nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Saskatchewan sets up nuclear secretariat to plan for reactors

The provincial government unveiled its plans Wednesday to establish an office to co-ordinate nuclear policy and program work within the Climate Change and Adaptation Division of the Ministry of Environment .
The new nuclear secretariat is mandated to develop and execute a strategic plan for the deployment of “ clean-energy small modular reactors ” in the province .
No timeframe commitments were made in the announcement , which also did not provide sites in Saskatchewan where new reactors will be installed .
“ The deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan will require collaboration with several partners to fully encompass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jobs , enhanced value chains for Saskatchewan ’ s uranium , and our made-in-Saskatchewan climate policy , ” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said .
All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan , while processing , refining , conversion , fuel fabrication , research and waste management happen on a national scale at nuclear power stations in Ontario and New Brunswick .
Source : Natural Resources Canada .
All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan , while processing , refining , conversion , fuel fabrication , research and waste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclear power stations in Ontario and New Brunswick , according to Natural Resources Canada .
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules In December , Premier Scott Moe signed a memorandum of understanding ( or MOU ) on small modular reactors with the premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to co-operate in deploying the new technology across the country .
In December , Premier Scott Moe signed a memorandum of understanding on small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Brunswick to co-operate in deploying the nuclear technology across the country .
Photograph courtesy of the Saskatchewan government .
The province said that broader collaboration will enable opportunities for financing , regulation , labour capacity , public engagement and economic growth .
“ Clean nuclear energy will provide Saskatchewan the tools to fight climate change , ” Duncan said .
“ The advancement of small modular reactors in Canada brings economic and environmental benefits with new clean technology that is also safe , reliable and competitively priced power.
” Small modular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce electricity in the range of 50 to 300 megawatts , as compared to current nuclear power plants that range between 600 and 1,600 megawatts .
Small modular reactors are low-emitting technology that can provide baseload power within an electrical grid .
“ The advancement of small modular reactors in Canada brings economic and environmental benefits with new clean technology that is also safe , reliable and competitively priced power , ” Saskatchewan Environment Minister Dustin Duncan .
Total share of world nuclear power production by country in 2018 .
Canada ranks second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production , but accounted for just four per cent of nuclear power production .
Graphic courtesy of Natural Resources Canada .
Cameco Corp. is the leading publicly traded uranium company in the world and accounted for 18 per cent of global production in 2015 .
It is also an economic engine for north Saskatchewan .
Cameco is one of the largest global providers of the uranium fuel needed to supply reactors .
Cameco Fuel Manufacturing is one of two suppliers serving Canada 's reactor fleet and is the largest Canadian-based fabricator of in-core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
The mining giant shuttered uranium extraction at its Cigar Lake mine , the last operational mine in Saskatchewan , due to COVID-19 and has yet to announce a reopening date .
The province said its new framework will keep Saskatchewan at the forefront of innovation in nuclear power as provinces and territories across Canada “ explore pathways ” in the federal government ’ s Small Modular Reactor Roadmap .
The spot price for uranium increased by more than 35 per cent after Cameco announced the first disruption at Cigar Lake mine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Ontario Port Hope Conversion Facility ’ s UF6 plant and its Blind River refinery in Ontario on May 11 following its first-quarter financial results May 1 .
A 2018 advertisement for Cameco 's fuel manufacturing facilities in Ontario .
Bruce Power is Canada ’ s first private nuclear generator , providing 30 per cent of Ontario ’ s power .
Courtesy of Bruce Power .
“ We are confident that we can maintain the required roster of qualified operators to run the UF6 plant going forward , enabling us to carefully bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into production , ” Cameco president and CEO Tim Gitzel said .

The provincial government unveiled its plans Wednesday to establish an office to co-ordinate nuclear policy and program work within the Climate Change and Adaptation Division of the Ministry of Environment. The new nuclear secretariat is mandated to develop and execute a strategic plan for the deployment of “clean-energy small modular reactors” in the province. No timeframe commitments were made in the announcement, which also did not provide sites in Saskatchewan where new reactors will be installed. “The deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan will require collaboration with several partners to fully encompass the benefits Saskatchewan could see in way of jobs, enhanced value chains for Saskatchewan’s uranium, and our made-in-Saskatchewan climate policy,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said. All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan, while processing, refining, conversion, fuel fabrication, research and waste management happen on a national scale with nuclear power stations located in Ontario and New Brunswick. Source: Natural Resources Canada. All the uranium mines in Canada are in Saskatchewan, while processing, refining, conversion, fuel fabrication, research and waste management happen on a national scale with nuclear power stations located in Ontario and New Brunswick, according to Natural Resources Canada.
In December, Premier Scott Moe signed a memorandum of understanding (or MOU) on small modular reactors with the premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to co-operate in deploying the new technology across the country. In December, Premier Scott Moe signed a memorandum of understanding on small modular reactors with the premiers of Ontario and New Brunswick to co-operate in deploying the nuclear technology across the country. Photograph courtesy of the Saskatchewan government. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The province said that broader collaboration will enable opportunities for financing, regulation, labour capacity, public engagement and economic growth.
“Clean nuclear energy will provide Saskatchewan the tools to fight climate change,” Duncan said. “The advancement of small modular reactors in Canada brings economic and environmental benefits with new clean technology that is also safe, reliable and competitively priced power,” Saskatchewan Environment Minister Dustin Duncan. “The advancement of small modular reactors in Canada brings economic and environmental benefits with new clean technology that is also safe, reliable and competitively priced power.” Small modular reactors are nuclear power reactors that can produce electricity in the range of 50 to 300 megawatts, as compared to current nuclear power plants that range between 600 and 1,600 megawatts. Small modular reactors are low-emitting technology that can provide baseload power within an electrical grid. Total share of world nuclear power production by country in 2018. Canada ranks second after Kazakhstan in terms of world uranium production, but accounted for just four per cent of nuclear power production. Graphic courtesy of Natural Resources Canada. Cameco Corp. is the leading publicly traded uranium company in the world and accounted for 18 per cent of global production in 2015. It is also an economic engine for north Saskatchewan.
Cameco is one of the largest global providers of the uranium fuel needed to supply reactors. Cameco Fuel Manufacturing is one of two suppliers serving Canada's reactor fleet and is the largest Canadian-based fabricator of in-core reactor components for CANDU reactors around the world. The mining giant shuttered extraction at its Cigar Lake mine, the last operational uranium mine in Saskatchewan, due to COVID-19 and has yet to announce a reopening date. The province said its new framework will keep Saskatchewan at the forefront of innovation in nuclear power as provinces and territories across Canada “explore pathways” in the federal government’s Small Modular Reactor Roadmap.


nationalobserver--2020-06-24--Indigenous student  becomes valedictorian at McGill after fighting racism

The Indigenous student who led the fight to convince McGill University to drop an offensive name for its men 's varsity sports teams used his speech as valedictorian to call on his fellow graduates to fight systemic discrimination .
Tomas Jirousek , 22 , was named valedictorian for the school 's faculty of arts , making him one of the few Indigenous students to receive the honour .
While convocation was shortened and moved online due to COVID-19 , Jirousek said he used his short speech to reference the Black Lives Matter movement and other fights against injustice .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-situated to challenge systemic racism and systemic oppressions which persist in our communities , '' he said in a phone interview .
He said that while he was thrilled to be chosen , he also felt sad to think about all the other bright students who never got the same recognition .
• How Nova Scotia naturalists forced the province to uphold its Endangered Species Act • Americans en route to Alaska via Canada ticketed for breaking health rules `` A couple of decades ago , the Indian Act would n't have allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without losing their status , '' he said .
Jirousek , a member of the rowing crew , was at the forefront of a student campaign to get McGill to drop the name `` Redmen '' for its sports teams , which Indigenous students described as offensive and alienating .
McGill announced last year it would drop the name after a fierce debate that revealed deep divisions between students and alumni who defended the nearly century-old name , and those who opposed it .
Even though the team name was originally meant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Indigenous people was made as early as the 1950s , when team members were referred to using derogatory terms .
`` 'Redmen ' is widely acknowledged as an offensive term for Indigenous peoples , as evidenced by major English dictionaries , '' Principal Suzanne Fortier wrote in a statement announcing the decision .
`` While this derogatory meaning of the word does not reflect the beliefs of generations of McGill athletes who have proudly competed wearing the University 's colours , we can not ignore this contemporary understanding . ''
Tomas Jirousek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school 's faculty of arts , making him one of the few Indigenous students to receive the honour .
The men 's varsity teams will be known simply as the McGill teams until a new name is chosen .
Jirousek , who is heading to law school at the University of Toronto in the fall , said his experience taught him that racism is still very much alive — but also that there are good people willing to fight it .
During his campaign , he said it was jarring to receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only got into McGill because he was Indigenous .
`` That kind of undercutting — not only of me and the stance I 've taken on the Redmen name , but a personalized attack on my intellect as an Indigenous person , the ability of an Indigenous person like myself to get into McGill — that hits home , '' said Jirousek , who is a member of the Alberta-based Kainai First Nation .
But just as importantly , he said he was encouraged by the massive support he and other Indigenous students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , the name change would not have been possible .
`` We 've come a long way towards reconciliation , and that makes me proud , '' he said .

The Indigenous student who led the fight to convince McGill University to drop an offensive name for its men's varsity sports teams used his speech as valedictorian to call on his fellow graduates to fight systemic discrimination. Tomas Jirousek, 22, was named valedictorian for the school's faculty of arts, making him one of the few Indigenous students to receive the honour. While convocation was shortened and moved online due to COVID-19, Jirousek said he used his short speech to reference the Black Lives Matter movement and other fights against injustice. "I think McGill students in particular are well-situated to challenge systemic racism and systemic oppressions which persist in our communities," he said in a phone interview. He said that while he was thrilled to be chosen, he also felt sad to think about all the other bright students who never got the same recognition.
"A couple of decades ago, the Indian Act wouldn't have allowed an Indigenous student to go to McGill without losing their status," he said. Jirousek, a member of the rowing crew, was at the forefront of a student campaign to get McGill to drop the name "Redmen" for its sports teams, which Indigenous students described as offensive and alienating. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions McGill announced last year it would drop the name after a fierce debate that revealed deep divisions between students and alumni who defended the nearly century-old name, and those who opposed it.
Even though the team name was originally meant to refer to team colours, an association with Indigenous people was made as early as the 1950s, when team members were referred to using derogatory terms. Tomas Jirousek, 22, was named valedictorian for the school's faculty of arts, making him one of the few Indigenous students to receive the honour. "'Redmen' is widely acknowledged as an offensive term for Indigenous peoples, as evidenced by major English dictionaries," Principal Suzanne Fortier wrote in a statement announcing the decision. "While this derogatory meaning of the word does not reflect the beliefs of generations of McGill athletes who have proudly competed wearing the University's colours, we cannot ignore this contemporary understanding." The men's varsity teams will be known simply as the McGill teams until a new name is chosen. Jirousek, who is heading to law school at the University of Toronto in the fall, said his experience taught him that racism is still very much alive — but also that there are good people willing to fight it.
During his campaign, he said it was jarring to receive messages containing racial slurs and saying he only got into McGill because he was Indigenous. "That kind of undercutting — not only of me and the stance I've taken on the Redmen name, but a personalized attack on my intellect as an Indigenous person, the ability of an Indigenous person like myself to get into McGill — that hits home," said Jirousek, who is a member of the Alberta-based Kainai First Nation. But just as importantly, he said he was encouraged by the massive support he and other Indigenous students received from non-Indigenous allies, without whom, he said, the name change would not have been possible.


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--'Salmon cannon' up and running to help fish past B.C. landslide

A pump system dubbed the salmon cannon is up and running along a remote stretch of British Columbia 's Fraser River in order to help fish move past a massive landslide .
But Gwil Roberts , who 's the director of the response to the slide for Fisheries and Oceans Canada , said very few fish have arrived because of abnormally high snow packs around the Fraser and its tributaries .
Early runs of chinook can begin arriving in the area in late May , but the fish seem to be moving more slowly this year , Roberts said during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were prepared for was the earlier arrival of chinook but it looks like they 're arriving later than planned , '' he said .
`` In years where there is less water in the Fraser , fish are making their journey at a more rapid pace .
So , we 've seen a bit of that slow down this season . ''
• Green Party leadership hopeful says his opponent was 'angry that a white person came up with an idea' • How Stephen Harper is destroying the Conservative party It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late fall 2018 , but it was n't discovered until last June after fish had already begun arriving at the site on their journey to spawning grounds .
Earlier this month , officials with Fisheries and Oceans told a House of Commons committee meeting that early runs of Stuart sockeye and chinook salmon were devastated last year .
Plans are now in place to significantly increase the number of fish that survive using several methods , including the so-called salmon cannon and a series of boulders arranged to create pools for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viable later in the season when the volume of water drops .
Sonar monitoring shows 30 fish have arrived near the slide so far and three have moved into a fish ladder that guides them into the pump system , said Roberts .
Contrary to the term cannon , the system deposits the fish gently upriver , he said .
The initial system has two tubes that run along the side of the river canyon wall for about 160 metres and more tubes to accommodate a variety of fish sizes will be installed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pump system dubbed the salmon cannon is up and running along a remote stretch of British Columbia 's Fraser River in order to help fish move past a massive landslide .
Six fish appear to have made it past the slide on their own , he added .
Roberts said it 's assumed those were larger , stronger chinook that made it past the rock slide and five-metre waterfall on June 14 when the water volume was low enough .
Ottawa announced new measures last Friday to protect chinook , which are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killer whales .
Chinook are also a traditional food source and ceremonial fish for Indigenous communities and they 're prized by anglers for their size and strength .
As part of the latest measures aimed at rebuilding salmon stocks , some waters near the mouth of the Fraser River were closed to fishing and chinook longer than 80 centimetres must be released .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24 , 2020 .

A pump system dubbed the salmon cannon is up and running along a remote stretch of British Columbia's Fraser River in order to help fish move past a massive landslide.
But Gwil Roberts, who's the director of the response to the slide for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said very few fish have arrived because of abnormally high snow packs around the Fraser and its tributaries.
Early runs of chinook can begin arriving in the area in late May, but the fish seem to be moving more slowly this year, Roberts said during a briefing on Wednesday.
"What we were prepared for was the earlier arrival of chinook but it looks like they're arriving later than planned," he said.
"In years where there is less water in the Fraser, fish are making their journey at a more rapid pace. So, we've seen a bit of that slow down this season."


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--More than a dozen great blue heron fledglings found dead in Greater Vancouver area

More than a dozen great blue heron fledglings were found dead this week after a tree with several nests fell @ @ @ @ @ .
A news release from the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC says six fledglings were @ @ @ @ @ it will rehabilitate the two that survived in hopes of returning them to the wild @ @ @ @ @ been disturbance in the area around Tsawwassen First Nation , where the nests were found @ @ @ @ @ down .

More than a dozen great blue heron fledglings were found dead this week after a tree with several nests fell in the Greater Vancouver area.
A news release from the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC says six fledglings were found in critical condition and it will rehabilitate the two that survived in hopes of returning them to the wild.
It says there has been disturbance in the area around Tsawwassen First Nation, where the nests were found, including trees being cut down.
The wildlife association says the baby birds had injuries including pelvic fractures, loss of vision, inability to walk or stand and central nervous system trauma.
It says great blue herons are a familiar sight on British Columbia's coast with their wide wings, long necks, grey-blue feathers, the plumes on their heads and their remarkably still stance in water, as well as the black line above their eyes that distinguishes them from any other bird.


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--Canadians can be exempt from new U.S. visa restrictions, immigration lawyers' group says

New restrictions on visas for workers entering the United States do n't apply to Canadians who do n't plan on living south of the border permanently , says the American Immigration Lawyers Association .
A `` practice alert '' for the group 's 15,000 members , issued late Wednesday , says a liaison committee it has with U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed that exemption .
President Donald Trump this week ordered a suspension on issuing several types of visas allowing foreign citizens to work in the United States , on the grounds that his country 's pandemic-rattled economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it is .
The proclamation lasts until the end of the year .
It particularly covers workers seeking H-1B visas , which U.S. employers use to temporarily employ specialists in fields such as high-tech .
The ban also includes H-2B visas for seasonal non-agricultural workers , L visas for managers and executives in multinational companies , and J visas for students and workers in exchange programs .
• Green Party leadership hopeful says his opponent was 'angry that a white person came up with an idea' • How Stephen Harper is destroying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work in the U.S. without immigrating permanently do n't necessarily need those work visas .
The language of the proclamation seemed plain enough , immigration lawyer Henry Chang said by email .
`` We therefore believed that the presidential proclamation did not apply to ( Canadians ) .
Unfortunately , in the absence of clear guidance on this issue , the position taken by United States Customs and Border Protection varied from port to port , '' said Chang , who is a partner at Dentons in Toronto who specializes in Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's now clear that so-called visa-exempt Canadians are n't lumped in with others who wo n't be eligible to work in the United States .
A request for comment sent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection after regular business hours was n't immediately answered .
Trump 's proclamation explicitly forbids only the issuing of new visas .
People who already hold them can continue to use them .
New restrictions on visas for workers entering the United States do n't apply to Canadians who do n't plan on living south of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawyers Association .
Though Canadians do n't necessarily need visas to work in the U.S. , having one does come with protections and advantages .
Someone with an H-1B visa can seek permanent residency and start on a path to U.S. citizenship , for instance .
The Department of Homeland Security says about 4,600 Canadians received H-1B visas last year .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24 , 2020 .

New restrictions on visas for workers entering the United States don't apply to Canadians who don't plan on living south of the border permanently, says the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
A "practice alert" for the group's 15,000 members, issued late Wednesday, says a liaison committee it has with U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed that exemption.
President Donald Trump this week ordered a suspension on issuing several types of visas allowing foreign citizens to work in the United States, on the grounds that his country's pandemic-rattled economy doesn't have enough jobs for Americans as it is.
The proclamation lasts until the end of the year. It particularly covers workers seeking H-1B visas, which U.S. employers use to temporarily employ specialists in fields such as high-tech.
The ban also includes H-2B visas for seasonal non-agricultural workers, L visas for managers and executives in multinational companies, and J visas for students and workers in exchange programs.


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--Charges dropped against Alberta chief in violent RCMP arrest

Charges were dropped against a prominent northern Alberta First Nations chief Wednesday as it was revealed that one of the officers involved in his violent arrest had been charged in an off-duty assault seven months earlier .
The case of Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation was in front of a Fort McMurray provincial court judge Wednesday when charges of resisting arrest and assaulting an RCMP officer were withdrawn by the Crown .
The move came after RCMP dash-cam footage of Adam 's March arrest , which started as a stop for an expired licence plate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a court application to clear Adam 's name .
`` The Crown reassessed the prosecution standard based on an examination of the available evidence including the disclosure of additional relevant material and withdrew the two charges , '' Alberta Justice spokeswoman Carla Jones said in a statement .
`` The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service has no comment on the actions of the police . ''
• Green Party leadership hopeful says his opponent was 'angry that a white person came up with an idea' • How Stephen Harper is destroying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bruised and bloodied during the arrest , welcomed the news .
`` I 'm overwhelmed at the fact that the charges have been dropped because , you know , we knew — my wife and I knew — that we did n't do nothing wrong , '' he said on a video call after the hearing .
`` You know , it was just for an expired licence plate .
We do n't understand the reasons why it had to escalate . ''
`` The withdrawal of these charges at this stage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a finding of not guilty , '' Beresh said .
`` It is a true victory , not only for Allan Adam and his family , other Indigenous accused , but for our society generally . ''
Beresh said he learned through a court check that one of the officers , Const .
Simon Seguin , has a trial set before a provincial court judge in September on separate charges of assault , mischief and unlawfully being in a dwelling house .
Charges were dropped against a prominent northern Alberta First Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , as it was revealed that one of the officers involved in his violent arrest had been charged in an off-duty assault seven months earlier .
`` Those events , which led to charges against him , occurred on Aug. 5 , 2019 , '' he said .
`` As of this date , that police officer remains on full duty , not suspended , not fired . ''
Alberta RCMP confirmed it was aware of the charge .
`` His duty status would have been the result of an assessment made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain on duty , '' spokesman Fraser Logan said in a statement .
`` These internal processes are independent of any pending criminal trial . ''
Logan added the decision to drop the charges against Adam was up to the Crown .
`` The role of the police is to investigate and gather evidence in support of a charge and the RCMP fulfilled that role on this file , '' he said .
`` The Crown 's role is to assess the elements of the offence and to determine if they prosecute .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 10 shows a black truck idling outside the Boomtown Casino in downtown Fort McMurray in the glow of flashing police lights .
Adam can be seen walking back and forth between the truck and a RCMP cruiser , shouting profanities at an officer out of view .
The chief tells the officer to tell his sergeant : `` I 'm tired of being harassed by the RCMP . '
'' `` Sir , just return to your vehicle .
I 'll come talk to you in a minute , ' '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Adam again gets out of the truck and takes off his jacket as he strides toward the officer .
A woman in the driver 's seat gets out and Adam crouches as though bracing for a fight .
At one point , the officer is seen pushing the woman against the truck and yanking her by the shoulder as she shouts , `` 'Ow ! ''
`` 'Hey !
Leave my wife alone !
You come for me , ' '' Adam says , before swatting the officer 's hands away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the video , a second officer — who has been identified as Seguin — runs at Adam , tackles him to the ground and punches him in the head .
Adam is then cuffed and put in the back of the cruiser , blood streaming from his face .
The RCMP had initially stated that the officers ' actions were reasonable .
Politicians , however , have demanded answers after the video was released .
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team , the province 's police watchdog , is investigating the arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment Wednesday , but posted on Twitter that the independent investigation will continue .
Speaking in Edmonton , Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the Police Act is under review by the province and there will be a focus on racism and abuse of authority .
`` We know , like in any walk of life , there are some bad apples .
And police services , especially because of the extraordinary powers that they exercise , must be particularly careful . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published @ @ @ @ @

Charges were dropped against a prominent northern Alberta First Nations chief Wednesday as it was revealed that one of the officers involved in his violent arrest had been charged in an off-duty assault seven months earlier. The case of Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation was in front of a Fort McMurray provincial court judge Wednesday when charges of resisting arrest and assaulting an RCMP officer were withdrawn by the Crown. The move came after RCMP dash-cam footage of Adam's March arrest, which started as a stop for an expired licence plate, was made public earlier this month as part of a court application to clear Adam's name. "The Crown reassessed the prosecution standard based on an examination of the available evidence including the disclosure of additional relevant material and withdrew the two charges," Alberta Justice spokeswoman Carla Jones said in a statement. "The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service has no comment on the actions of the police."
Adam, who was left bruised and bloodied during the arrest, welcomed the news. "I'm overwhelmed at the fact that the charges have been dropped because, you know, we knew — my wife and I knew — that we didn't do nothing wrong," he said on a video call after the hearing. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "You know, it was just for an expired licence plate. We don't understand the reasons why it had to escalate."
Adam's lawyer Brian Beresh called the decision a win. Charges were dropped against a prominent northern Alberta First Nations chief on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, as it was revealed that one of the officers involved in his violent arrest had been charged in an off-duty assault seven months earlier. "The withdrawal of these charges at this stage in the law, for our purposes, is a finding of not guilty," Beresh said. "It is a true victory, not only for Allan Adam and his family, other Indigenous accused, but for our society generally." Beresh said he learned through a court check that one of the officers, Const. Simon Seguin, has a trial set before a provincial court judge in September on separate charges of assault, mischief and unlawfully being in a dwelling house. "Those events, which led to charges against him, occurred on Aug. 5, 2019," he said. "As of this date, that police officer remains on full duty, not suspended, not fired." Alberta RCMP confirmed it was aware of the charge.
"His duty status would have been the result of an assessment made by his managers on his suitability to remain on duty," spokesman Fraser Logan said in a statement. "These internal processes are independent of any pending criminal trial." Logan added the decision to drop the charges against Adam was up to the Crown. "The role of the police is to investigate and gather evidence in support of a charge and the RCMP fulfilled that role on this file," he said. "The Crown's role is to assess the elements of the offence and to determine if they prosecute."


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--Trudeau faces pressure to give in to 'hostage diplomacy' with China

Justin Trudeau 's Liberal government is facing contradictory calls to either stand up to China or give in to so-called `` hostage diplomacy '' — with particular pressure coming from stalwarts of former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien 's administration .
Allan Rock is the latest former Chretien-era minister to advocate that the government end extradition proceedings against Meng Wanzhou , in hopes that China will release two Canadians imprisoned arbitrarily in apparent retaliation for the Huawei executive 's arrest in Vancouver in December 2018 .
Rock said Wednesday that Chretien himself supports his initiative .
`` I spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say he agreed with me , '' Rock said in an interview , adding that he did not speak to the former prime minister before making his public intervention in the Meng case .
Rock got further backup Wednesday in a letter to Trudeau signed by 19 former politicians and diplomats who urged that Meng be freed in a bid to win the release of detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig .
• Green Party leadership hopeful says his opponent was 'angry that a white person came up with an idea' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative party Signatories to the letter , obtained by The Canadian Press , included Chretien-era ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Andre Ouellet , former Conservative minister Lawrence Cannon and former diplomat Robert Fowler , who was himself taken hostage in 2008 in Niger .
It was also signed by two former chiefs of staff to Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney — Hugh Segal and Derek Burney , who also once served as Canada 's ambassador to the United States .
`` It has now been more than 550 days since the two Michaels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says the letter , also signed by Rock and former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour , who went public earlier this week with their call to free Meng .
`` Their detention was completely unlawful and unjustified .
Reliable accounts describe their conditions of confinement as tantamount to torture ... We believe that the two Michaels will remain in their Chinese prison until Meng is free to return to China . ''
The signatories acknowledge that `` it does not sit well with anyone to yield to bullying or blackmail . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no guarantee China wo n't resort to arbitrary detentions again in future to get its way .
`` Indeed , if Canada resists the pressure arising from the detention of the two Michaels , China might well decide that next time it will need to escalate by detaining more than two Canadians , '' the signatories write .
Justin Trudeau 's Liberal government is facing contradictory calls to either stand up to China or give in to so-called `` hostage diplomacy '' — with particular pressure coming from stalwarts of former Liberal prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of senators , meanwhile , called on the Trudeau government to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over China 's treatment of its Muslim minority , its increasing restriction on freedoms in Hong Kong , and its arrests of Spavor and Kovrig .
The 12 senators are mostly Conservatives but some were appointed on the advice of Liberal prime ministers , including Trudeau .
In a letter , the senators said they want the government to use legislation , known as the Sergei Magnitsky Law , that allows it to target the personal finances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights , freezing assets that are in Canada 's control and forbidding Canadian institutions to do business with them .
But another senator is pushing the government from the other direction .
Sen. Yuen Pau Woo , leader of the Independent Senators Group , is urging the government to follow the advice of Rock and Arbour , who argue that Canada 's Extradition Act specifically allows the justice minister to terminate extradition proceedings at any time .
Trudeau and his justice minister , David Lametti , have maintained the minister may intervene only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meng case and that , in the meantime , the rule of law requires that they not interfere in the matter .
Chretien , who cultivated good relations with China during his time in office and who has spent considerable time there on business since retiring in 2003 , has indicated he would be willing to serve as a special envoy to China to secure the release of the two Michaels .
Mulroney first floated that idea last year , suggesting a delegation involving Chretien and his son-in-law , Andre Desmarais , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council .
Chretien 's former deputy prime minister , John Manley , has argued Canada should never have agreed to arrest Meng on behalf of the U.S. And Chretien 's former principal secretary , Eddie Goldenberg , earlier this year urged the government to conduct a prisoner swap , freeing Meng in return for the release Spavor and Kovrig .
China itself said releasing Meng could be one way to resolve the issue .
`` Such options are within the rule of law and could open up space for resolution to the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lijian , the spokesman for China 's foreign ministry , said in a media briefing Wednesday .
The involvement of the Chretien-era old guard has sparked criticism in some quarters that it is aimed primarily at advancing business interests in China .
But Rock , now a law professor at the University of Ottawa , said neither he nor Arbour has business ties and neither has anything to gain by advocating for the release of Meng .
Their intervention is based entirely on the fact that Section 23 ( 3 ) of Extradition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister `` may at any time withdraw the authority to proceed '' with an extradition , at which point the court would have to drop the proceedings , he said .
The government 's contention that it must not interfere in the Meng case is `` wrong , '' Rock , a former justice minister , said .
Rock was in cabinet when the Extradition Act was revised and he said Sec .
23 was specifically inserted because it was recognized `` there are going to be cases in which the government will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's best interests to continue with an extradition once launched . ''
Rock said the government has preempted any discussion about the merits of releasing Meng by insisting that it ca n't do so , relying on `` formulaic , robotic incantations '' about having to respect the rule of law .
He and Arbour want there to be at least an honest debate about whether releasing Meng would amount to caving in to a bully and rewarding China for hostage diplomacy or whether it would anger the Americans and risk retaliation from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their part , Rock said they 've concluded `` there are compelling reasons to stop this . ''
Meng 's case could drag on for years while the two Michaels remain in prison , facing a `` show trial '' for espionage `` in a court that has a 99 per cent conviction rate . ''
All the while , Rock said Canada 's foreign policy is being held hostage , with the government stalling a decision on the use of Huawei technology in 5G networks and soft-peddling criticism of China 's human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the detained Canadians .
As for angering Trump , he said the president 's suggestion that he 'd drop extradition proceedings against Meng if he got a good trade deal with China , shows that Canada is `` paying a disproportionate price for his cynical gamesmanship . ''
In a statement Wednesday , Lametti 's office argued that the extradition process `` ensures that individual rights are protected and that those sought for extradition are afforded due process before the courts , while honouring our international treaty obligations .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governing this important regime , '' it said , adding it would not be appropriate to comment further on a case before the courts .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24 , 2020 .

Justin Trudeau's Liberal government is facing contradictory calls to either stand up to China or give in to so-called "hostage diplomacy" — with particular pressure coming from stalwarts of former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien's administration. Allan Rock is the latest former Chretien-era minister to advocate that the government end extradition proceedings against Meng Wanzhou, in hopes that China will release two Canadians imprisoned arbitrarily in apparent retaliation for the Huawei executive's arrest in Vancouver in December 2018. Rock said Wednesday that Chretien himself supports his initiative. "I spoke to Chretien this morning because he called me to say he agreed with me," Rock said in an interview, adding that he did not speak to the former prime minister before making his public intervention in the Meng case. Rock got further backup Wednesday in a letter to Trudeau signed by 19 former politicians and diplomats who urged that Meng be freed in a bid to win the release of detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.
Signatories to the letter, obtained by The Canadian Press, included Chretien-era ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Andre Ouellet, former Conservative minister Lawrence Cannon and former diplomat Robert Fowler, who was himself taken hostage in 2008 in Niger. It was also signed by two former chiefs of staff to Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney — Hugh Segal and Derek Burney, who also once served as Canada's ambassador to the United States. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "It has now been more than 550 days since the two Michaels were locked into a Chinese prison," says the letter, also signed by Rock and former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour, who went public earlier this week with their call to free Meng.
"Their detention was completely unlawful and unjustified. Reliable accounts describe their conditions of confinement as tantamount to torture ... We believe that the two Michaels will remain in their Chinese prison until Meng is free to return to China." Justin Trudeau's Liberal government is facing contradictory calls to either stand up to China or give in to so-called "hostage diplomacy" — with particular pressure coming from stalwarts of former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien's administration The signatories acknowledge that "it does not sit well with anyone to yield to bullying or blackmail." But they argue that standing firm is no guarantee China won't resort to arbitrary detentions again in future to get its way. "Indeed, if Canada resists the pressure arising from the detention of the two Michaels, China might well decide that next time it will need to escalate by detaining more than two Canadians," the signatories write. A group of senators, meanwhile, called on the Trudeau government to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over China's treatment of its Muslim minority, its increasing restriction on freedoms in Hong Kong, and its arrests of Spavor and Kovrig. The 12 senators are mostly Conservatives but some were appointed on the advice of Liberal prime ministers, including Trudeau.
In a letter, the senators said they want the government to use legislation, known as the Sergei Magnitsky Law, that allows it to target the personal finances of foreign officials responsible for violating human rights, freezing assets that are in Canada's control and forbidding Canadian institutions to do business with them. But another senator is pushing the government from the other direction. Sen. Yuen Pau Woo, leader of the Independent Senators Group, is urging the government to follow the advice of Rock and Arbour, who argue that Canada's Extradition Act specifically allows the justice minister to terminate extradition proceedings at any time. Trudeau and his justice minister, David Lametti, have maintained the minister may intervene only after a court has ruled on the Meng case and that, in the meantime, the rule of law requires that they not interfere in the matter.


nationalobserver--2020-06-25--Klahoose ancestors journey home

Klahoose ancestors journey home

But some markers sit at the head of holed out graves , fenced off with care despite being empty .
Nearby , alongside the Tahumming River , is an old cemetery sparsely covered with wooden or stone markers , mainly active while the Klahoose still lived in the Toba .
The Klahoose Nation ’ s traditional winter village lies at the head of Toba Inlet on B.C.
’ s west coast along the southernmost flank of the Great Bear Rainforest .
“ It was horrific for me to see those holes , to understand that somebody had lifted them out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t fight back or retaliate … that they had rights to our people and could take them away , ” said Robinson .
Her father and grandmother , who grew up in the inlet where she lived for a stretch of time in the 1970s , would share stories about ancestors being robbed .
“ There was a lot of heartbreak in watching our people being dug up and taken away to Lord knows where , ” says Michelle Robinson , a Klahoose councillor and cultural leader .
These are the burial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or collectors unearthed Klahoose ancestors and funerary art before scattering them across the world without their families ’ knowledge or consent .
For First Nations , repatriation is not some dusty word associated with museum bureaucracy , it is fundamental to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples , says Jodi Simkin , president of the BC Museums Association ( BCMA ) .
The nation has facilitated the homecoming of 14 ancestors , including two sets of remains accompanied home by Klahoose members from the Royal BC Museum ( RBCM ) in Victoria .
The focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Titled — The Journey Home : ʔi : mot tətᶿ kʷənome ( It ’ s good to see you ) — the effort involved archival research and contacting museums , institutions and galleries to initiate repatriation efforts .
In the spring of 2018 , the Klahoose launched a 12-month global search for their ancestors with the goal of returning them to their traditional territories .
“ For anybody else to put hands on someone when they pass … it is mortifying.
” “ So that your last rites , your last days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be touched by somebody you love , ” she said .
Robinson was raised with tradition , where only family prepare loved ones for burial .
Worse still was the knowledge that the last hands to touch those ancestors and relatives belonged to a stranger .
The trafficking of ancestral remains in Canada that started when the first Europeans began their colonial treasure hunt continues now with antiquities buyers who fuel and sustain a modern market , she said .
The sale and exchange of First Nations ancestors is not an issue relegated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the former director of cultural affairs and heritage for the Klahoose First Nation .
It is the return of sacred items of cultural patrimony and — more importantly — family members , pillaged from burial sites , to their communities and relatives , she said .
“ There is still a very active trade in human remains today … with ancestors from across Canada and across North America taken and not returned yet , ” said Simkin .
“ It means we , the museum community , have a lot of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian Affairs ( AAIA ) estimated in 2012 that between one million and two million ancestral remains and related artifacts sit in museum collections around the world , Simkin said .
And , that doesn ’ t take into account private collections .
Colonial policies designed to amalgamate , acculturate or eliminate Indigenous people prompted a rush by scientists , academics and anthropologists to desecrate graves and gather cultural artifacts .
“ The goal of Indian ( Act ) policy was to eradicate the Indigenous population , and there was the belief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and remove ancestors and items of cultural patrimony for study , they simply wouldn ’ t be there anymore , ” Simkin said .
Thousands of artifacts were confiscated , acquired or purchased under duress during an era that included residential school programs and cultural bans prohibiting the potlatch and other rich cultural traditions , she added .
The legacy is a tension between the museum sector and Indigenous populations that remains to this day , said Simkin .
Many museums in Canada , such as the Royal BC Museum , are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps to reach out to First Nations and help facilitate the repatriation of ancestral remains , Simkin said .
However , a huge stumbling block for many First Nations is the cost of repatriating ancestors or cultural artifacts , she said .
“ Repatriation is very , very expensive , ” said Simkin , adding it ’ s a complex process that often requires years of research , documentation and communication with various government agencies and museums .
The B.C .
government has committed $ 500,000 to support First Nation peoples or groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objects returned .
The funding was announced on the weekend , in advance of National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday .
“ We ’ re supporting this important work with First Nations because we know that returning ancestral remains and cultural belongings is essential for true and lasting reconciliation , ” Tourism , Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare said .
The funds will go to the museum association to provide a range of grants supporting communities at different stages of the repatriation process , said Simkin .
“ It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ It also builds on the dozens , hundreds , of Indigenous leaders and their allies who have been engaged in the process of repatriation for generations.
” Dan Smith , chair of the museum association ’ s Indigenous advisory committee , agreed the funds would help achieve goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .
“ True , meaningful and lasting reconciliation must include the return of Indigenous culture back to Indigenous communities , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wei Wai Kum Nation in Campbell River .
Smith pointed to the importance of the Rod Naknakim Declaration adopted by the museum association and First Nations representatives that outlines four pillars of repatriation — one of which being that the costs of the repatriation of artifacts and remains should not be borne by Indigenous peoples .
But Smith said funding is also needed to help with the capital and operation costs to house returned objects .
The repatriation of cultural objects is often contingent on a First Nations having an appropriate public or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , pointing to the Nuyumbalees and U'mista cultural centres on Quadra Island and in Alert Bay as successful examples .
First Nations cultural centres also allow families to regain ownership over sacred artifacts and decide in collaboration with their communities how best to share their stories , history and care for the objects , said Smith .
Robinson , in charge of social development for the Klahoose , would love funding to develop a centre for the nation ’ s sacred items .
“ That ’ s one of my dreams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our own materials , ” she said .
“ And it would be us telling our own story , our own truth.
” But before that , work must continue to get more funding to keep locating Klahoose ancestors , said Robinson .
While working on The Journey Home project with the Klahoose , Simkin used ground-penetrating radar at the Toba cemetery , and at a newer cemetery at the nation ’ s main village site in Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island , ultimately identifying 344 burial spots .
But she suspects 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative estimates derived from historical and Klahoose data .
With support from the Canadian Heritage department , the Klahoose also compiled a list of 500 institutions worldwide likely to have Indigenous ancestral remains and related artifacts , said Simkin , adding the database is now available to any community hoping to do repatriation work .
The Klahoose are also working on a mobile app called the Mountain and the Mouse , along with a number of B.C .
museums , to help Indigenous people locate or map items they might want to repatriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow museum visitors to capture information on Indigenous artifacts they encounter anywhere in the world , then relay it back to participating nations , she said .
But for Robinson , the most compelling moment of the repatriation project was when two ancestors were returned home for ceremonial burial in December 2018 .
Klahoose members made the daylong journey to the Royal BC Museum in Victoria .
In a small room adjacent to the main gallery , the group carefully transferred their ancestors ’ remains into cedar boxes along with cedar boughs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prayers .
After being sealed , the boxes were transported home to Squirrel Cove for a ceremonial burial and food burning , said Robinson .
“ Everybody came out , including our young people , who were walking our ancestors up to the graveyard , and it was such a beautiful thing , ” she said .
“ It was cold and frosty , but everybody stopped their work , put their tools down and came out to honour their ancestors .
It was really just a powerful feeling.
” Another legacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Klahoose people , their history and The Journey Home undertaking , to be distributed to institutions and museums worldwide to assist the nation ’ s ongoing repatriation efforts .
In the forward , Chief Kevin Peacey observed reconciliation offered stakeholders the chance to work collaboratively and a bounty of possibility for all involved , Indigenous and otherwise .
“ To some , human remains from a foreign culture are little more than a curiosity or study piece , but to our people , these represent the very soul of our grandmothers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see them returned home , ” Peacey said .
“ By honouring this sacred responsibility , we fulfil the commitment to our nation , to each other , and to our children who can soar beyond this duty knowing all was done to make things right . ''

“There was a lot of heartbreak in watching our people being dug up and taken away to Lord knows where,” says Michelle Robinson, a Klahoose councillor and cultural leader.
These are the burial sites where explorers, settlers, scientists or collectors unearthed Klahoose ancestors and funerary art before scattering them across the world without their families’ knowledge or consent.
But some markers sit at the head of holed out graves, fenced off with care despite being empty.
Nearby, alongside the Tahumming River, is an old cemetery sparsely covered with wooden or stone markers, mainly active while the Klahoose still lived in the Toba.
The Klahoose Nation’s traditional winter village lies at the head of Toba Inlet on B.C.’s west coast along the southernmost flank of the Great Bear Rainforest.
“It was horrific for me to see those holes, to understand that somebody had lifted them out of the grave, that we couldn’t fight back or retaliate … that they had rights to our people and could take them away,” said Robinson.
Her father and grandmother, who grew up in the inlet where she lived for a stretch of time in the 1970s, would share stories about ancestors being robbed.
In the spring of 2018, the Klahoose launched a 12-month global search for their ancestors with the goal of returning them to their traditional territories.
“For anybody else to put hands on someone when they pass … it is mortifying.”
“So that your last rites, your last days on earth, were that you only be touched by somebody you love,” she said.
Robinson was raised with tradition, where only family prepare loved ones for burial.
Worse still was the knowledge that the last hands to touch those ancestors and relatives belonged to a stranger.
The nation has facilitated the homecoming of 14 ancestors, including two sets of remains accompanied home by Klahoose members from the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) in Victoria.
Titled — The Journey Home: ʔi:mot tətᶿ kʷənome (It’s good to see you) — the effort involved archival research and contacting museums, institutions and galleries to initiate repatriation efforts.
For First Nations, repatriation is not some dusty word associated with museum bureaucracy, it is fundamental to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, says Jodi Simkin, president of the BC Museums Association (BCMA).
It is the return of sacred items of cultural patrimony and — more importantly — family members, pillaged from burial sites, to their communities and relatives, she said.
The sale and exchange of First Nations ancestors is not an issue relegated to the past, stressed Simkin, also the former director of cultural affairs and heritage for the Klahoose First Nation.
The trafficking of ancestral remains in Canada that started when the first Europeans began their colonial treasure hunt continues now with antiquities buyers who fuel and sustain a modern market, she said.
“There is still a very active trade in human remains today … with ancestors from across Canada and across North America taken and not returned yet,” said Simkin.
“It means we, the museum community, have a lot of work to do.”
Jodi Simkin, president of the BC Museums Association (BCMA), says the trade in Indigenous ancestral remains by collectors is still taking place today. Photo: Rochelle Baker.
The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) estimated in 2012 that between one million and two million ancestral remains and related artifacts sit in museum collections around the world, Simkin said. And, that doesn’t take into account private collections.
Colonial policies designed to amalgamate, acculturate or eliminate Indigenous people prompted a rush by scientists, academics and anthropologists to desecrate graves and gather cultural artifacts.
“The goal of Indian (Act) policy was to eradicate the Indigenous population, and there was the belief that if they didn’t step in and remove ancestors and items of cultural patrimony for study, they simply wouldn’t be there anymore,” Simkin said.
Thousands of artifacts were confiscated, acquired or purchased under duress during an era that included residential school programs and cultural bans prohibiting the potlatch and other rich cultural traditions, she added.
The legacy is a tension between the museum sector and Indigenous populations that remains to this day, said Simkin.
Many museums in Canada, such as the Royal BC Museum, are working to embrace reconciliation and are taking proactive steps to reach out to First Nations and help facilitate the repatriation of ancestral remains, Simkin said.
However, a huge stumbling block for many First Nations is the cost of repatriating ancestors or cultural artifacts, she said.
“Repatriation is very, very expensive,” said Simkin, adding it’s a complex process that often requires years of research, documentation and communication with various government agencies and museums.
The B.C. government has committed $500,000 to support First Nation peoples or groups that want their ancestral remains and cultural objects returned.
The funding was announced on the weekend, in advance of National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday.
“We’re supporting this important work with First Nations because we know that returning ancestral remains and cultural belongings is essential for true and lasting reconciliation,” Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare said.
The funds will go to the museum association to provide a range of grants supporting communities at different stages of the repatriation process, said Simkin.
“It’s a fantastic step in helping that process along,” she said.
“It also builds on the dozens, hundreds, of Indigenous leaders and their allies who have been engaged in the process of repatriation for generations.”
Dan Smith, chair of the museum association’s Indigenous advisory committee, agreed the funds would help achieve goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“True, meaningful and lasting reconciliation must include the return of Indigenous culture back to Indigenous communities,” said Smith, also a member of the Wei Wai Kum Nation in Campbell River.
Smith pointed to the importance of the Rod Naknakim Declaration adopted by the museum association and First Nations representatives that outlines four pillars of repatriation — one of which being that the costs of the repatriation of artifacts and remains should not be borne by Indigenous peoples.
But Smith said funding is also needed to help with the capital and operation costs to house returned objects.
The repatriation of cultural objects is often contingent on a First Nations having an appropriate public or community facility to house them, Smith said, pointing to the Nuyumbalees and U'mista cultural centres on Quadra Island and in Alert Bay as successful examples.
First Nations cultural centres also allow families to regain ownership over sacred artifacts and decide in collaboration with their communities how best to share their stories, history and care for the objects, said Smith.
Robinson, in charge of social development for the Klahoose, would love funding to develop a centre for the nation’s sacred items. “That’s one of my dreams, to have a place of rest for our own materials,” she said. “And it would be us telling our own story, our own truth.”
But before that, work must continue to get more funding to keep locating Klahoose ancestors, said Robinson.
While working on The Journey Home project with the Klahoose, Simkin used ground-penetrating radar at the Toba cemetery, and at a newer cemetery at the nation’s main village site in Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island, ultimately identifying 344 burial spots.
But she suspects 300 ancestors may still be missing based on conservative estimates derived from historical and Klahoose data.
With support from the Canadian Heritage department, the Klahoose also compiled a list of 500 institutions worldwide likely to have Indigenous ancestral remains and related artifacts, said Simkin, adding the database is now available to any community hoping to do repatriation work.
The Klahoose are also working on a mobile app called the Mountain and the Mouse, along with a number of B.C. museums, to help Indigenous people locate or map items they might want to repatriate, said Robinson.
The app will allow museum visitors to capture information on Indigenous artifacts they encounter anywhere in the world, then relay it back to participating nations, she said.
But for Robinson, the most compelling moment of the repatriation project was when two ancestors were returned home for ceremonial burial in December 2018.
Klahoose members made the daylong journey to the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
In a small room adjacent to the main gallery, the group carefully transferred their ancestors’ remains into cedar boxes along with cedar boughs and tobacco to the sound of traditional drumming and prayers.
After being sealed, the boxes were transported home to Squirrel Cove for a ceremonial burial and food burning, said Robinson.
“Everybody came out, including our young people, who were walking our ancestors up to the graveyard, and it was such a beautiful thing,” she said.
“It was cold and frosty, but everybody stopped their work, put their tools down and came out to honour their ancestors. It was really just a powerful feeling.”
Klahoose Chief Kevin Peacey says the repatriation of ancestors' remains is a sacred responsibility. Photo: Courtesy Chief Kevin Peacey.
Another legacy of the project is a booklet describing the Klahoose people, their history and The Journey Home undertaking, to be distributed to institutions and museums worldwide to assist the nation’s ongoing repatriation efforts.
In the forward, Chief Kevin Peacey observed reconciliation offered stakeholders the chance to work collaboratively and a bounty of possibility for all involved, Indigenous and otherwise.
“To some, human remains from a foreign culture are little more than a curiosity or study piece, but to our people, these represent the very soul of our grandmothers, and we have an ongoing obligation to see them returned home,” Peacey said.
“By honouring this sacred responsibility, we fulfil the commitment to our nation, to each other, and to our children who can soar beyond this duty knowing all was done to make things right."
Rochelle Baker/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer