Mi'kmaq Matters

American anthropologist Frank Speck left Newfoundland in the early 1900s with dozens of pieces of Mi'kmaw clothing and crafts that now sit in a museum in Gatineau, Quebec. Archaeologist Natasha Jones says it's time to repatriate the items to bring them closer to her and other relatives of the Paul family from whom Speck obtained them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Glenn Wheeler and correspondent Greg Janes discuss the latest developments in the Benoit court case, its impact on Mi'kmaw people trying to get their Indian status, and the implications for Qalipu First Nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mammoth wind energy project for the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley is being rushed to get regulatory approval and experts see alarming parallels with the Muskrat Falls debacle, which has had lasting economic and environmental impacts on the region. This week, highlights from the public forum on the wind energy project organized by Enviro Watch NL.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World Energy GH2's poorly organized and repetitive 4,000-page environmental impact assessment seems designed to discourage public comment. But residents of the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley are plowing through it, determined to submit their written comments by the October 11 deadline. This week, we asked resident Patrick Park-Tighe about what he's read so far, and his for tips on those who want to respond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An emotional meeting in Stephenville provided an avenue for strategy planning to protect wilderness under assault from multiple development projects. This week, we speak with Chief Byron Alexander of Indian Head First Nation and band administrator Jasmine Jesso. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the hype that we can mine our way out of the climate crisis, researcher Simon Michaux says we're faced with two problems: there aren't enough critical minerals to support technological innovations like electric vehicles; and we won't find enough in time to make the net-zero deadline of 2050. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As development pressure and erosion threaten potentially important sites, archaeologist Natasha Jones launches a research project—one of the few related to Newfoundland Mi'kmaq. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book, One Man's Journey, Mi'kmaw Elder Calvin White charts the events leading up to the creation of Qalipu First Nation, including how a small group of people prevented the establishment of a tribal council to represent Mi'kmaq interests in Ottawa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we speak with Bob Chamberlin, chair of the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance, about BC's transition away from fish farms, and his thoughts on aquaculture being included in a marine conservation area on the Newfoundland South Coast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The process begins to protect the waters of the Newfoundland South Coast, but proponents of aquaculture want fish farms to be considered, too. We asked Parks Canada NL manager Sigrid Kuehnemund if those differences can be squared. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes discuss the much-anticipated decision in the Benoit case, brought by Friends of Qalipu. As they discuss, a judge found that feds pressured Federation of Newfoundland Indians, who agreed to a supplemental agreement without legal authority. Now the question is: Where do we go from here? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outfitters in the area are booked solid for now, but some fear they'll have to cancel clients because of test towers that are set to be built in middle of moose-hunting grounds. This week, we speak with outfitter Art Ryan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A federal environmental assessment opens up the possibility of a more complete review of wind energy projects, and funding for community groups to hire experts on longer time lines. We speak with Shelley Senior, lawyer for the Environmental Transparency Committee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's unlikely that hydrogen produced in Stephenville or elsewhere in Atlantic Canada will ever be used for energy because it is so expensive to transport. This week, industry analyst Michael Liebreich looks at the hype around a technology driven by government subsidy rather than business sense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-thirds of the way through the current Qalipu term, two council members are turning out to be the leading candidates in next year's race for chief. This week, Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes turn in a performance report card of Qalipu councillors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the rush to build projects in response to the climate crisis, governments have tried to take shortcuts around consultation with Indigenous peoples. Twila Gaudet and Patrick Butler of Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMKNO) explain how Mi'kmaq reached an agreement with a hydrogen power developer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Provincial governments in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have rushed to OK massive wind turbine developments without adequately assessing the ecological impact—especially the risks to oceans and fisheries. This week, we speak with Duran Felix of the Environmental Transparency Committee on the Port au Port Peninsula and Melinda Cole of the Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen's Association about the effects these projects can have on the environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, land defenders are up against a rush to build an untested form of energy that some experts feel won't work. We speak with Sheila and Zita Hinks about their latest trip to court in their injunction fight regarding wind turbines on the Port au Port Peninsula. Later in the show, journalist Joan Baxter tells us about the Nova Scotia government's rush to approve projects despite unanswered questions and public concerns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), the largest athletic event ever held in Atlantic Canada, participants will experience Indigenous solidarity as well as competitive spirit. We speak with the chair of NAIG 2023 Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons and Team Indigenous NL coordinator Mike Alexander. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Nova Scotia, the Mi'kmaq Forestry Initiative (MFI) is caring for 30,000 hectares of crown land so that L'nuk today and for generations to come can depend on them for what they need, including culture, medicine, and connection. We speak with MFI project manager Elizabeth Jessome of the Unama'ki Institute for Natural Resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.