Nation To Nation

Northern Ontario’s child welfare system is in crisis. Tammy Keeash died while in foster care in Thunder Bay. Nation to Nation reports on the company that operated her foster home. As well, a Thunder Bay child welfare lawyer says children’s aid societies often fail to follow due process when apprehending kids.

On this episode of Nation To Nation: The number of Indigenous people being incarcerated in this country keeps rising. That’s a phrase heard year after year. Now Indigenous people represent 29 per cent of offenders in the correctional system, a jump of two per cent over a year ago. Female offenders have kept pace, jumping from just under 38 per cent to 40.

On this episode of Nation To Nation: Greyhound announced this past summer it was cancelling almost all of its bus routes in Western Canada. It’s a mode of transportation used by many First Nations, particularly in northern regions. Since then 87 per cent of the affected routes have been met by other operators to provide service. But has left a big hole for First Nations.

The Indigenous Affairs committee grilled civil servants this week over the gap in graduation rates on-reserve. The suggestion is that heads should roll over in Indigenous Services. We see what our panel of MPs thinks and their answers may surprise you. As well, more and more children are being caught up in foster care in the Northwest Territories. It's increasingly being described as a disaster.

The political panel of MPs continues a debate on climate change that began earlier this week in the House of Commons after a United Nations report came with a dire warning that we only have 12 years to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half or face irreversible effects. As well, NDP MP Georgina Jolibois talks about rural crime and not blaming Indigenous youth.

On this episode of Nation To Nation: A busy day at the supreme court of Canada. It heard submissions for and against overturning an appeal to have the alleged murderer of Cindy Gladue re-tried. And it made a decision that the federal government does not have to consult on legislation affecting first nations.

In the season premiere of Nation to Nation the hot topic was once again the Trans Mountain pipeline. The Trudeau government has vowed to build the pipeline and properly consult First Nations sitting along its route from Alberta to British Columbia. NDP MP Romeo Saganash calls it all a “farce” saying Ottawa can’t say they are consulting on it and then plan to build it anyway.

On a special edition of Nation to Nation: The Assembly of First Nations elected its National Chief and it’s a familiar name. But it didn't come without controversy. A Crown Minister met with Chiefs on Election Day and the optics weren't good.

It’s the final episode of the season and the focus is on the crisis in child welfare. We hear from two mothers who refused to consent to having their children apprehended. And Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott explains how the policy of her department has changed to prevention rather than apprehension.

There’s only one week left for the federal government to meet its so-called promise to Kinder Morgan. And that is to guarantee that by May 31, a deadline imposed by the Texas-based oil company, that the Trans Mountain pipeline will be built. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said this week taxpayers should not be expected to cover any losses due to delays, which the Trudeau government has promised.

The Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake is not happy with the Liberal government’s support of Kinder Morgan, calling Trudeau’s claim of a new relationship with Indigenous people a lie. Kinder Morgan and Ottawa want the Tsleil-Waututh Nation to pay their legal bills over a possible delay in the judicial review to overturn the Trans Mountain pipeline project.

All week long the Conservative opposition has accused the government of nepotism and conflict of interest when awarding a clam harvesting quota to Five Nations Clams. Twenty-five percent of it is owned by five Indigenous groups but the brother of a Liberal MP owns the other seventy-five percent. As well, Muskrat Falls Hydro land protector had another run in with the police at a rally on Parliament Hill.

Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day says the spirit of the white paper is still alive on the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the AFN’s Special Chiefs Assembly. FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron is not convinced First Nations have been consulted enough over Ottawa’s proposed framework initiative on Indigenous rights. And the family of Colten Boushie made a plea to the chiefs in attendance as they push for a Royal Commission to look into Colten’s death.

On a special west coast edition on Nation to Nation: Yale First Nation Chief Ken Hansen accepted a Kinder Morgan deal as his community’s way out of poverty. Chief Aaron Sumexheltza of the Lower Nicola Indian Band has a conditional agreement to allow the Trans Mountain pipeline through his territory. And constitutional lawyer Jack Woodward says First Nations and their rights need to be foremost in pipeline negotiations.

Our political panel of MPs debate how the federal government can possibly remove the uncertainty surrounding Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline project without mass arrests. We speak to a witness at a parliamentary committee studying the overhaul of the way projects, like pipelines, are reviewed and approved. And a man arrested for protesting at Kinder Morgan’s tank farm in Burnaby BC has his first day in court.

Russ Diabo has been a frequent and vocal critic of the Assembly of First Nations, so he surprised everyone when he announced his intention to run for National Chief. Two Ottawa area environmental activists talk about blocking the city’s traffic in support of opponents of the Kinder Morgan pipeline project. And a British Columbia First Nation may be key to stopping the pipeline dead in its tracks.

An Indigenous activist says Indigenous people arrested at a Kinder Morgan protest camp in BC are being treated differently than non-Indigenous people. N2N talks to two people who have been living at the camp continuously. And a Vancouver lawyer is fighting to get her clients band membership despite them already having status.

Indigenous Crown Relations Parliamentary Secretary Yvonne Jones defends her government’s approach to an Indigenous rights framework. The chief commissioner of Ontario’s Human Rights Commission explains why she thinks racism is pervasive and normalized in Timmins, Ontario. And two Members of Parliament appeared before a House committee to explain why Indigenous languages should be easy to use in parliamentary proceedings.

William George talks about the watch house he hopes will stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion in its tracks. Dalhousie professor Amy Bombay says student on student abuse at residential schools was common. And Chantell Barker talks about the over-representation of Indigenous women in prison at a UN session on the status of women.

A former gang member addresses a one day summit on gangs and guns hosted by Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. MMIWG Chief Commissioner Marion Buller explains what the National Inquiry will do with the request for more time and money. And a Nunavut MLA wants a more cautious approach to devolution discussions with the federal government.