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 if an Indigenous woman was the face of Canada’s $20 bill?

The Native Women's Association of Canada's "Change the Bill" campaign reimagines the $20 banknote with a diversity of Indigenous designs and the celebration and recognition of the contributions of Indigenous women.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 25th 2023

Feds, First Nations settle class-action lawsuit over ‘collective harm’ of residential day schools

Ottawa will provide $2.8 billion to half of the First Nations in Canada for community wellness and language revitalization as part of the residential day school survivor settlement, otherwise known as the Gottfriedson day scholar settlement.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 24th 2023

3 issues that got the federal NDP revved up at caucus retreat

The NDP wants to see increased funding for housing for Indigenous Peoples on and off reserve, greater accountability for MMIWG2S+, and more funding for climate resiliency.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 23rd 2023

Feds fund cultural awareness teacher, community-based services to tackle high rates of Inuit in justice system

Ottawa sends $1.16 million to the Nunatsiavut government in Labrador to help lower the overrepresentation of Inuit in the province's justice system.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 20th 2023

‘Significant increases’ in mental health hospitalizations for First Nations youth, StatCan says

The study is the first to investigate changes in patterns of hospitalization among Indigenous children and youth over time.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 19th 2023

After lithium mine approval, Ontario-based Cree want a seat at the table for environmental assessments of mining in the province

Cree nations in Ontario hope the province will make room for them at the table when developing environmental protections for mining development.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 18th 2023

Feds announce funding for Métis organizations to co-develop Indigenous Justice Strategy

The $1.5 million over three years will fund Métis organizations' work to co-develop Ottawa's Indigenous Justice Strategy. However, it's unclear how many years away we are from the strategy's implementation.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 13th 2023

Canada appoints adviser to help create role overseeing MMIWG2S calls to justice

Following a virtual roundtable with provincial, territorial and national representatives and advocates, Minister Marc Miller announced advisory roles to steward the Calls to Justice from the national inquiry's final report.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 11th 2023

Màmawi Together began its work on reconciliation years before the word reached Canada’s vocabulary

What began as a Dene honour song in a public school has transformed into a national-looking organization doing the hard work of reconciliation.

Matteo Cimellaro

January 3rd 2023

As the world negotiates international deals, Indigenous Peoples navigate a space ‘somewhere in the between’

For a long time, Indigenous Peoples remained isolated and disempowered in the “straitjacket” of nation states, but because of global Indigenous organizing, there's been change.

Matteo Cimellaro

December 22nd 2022

Canada to celebrate first National Ribbon Skirt Day in January

The first National Ribbon Skirt Day will become a reality one year after Isabella Kulak was shamed for wearing her ribbon skirt to her Saskatchewan school.

Matteo Cimellaro

December 21st 2022

The world’s plan to protect nature recognizes Indigenous rights, but worries over green colonialism remain

Indigenous rights and territories were recognized in the agreement, but because protection areas will be under the purview of the state, there are worries that land grabs may happen under the guise of conservation.

Negotiating survival

Matteo Cimellaro

December 20th 2022

COP15 roundup: What did Ottawa announce at the UN biodiversity conference in Montreal?

For Canada, there's no path to us protecting at least 30 per cent of our lands and waters without the involvement of Indigenous peoples, Guilbeault said in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.

Negotiating survival

Matteo Cimellaro

December 20th 2022

Will Indigenous territories be recognized as a form of conservation at COP15?

Indigenous traditional territories as a clearly defined category within the 30x30 framework are threatened by western nations, sources tell Canada’s National Observer.

Negotiating survival

Matteo Cimellaro

December 17th 2022

a man looks into the camera for a portrait shot

Indigenous nations in the Amazon urge Canada to strengthen mining rules

Indigenous Peoples in the Global South are calling out Canada for letting mining companies devastate their ancestral territories in the Amazon.

Negotiating survival

Matteo Cimellaro

December 15th 2022