Provinces, money, barriers CONTENTS to new …...ed by Ontario First Nations who are part of the...

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Okarahshona kenh Onkwehonwene, Six Nations of the Grand WEDNESDAY, IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020Price $1.25 (plus taxes where applicable) www.theturtleislandnews.com

Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde signed an

agreement in Ottawa Tuesday to keep implementing Bill C-92, which recognizes the inherent right Indigenous communities have to control child-welfare

programs for their own children.

Provinces, money, barriers to new Indigenous child welfare systems ... page 5

CONTENTSLocal ...........................................2Editoral........................................6Sports........................................8 Classified...................................15 Notices.......................................18Careers.......................................18Business Directory......................19

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By Lynda PowlessEditor Six Nations Elected Coun-

cil (SNEC) has until Friday to apologize to Six Nations Police Commission (SNPC) Chair Steve Williams for demanding his resignation without grounds or face a lawsuit. Williams said he has

served the council mem-bers both as as councilors and personally with notice of suit. “They have targeted me

in this. They sent that so called media release out not just to media but to local organizations and provincial and national or-ganizations. They targeted me,” he said. In a press release sent

out last Wednesday, SNEC called for his resignation citing accountability and transparency but offered no grounds. “We want to ensure ac-

countability and transpar-ency and make it clear that there can be no conflict of interest, or perceived or otherwise in such im-portant roles. This action speaks to good governance and to the future sustain-ability of our institutions who serve the community.” The statement continued,

“As we move forward, it is important that we have the trust of the community that we will make difficult decisions in order to devel-op and build stronger ser-vices in our community.” The press release did not

say why they were calling for the resignation. The Six Nations Police

Commission (SNPC) over-sees the Six Nations Police. The call for Williams res-

ignation came within days of the Six Nations Police Commission sending a let-ter to SNEC suspending Councilor Wendy John-son from the commission. Johnson apparently dis-putes the suspension say-ing she quit. The commission has not

released details on why the councilor was suspended or why they are asking for a replacement councilor.

Wendy Johnson, a new band councilor in her first term, has only attended

one police commission meeting. Turtle Island News has

learned Wendy Johnson’s suspension may be tied to an incident involving a Six Nations Police officer who has been suspended for re-leasing confidential infor-mation to councilor John-son and councilor Michelle Bomberry. Six Nations Police have

brought in a third party in-vestigator to look into the matter. Councilors Wendy Johnson, Bomberry and Hazel Johnson are all being

interviewed by the investi-gation team. The Six Nations Police

officer allegedly spoke to councilor Michelle Bomber-ry who in turn provided the confidential information

to Councilor Wendy John-son. It apparently came to light during a commission

meeting when Councilor Wendy Johnson raised the personnel information. Councilor Wendy John-

son was also questioning why the police commission was promoting from within the service for a new police chief instead of hiring from outside. The SNPC is made-up

of Six Nations community members with SNEC filling two seats on the commis-sion. The website says the

SNPC acts as the super-visory body for the Police

Service. It has, for the past two

years, been engaged in a succession plan for retiring Police Chief Glenn Lickers. The commission decided

to promote from within the service and has been work-ing with an outside firm to determine which of two candidates who applied would be promoted when the controversy began to unfold. The commission had

hoped to have the hiring resolved before June but as a result of the controversy has put it on hold with re-tiring Chief Glenn Lickers asked to stay on in the in-terim. The Six Nations Police

Commission issued a press statement last Thursday (July 2) asking SNEC for an-swers. “The Six Nations Police

Commission takes allega-tions related to the breach of policies by any member of the Commission with the utmost seriousness,” the letter reads. The letter continued,

“The Police Commission has formally requested that the Six Nations Elected Council provide specific de-tails into the allegations of transparency and conflict of interest in relation to Mr. Williams, as a member of the Six Nations Police.” The commission said Mr.

Williams has stepped back from his duties as this mat-ter plays out and an interim chairperson, Alisha Ander-son, has been appointed. Williams said he has been

approached by many peo-ple about the SNEC move. “They all say the same thing, ‘what did you do.’ I tell them nothing. I don’t know what this is about.” Williams said he received

a letter June 22 claiming he violated the 2018 Six Nations Police Commission Governance Policy section dealing with transparency and conflict of interest but

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 2 I I LOCAL / ORÌ:WASE NE KÈN:THOR I

(continued on page 3)

LOCALIOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020

www.theturtleislandnews.comaboriginalbusinessmagazine.com

Advertising deadline is 5 pm FridaysPhone: 445-0868 • Fax: [email protected]

Six Nations Elected Council calls for Police Commission chair resignation

Six Nations Policing Services Agreement 2018-2023

SECTION 2.4 INDEPENDENCE The Six Nations, or the Police Commission established by the Six Nations, shall not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Police Service, nor shall any member of the Six Nations attempt to influence or interfere with the Police Commission, the Chief of Police, a First Nation Constable or any other employees of the Police Service in the performance of their duties.

Councillor Wendy Johnson

Steve Williams Elected Chief Mark Hill

Integrity Commission Who investigates if Six Nations Elected Council over stepped its bounds in seeking the removal of the SN Police Commission Chair without giving grounds?

Could a Six Nations council member be sent to the SN Integrity Commission over the Steve Williams controversy? The integrity commission exists to investigate complaints against the chief or council members.The integrity commission is established to ensure that confidence in the governance of Six Nations of the Grand

River Elected Council is upheld in an ethical and respectful manner. It serves to restore, uphold and maintain a pos-itive political reputation to promote the general welfare of the Six Nations people.The integrity commission ensures councillors adhere to codes, rules and regulations and that they are accountable

and take full responsibility for their deeds and actions. The election states that the integrity commission will accept, validate and investigate complaints of suspected viola-

tions of council codes, rules and regulations in a fair, unbiased and organized process. The commission is supposed to include community members to seek, advance and maintain open, honest and accountable governance.Complaints about councillors can come from a fellow council member, the public, or the whole council. The com-

mission will have the power to determine whether the Chief or member of council has in fact violated a protocol or policy governing his or her ethical behaviour and to impose a penalty enforced by council. Types of penalties are not specified in the election code.When a case is concluded the commission will publicize the results. It is also supposed to publish an annual report

detailing findings of advice and complaint cases.The council code of conduct describes rules of conduct surrounding such matters as remuneration, confidential

information, improper use of influence, business relations, use of property and services, election campaigning, conduct at council, conduct respecting interaction with staff and discreditable conduct.It’s still not known who sits on the integrity commission. Last fall, the chief electoral officer Steve Williams said

members’ names would not be released in order to protect them from harassment. However, he said if found guilty of breaching the code of conduct council members could face penalities of fines, suspension of duties for a speci-fied period of time or removal from council.

I LOCAL / ORÌ:WASE NE KÈN:THOR I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 3 I

Ontario First Nations face major revenue loss with casino closuresBy Lynda Powless andDonna Duric Ontario First Nations

are facing a major drop in gaming revenues next year as a result of the closure of Ontario casinos during the worldwide pandemic. Ontario First Nations

Limited Partnership (OFN-LP) president Steve Wil-liams said First Nations across Ontario could lose up to 50% of their annual gaming funds as a result of COVID-19’s negative impact on gaming funds across the province. There has been no an-

nouncement on when On-tario casinos will re-open. “The casino shut down

will hurt a lot of commu-nities. That’s why we are warning them now to plan for next year,” said Wil-liams. He said “Our community

leaders should be very con-cerned about a major drop in gaming revenue next year,” he told Turtle Island News. He said the OFNLP has

sent letters to Ontario First Nation leaders warning that a serious drop in rev-enue is coming. “They are getting their

usual amounts in fund-ing this year (2020-2021) but the chiefs might want to be frugal and plan for next year. We have warned them the OFNLP funds will

be very slim,” he said The OFNLP was creat-

ed by Ontario First Nations who are part of the 2008 Gaming Revenue Sharing and Financial Agreement with Ontario. The agree-ment gives First Nation partners 1.7 per cent of an-nual gross gaming revenues including revenue from lotteries, slot machines and table games. It also includes non-gaming rev-enues (NGR) generated at casinos and slot facilities, such as hotel, food, bev-erage and other services, plus the retail value of any of these services provided to patrons on a compli-mentary basis. The OFNLP’s major task

is to distribute the 1.7 per-cent in funds it receives, on behalf of First Nations, to the partners. It also deals with administrative and other matters on behalf of the partners. Williams said the gam-

ing funds received from the Ontario Lottery and Gam-ing (OLG) authority could be as much as half what First Nations normally see. Ontario First Nations, on

average, receive an esti-mated $149 million a year through the Ontario-First Nations gaming agreement First Nations are able to

use the funds on six areas 1) Health 2) Education 3) Community Development

4) Cultural Development 5) Economic Development and 6) Permitted Interim Investments. Under the agreement

First Nations are required to hold community meet-ings on what the commu-nity wants to see the funds spent on. Williams said some com-

munities have done well with their funds. “Some of the communities have gone into long term joint ven-tures for hotels and invest-ments. There have been some using the money for housing issues or language preservation.” He said communities

who use the funds to offset band department deficits may have problems next year. “They just won’t have as much coming in to off-set those deficits so we are warning them now to start planning.” He said some have had

to use their funds to battle COVID-19. He said others don’t

spend the income on an annual basis. “They save it up and then invest it.” Others, like Six Nations

spend the funds annually. Six Nations 2019 audit

shows the community re-ceived almost $12 million in gaming funds. Of that $8 million is used to offset band department deficits. Local non-profit orga-

nizations can also apply for gaming funds for their projects. And that has at least one

Six Nations councillor con-cerned. Coun. Helen Miller said

Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) should begin plan-ning how to handle the lack of funding, which is usually around $8 million a year.“We’re going to be in dire

straits if we don’t get it,” she told a SNEC finance committee Monday. “It’s going to be dire for our budget.”Miller said over $7 million

of gaming funds went to-ward covering department deficits last year.“We probably won’t get

any next year because the casinos haven’t been open since March and there’s no sign of them opening any time soon,” Miller told SNEC’s finance committee. “My concern is our bud-

get really depends on that $8 million we get from the OFNLP (Ontario First Nations Limited Partner-ship).” She added “All of the ad-

ministration depends on that money.” She told the committee

“If we’re not going to get the $8 million or even half of it, it’s going to put our budget in dire straits. We need to start planning now what we’re going to do if we don’t get that money. I’m assuming we’re not go-ing to get it because if the casinos are closed, they’re not making money. And the gaming agreement we have, the money largely depends on the casinos in Ontario.”She said council should

bring in OFNLP rep Steve Williams to explain what might happen to the mon-ey in light of casino clo-sures. The money that comes in

every year depends on how much the casinos make, said Miller.“Sometimes we don’t get

$8 million. It depends on how much money they make. We’re going to be in dire straits if we don’t get it. Council needs to think about this.”Coun. Nathan Wright said

council should plan what to do in case the funds don’t come next year.

The Ministry of Finance estimated a loss of 50 per cent or greater of average annual casino revenues, said Wright“I know the (OFNLP)

board is meeting and look-ing at this,” said Wright. OFNLP revenues come

from both casinos and lot-tery ticket sales, he said.“But we should get an up-

date...from the entire OFN-LP board,” said Wright. “I agree we should get an up-date to see what the plan is going into next year, what we can expect. Then we can do our planning once we have all the informa-tion.”Wright said the casino

closures are not impacting this year’s funding but will impact next year’s funding.“I know the board is meet-

ing and looking at this. We should get update from the OFNLP board.” Williams told Turtle Is-

land News if the casinos open up sooner it may not hit the communities as bad as predicted. “ Right now they only

have lottery and ticket sales. If there’s a $70 mil-lion pot then you get a lot of money in.” He said over 50% of the

gaming funds comes from lottery ticket sales. Williams also sits as the

First Nations representa-tive on the OLG board.

Helen MillerSix Nations Councillor

has not been provided with any information on the al-leged violations. Those sections speak

to commission members using information gained from the commission meet-ing for personal gain. Williams says there is no

foundation for the call or information provided on how he realized any gain. “SNEC has not given me

any information,” he said. He has hired a lawyer to force SNEC to provide Wil-liams with information jus-tifying the request.Williams said as far as

he is concerned he is still

a member of the commis-sion. “SNEC cannot call for my

resignation. The commis-sion can.” The commission met last

Thursday (July 2) about the issue Williams was not present. Also absent from the

meeting was SNEC appoin-tee councilor Wendy John-son. Just two months ago,

elected Coun. Wendy Johnson, was calling for a full review of the police and commission citing general governance concerns. Johnson’s former hus-

band was a Six Nations Po-

lice officer retiring recently. Councilor Wendy John-

son, after his retirement, became SNEC’s appointee to the commission and has attended only one meeting. Turtle Island News has

learned that SNEC also de-cided to headhunt for po-tential consultants instead of going to tender on a possible review of the po-lice and commission. The consultant estimated it could take a year and cost almost $1 million. No con-sulting contract has been signed yet. Turtle Island News has

also learned SNEC met be-hind closed doors with the

band lawyer Friday, July 3, but has not provided any information on their move. Questions to SNEC and

their communications di-rector on the issue have gone unanswered. Turtle Island News has

also learned councilor Wendy Johnson is now on health leave but questions on why and how long it is for have also not been an-swered. In addition Turtle Island

News has learned SNEC is now paying for a security guard for Councilor Wendy Johnson who allegedly told council she is “afraid” but did not provide details.

Elected Chief Mark Hill has not returned Turtle Is-land News calls. Williams has been presi-

dent of Grand River Enter-prises for 25 years and has served 18 years on the po-lice commission. He is also the Chief Elec-

toral Officer for Six Nations Elected Council. Williams was the only one who ap-plied for the electoral offi-cer’s position when it was posted. The press release does

not indicate if Elected Chief Mark Hill declared a conflict of interest in the controver-sy. Hill is directly related to a Grand River Enterprise

owner. Elected Chief Hill did sign the letter sent to Williams. The press release went

on to say the “Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council will continue to support the hard working efforts of the Six Nations Police officers in protecting our community.” SNEC said in the now two

week old statement. “We will provide more informa-tion in the days ahead.” SNEC members did not

respond to Turtle Island News repeated calls for comment or provide any additional information by press time.

(continued from page 2)Six Nations Elected Council facing deadline to apologize

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIKÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 4 I I SPECIAL I

I did not choose to be-come a photographer 25 years ago but rather by necessity did I pick-up a camera. So often when Carl holds a bird in-hand he will say things like this, “Rachel, would you take a photo of this?” He would point to a specific group of feath-ers such as the 3 very tiny alula feathers found at the joint of the primary wings. Small pieces of information like this can become a larger part of the “preponderance of evidence”. This can con-tribute to the id of the bird, sex, and/or age. I worked quickly & efficiently. I soon realized how striking bird

feathers can be while hold-ing a bird-in hand with my left & a small pocket camera in my right hand.

It did not take my eyes much time to wander with-in the woodlands, tallgrass prairies & old fields that surrounded our hidden mist nets. My world exploded wide open to the joy and beauty of wildflowers, or-chids, butterflies, and dam-selflies. And, yes spiders, snakes & turtles were part of the equation, too.

The Great Blue Lobe-lia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a wildflower in the same fam-

ily of the Cardinal Flower which is a favorite of our be-loved Ruby-throated Hum-mingbird. In fact, the only difference between the two is the color and size. Our ancestors used the leaves of this giant as a tea to com-bat colds, fevers & stomach ailments. Great Blue Lobelia is not only striking but not difficult to find in our moist woodlands. I have seen this statuesque wildflower reach 5-8 feet. In our terri-tories, blue catches my eyes and draws me in like a moth to a flame.

Tall Bellflower (Cam-panulastrum americanum) is yet another blue beau-ty and can reach 5-6 feet. I have seen this summer wildflower wrap around tree trunks. Like the Great Blue Lobelia, it can be seen at the edge of woodlands

where partial sunlight peeks through. Blue is the color of our sky and oceans. Blue is considered beneficial to the mind & body. For me it has a calming effect. I have hundreds of photographs of blue flowers and birds. Might there be something to this?

Our native Wild Lu-pine (Lupinus perennis) is a single two-foot spike of pea-like flowers. The blue spectrum of color begins with deep purple then flows into indigo blues and fin-ishes with Caribbean blues. Wild Lupine covers the en-tire gamut of this spectrum. Our ancestors made a cold tea made from the leaves to treat nausea. It has been cultivated and your local nursery has a similar plant with multiple stems. I have to yet photograph the Wild Lupine and then say, “That’s it. I have captured

the essence.”There are times in one’s

life where seeing is believ-ing. My lens revealed to me an intricate yet simple symmetry of beauty within each flower and as quickly exposed the exquisiteness of asymmetrical wildflow-ers. Obedient is not a com-mon name I would consider for a wildflower, yet some-

body dared to contemplate: respectful, dutiful, sub-missive, compliant? No, let’s name it the Obedient Flower (Physostegia virgin-iana). That’s perfect. And, it was! The lovely tubular pink flowers can be rotated around the stem and remain where they are placed! And, yes, I did move the flower-heads. See my photos. This is a photographer’s dream come true. Another com-mon name is False Dragon-head.

Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) is named so be-cause when it rains, these funnel-shaped flowers glis-ten like jewels. I see tiny French horns when I take to my lens. Another com-mon name is Touch-me-not. The seedpods will ex-plode when touched. It’s meant for a child’s pleasure & amusement. This bush-like plant grows quickly

throughout our territories and can be easily trans-

planted. It is a delight for the Ruby-throated Hum-mingbird. I will often tell students and birders, if you

want to see a humming-bird in our woodlands, find Jewelweed, then grab your binocs and folding chair. Sit down and enjoy. Colors vary widely within the yel-low-orange-red spectrum with lots of polka-dots.

White Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes alba) is an om-inous name for this flower. Our ancestors utilized the roots of this wildflower as a remedy for a snakebite. The flower reminds me of the woven hats worn by the Haida First Nation located along the coastline of the Pacific NW. The hats are woven with twined spruce roots and decorated beau-tiful Haida designs. White Rattlesnake Root is also referred to as White Let-tuce. Several species can be

found throughout Ontario with minor differences.

The Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is ubiqui-

tous throughout our Native Lands & Provincial Ontar-io. Our ancestors used the roots as a dye. This is one of those flowers that bird-ers and nature lovers alike can identify. Who Susan was remains unknown. The seeds are eaten by Amer-ican Goldfinches, House

Finches, and an array of seed eaters during the fall including small mammals. The simplicity of this yel-low flower as seen through my lens is timeless and re-minds me of that ever-pres-ent food chain of life.

As William Blake once wrote; “As I wonder’d the forest, The green leaves among, I heard a Wild-flower, Singing a Song.” Our woodlands echo with song and beauty this time of year. Listen and look. Mother Earth is telling us her summer show is open for business. Keep looking up.

By Rachel A. Powless

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Photos by Rachel A. Powless

Obedient Flower with multiple heads

Orange Sulphur butterfly on Wild Lupine

Yellow Sulphur on Black-eyed Susan

“The earth laughs in flowers.”

Rattlesnake Root flower as seen in August

Black-eyed SusanGreat Blue Lobelia July

Touch-me-not also known as Jewelweed

Tall Bellflower in woodlands

By Donna DuricWriterAt least one community

member has accused the Six Nations Cannabis Com-mission of fear-mongering after a community update meeting via Zoom last Thursday.A consultant hired by the

commission, which is try-ing to create regulations for the sale and production of cannabis in the community, said unregulated cannabis could contain deadly com-pounds that could kill peo-ple.“There are certain well-

known substances that are used on cannabis during the production stages that can trickle down to the product and pose a very high risk of illness,” said Sherry Boodram, of Cann-Delta, a cannabis industry advisor. She said untested canna-

bis could have high levels of heavy metals, pesticides, microbial contamination, fungi, or residues from sol-vents like butane and eth-anol. “Without that informa-

tion and transparency of those types of substance being applied to the canna-bis the user can fall ill,” said Boodram. Wanda Davis, a communi-

ty member who tuned into the meeting, said the Six Nations People’s Cannabis Commission (SNPCC) is ca-pable of providing its own testing to ensure product safety for dispensaries that have already begun opera-tion. “You are fear mongering,”

said Davis. “There is test-ing and there are standards developed by the cannabis coalition.” Others have called for the

commission to dissolve and called it a dictatorship and complained they were not able to have any of their questions answered during the community Zoom ses-sion. Davis asked a number of

questions in the question and answer feature at the bottom of the Zoom We-binar, along with Ben Mac-Donald. Neither of them received responses to their questions or comments.The commission’s com-

munity update came just one day after the Six Na-tions People’s Cannabis Coalition (SNPCC) began issuing its own permits to Six Nations members wish-ing to sell retail cannabis on the territory. At least five or six cannabis shops opened on the territory on July 1, according to estimates by the SNPCC.The commission and SN-

PCC have been at odds for over a year over how can-nabis should be regulated on the territory. Last week, the commis-

sion and Six Nations Elect-ed Council (SNEC) sent out a joint statement condemn-ing the SNPCC for opening retail cannabis stores in the community on July 1. During the Zoom meet-

ing, commission Chair Nahnda Garlow asked Kim Thomas, a lawyer hired by the commission, what civ-il penalties a person could face from selling “black market” cannabis at an “il-licit dispensary” (not regu-lated by SNEC) that harmed a customer.“If there was loss of life,

that’s personal damages for that person and potential-ly their heirs and their es-tate,” said Thomas. “Under Canadian law, a status In-

dian can sue another status Indian and recover damag-es.”One minute before the

meeting wrapped up, Gar-low asked if there were any questions. She said she was not seeing any questions coming through.However, Davis had com-

mented she had a question but her question went un-answered.Garlow wrapped up the

meeting and ended the we-binar.The commission has been

in place since February 2019. It was put in place by the SNEC to oversee canna-bis at Six Nations including finalizing draft regulations that would govern the sale and production of cannabis on the territory. Those draft regulations are now being revised.SNEC placed a moratori-

um on the sale of cannabis in the territory in August 2019. Community members

have complained about the sluggish process of the commission in developing regulations. Applications for produc-

tion will be ready in No-vember and dispensary permits will be issued by spring 2021. “We understand there’s

frustration with the time-frame,” said Thomas, add-ing that it’s, “complex to create a regulated industry from the ground up.” She said they are cur-

rently going through the feedback from community members received last win-ter to make revisions to the draft regulations.“It’s not as easy as just

simply putting pen to paper and revising the law and drafting the regulations –

we have to make sure the community input is there.”In the meantime, the com-

mission has drafted a “con-stitution” to replace its terms of reference, which govern how the commis-sion functions. That consti-tution has yet to be brought before elected council for approval.“It outlines the commis-

sion’s governance structure and how the commission will operate,” said commis-sion member Cole Squire. “We will eventually be-come an arm’s length reg-ulator.” The constitution has not

been released for public

viewing. The commission is also

going to hire staff by Sep-tember, including a project manager and administrative assistant. The commission has

brought numerous consul-tants on board to provide expertise on legal issues, health and safety, protec-tion of the environment and the business aspect of the industry. Those are the community’s four priorities when it comes to the sale of cannabis on the territory, said Thomas.To meet those priorities,

Thomas said it was import-ant to have experts in all of

those fields.Thomas, a Six Nations

lawyer, was brought on to look at the legal issues sur-rounding cannabis.“It became very clear ear-

ly on that this was a very unique, very complex and very groundbreaking initia-tive and also very exciting because it’s the opportu-nity for Six Nations to ad-vance in a unified fashion,” she said. “We want some-thing that is safe as well it has to be reflective of our own people. We have to ensure that it fits for our community.”


Provinces pose challenge to Indigenous child welfare reform: Bellegarde

SNEC’s Cannabis commission accused of fear-mongering

OTTAWA-National Chief Perry Bellegarde says pro-vincial governments that want to cling to their juris-diction over child welfare are the biggest barrier to implementing new legis-lation giving Indigenous communities control over their children’s well-being. Bellegarde and Indig-

enous Services Minis-ter Marc Miller signed an

agreement in Ottawa this morning that is the next step forward in implement-ing Bill C-92. The bill passed in the last

Parliament and took effect Jan. 1, setting national standards for Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services. However several provinc-

es are concerned over the impact on their own roles

in child-welfare programs, and Quebec is challenging the constitutionality of the bill in court. The agreement signed

today is a guide for discus-sions between Ottawa and Indigenous governments as each community moves to assert its control of child welfare for its own kids, recognizing Indigenous laws and customs.

Bellegarde says those dis-cussions must also happen with provincial govern-ments, which he pegged as one of the biggest barriers to reducing the number of Indigenous children in fos-ter care in Canada. This report by The Cana-

dian Press was first pub-lished July 7, 2020.

AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde

Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller

(Continued from page 7)

Turtle Island News is published weekly on the Six Nations Grand River Territory. It is a politically independent newspaper that is wholly owned and operated by aboriginal people. No portion of the newspaper, including advertisements, pictures or editorial content may be reproduced without permission.

Publisher -Lynda Powless, Turtle Island News PublicationsEDITOR - Lynda PowlessTurtle Island News is a member of:+Canadian Journalists Association+Native American Journalists Association

+International Committee to Protect Journalists WorldwideTurtle Island NewsP.O. Box 329, 2208 Chiefswood Rd., Ohsweken, ON, N0A 1M0T: 519.445.0868 F: 519.445-0865E: [email protected] or [email protected]

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Six Nations Cannibis Commission ...just wait...again!Six Nations has been more than patient when it comes

to trying to figure out what the Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) cannabis commission is doing. Put in place in 2019 after the elected council passed

a law to regulate cannabis here the elected council ap-pointed cannabis commission appears to be going no where fast. After spending its first year in turmoil, with infight-

ing, SNEC should have written off the entire commis-sion and put new people with experience on boards and commissions, who know how to actually be a board member in place. Instead three people from that inner turmoil are left,

one resigned and one was crucified on the SNEC al-ter while it tried to get the controversial group under control. After a year Six Nations is still no further ahead. Now heading towards its third year, the only prog-

ress has been with expensive lawyers and consultants and a commission that oddly seems to be its own staff as well as the policy developers. Any administrative staff are gone and commis-

sioners say they are doing any work that needs to be done displaying again their inexperience in working on boards or commissions. In fact their current lawyer is probably the only sal-

vation the commission has found and is without doubt trying to keep them focused. The cannabis commission was put in place to reg-

ulate cannabis at Six Nations. To regulate, to protect the health and safety of community members and to frankly ensure Six Nations jurisdiction is maintained. Those are hefty responsibilities for an inexperienced

board that in itself is in violation of the elected coun-cil’s own policy that set up a commission of five mem-bers and a chair. Right now the commission is operat-ing with only three members and has been for a year. That refusal by either the commission or the band

council to fill the empty seats may in fact be leading to the continued delays that have the community on edge. While the chair may be asking for patience it’s naive

and way past time for anyone to ask a community that is already behind the eight ball in developing a canna-bis market here to persevere. The continued delays by the commission are con-

tinuing to spur provocation with those that have an interest in getting into the industry, those that should be your allies in the industry. Instead of motherhood statements the commission

would do well to just get the job done...soon!

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 6 I I COMMENTARY I TSI NAHÒ:TEN RÓN:TON I

CORRECTION In a June article on business and COVID-19 Turtle Island News published an article that said an employee at a local

convience store had tested positive for COVID-19 when the employee was tested and the test came back negative. We apologize for the error.

COVID-19 Nationally•limiting the size of group

gatherings, •keeping a distance of at least

2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others when away from home, •wearing a non-medical mask

when physical distancing is not possible, and; •limiting contact with people

at higher risk, such as Elders and those in poor health, or with underlying health condi-tions. ISC recognizes the impor-

tance of cultural gatherings or events. By using public health guidelines in their respective provinces and territories, First Nations leaders and ceremoni-al organizers can help protect community members, including those who are most vulnerable such as Elders, from the serious risks to health and safety pre-sented by COVID-19. As we look ahead with cau-

tious optimism, the priority remains supporting Indigenous leaders as they work to protect the health, safety and prosperi-ty of communities.Quick factsApproximately $1.7 billion

has been committed in specif-ic support to Indigenous and northern communities and or-ganizations:•$285.1 million to support

the ongoing public health re-sponse to COVID-19 in Indig-enous communities. •$380 million for a distinc-

tions-based Indigenous Com-munity Support Fund which includes $90 million to support Indigenous Peoples living in ur-ban centers. •$10 million for emergency

family violence prevention shel-ters on-reserve and in Yukon to support women and children fleeing violence. •$72.6 million for health and

social services support to the

governments of Yukon, North-west Territories, and Nunavut, for health and social support. •$34.3 million for territorial

businesses, through CanNor’s Regional Relief and Recovery Fund. •$25 million for enhancement

to the Nutrition North Canada Subsidy. •$17.3M in support for

Northern Air Carriers. •$15 M for CanNor’s North-

ern Business Relief Fund. •Up to $306.8 million in in-

terest-free loans to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses. •$75.2 million in 2020-21 in

distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Mé-tis Nation students pursuing post-secondary education •$270 million to supplement

the On-Reserve Income As-sistance Program to address increased demand on the pro-gram, which will help individ-

uals and families meet their essential living expenses. •$44.8 million over five years

to build 12 new shelters, which will help protect and support Indigenous women and girls experiencing and fleeing vio-lence. The government will also provide $40.8 million to sup-port operational costs for these new shelters over the first five years, and $10.2 million annu-ally ongoing. Starting this year, $1 million a year ongoing will also be provided to support engagement with Métis leaders and service providers on shelter provision and community-led violence prevention projects for Métis women, girls, and LGBTQ and two-spirit people. • $117 million in new funding

to support community-owned Indigenous businesses and $16 million in new funding to support Indigenous tourism through the pandemic and into recovery.

OTTAWA-TTAWA, TRADI-TIONAL ALGONQUIN TERRI-TORY,-First Nations on-reserve have four times the lower case rate than that of the general Canadian population, three times less fatalities, and a 30% higher recovery rate, Dr Thom Wong, Chief Medical Officer of Public Health said in a report Tuesday.Throughout the COVID-19

pandemic both the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indig-enous Services, along with Dr. Tom Wong, Chief Medical Offi-cer of Public Health have been providing regular updates to media. In lieu of an in-person briefing this week Dr. Wong is provided a COVID-19 update.The COVID-19 curve con-

tinues to flatten in Indigenous communities as leaders are working tirelessly to make sure their community members have access to the most up to date public health information and who are advocating for the support their communities need.Indigenous Services Canada

(ISC) recognizes that this virus has affected nearly every facet of day-to-day life, and contin-ues to support the delivery of quality care, while Indigenous individuals and communities take the lead in responding to their unique, evolving needs.On First Nations communities

in provinces, as of July 6 Indig-enous Services Canada is aware of:• 324 confirmed positive cas-

es of COVID-19 • 30 hospitalizations • 274 recovered cases. “This means that First Na-

tions on-reserve have four

times lower case rate than that of the general Canadian popu-lation, three times less fatali-ties, and a 30% higher recovery rate.” He said while recently in First

Nations communities in Sas-katchewan and Alberta, a rise in COVID-19 cases has been noted; Indigenous Services Canada, and other partners are working with these commu-nities to provide the supports required. There is a total of 17 confirmed positive cases in Nunavik, Quebec and all but one have recovered. To support the response to an outbreak, ISC – when requested - sup-ports community health staff to manage cases, with contact investigations, the communi-cation of test results, and con-ducting check-ins with those in self-isolation in the community. ISC continues to quickly pro-

cess PPE requests, as effectively as possible, to ensure commu-nities are ready to respond to COVID-19, and to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and others supporting the de-livery of health services. He said “as of July 3, we have

shipped 1,009 orders for PPE, including hand sanitizers, N95 masks, isolation shields, and gloves.” To date, the Government of

Canada has responded to hun-dreds of requests from Indige-nous communities and organi-zations to support a variety of measures, including addressing additional space for medical screening and self-isolation, support to Elders as well as contracting additional med-ical professionals to support communities in their response

to the virus. In the instances where ISC has direct respon-sibility for healthcare, nearly 1,000 health professionals have been transported careful-ly and cautiously in and out of fly-in First Nations communi-ties through chartered private transportation measures that reduce the risks of community exposure to COVID-19. It is important to note that

no communities will be left behind. For example, when the situation worsened in northern Saskatchewan, ISC provided $2.3 million to the North West Saskatchewan Pandemic Re-sponse Plan, a collective effort between First Nations, Métis, municipal, provincial, and fed-eral partners to coordinate the response to the growing num-bers of COVID-19 cases in the area. Meadow Lake Tribal Coun-cil and Métis Nation–Saskatch-ewan have undertaken exem-plary collaboration in leading the response to this significant outbreak.The Government of Canada

also made available funding to address immediate health, economic, and transportation needs in the North. This in-cludes transfers to the gov-ernments of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut to support their COVID-19 health and social services preparations and response. The Government of Canada also provided fund-ing to support northern air carriers, to ensure the contin-ued supply of food, and other essential goods and services to remote and fly-in communities. Additional funding was also provided to Nutrition North Canada to increase subsidies so

families can afford much-need-ed nutritious food and personal hygiene products. ISC also pro-vided support to the Govern-ment of the Northwest Territo-ries and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to help Indigenous families who are choosing to be on the land as part of the terri-tory’s response to COVID-19. The report issues Tuesday

says Canada is ready to sup-port communities to respond to their needs, according to their priorities. While these are positive de-

velopments, individuals and communities need to remain vigilant in employing measures to protect themselves, their families and communities. The federal government will con-

tinue to support communities at each stage of the pandemic, and as parts of our economy begin to reopen. To prevent the spread of

COVID-19, within communi-ties and across the country, in-dividuals can help by:•avoiding all non-essential

trips in the community,


No active cases of Covid-19 at Six NationsBy Donna DuricWriterIt’s been almost five weeks

since Six Nations reported a positive case of Covid-19 on Six Nations.After a spate of cases were

reported in late May, Six Na-tions has not had a single new case reported through-out the month of June or the first week of July.There are currently no active

cases of Covid-19 on Six Na-tions as of press time, joining neighbouring communities in seeing a reduction in pos-itive cases and active cases.To date, there have been 14

positive cases on Six Nations and one death.The province of Ontario has

also seen a shrinking number

of cases, both total new daily cases and active infections.By the first week of July,

Ontario had just under 2,000 active cases of Covid-19, compared to over 4,000 ac-tive cases in the middle of June.The community, which was

locked down to outside vis-itors from the end of March to the middle of June, has ad-opted strict safety measures since it entered phase two of Six Nations Elected Council’s reopening plan. Phase two of the plan included taking down the barricades at com-munity entrance points on June 15. Phase two also allowed the

reopening of most business-es, including gas stations,

convenience stores, smoke shops and restaurants. Many of those businesses vol-untarily shut down in late March. Since then, businesses

throughout the community have re-opened with strict measures in place. Stores such as Gas, Grub

and Goodies in Ohswek-en have implemented strict safety measures, including allowing only one customer inside at a time, plexiglass shields protecting cashiers, staff wearing masks, and refusing entry to anyone exhibiting Covid-19 symp-toms. The store even closed down at one point early in the pandemic after one of its employees had contact

with someone who exhib-ited symptoms but the test for that employee came back negative. The store was one of a handful of convenience stores that remained open throughout the community lockdown. The community has not

fully opened, however. All recreational facilities remain closed and hundreds of band council employees are still working from home. Sports teams remain inac-

tive and the beloved Grand River Champion of Cham-pions Powwow, which nor-mally takes place the last week of July every year at Chiefswood Park, has been cancelled this year.Because the Six Nations

economy was shut down for almost three months this spring, elected council launched a Covid-19 busi-ness relief fund, which is currently accepting applica-tions until Friday July 10th at 3 p.m. Businesses are eligible for a non-repayable grant up to $5,000.Community members who

have more than one business are only allowed to receive one grant. Successful applicants will

be notified by July 17, with funds disbursed the follow-ing week. It’s not known where

elected council obtained the funds or how much is avail-able in the total fund. Six Nations received $2.2.

million from the federal gov-ernment in March to respond to the pandemic but elected council was already warning it was running out of funds in May. It’s not known if or when

Six Nations will be receiving more money. Elected Council has not

responded to Turtle Island News’ requests for com-ment. In the meantime, Elected

Council continues to hold official meetings via Zoom, an online Webinar platform. “We are attempting to

minimize as much in per-son meetings as possible,” said Elected Chief Mark Hill during a weekly radio update last Friday.

(Continued on page 6)

Update on COVID-19 Nationally In Indigenous Communities

Lacrosse Practices going on at OMSK

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 8 I I SPORTS / TEHONTKAHRI’TSHERÓN:NIS I

J O S H G I L E S T U R T L E I S L A N D N E W S S P O R T S R E P O R T E R . . . L O O K F O R H I M A T Y O U R N E X T S P O R T I N G E V E N T !

The lacrosse practices at OMSK have been a huge hit with the Six Nations youth. (Submitted Photo)

By Josh GilesWriterWith organized lacrosse,

all but cancelled this sea-son, many people have taken it upon themselves to organize safe practices at OMSK for Six Nations youth. Starting a couple of weeks ago, it has become very popular in the com-

munity.Cubb McNaughton is one

of the people helping orga-nize the practices, and he said that they want to keep the kids active. “We’ve been talking about it. Just to get the kids going and to get them away from the television. They’re used to having some schedule and

we’re trying to slowly.”The practices mostly con-

sist of around 25-30 kids maximum, but they won’t turn away anyone unless they really have to. They break into groups of 5 to 6 and pass the ball around. “It’s a field style right now. There’s no real curriculum we’re just trying to put it

on ourselves to let the kids have fun in a safe way.”McNaughton has been

very encouraged by the people who have showed up to help. “We have dads coming down to help and play along as well. We’re just there for the kids to interact and to see their friends. It’s something we

need to constantly remind them to stay properly so-cial distant,” he said.But with no real curric-

ulum, they’re just taking it as they go. McNaugh-ton, along with the oth-er coaches are hoping to grow off of this as well, and maybe expand it de-pending on the demand.

“If the demand goes higher we will break into different schools and start a proper curriculum.”It’s a good safe way for

the youth of Six Nations to be able to get up and have fun with a favourite sport in the community.

I SPORTS / TEHONTKAHRI’TSHERÓN:NIS I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 9 I

Lacrosse Practices going on at OMSK

Six Nations running virtual summer campsBy Josh GilesWriterSix Nations Health Promo-

tions found great success by running a virtual Tom Longboat run in early June, and now they are trying to get kids active through vir-tual summer camps. The decision wasn’t easy, but Six Nations is working on a structure to make sure it’s successful.Carrying on with sched-

uled things as usual hasn’t been easy, but according to Health Promotions Kinesi-ologist Skylar Powless, they

want to keep kids busy and active this summer. “Health Promotions decid-ed to participate in camps this year, as it is program-ming that we normally run in the summer. So, we de-cided to try to continue to keep some normalcy and give the kids activities to be able to participate in to keep them busy.”They are hoping that

this will be a success as well. “Like all of our oth-er programming, we have switched to offering them virtually and have had

some success with virtual programs we offer that are geared towards kids and youth. So, we are going to trial this method as well, and hopefully there will be success.”Six Nations Health Pro-

motions will also be doing things a number of ways in order to help kids get as active as possible. “We will be releasing videos demonstrating different ac-tivities, offering interactive programs over zoom and dropping off activity kits to families. Other services

that are offering camps are likely doing things similar-ly,” said Powless.

Right now Six Nations is still coming up with ideas in order to build a proper

structure and activities for the children, but it looks to be an eventful summer.

NC) Although at the moment we may not be able to head cross country to some of our beautiful nation-al parks, with local parks now reopened to the public there are plenty of great drives to experience with spectacular views.

Niagara Falls to Ni-agara-on-the-Lake. This drive is a short-but-sweet trek along the Niagara Parkway. The road follows the Niagara River and fea-tures plenty of beau-tiful sites along the way. Start by seeing the powerful falls and

end your journey in the lush wine region of Ontario.Icefields Parkway.

The best part of this Calgary drive is that you don’t have to head off the beaten trail to see gorgeous views. The parkway will take you from se-rene Lake Louise to breathtaking Jasper in over 200 kilometres of non-stop wildlife.Skinner Pond to

Jude Point. P.E.I. may be a small island, but it boasts some of the most iconic coastal views in the country. Start your journey in

Skinner Pond, the home of “Stompin’ Tom” Connors and make your way to Judes Point Harbour. The harbour has the largest inshore fishing fleet on the island.Yellowhead High-

way to Minnedosa Valley. The prairies may have a reputa-tion for being rath-er flat, but the drive along Highway 16 in Manitoba will change your mind. This road trip winds through peaks and valleys, passing through quaint towns ending the journey in Minne-dosa. If you’re lucky, the Northern Lights have been known to make an appearance.

Make sure you have the best coverage for your next auto ad-venture – find more

information at pcin-surance.ca.www.newscanada.

com

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 10 I I SPECIAL I

Turtle Island News Summer road trips to beautiful local parks

I SPECIAL I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 11 I

I SPECIAL I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 13 I

(NC) We all want to feed our families nutritious meals that are simple to make and affordable. Bo-

nus points if the dish is fun to prepare and envi-ronmentally friendly.When preparing meals

the whole family will love, a great option is using Ca-nadian eggs. They are a fresh, local, high-quality ingredient available in all grocery stores and pro-duced by more than 1,100 family farms from coast to coast.Working under the sys-

tem of supply manage-ment, egg farmers have invested in new technolo-gies and innovative farm-ing practices over the last decades to reduce their environmental footprint by 50 per cent, while in-creasing their production to meet Canadian demand. Talk about a green source of high-quality protein.Looking for new recipe

inspiration? Try eggs in this delicious pizza reci-pe that’s simple enough to get the kids involved. To make the dough easy to roll, remove from the fridge and allow it to

rest for 30 minutes. For a thin crust, use the lower amount of pizza dough. Hand-Tossed Pizza

with EggsPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 10 minutesServes: 2Ingredients:

• 1 lb (0.5 kg) store-bought pizza dough

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, divided

• ½ cup (125 mL) pizza or marinara sauce

• 1 ½ cups (375 mL) shredded Italian blend cheese

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) pit-ted Kalamata olives, chopped

• 4 eggs• ½ cup (125 mL) arugula• All-purpose flour for

rollingDirections:

1. Lightly coat a 12-inch (30 cm) pizza pan with cooking spray. Place pan in an oven preheated to

500°F (260°C).2. On a well-floured sur-

face, roll dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle.

3. Remove hot pan from oven. Carefully arrange dough to the edges of the pan. Pierce dough all over with a fork, then lightly brush with some olive oil. Evenly spread pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle cheese over

dough and top with ol-ives. Crack eggs over top of pizza.

4. Place pizza in oven and bake until crust is browned and crisp; 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Serve topped with aru-gula and a drizzle of re-maining olive oil.

Learn more at eggfarmers.ca.www.newscanada.com

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 14 I I DINING GUIDE I

The incredible story of the green egg

CRAWFORD: RICHARD “WADE”

Suddenly at St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver on Monday June 29, 2020 at the age of 49 years. Father of the late Jade. Beloved son of Bev & Decarlo & the late Rose Crawford. Lov-ing brother of Dave (Ken), Barry (Laura), and the late Mark. Also survived by several nieces and neph-ews. The family will honour his life with visitation at the Hyde & Mott Chapel, R.H.B. Anderson Funeral Homes Ltd., 60 Main Street South, Hag-ersville on Thursday from 7-9pm. where Funeral Service will be held on Friday, July 10, 2020 at 11am. Interment Garlow Line Cemetery. www.rhbanderson.com

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LEARNING AND GROWING AS

...

By Josh GilesWriterDoug Jamieson has

earned his first ever NLL Goaltender of the Year award after an impres-sive season that saw him breakout to help the New England Black Wolves to an amazing season. Being the anchor in the net for the Black Wolves, he cer-tainly earned the honour.Leading the league in a

number of stats, Jamieson broke out in his fourth season with New En-gland to have himself the best season of his career. He lead the NLL in goals against average, save percentage and was tied for the most wins with 8 alongside Zach Higgins and fellow Six Nations goalie Warren Hill.“I was pretty happy to

win it, I wasn’t sure who was going to win because so many goalies had great seasons this year,” said Jamieson. “It’s nice to be recognized because a lot of hard work goes into practicing and we spend a lot of time travelling. My defence was so good this year they made my job much easier.” Although being humbled

by the award, and enjoy-ing the moment, Jamieson is fixated on carrying this momentum and these im-provements over to New England for next season. “I’m definitely hoping myself and the team can keep the momentum roll-ing into next season be-cause I think we’re poised for a deep playoff run and had a legit chance at win-ning a championship.” That they did.On top of winning the

award, Jamison was elected to the NLL’s All-League First Team, as well as Halifax Thunderbirds captain Cody Jamieson being named to the All-League Second Team.

I SPORTS / TEHONTKAHRI’TSHERÓN:NIS I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 17 I

Doug Jamieson wins NLL Goaltender of the Year

Doug Jamieson felt like a lock to win the NLL Goalie of the Year Award with his remarkable season. (Photo by the New England Black Wolves)

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 18 I I CAREERS AND NOTICES I

I SPORTS / TEHONTKAHRI’TSHERÓN:NIS / BUSINESS DIRECTORY I I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 19 I

ELECTRICAL SERVICES BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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CAP calling for Theo Fleury to be put on the 2021 Hockey Hall of Fame ballotBy Josh GilesWriterAnother year goes by

where Theoren Fleury did not get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) is asking to give him another chance next year. The Métis hock-ey player from Oxbow, Saskatchewan was very talented player in the NHL but substance abuse vio-lations during his tenure

is the only reason he isn’t in the Hall of Fame already, and CAP is trying to put an end to that.In a press release on June

30, CAP called on the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 18 person committee to put Fleury on the ballot for next year. “With Indige-nous History Month com-ing to a close, it’s time to recognize the accomplish-ments of Theoren Fleury for his contributions to

hockey and place him in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is a long overdue ac-knowledgement,” said CAP National Vice Chief Kim Beaudin. The stats that Fl-

eury has put up speak for themselves. Being one of 15 players to average at least one career point for every game played in the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs. The other 14 players have already been

enshrined in the hockey hall of fame. Fleury has also surpassed 100 points in a season twice in his ca-reer, so it appears he has the stats to back up the reasoning.The only thing that many

people have troubles with is his history with sub-stance abuse. But it be-came known later on as self medication for his abuse as a young hockey player. The CAP note this in their press

release as well. “Theo Fleu-ry’s struggles while play-ing in the NHL are a mat-ter of public record. So too are his accomplishments, leadership, and communi-ty-building, including visi-tation to Canadian prisons since that time.”Being sober since 2006,

Fleury has made an impact to actively create better lives for people in Canada who have struggled with what he struggles with. He

has even won the Cana-dian Humanitarian Award and the Queen’s Jubilee Medallion for people who have made huge efforts to contribute to Canada. He’s seemed to be forgiv-

en for his past by every-one, and the CAP want to make sure he’s recognized as the great hockey player that he was.

Washington Redskins consider name changeThe Washington Redskins

have met a myriad of scru-tiny over their team name for a number of years, and with race being such a big topic of discussion right now, it appears it has come to a head. The team announced on Friday that they are going to thor-oughly review changing the team name. In a press release,

Washington said, “In light of recent events around our country and feedback from our community, the Washington Redskins are

announcing that the team will undergo a thorough re-view of the team’s name.” This request

comes shortly after 87 in-vestment firms requested FedEx, Nike, and PepsiCo to stop doing business with the team. Nike did their part in stopping the sale of team apparel from their website which is a step in the right direction, and FedEx followed suit shortly after requesting that the team name be changed. The fact that Fe-

dEx requested the name change is specifically more notable because they bought the naming rights to where Washington plays for $205-million. As well as FedEx CEO, Fred Smith is a minority owner of the team, so it appears there’s a lot at stake. Un fo r tuna te l y,

for advertisers, and fans alike, Washington owner Dan Snyder went on the record in 2013 saying that he will never change the team name. But times are changing and it appears

that Snyder will go along with the process in order to do their part in chang-ing.

The Washington Redskins will have to go through a complete rebranding of team name and logo in order to please the public and their advertisers.

I TURTLE ISLAND NEWS I IOHIARIÓ:WA / JULY 8, 2020 I PAGE 20 I

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