Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa

Matteo Cimellaro will be covering urban Indigenous communities in and around Ottawa.

Canada's National Observer is a proud participant of the Local Journalism Initiative, which supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

280 Articles

What will happen to culture and heritage if climate change ruins the land?

Gwich'in culture “is going to need to adapt, it's going to need to change but I think the most important thing is that we don't lose the heart of it, we don't lose identity,” filmmaker Arlyn Charlie says.

Matteo Cimellaro

March 10th 2023

Feds announce collaborative modern treaty policy

The implementation policy will streamline modern treaties, create government oversight and train a "muscle memory" in Ottawa's bureaucracy when dealing with Indigenous self-government.

Matteo Cimellaro

March 1st 2023

Out of displacement and loss comes art

Ginnifer Menominee's first solo exhibition tells the story of displacement and reclamation of the Potawatomi Nation.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 27th 2023

Nuclear Waste Management Organization extends underground storage site selection until 2024

The location of a deep geological repository to hold all of Canada’s nuclear waste is a significant decision for the industry’s future. The repository will have to weather climate change and ice ages.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 27th 2023

Impact Assessment Agency opens up public comments on contentious highway that will lead to First Nations, Ring of Fire

The proposal to the agency from the Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations was accepted and public comments will be accepted until March 23. The proposed highway will begin 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and will cross the Attawapiskat River.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 22nd 2023

NDP slams Liberals for failing to close funding gap

It will take between 58 and 114 years to fix housing in First Nations communities at the current rate the federal government is investing, the NDP says.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 17th 2023

New council to advance clean energy projects in remote Indigenous communities

At least 140 rural and remote Indigenous communities rely on diesel for electricity, according to a public dataset from Natural Resources Canada.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 14th 2023

‘These are real people’: NDP MP slams Correctional Service Canada over systemic racism

“These are real people — why is it taking so long to address what is the basic human rights of people?” NDP MP Blake Desjarlais said in a public accounts committee meeting regarding the overrepresentation of Indigenous offenders.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 13th 2023

‘Honouring and humbling’: Award winners celebrate Arctic Inspiration Prize recognition

The 11th annual Arctic Inspiration Prize was awarded at a ceremony in Ottawa to celebrate Indigenous excellence, resilience and innovation.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 10th 2023

Leaders slam ‘disappointing’ exclusion from first ministers meeting on health care

First Nations leaders in Ontario are demanding greater inclusion and accountability from their treaty partners in the provincial and federal governments.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 8th 2023

Feds to fund projects to research, track faraway sources of Arctic pollution

More than $2.5 million in federal money is now available for projects seeking to research and monitor plastic pollution and contaminants in the Arctic.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 7th 2023

‘I thought the world was coming down’: Sen. Patrick Brazeau draws on personal struggle to fight for alcohol warning labels

Sen. Patrick Brazeau is candid about his struggle with alcohol — it’s what informs his new work in the Senate on alcohol warning labels and suicide prevention.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 6th 2023

‘What a beautiful gift’: Ottawa organization celebrates legacy of renowned Ojibwe artist Carl Beam

An exhibition of Carl Beam's Charity Works collection carried on its original spirit. In 1999, proceeds of sales from the works supported Indigenous organizations, and in 2023, the same is taking place at Wabano.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 2nd 2023

Healing lodges, designed for Indigenous inmates, are failing the people they’re meant to rehabilitate, say prison reform advocates

After a death at a healing lodge managed by Correctional Service Canada, critics are calling for the return of the original vision of the lodges that are Indigenous-led and community-managed.

Matteo Cimellaro

February 1st 2023

Should mandatory minimum sentencing exist? Supreme Court rulings highlight ongoing debate

A trio of Supreme Court decisions Friday overturned one rule on mandatory minimum sentencing but upheld two others, highlighting Canada's ongoing debate on how to approach the contentious topic.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 30th 2023