Latest news with #Blaney
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
N.B. government will apologize to former P.C. minister for firing
New Brunswick's Liberal government will officially apologize to former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Margaret-Ann Blaney over her firing by a previous Liberal government in 2014. Premier Susan Holt confirmed to CBC News that her government will not contest a ruling by the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board that Blaney's rights were violated by the firing. The province will also comply with the board's order to compensate Blaney at a cost of more than $700,000. "There were errors made in the past. It wasn't the right way to do things, to fire people for partisan reasons," Holt told CBC News Wednesday morning. "Part of why I got into politics was to do things differently, and move away from partisan, petty politics to doing the right thing. So we abide by the ruling, we're going to apologize and things like that won't happen again on my watch." Blaney, a PC MLA first elected in 1999, was appointed CEO of the provincial agency Efficiency New Brunswick by PC Premier David Alward in 2012. The move was widely seen as an example of political patronage. Two years later, the new Liberal government of Brian Gallant fired Blaney and passed legislation that prevented her from collecting severance or from suing. WATCH | 'We're going to apologize,' premier says: This week, the labour board upheld Blaney's complaint under the Human Rights Act, saying the Liberal legislation was "an abuse of power" and that the law, and the firing, amounted to discrimination based on Blaney's party affiliation. "Ms. Blaney was not treated with dignity, was not afforded the protection of the rule of law, and she was subjected to public miseries because of her political belief and activity," the board said. It ordered the government to pay her the equivalent of more than $700,000 for lost salary and vacation, pension contributions and damages. It also ordered the government to issue a written apology "acknowledging that it discriminated against her in violation of the act because of political activity." WATCH | 'An abuse of power': Labour board rules for former minister: The ruling noted that while a Liberal government fired Blaney, "blame cannot be attributed solely to that government." It said the PC government of Blaine Higgs, elected in 2018, "did nothing to rectify the violation of Ms. Blaney's rights" and continued to defend the Liberal legislation and tried to prevent Blaney from pursuing her complaint under the Human Rights Act. The legislature "as a whole" treated Blaney in a disingenuous and callous way, it said.
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
Former PC minister fired by Liberals wins legal challenge
The New Brunswick government has been ordered to apologize to Margaret-Ann Blaney and pay her more than $700,000.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Truly amazing and really emotional': Historic mortuary poles returned to Tla'amin Nation after decades-long search
In late 2022, Drew Blaney was at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) viewing some paddles and masks from his nation that were being held in the institution's basement. While he was walking around, the culture and heritage manager for Tla'amin Nation stumbled across two striking carved wooden figures — one depicting a man and the other depicting a woman holding her arms out, as if she was carrying a child. They looked familiar, so he immediately sent a text to his brother, Tiy'ap thote (Erik Blaney), who had been searching for two mortuary poles belonging to their community for nearly three decades. Blaney asked Tiy'ap thote — who was at a hockey game at the time — if he could send photos of the historic mortuary poles. After a few minutes of trying to find service, ''ding, ding, ding' all these photos started popping up on my phone,' Blaney said. 'I'm standing there looking at the photos of the poles on my phone and sure enough it's the same two mortuary poles that are standing there in the Museum of Anthropology.' In return, Blaney sent his brother a photo of the poles in front of him. Tiy'ap thote said when he saw a photo of the mortuary poles he had been searching for pop up on his phone 'I almost fell out of my seat.' The two mortuary poles — along with paddles, masks, and baskets — have now been returned to Tla'amin as part of a repatriation from MOA and the Museum of Vancouver. On June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, a ceremony was held in the nation to celebrate the return of the objects. Tla'amin is a self-governing nation located just north of 'Powell River' on the upper Sunshine Coast. The ceremony took place as part of a larger celebration for the opening of Ɂəms ʔayɛ (Our House), Tla'amin Nation's brand new cultural centre, located in the village of Tł'ihšosum. Ɂəms ʔayɛ is the first big house to be located in the Tla'amin's territory in over 107 years, since the previous big house was destroyed by a fire in 1918 . More than 400 people, many wearing traditional regalia, came together from Tla'amin, Homalco, Klahoose, and K'ómoks — known as the four sister nations — to mark the occasion through songs, dancing, drumming, the repatriation ceremony, and a cedar braid cutting unveiling Ɂəms ʔayɛ. Ɂəms ʔayɛ will serve as the community's cultural space, spanning more than 1,390 square metres (15,000 square feet). The facility includes a feast hall, traditional foods facility, language lab, medicinal gardens, communal smokehouse, and museum to safekeep Tla'amins cultural belongings including the mortuary poles. Mortuary poles are made to mark the gravesite of someone who has passed. Tla'amin Nation believes that these particular poles were marking the grave of a family who passed away together. Before now, the only knowledge of the poles was through a photo taken on their original village site, tiskʷat, in the late 1800s. Tla'amin had been removed from the site , which became the 'Powell River' 'paper and pulp mill and later, Paper Catalyst Excellence. A large part of the physical search and research for these poles was done by Tiy'ap thote, who is a legislator for Tla'amin. He began looking for the two mortuary poles when he was 16 years old, after the late Elder Henry Bob told him a story about tiskʷat and the two poles. Tiy'ap thote said that Bob requested that he try to find the poles, and ever since he had been searching for them by researching the nation's archives and hiking through Tla'amin lands. His brother Blaney explained that over the years, Tla'amin had visited MOA many times, but never came to the realization that the poles were there until that visit in 2022. He believes that part of the reasoning is due to the poles being previously mislabeled as Stó:lō Nation poles. MOA's director and curator Susan Rowley explained the origins of the poles had 'always been a question,' because they were brought in as part of the Reverend George H. Raley collection after he passed away, and much of the documentation was lost. Raley was a former residential 'school' principal of the Coqualeetza Industrial School in 'Chilliwack,' according to the British Columbia Archival Information Network . After confirming the poles belonged to Tla'amin, the nation and MOA began the process of repatriation and bringing the poles, masks and paddles back home last spring. Tla'amin's plan was to house the poles and other items in Ɂəms ʔayɛ's museum space once complete. Rowley explained that because MOA is a part of University of British Columbia, this process is done in alignment with the university's guidelines and policies around repatriation to work with communities. Blaney said this year, on June 4 and 5, he along with some members of the nation — including council members and the hegus (chief) — had two small ceremonies at both MOA and MOV. They were joined by museum staff and a delegation from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Band. 'We thought that was really important for us, because the poles have been standing in Musqueam territory for over 50 years,' said Blaney. 'Musqueam ancestors have been there, they've touched these poles … They shared their paddle song with us for a safe journey home for the mortuary poles.' In the end, the poles traveled home in a U-Haul. Blaney said they were strapped down to a wooden platform inside the vehicle to keep them safe. He took his brother Tiy'ap thote to see the poles first thing in the morning when they arrived home, which he described as an emotional moment. He said 'every step of this journey has been truly amazing.' 'You know, from seeing the photos as a young person, working for the treaty department in my teen years, doing the research on that. Then all the tiskʷat questions, seeing that photo come up many times,' Blaney said. 'And then fast forward to now, going to the museum, finding them, having them come home like every step of it has been truly amazing and really emotional.' Tiy'ap thote shared that bringing the poles back has been a significant time for the whole community. Last year, Tla'amin submitted a specific claim to the federal government for tiskʷat, at the same time they were in communications with Domtar (formerly, Catalyst Paper Excellence) to purchase back their original village and mill site. As of March 17, 2025 , the parties reached an agreement, and Tla'amin now owns most of tiskʷat. 'The journey home is obviously something that brings up a lot of emotion, since we're heavily involved in, you know, the land back portion of getting tiskʷat back,' he said. 'So the significance is huge in that everything seems to be coming back that we lost, and opportunities are now here. I mean, the timing is just unbelievable, really, to think that, you know, we lost these 130-140 years ago, and they're [tiskʷat and the mortuary poles] coming back just in the same year … It just feels like it's now full circle.' Now, as the nation celebrates Ɂəms ʔayɛ, tiskʷat, and the poles, Tiy'ap thote said the next big project he'd like to do is creating a 3D map of tiskʷat's village. 'I want to have a visual of what it would have looked like pre contact, and obviously taking pieces of our history, archives, records, and photos. I think this is the next step, or the next phase of that sort of project is; 'fan out. Let's get some summer students out into the museums and find more artifacts and build more of the story,'' said Tiy'ap thote. 'But let's also get in our people's mind what the village would have looked like back in the day, and start thinking about what life would have been like 1,000 years ago at tiskʷat.' For Blaney, he looks forward to the community and future generations having a space to practice culture and language. 'It's hard to put it into words, but there's just so many emotions in that [Ɂəms ʔayɛ opening] and there was about three or four times during the ceremony where I just looked up and I thought, wow, this is our home and that's exactly the name of it, Ɂəms ʔayɛ. It's our home.' He explained that over the years, nation members have traveled to many different communities during tribal canoe journeys. 'Being inside the big houses up and down the coast has always been something that we really wanted. So there's just so many emotions, it's hard to put into words,' he said. 'When I was younger, I remember there were plans for a big house in our village, and so it's been talked about for decades here.' On opening day, drumming and singing echoed through the village of Tł'ihšosum, as more people came together to celebrate the opening of Ɂəms ʔayɛ. During the songs, even an eagle flew by, calling out, then landing in a tree where the raptor stayed for the rest of Ɂəms ʔayɛ's ceremony — sparking emotion in the crowd. Blaney said being inside the building, seeing people fill the bleachers and the fire lit, was a powerful moment. 'There were a couple of moments where I had to pinch myself and remind myself that I'm actually home in Tišosem.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. 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Global News
01-07-2025
- General
- Global News
New proposal calls for B.C. grizzly on Texada Island to be moved to Bute Inlet
First Nations on British Columbia's coast are coming together with a new proposal aimed at relocating the grizzly bear who's been making his home on Texada Island for more than a month. The latest pitch would see the bear, now dubbed Tex, moved to Bute Inlet, about 100 kilometres northwest of the island. 'It's a pretty remote area of the province… there's hardly any humans there, so the bear will have lots of room to roam,' said Homalco First Nation Chief Darren Blaney. 'We have busy bear tours up there as well, and we have a salmon-enhancement facility up there and it creates a lot of food for the bears.' 2:18 First Nation group offers territory to move Texada grizzly bear There have been several proposals to trap and move the bear, and Texada Islanders have even privately fundraised to cover the cost of relocating him. Story continues below advertisement The B.C. government, however, has resisted the idea, telling Global News that because the bear has already been moved twice the chances of a successful third move are low and it is no longer a candidate for relocation. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Nicholas Scapaillati, executive director of the Grizzly Bear Society, argues Tex just hasn't been given the right opportunity. 'This is a young male who is at that age where he's looking for a mate. He's looking for new territory and he's been driven out of his territory where he was born.. Part of that's genetic, it's his drive to leave and part of it's his mom,' he said. 'He was relocated to his home range in the past, and so now we're looking at something that's setting him up for success in a new territory.' Both the Grizzly Bear Society and the First Nations whose territory are involved say the initiative is also an opportunity for the province to advance reconciliation by incorporating Indigenous knowledge into land management and conservation decisions. 'Reconciliation can't be just something you say on TV. It has to be some action to that,' Blaney said. 'Because you're respecting government, you're respecting culture and respecting food sovereignty and, you know, part of our culture is the bears in our territory.' Story continues below advertisement Blaney said there were plans to meet with the province on Monday, and again later in the week, and that he was hopeful they could reach an accommodation. 1:52 Texada Island residents hope for safe transportation of lone grizzly bear In a statement, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship was non-committal. 'The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is aware of this plan, and there are ongoing conversations between First Nations and the Grizzly Bear Foundation,' it said. In the meantime, conservation officers have visited Texada Island and are providing public safety and attractant management advice to residents. It's the type of conversation Scapillati says will become increasingly necessary as bear habitat is destroyed or encroached on by humans. 'It's the responsibility of these communities to learn to coexist,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'And Texada is doing a great job. They've got a community board set up, and the community's coming together and having that discussion — and that's really important, they're the ones that will determine the fate of Tex until the province and First Nations can come together with this new plan.'
NBC Sports
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Chase Elliott wins Atlanta with last-lap pass for the lead on Brad Keselowski
Chase Elliott put on a thrilling show at his hometown track, making a last-lap pass of Brad Keselowski to earn his first victory of the 2025 season and lock into the Cup Series playoffs. Keselowski finished second EchoPark Speedway (formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway), followed by Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick and Erik Jones. Elliott, who lives in Dawsonville, Georgia, led 41 of 260 laps in his No. 9 Chevrolet. 'Unbelievable,' the Hendrick Motorsports star told TNT's Marty Snider after his second win at the speedway south of Atlanta. 'How about that? Are you kidding me? I never in my life. This is unbelievable. Thank you guys so much. What a special car. It was a lot of fun. This right here is something I'll never forget.' The complexion of the race was significantly altered by an 18-car crash on a Lap 69 restart. Among those eliminated in the wreck: pole-sitter Joey Logano, In-Season Challenge top seed Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe and William Byron. Nate Ryan, 'I don't know why we see guys pushing like dummies early down the backstretch,' said Corey LaJoie, who finished 39th in his return behind the wheel after five races as a TV analyst on Prime. 'I don't know what we're doing. We just started the stage. I don't know why we're pushing like we're damn bumper cars at Frankie's Fun Park, but that's not to be surprised. I think there are a lot of guys who don't make wise decisions driving these things on speedways. Unfortunately, we were right smack in the middle of it.' The cleanup caused the second red flag of the event. The race was stopped earlier for about 15 minutes after a rain shower on Lap 37. There were 16 laps remaining in the first stage on the ensuing restart, and the racing turned furious after the red flag. The chaos finally broke loose with four laps remaining in the stage as Christopher Bell lost control of his No. 20 Toyota in a Turn 4 wreck that also collected Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Dillon. Blaney's No. 12 Ford was badly damaged, and he was eliminated in last place — his sixth DNF of the season. 'Story of our year: Getting caught up in other people's garbage,' Blaney said. 'As soon as I feel like we get it going pretty good and find some momentum, we never really seem to have things going our way. Tried to flip the stage and was right in the middle of it. Stinks and that's the way it goes sometimes.' Blaney endured the worst of a rough night for Team Penske, which also had Logano and Austin Cindric eliminated in wrecks. Josh Berry, whose No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford is prepared by Penske, also was knocked out with crash damage. Stage 1 winner: Cindric Stage 2 winner: Reddick Next up: Sunday, July 6, 2 p.m. ET at the Chicago Street Race on TNT.
