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Alvin Fiddler Mar 3 2026

Fiddler urges Ottawa to honour treaties at First Nations-First Ministers’ Meeting

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Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), urged federal and provincial leaders to honour treaty commitments and address longstanding crises in First Nations communities during a First Nations-First Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday.

Fiddler said he wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford last September requesting a meeting with NAN leadership to discuss the challenges facing northern First Nations.

“Our communities face these pressures while losing young people to addictions and suicide, and while trying to address the impacts of climate change, as we saw this summer with forest fires and evacuations. They are trying to navigate systems that are supposed to be there for them, like healthcare. Those systems are failing them.”

— Alvin Fiddler

The death of Miranda Mamakwa, a mother of three from Fort Severn First Nation, was mentioned by Fiddler as an example of failures in the health care system.

After open-heart surgery, Mamakwa was scheduled for four follow-up appointments from May to June this summer.

NAN and the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) allege the Non-Insured Health Benefits program failed to arrange the required travel and accommodations.

Mamakwa was airlifted from Fort Severn to Thunder Bay for emergency treatment on September 8, where she later died.

“Miranda Mamakwa should still be here today, raising her three children,” said SLFNHA President and CEO Sonia Isaac-Mann on September 11. “Her death is not something that simply happened to her, it is the result of a system that failed her, appointment after appointment, for months.”

Fiddler said First Nations are being asked to participate in major development projects, including those connected to the Ring of Fire region, while still addressing basic infrastructure and service needs within their communities.

“Our communities are navigating challenges while dealing with pressure to open up their lands and territories. The Ring of Fire is just one example. How can you expect a community like Marten Falls to effectively negotiate a meaningful agreement while trying to access clean water for themselves? They have been on the boil water advisory list since 2004. The same as my community.”

— Alvin Fiddler

Fiddler’s central message to the Prime Minister and premiers was that treaties should not be viewed as barriers to economic development.

Instead, he said they should be seen as the foundation of the relationship between First Nations and governments.

He urged leaders to honour and implement treaties, arguing that the agreements were intended to create peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

“We do not need to create new policy to find a prosperous path forward,” Fiddler said. “All you have to do is honour the Treaties.”

The meeting brought together First Nations leaders, the federal government and provincial premiers to discuss economic development, reconciliation and shared priorities across the country.

anishinabek economic development

Anishinabek Nation building off successful economic development forum

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First Nations leaders, economic development professionals and industry representatives gathered in Thunder Bay this week for the fourth annual Anishinabek Nation Economic Development Opportunities (ANEDO) Forum.

Hosted by the Anishinabek Nation Economic Development Department, the three-day event ran from Tuesday to Thursday under the theme “Unlocking Our Potential: Infrastructure, Investment & Innovation.”

The forum focused on economic opportunities in sectors including energy, mining, tourism and agriculture, while exploring strategies for securing investment and advancing major projects within First Nations territories.

“ANEDO creates a space where economic relationships are strengthened, and opportunities are explored through the lens of Anishinaabe values and leadership,” Debassige said in a news release.

She noted that Anishinabek Nations maintained robust economies and trade networks long before European settlement and said the forum aims to help communities reclaim economic sovereignty while building capacity for future growth.

“I encourage all ANEDO delegates to connect, build, and foster lasting relationships that will help build robust economies; one that prioritizes people and planet before profit, and is led by First Nations while benefitting all Canadians,” Debassige said.

The forum also highlighted success stories in various sectors, while offering workshops focused on cultural competency and Indigenous engagement.

“Each of our Anishinabek Nation member First Nations has unique backgrounds and experiences, different challenges, opportunities and successes, and ANEDO brings them all together to share as One Anishinaabe Family,” Debassige added.

This year’s event featured keynote presentations from lawyer, educator and wellness consultant Nicole Richmond, as well as Nathan Wright, Alto’s director of Indigenous engagement. Attendees also took part in networking events, including a gala dinner and entertainment from the First Nation comedy troupe Got Land? Indigenous Comedy Show.

“There was a time when all the information is coming through one lens, and that was the government’s lens,” said Northern Superior Regional Chief Melvin Hardy. “What this forum does is open doors and open our eyes.”

The opening reception featured Ojibwe-Caribbean singer-songwriter Aiyana Louis Debassige of M’Chigeeng First Nation.

The annual forum brings together First Nations, businesses, government representatives and industry partners to explore opportunities for sustainable economic growth across Anishinabek Nation territory.

nosm school

NOSM hosting virtual forum for aspiring Indigenous doctors

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NOSM (Northern Ontario School of Medicine) University is inviting aspiring Indigenous physicians to an upcoming virtual recruitment event.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet current medical students, staff and community members to explore if health care is the right fit for them.

The university says its goal for the event is to advance culturally safe care and create lasting change in the north.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Email IA.Recruitment@nosm.ca to register for the live event.

NOSM University, Canada’s first independent medical university, was established in 2022 to help address health-care inequities in northern Ontario. The university works closely with more than 500 partner organizations in rural, remote, Indigenous and Francophone communities across the region.

Government of Ontario building

Inquest into death of Kingfisher Lake man in Thunder Bay jail begins

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Presiding officer Dr. Michael Wilson has begun the inquest into the death of Kevin Mamakwa.

Mamakwa, a member of Kingfisher Lake First Nation, died at the Thunder Bay Jail in June of 2020. He was 27 years old. Mamakwa had four children and was the nephew of Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa.

Thunder Bay District Jail, undated. Staff photo

Dr. Wilson defined the scope of the inquest to the jury Monday morning.

Per the Coroner’s Act, Wilson is looking to identify who Kevin Mamakwa was, how he died, and the means by which he came to his death.

Importantly, this is not a legal inquest. The jury is called upon to make recommendations to avoid further deaths, not to assign blame or legal repercussions.

Wilson said the inquest will explore the following to identify the facts and circumstances of Mamakwa’s death:

  • Intake processes for inmates at the Thunder Bay Jail, including assessment of suicide risk
  • Assessment and treatment of opioid withdrawal
  • Visibility within the jail for faculty to assess potential for self-harm behaviour
  • Precautions regarding risk of disease transmission during resuscitation efforts
  • Emergency responses to medical incidents at the jail
  • Indigenous services and supports for inmates

By the end of the inquest, the jury will categorize Mamawka’s death as either natural, accidental, suicide, homicide or undetermined. The decision does not need to be unanimous, only a majority.

Legal counsel Robert Kozak shared the schedule for the inquest.

Fifteen people are scheduled to testify, including:

  • Mamakwa’s father
  • Mamakwa’s sister
  • Kingfisher Lake Grand Chief Eddie Mamawka
  • Thunder Bay Jail Superintendent Ryland Forrest
  • The forensic pathologist assigned to Mamakwa’s case
  • The Thunder Bay Jail health care manager at the time of Mamakwa’s death
  • Multiple correctional officers who interacted with Mamawka during his intake

The court will also listen to an interview with Mamakwa’s cellmate. Surveillance footage around the time of Mamakwa’s death and a note found on Mamakwa’s person will come before the jury as well.

The inquest will be held at 189 Red River Road. It is expected to last nine days.

Members of the public who wish to view the proceedings online can do so here.

Red Dress May 2025

ONWA calls for stronger government action to address violence against Indigenous women

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The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is calling on all levels of government to invest in violence prevention and community‑led healing initiatives in Indigenous communities.

The organization says there’s a noticeable imbalance, pointing out that Indigenous women make up about 5% of Canada’s population but experience nearly 30% of the violence nationwide. They add that some women are 6 times more likely to be murdered because of their Indigenous identity.

ONWA says that gap is being ignored by current approaches. The association argues existing strategies fail to address the root causes of violence, often excluding Indigenous women from leadership roles and underfunding programs meant to protect them from targeted violence, assault, and exploitation.

The group is urging governments to step up with steady funding while ensuring Indigenous women are fully included in decision‑making and economic opportunities.

LIUNA Training

Indigenous teens receive skilled trades training

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Labour union LiUNA Local 607 is partnering with the Lakehead District School Board and Matawa First Nations to provide skilled trades training to Indigenous youth before high school graduation.

Indigenous students have been building homes through the Indigenous Skilled Trades Program since its inception in 2022. Instructors also provide the students with professional certification in Working at Heights, skid steer operation, and chainsaw safety. They showcased some of their work during a ceremony at Hammarskjold High School on Friday.

“I learned how to drive a skid steer. I learned how to use a chainsaw really good. I learned how to stock fish in the lake with the M&R,” said Hammarskjold 12th grader Sadie Ruth. “I learned how to build a house, so we did the shingles, drywall, siding, and sanding, and we had to insulate it.”

“It’s hands-on, it’s ourdoorsy, it’s all the stuff that I love.”

After completion, the homes are sent to participating Matawa communities.

The program is designed to blend skilled trades education with land-based learning, Indigenous culture, and practical career development. The partnership strengthens safety standards and long-term employment prospects for students interested in the trades.

Hammarskjold High School Principal Derek Di Blasio speaks at Friday’s ceremony (Jacob Henriksen-Willis, February 6 2026)

“It’s really been a great experience for the kids,” said Hammarskjold Principal Derek Di Blasio. “Ultimately, we want students to be able to leave Hammarskjold High School with some skilled trades that they can bring back home to their community or even back to their house.”

Di Blasio says the program has increased student attendance and the certifications help students find quality jobs after graduation.

LiUNA Local 607’s Manager of Training Brian Nieweglowski says the program is getting kids excited about construction and the trades.

“Yesterday we were running the chainsaws with them and at the end of the day, students that might have been falling asleep at me in the classroom were saying it was an awesome day,” Nieweglowski said.

Niewegloski said there will soon be plenty of work in the trades because many workers are nearing retirement.

LiUNA Local 607 Manager of Training Brian Niewegloski (Jacob Henriksen-Willis, February 6 2026)

“It’s hard to get them to our facility, hard for people to sign up to see what we have to offer,” Niewegloski said. “So we’ve brought it to their facility. A lot of underrepresented people aren’t knowing that they might like this.”

ford housing

Province’s ‘special economic zone’ legislation takes step forward

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The province has released its draft criteria for designating special economic zones that will fast-track approvals of major projects.

First introduced under Premier Doug Ford’s Bill 5, also known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, in response to economic threats from U.S. tariffs, the Special Economic Zones Act is aimed at supporting the advancement of job-creating investments and projects that are deemed critical to the province’s economic stability.

According to a release from the Ontario government, the draft regulation was created after consultations with Indigenous communities in the province, which are ongoing.

“Our government continues to facilitate hearty political participation and engagement with Indigenous communities across the province, with increasingly positive feedback, as we build out the regulations for Special Economic Zones,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships in a statement.

As part of its consultations, Ontario has engaged with more than 130 Indigenous communities regarding the proposed draft regulation and the development of a new regulatory framework.

That includes five regional sessions carried out across Ontario, including in Thunder Bay with the province saying it will continue to consult with Indigenous communities to support and advance economic stability through development and ensure proposed regulation incorporates ongoing feedback.

However, Bill 5 and the proposal of special economic zones has not been met without its critics.

“The Bill’s ‘special economic zones’ are just a cheat code for this government to do whatever they want, wherever they want,” Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition NDP previously stated.

“No consent. No consultations. No laws – this is the playbook that this government is selling.”