivors and three dead."
"There are still three people alive in the rubble,” he added.
The three still trapped are believed to be two women and a child, Dickinson Tevi, the head of Vanuatu Red Cross, told Radio New Zealand. Others were stuck in a building near the airport, Tevi said.
The quake damaged em-
bassies
A building housing a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila — including those of the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand — was significantly damaged, with a section of the building cleaving off and flattening the first floor. Windows were buckled and walls crumbled.
The U.S. Embassy’s Facebook page said all staff
were safe, but the building was closed until further notice. The office opened in July as part of a push by the U.S. to expand its Pacific presence to counter China’s influence in the region.
New Zealand’s foreign ministry said officials have accounted for all the embassy staff. Australia’s foreign ministry said its employees were safe.
December
December 25th Publication Deadline for Content
December 21st January 1st Publication Deadline for Content
Teacher and student killed in a shooting at a school in Wisconsin
By Scott Bauer
MADISON, Wis. (AP)
— A 15-year-old student killed a teacher and another teenager with a handgun Monday at a Christian school in Wisconsin, terrifying classmates including a second grader who made the 911 call that sent dozens of police officers rushing to the small school just a week before its Christmas break.
The female student, who was identified at a press conference Monday night, also wounded six others at a study hall at Abundant Life Christian School, including two students who were in critical condition, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. A teacher and three students had been taken to a hospital with less serious injuries, and two of them had been released by Monday evening.
“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever.
... We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened," Barnes said.
Barbara Wiers, director of elementary and school relations for Abundant Life Christian School, said students “handled themselves magnificently.”
She said when the school practices safety routines, which it had done just before the school year, leaders always announce that it is a drill. That didn’t happen Monday.
“When they heard, ‘Lockdown, lockdown,’ they knew it was real,” she said.
Police said the shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound when officers arrived and died en route to a hospital. Barnes declined to offer additional details about the shooter, partly out of respect for the family. Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school — prekindergarten
SIX NATIONS POLICE
Constable - Contract Position
through high school — with approximately 420 students in Madison, the state capital.
Wiers said the school does not have metal detectors but uses other security measures including cameras.
Children and families were reunited at a health clinic about a mile away. Parents pressed children against their chests while others squeezed hands and shoulders as they walked side by side. One girl was comforted with an adult-size coat around her shoulders as she moved to a parking lot teeming with police vehicles. A motive for the shooting was not immediately known, nor was it clear if the victims were targeted, Barnes said.
“I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening,” he told reporters. Barnes said police were
Applications for a contract position for Constable with the Six Nations Police are now being called for. All applicants must fill out a standard application form available at the Six Nations Police Station.
CRITERIA for applicants are as follows:
Minimum Requirements to be considered for a career in First Nations Policing with the Six Nations Police Service, you must:
- Be 19 years of age or over and able to provide an official birth certificate or proof of age;
- Be physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position having regard to your own safety and the safety of members of the public
- Have successfully completed at least 4 years of Secondary School education or its equivalent (official transcripts and diplomas will be required)
- Be of good moral character and habits, meaning that you are an individual other people would consider being trustworthy and having integrity, with no criminal record;
- Certified by a physician to be fit for duty as a front line Six Nations Police Constable and able to pass physical tests which are required in the recruiting process
- Possess a valid driver’s license with no more than 6 accumulated demerit points, permitting you to drive an automobile in Ontario with full driving privileges
- Be able to pass a security clearance as well as background investigation, credit card and reference checks If you have any criminal convictions under a Federal Statute you must obtain a pardon.
Special Requirements – for the Six Nations Police Service, in order to address the unique and at times urgent needs of the Six Nations of the Grand River Community and Haudenosaunee culture, additional requirements include:
- Extensive knowledge of the unique social dynamics of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory
- A sound understanding of Haudenosaunee culture, customs, traditions and social political issues of the Six Nations of the Grand River
- Six Nations of the Grand River Band Membership/Citizenship and residency is considered a preferred asset and
- Membership or extensive working experience with any Indigenous Nation will also be considered an asset
Desirable Qualifications:
• Six Nations Band member preferred
Assets:
Previous policing related experience
• Law and security courses, etc.
Closing Date: Applications must be received by 3:00 p.m. January 3, 2025. Applications in complete form are to be mailed or hand delivered to:
Six Nations Police
P.O. Box 758
2112 4th Line Road
Ohsweken, Ontario
N0A 1M0
Attention: Policing Administrator
For further information, please contact the Policing Administrator at 519-445-4191.
COVID-19 Restrictions will be exercised.
talking with the shooter’s father and other family members, who were cooperating, and searching the shooter's home.
“He lost someone as well," Barnes said of the shooter's father. "And so we’re not going to rush the information. We’ll take our time and make sure we do our due diligence.”
The first 911 call to report an active shooter came in shortly before 11 a.m. First responders who were in training just 3 miles (5 kilometers) away dashed to the school for an actual emergency, Barnes said. They arrived 3 minutes after the initial call and went into the building immediately. Classes had been taking place when the shooting happened, Barnes said. Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol,
a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Police blocked off roads around the school, and federal agents were at the scene to assist local law enforcement. No shots were fired by police.
Abundant Life asked for prayers in a brief Facebook post.
Wiers said the school's goal is to have staff get together early in the week and have community opportunities for students to reconnect before the winter break, but it’s still to be decided whether they will resume classes this week.
Bethany Highman, the mother of a student, rushed to the school and learned
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
over FaceTime that her daughter was OK.
“As soon as it happened, your world stops for a minute. Nothing else matters,” Highman said. “There’s nobody around you. You just bolt for the door and try to do everything you can as a parent to be with your kids.”
In a statement, President Joe Biden cited the tragedy in calling on Congress to pass universal background checks, a national red flag law and certain gun restrictions.
“We can never accept senseless violence that traumatizes children, their families, and tears entire communities apart,” Biden said. He spoke with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and offered his support.
For Grand River Post Secondary Education Office
POSITION TITLE: Post Secondary Funding Advisor LOCATION: Ohsweken
PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT: Full time employment – 37.5 hours weekly
JOB SUMMARY:
The Post Secondary Funding Advisor with the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO) reports to and is directly responsible to the Director of Post Secondary Student Service for:
The organizational accomplishment of identified Board Ends policies; and operating within established Board and Operational policies and procedures to accomplish these Ends.
To do this the Funding Advisor will:
Be knowledgeable about all Board and Operational policies and procedures.
Coordinate all matters relating to the programs and services within the Post Secondary Funding Advisor's designated student caseload.
Provide orientation and support services to all students within the designated student caseload.
To be knowledgeable about post secondary programs, services, and procedures in post secondary institutions attended by Six Nations students.
Maintain accurate student files for the designated student caseload.
Provide liaison between the GRPSEO and Six Nations secondary school students, post secondary institutions, other educational agencies and institutions.
Make appropriate referrals of students to other agencies that will assist the student in accomplishing their post secondary education objectives.
Contribute to the overall development and coordination of programs and services of the GRPSEO
Carry out their duties in a professional manner consistent with a team approach.
MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POSITION:
College diploma or Undergraduate University degree with concentration in a relevant field Also, evidence through work history of prior achievement of at least two – three years of work experience demonstrating capability in a client based setting.
Prior successful experience in a multi-task work environment requiring professional level of time, information and project management skills is preferred.
Working knowledge and experience of Windows Operating System, Microsoft Office programs and Internet interaction
Proven ability to ensure accuracy of work dealing with data entry and editing.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION:
Satisfactory police check and must be bondable.
Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in written and spoken form.
Interact with others in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and completion of projects.
Work collegially with co-workers and clients while maintaining confidentiality, organizational integrity, and responsiveness to client needs.
Organize tasks and manage time effectively.
Understand, interpret and apply policy in a consistent manner
Able to travel using own vehicle and valid driver’s license (some over night travel required).
Be dependable, flexible, and take initiative when necessary (work flex hours as required).
SALARY: $51,235.00 - $69,006.12 (To be determined dependent upon experience and qualifications)
CLOSING DATE: December 19, 2024 by 4 pm.
Applicants
Canada can't say when it will clear 140,000 backlogged cases
By Alessia Passafiume and Brittany Hobson
Canada has told the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal it can't say when it will work through a backlog of some 140,000 cases related to First Nations child services.
That has led to a prominent child welfare advocate and First Nations leaders in Manitoba warning about an escalating crisis caused by Canada's inaction.
Jordan's Principle is a legal rule that stipulates that when a First Nations child needs health, social or educational services they are to receive them from the government first approached, with questions about final jurisdiction worked out afterward. The tribunal ordered Canada to identify the number of backlogged cases under that rule and return to it with a detailed plan to address them by Dec. 10.
On that deadline Canada told the tribunal the proposed timeline to address the backlog of some 140,000 cases was "not
operationally feasible" and could impact the delivery of services to First Nations children and families. It also identified 25,891 are labelled as urgent.
Urgent Jordan’s Principle requests are supposed to be processed within 24 hours. But urgent requests are taking up to one month to be reviewed, according to Independent First Nations, an advocacy body representing a dozen First Nations in Ontario and Quebec.
In a January affidavit, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society said nearly half of requests made by individuals from those First Nations in 202324 are still in review, along with 10 per cent of the files submitted in 2022-23. The delays extend to the reimbursement of service providers, the Caring Society argued, with the Indigenous Services department missing its own promise to make those payments within 15 days. In 2022-23, the department processed only 50.7 per cent of payments within 15 business days,
compared to 82.9 per cent in 2021-22.
In an interview Thursday, Cindy Blackstock, who heads the Caring Society, said Canada is making excuses for its noncompliance in its letter to the tribunal, and that it's a mess of its own creation.
"Canada behaved its way into this backlog crisis by not addressing it at an earlier stage and not implementing the many solutions that were put to it to solve the problem," she said.
"And now it's saying, 'Well, we're in this crisis, and so we can't possibly comply with the legal orders that are intended to stop the discrimination.' That cannot be allowed."
In the meantime, children are suffering due to Canada's actions, she said.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, which represents the 63 First Nations in the province, echoed her concerns, calling it an unsustainable system of paperwork and approval processes.
“This bureaucratic red tape
is delaying urgent care for children and creating a situation where First Nations are powerless to make the decisions necessary to protect their own children, youth and families,” the organization said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
This has resulted in children missing critical medical appointments, essential education supports and cultural programs, said acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy.
“This ongoing confusion and frustration, created by Canada’s refusal to engage with First Nations on decision and guidelines, are making it even harder for our children to access the services they are legally entitled to,” she added.
Manitoba is ranked third highest in estimated backlogs amongst the provinces, data Indigenous Services Canada provided in its report shows.
There are more than 25,000 requests outstanding. Saskatchewan is the highest with more than 33,000 claims, followed by
Ontario with more than 30,000.
The Keewatin Tribal Council has said some of the projects in the 11 communities it represents in northern Manitoba are at a standstill because money has had to be allocated to cover the costs of service requests.
Leaders with the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council, which represents seven Manitoba First Nations, have said it is owed more than $1 million in funding for having to pay out of pocket for Jordan’s Principle requests.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the minister of Indigenous services said the program has grown at an "extremely fast pace" over the years and provides valuable services to First Nations kids. "We must work together to ensure those with urgent needs are getting the care they need," the spokesperson said.
"We are committed to working on the best and fairest way to reach these goals, given the deadlines
imposed by the (tribunal)."
In a letter to the tribunal dated Dec. 9, the Assembly of First Nations asked for a delay in the proceedings until April, saying they're dealing with directions from chiefs they cannot presently implement in a linked case to reforming the child welfare system.
“The resolutions are complex and will require significant consideration by the AFN with respect to their implementation, which includes issues relating to resourcing and staffing,” wrote Stuart Wuttke, the AFN’s general counsel.
“We would stress that this request is not being undertaken lightly, however, in light of the scope of the resolutions and their potential impacts on AFN governance, resourcing and staffing, including the potential for the appointment of new legal counsel, it is essential that the AFN be provided with sufficient time to clarify its role and mandate in these proceedings moving forward.”
know the score.
NLL picking up steam - Thunderbirds seek first win
yet to celebrate a win.
JIM WINDLE
jim@tworowtimes.com
TWO ROW TIMES
Although it is still very early in the National Lacrosse League season, after three weeks into the schedule the haves and have-nots are beginning to emerge Although it is nothing to get too worried about, there are three teams still looking for a win, but a lot of lacrosse left to play.
The Halifax Thunderbirds, Toronto Rock and the Las Vegas Dirt Dogs are
This past Saturday, Halifax once again got off to a fabulous start only to see it evaporate in the fourth quarter, loosing to the Saskatchewan Rush, 9-8, in OT.
It was 4-1 for the T-birds after 15-minutes of play, and 6-2 at the half. Dawson
Theede carried the Halifax offence scoring four times and adding two assists.
Heading into the last frame, Halifax was leading 7-3. It looked like it was going to go that way the rest of the game, but after Mike Robinson scored to
give Halifax an 8-3 lead, Zach Manns almost single handedly stole defeat from the mouth of victory for the Thunderbirds. Manns scored five straight goals plus the OT winner for the Rush. Levi Anderson chipped in a goal as well for the 9-8 OT win. Warren Hill suffered the loss in the Thunderbirds net.
At the other end of the standings, the Buffalo Bandits lead the league after skinning the Ottawa Black Bears 18-7. Bandits’ Josh Byrne got himself a 10-pointer on two goals and eight assists. For Otta-
2025 DEADLINE CALENDAR for / gweh?: weh n=:` Ohsweg,h]:n/h Onkwehón:we ne: Ohswekenhro:non
Feb. 1st Application Deadline for Summer semester Apply on-line!
Fall Marks/Progress Reports due for all continuing students.
wa, Jeff Teat scored three and added two assists. The Bandits won three quarters handily, with 4-1, 5-2, 6-1. The only quarter that the Bears came close was in the 3-3 third frame.
Other game results from this weekend past included: Vancouver 10, Rochester 7; San Diego 14, Colorado 11 in Las Vagas; ado; Philadelphia 19-10, over Las Vegas; Calgary snuck past Albany 13-12; and Georgia won over Toronto 10-9.
This coming week’s games include; Friday, Dec. 20, Philadelphia Wings vs. Las Vegas Desert Dogs; Saskatchewan vs Rochester, Saturday; Halifax is in Colorado, and Georgia plays guest to San Diego.
Levels 3 & 4 (Master or Ph.D. students) provide Letter of Good Academic Standing. Winter course registration/timetable and detailed tuition fees due.
May 1st Application Deadline for Fall or Fall/Winter semester(s) Apply on-line!
Winter Marks/Progress Reports due for all funded students.
Levels 3 & 4 (Master or Ph.D. students) provide Letter of Good Academic Standing. Summer course registration/timetable and detailed tuition fees due.
11:59 pm May 1st to 9 am July 1st - The On-line Application on the GRPSEO Website is not available.
Aug 1st Official transcripts are due from students funded for any of the three previous application periods (Summer/Fall/Winter).
For all APPROVED FALL applications - Any documentation that was requested by the Funding Advisor to be submitted to GRPSEO by August 1, (as outlined in the “Check List of Required Documentation” form provided to the applicant), and not received by this deadline date will result in CANCELLATION of the approved application and loss of funding.
Oct. 1st Application Deadline for Winter semester – Apply on-line!
Summer Marks/Progress Reports due for all continuing students.
Levels 3 & 4 (Master or Ph.D. students) provide Letter of Good Academic Standing. Fall course registration/timetable and detailed tuition fees due.
STUDENTS MUST APPLY ON- LINE BY SPECIFIED DEADLINE
OTHER POST SECONDARY DATES AND EVENTS 2025
Jan. 2 Office Reopens 2025
Feb. 17 Office Closed: Family Day
Mar. 7 Winter Semester Contact Required From All Students (Check With Your GRPSEO Funding Advisor)
Apr. 18 Office Closed: Good Friday
Apr. 21 Office Closed: Easter Monday
May 1 Accepting Graduate Promotion Items
May 19 Office Closed: Victoria Day
June 1 Summer Office Hours: Open from 8 am to 4 pm
June 23 Office Closed: Observance National Indigenous Peoples Day
July 1 Office Closed: Canada Day
Aug. 1 Official Transcripts
Aug. 4 Office Closed: Civic Holiday
Sept. 2 Back to Regular Office Hours: Open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Sept. 1 Office Closed: Labour Day
Sept 30 Office Closed: National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
Oct. 13 Office Closed: Thanksgiving Day
Oct. 31 Deadline to Submit Graduate Promotion Items
Nov. 7 Fall Semester Contact Required From All Students (Check With Your GRPSEO Funding Advisor)
Nov. 11 Office Closed: Observance of Remembrance Day
Dec. 23 Office Closed: Christmas Closure
Jan. 2, 2026 Office Reopens
Please check the local newspapers, our website at www.grpseo.org FaceBook/Instagram/X or give us a call at (519) 445-2219 for more information. GRAND RIVER POST SECONDARY EDUCATION OFFICE Honour. Educate. Empower.
Welland Jr. Canadians goalie, #35 Ivan Kastelan’s body language seems to tell the whole story of the 8-1 drubbing by the Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs on Saturday night at the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre. The Corvairs dominated the game from start to finish. LAFORCE
Blackeye Boxer Sahib Aulakh recorded his debut win Saturday at the stockyards. Amrit Aulakh moves to 3-1 with her loss. Kallum skelton gets his second win by a 2-1 split decision over Toronto Bruno Gazzola from Sully's boxing club. ARMOUR
Randy Staats and Dawson Theede teamed up for a great game last weekend against the Saskatchewan Rush, but despite Theede’s four goals and two assists, and Staats’ two assists, the Thunderbirds lost a 9-8 OT disappointment. FILE
What the upcoming holiday GST relief will mean for consumers
By Tara Deschamps
The federal government's GST break will arrive this Saturday, just in time for the last stretch of holiday shopping.
Here's a breakdown of what you'll save on and how the relief works.
What is the tax relief?
In a bid to help Canadians deal with household costs amid the high cost of living, the federal government decided to waive the federal goods and services tax (GST), which is five per cent, on some products between Dec. 14 and Feb. 15. For provinces with harmonized provincial and federal sales tax (HST), the full HST will be waived.
What products will see the GST waived?
The tax break will apply to:
—prepared foods, including vegetable trays, premade meals and salads and sandwiches
—restaurant meals, whether dine-in, takeout or delivery
—some snacks, including chips, candy and granola bars
—beer, wine and cider, as well as pre-mixed alcoholic beverages below seven per cent alcohol by volume (ABV)
—children’s clothing and footwear, car seats and diapers
—some children’s toys, such as board games, dolls, puzzles and video game consoles.
—some books and newspapers
—Christmas trees and Hanukkah trees or bushes
What items don't count?
Even product categories eligible for GST relief have plenty of exemptions.
Beverages and food sold from vending machines, edible cannabis products or pot drinks and dietary supplements aren't eligible for GST relief.
Magazines, electronic publications, clothing for sports activities like wet suits, soccer cleats, skates and tap shoes, along with costumes, jewelry and adult clothing and footwear purchased for children aren't eligible.
Diapers purchased from a diaper service or for adults, collectibles that are not intended for play or learning, such as hockey cards or collectible dolls, and toys and model sets that are marketed for adults like some adult Lego or train sets also don't make the cut.
What if my province charges HST?
Ontario and the Atlantic provinces have united the provincial and federal sales taxes together into a harmonized sales tax. In these provinces, the entire HST would be removed from qualifying items. How do I get the tax break on qualifying items?
The tax break is designed to be automatically applied to totals at checkout by retailers when customers make qualifying purchases. What if I buy one of these items but it has to be delivered?
The federal government says no GST/HST will be charged on a qualifying item, as long as it is paid for in full between Dec. 14
and Feb. 15 and delivered or made available to the buyer during the same period.
The Retail Council of Canada says the Canada Revenue Agency will consider items “delivered” once they are handed over to a shipping, courier or postal service.
What if the item is imported?
GST/HST won't be charged on imported goods as long as they meet the product categories and criteria that qualify for relief. What about food deliveries?
When a prepared meal is ordered through a delivery platform, the food provided to the customer qualifies for GST/HST relief during the eligible period. However, the delivery service fee charged by the platform to the customer does not qualify for GST/ HST relief.
When a restaurant bills a customer directly for delivery of a prepared meal, the courier service qualifies for GST relief.
Will I pay GST/HST on cocktails and mixed beverages?
Mixed drinks that include only eligible ingredients such as beer, malt liquor, or wine qualify for GST/HST relief. For example, the government says a mimosa made of sparkling wine and orange juice, or a michelada made of beer and non-alcoholic ingredients would qualify. However, mixed drinks that include an alcoholic beverage like a spirit or liqueur which did not make the
GST/HST relief list would not have the tax waived. This means a sangria that includes both wine and rum, or a mixed drink such as a vodka and soda, would not qualify.
What about gift baskets?
Gift baskets that contain food and other items are only exempt from the GST if 90 per cent or more of the total value of the basket corresponds to items that would have no GST/HST charged on them if they were supplied separately. Do I save the GST/HST on tips when I dine out?
A mandatory tip or gratuity included as part of the bill qualifies for GST/HST relief. The exemption does not apply to a tip or gratuity that is given freely by a customer to an employee of an eating establishment, as such tips are normally not subject to GST or HST charges.
What if I bought one of these items before the tax relief kicked in?
Some retailers, like Toys "R" Us Canada, are advertising that they will return the tax paid to customers who bought items before the GST/HST relief period began.
But retailers aren't obliged to offer this gesture of goodwill.
"A business can choose not to refund or credit the customer the GST/HST that was previously paid," Canada Revenue Agency spokesperson Benoit Sabourin said in an email to The Canadian Press. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024.
GST holiday begins
By: Maan Alhmidi
Shoppers and businesses across Canada are expressing mixed feeling and showing little enthusiasm as a two-month break from the federal GST took effect Saturday.
Lori Parker, the owner of an independent toy store in Toronto, said the sales tax holiday could be good for business because it makes shopping cheaper for customers, but the measure meant more work for her staff over the holiday season.
"It does give them a break on costs," she said. "But we knew from the get-go that it would be a lot of work."
The owner of Treasure Island Toys Ltd. said her shop sells thousands of items and it was not easy to figure out what's covered with the GST break "It was very laborious. We spent a lot of time reading and re-reading what was included in the tax break and what was not included," she said.
"The rules seem, were quite ambiguous, so they were subject to interpretation. We spent a lot of time talking to other retailers and suppliers about how they were interpreting the rules."
The federal government announced the plan to temporarily waive the five per cent goods and services tax in a bid to help ease affordability concerns during the holiday season.
Provinces with a harmonized provincial and federal sales tax will see the full HST waived.
At Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Kishore Basu said he was shopping Christmas gift for his family members and he is not going to change his shopping list due to the GST holiday.
"The GST doesn't add that much in the end to most of those goods," he said. "I don't think it's significant enough to change spending patterns."
Basu said he doesn't this the GST break will be helpful for most people. "I'm sure it will help some Canadians, but I think the marginal benefit versus what's added to the deficit isn't worth it," he said. "It's only for two months and it's going to come back. It seems to me more like an election ploy than anything else. I think most people see that."
In Montreal, Patrick Neault, general manager of Raffin Bookstore, said the chain had to shift some staff during the holiday season to make sure the store was compliant. We worked kind of hard the last three weeks so that it goes fluidly today and it’s working fine so far,” he said, adding Ottawa’s announcement wasn’t welcoming news when first announced. But Nault isn’t certain that the benefits for retailers and shoppers will ultimately outweigh the extra work staff had to put in.
“It’s not that much of a deal. It’s like a few per cent (discount) on a transaction. I’m not sure that’s a very strong incentive,” he said.
SIX NATIONS COUNCIL
SIX NATIONS AND NEW CREDIT
December 14th Ivy June Edridge Oakes, age 89
Passed away peacefully. Daughter Deborah Oakes. Grandchildren Darle, Brooklynn, Wesley, Linden. Brother Dennis and Darlene Sister Darle and Ian. The Hill family, Kathy and Rob Jamieson, Marilyn and Sal, The Brant family, Robbie Robertson and all of her many cousins
Christmas Open Jam
At Chiefswood Fellowship 506 4th Line -- 5km West of Ohsweken
Six Nations Saturday December 21st 1 - pm Bring A Friend and Your Instrument And Enjoy The Best In Local Talent -- Door Prizes 50/50 Draw Potluck Lunch Info...Phil...905-768-5442
Land For Sale
165 feet wide by 3300 feet deep for a total of 12.5 acres. Beautiful land with the possibility of building a lake which is fed by the Boston Creek. You can dig out the lake and make a roadway as well.
Located on east side adjacent to 2971 2nd Line
Serious inquiries on purchasing the lot as a whole only. $231,250 firm Contact: (905) 928-4515
Obituaries
CLUES ACROSS
1. Miller beer variety
4. Member of people inhabiting Bering Sea islands
9. Stomach
14. Investment vehicle
15. Fictional soccer coach Ted
16. Irregular in botanical parlance
17. Cease standing
18. “American Horror Story” actress
20. Grow milk teeth
22. Plant parts
23. Snow house
24. Most contemptuous
28. Note to repay
29. Old English
30. Wings
31. Financial institutions
33. Parks and Lopez are two
37. Mr. T’s “The A-Team” character
38. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)
39. Give off
41. Semitic alphabet letter
42. Farm state
43. Actress Sarandon
44. Back parts
46. Zoroastrian concept of holy fire
49. Touchdown
50. One point north of due east
51. Refurbishes
55. Silver and Dogg are two
58. Former Tigers catcher Alex
59. Type of envelope
60. Seriously considered
64. Unhappy
65. Past (archaic)
66. Asian wild dog
67. Old English letter
68. Young domestic sheep
69. Football players need to gain them
Answers
70. Witness CLUES DOWN
1. Dormant Peruvian volcano
2. Norwegian composer
3. Indicates location
4. Pubs
5. Unable to walk easily
6. Electronic warfare-support measures
7. World leader
8. Midsection
9. Jewish calendar month
10. Urological condition
11. A small quantity of anything
12. Mountain Time
13. Affirmative
19. Word element meaning ear
21. Carried away
24. Short-billed rails
25. Newborn child
26. Sword
27. Groups of people
31. Prickly, scrambling shrubs
32. Become less intense
34. Polishes
35. Indicates position
36. Songs sung to one’s beloved
40. The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet
41. Insects
45. Israeli politician
47. Pre-digital
48. Roaming
52. Ambience
53. Brew
54. Late
56. Make ecstatically happy
57. Semitic alphabet letter
59. Blend
60. Dash
61. Self
62. Exclamation of satisfaction
63. Hill or rocky peak
SUDOKU
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20
Aries, a special person in your life deserves all of your attention. Romance might be on your mind, and you’ll look forward to all of the time you can spend together.
TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21
You may feel artistically inspired this week, Taurus. Explore projects like home improvements or crafting. There are many things to try.
GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21
Your attendance at a wedding or another special event could have your thoughts moving in a romantic direction, Gemini. Maybe you’re thinking of taking your relationship to another level?
CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22
Cancer, forge ahead in your efforts if you aspire to learn a new skill or take on a different project. This might involve meeting new and interesting people. Expand your social network.
LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, it is important to put others first this week, particularly your spouse or romantic partner. You don’t want any hurt feelings circulating right now.
VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22
An unexpected visitor might come your way in the next few days, Virgo. This could require overhauling your schedule and even space in your home to make room.
LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23
Family and friends will have a difficult time changing your mind once you have taken a stance, Libra. You have dug in your heels on this topic.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, new work assignments or additional business may complicate matters in the days ahead. That can be great during times of year when spending can get out of control.
SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21
As you prepare for the colder temperatures, holistic arts, acupuncture, herbs, and therapies might be on your mind, Sagittarius. You don’t want to be sick this go-around.
CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20
Capricorn, you will try to meet the demands of your need for information this week. Chances are you’ll be reading the newspaper and news outlets as much as you can.
AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18
You cannot gain traction right now, Aquarius. Perhaps you haven’t met the right people yet? Keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities.
PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20
Pisces, if a career change has been on your mind, the new year might be a chance to get those gears moving in the right direction.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Fire & Emergency Services
Note: Admin staff will be on call. However, 911 services will be continued as normal throughout the holidays.
Paramedic Services
(519) 717-0182 - Deputy Officer, use ONLY for non-emergency situations.
(519) 750-3908 - Community Paramedics
Note: Admin staff will be off during the holidays and senior management will be available for emergencies during the closure.
HEALTH SERVICES
Child & Youth Team - Jordan's Principle
1-855-JP-CHILD (1 (855) 572-4453)
Note: Call for URGENT Jordan's Principle requests, the Six Nations of the Grand River Office will be closed.
Family Health Team
Date & Time:
Open Dec. 30, 9am-3pm
In person for episodic appointments only.
Home & Community Care
(519) 445-0077
Essential Services Provided:
Jay Silverheels Supportive Housing (24/7), Case Management On-Call Service with Extend Communications, Personal Support Services (high-need clients) and Palliative Care
Iroquois Lodge
Note: Iroquois Lodge has no change in hours of operation or visitation. Administrative staff will be observe the closure, but a Manager will be on-call for any emergencies.
Midwives (Birthing Centre)
(519) 445-4922
Note: Midwifery services will be available 24/7. All regular programming will be closed.
Please leave voicemail
Medical Transportation (519) 445-0410 as office will be closed. Voicemails will be checked on December 22, 28, & 29.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Child & Family Services
Band Representatives
(519) 770-7240 Dec. 23 (548) 328-4783 Dec. 24-Jan. 1 (519) 761-0981 Entire Closure
Note: Available for court matters ONLY involving child protection dring this time period. All organizations must continue to provide notification and updates through the normal process of email, fax and voicemails.
Correctional Services
(519) 445-2628
Dates & Times:
Dec. 23-24, 27, 30, &31 (on-call)
Note: Voicemails & emails will be retrieved daily.
HOUSING
Six Nations Housing Office
ONTARIO WORKS
Use for Emergencies ONLY. (519) 754-6562 (519) 732-2307 (519) 754-6587
Note: The Ontario Works Office will be closed during the Holiday Closure.
PUBLIC WORKS
Public Works Transfer Station
No debris approvals will be completed between December 23 and January 2. The transfer station will be closed on December 24, 25, 26, & January 1, and will be re-opening January 2nd for regular business hours.
Six Nations Septic Services
Phone: (519) 445-4242
Address: 1953 Fourth Line
Note: Septic calls paid and placed prior to Tuesday, December 17 at 4:30pm will be completed prior to the Holiday Closure, calls placed after this deadline may not be completed until January 2, 2024. Online payments take 2 business days to process.
Truckfill Station
Emergencies:
Someone who does not have heat, water, hydro (that is not related to a community power outage), or significant water leaks.
Secondary Contact: Emergency use ONLY. Maintenance After Hours phone. (519) 717-7187
(226) 387-4962
Andrew Powless, Maintenance Supervisor
Note: Payment on accounts must be made before noon on December 20 to be applied to accounts before January 2. Online payments take 2 days to process.
Find a list of utilities online via the SNGR Website, App, or Social Media. A printed version can be found at Central Admin (1695 Chiefswood Road). list of utilities
Note: All other services & programs will be closing December 20 at 2pm & will be re-opening January 2, 2024. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL: 911