Chiefs of Ontario

10/08/2026

Today in Ottawa, Chief Shelly Moore-Frappier of the Teme Augama Anishinabek joined NDP Leader Avi Lewis and representatives from labour and environmental organizations at a press conference to voice their opposition to Bill C-39.

Speaking to the impacts on First Nations rights and territories, Chief Moore-Frappier stated:

“The duty to consult isn't a courtesy Ottawa extends to us, it comes from Section 35 of the Constitution. It's not red tape. [...] If it takes longer, it takes longer; the schedule has to give, not our rights.”

Chief Moore-Frappier also emphasized that certainty in major project development comes from meaningful First Nations involvement from the outset, not from excluding rights holders from decision-making.

Chiefs of Ontario continues to raise serious concerns about Bill C-39 and its potential impacts on inherent, Treaty, and constitutionally protected First Nations rights.

Watch the full press conference: https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/ndp-leader-avi-lewis-discusses-bill-c-39?id=4b31494d-508a-4366-836b-2be759b60529

Read the full press release: https://www.ndp.ca/news/ndp-first-nations-labour-and-environmental-groups-unite-against-bill-c-39

Stay tuned for further analysis and updates.

10/05/2026

Chiefs of Ontario is sharing a request from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Ontario Provincial Police for public assistance in locating Kyle Laforme, a 35-year-old MCFN community member who has been missing since September 27, 2026.

Kyle is described as:
• 35 years old
• Indigenous male
• 5'11" (180 cm)
• Long dark hair, brown eyes, a thin moustache and full beard
• Last seen wearing a red and black plaid flannel-style shirt over a dark-coloured shirt, red and black plaid pajama pants, and white Adidas foam-style slides
• Tattoos include a bird-themed sleeve on his left arm, “mom” on his chest, and Stitch dressed as Pikachu on his right calf

Police are asking residents, businesses, anglers, and motorists in the Cayuga and Highway 3 bridge area to review any CCTV, dash-camera, trail-camera, or other video footage from the early morning of September 27.

Anyone who saw or has information regarding Kyle, his Chevrolet SUV, or the unidentified pedestrian in the area of the Highway 3 bridge during the early morning of September 27th is encouraged to contact the Haldimand County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

If you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) where you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2000.

Please share widely and help bring Kyle home safely.

10/05/2026

Today, on World Teachers’ Day, we honour and thank our teachers!

Teachers are mentors, role models, supporters, and trusted members of our communities. They help create spaces where children, youth, and adult learners can learn, grow, and thrive.

Miigwech / Nia:wen / Thank you for all that you do. Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom and helps strengthen communities for generations to come.

As we celebrate educators, we also look forward to bringing people together to exchange ideas, explore best practices, and learn from one another at the upcoming Education, Languages and Special Education Forum, taking place November 3–5, 2026, at the Valhalla Inn and Conference Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

For more information, please visit: https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/2026educationforum

We hope you can join us!

10/04/2026

October 4, Sisters in Spirit Day, is the National Day of Action to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit+ People and stand with the families and First Nations who continue to lead the call for justice.

Across First Nations in Ontario, families and communities continue to carry the names, stories, and memories of their loved ones while leading efforts to bring attention to the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.

Sisters in Spirit vigils were started by the Native Women's Association of Canada and held across Turtle Island to remember those lost to this genocide. Look for vigils happening in your area to join in honour.

Wear red, light candles, and share prayers, songs, and stories to stand with families.

Chiefs of Ontario Women’s Initiatives Sector has released a report card assessing progress on the National Inquiry’s 231 Calls for Justice.

The report highlights that while some steps have been taken, significant work remains to ensure lasting safety, justice, and healing for families and communities.

Read the full report here:https://chiefs-of-ontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-National-Inquirys-231-Calls-for-Justice_A-Report-Card-by-Chiefs-of-Ontario.pdf

Today, we honour those who are missing and those who have been taken from us. We recognize the strength of the families who continue to seek answers and demand accountability.

Artwork by artist Lucia Laford as part of a larger mural created during the Chiefs of Ontario May 4-6, 2026 MMIWG2S+ Family Gathering.

10/02/2026

10/01/2026

A new Toronto Star feature highlights the work of archaeologist and cultural adviser Brandy George and the Chiefs of Ontario’s Help Us Bring Our Ancestors Home initiative.

Across Ontario and beyond, First Nations Ancestors, sacred belongings and culturally significant items continue to be held in museums, institutions and private collections.

Their respectful return is about restoring connection, dignity and responsibility to the First Nations they belong to.

Read the full article to learn more about this work and why repatriation matters.

If you have information about First Nations Ancestors, sacred items, or other culturally significant belongings, please visit: https://chiefs-of-ontario.org/priorities/justice/ancestors/ or contact [email protected].

09/30/2026

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, Chiefs of Ontario is calling on governments, institutions, and all people across Ontario, to listen and honour Survivors, confront the growing rise of residential school denialism, and continue taking meaningful action toward truth and reconciliation.

The profound harms inflicted by the Indian Residential School system are not confined to the past; the impacts remain embedded in the realities of First Nations people and communities today.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, reminds us that reconciliation requires more than remembrance. It requires an unwavering commitment to continued support for Survivors and families, accountability for the harms inflicted, and meaningful action that delivers tangible and lasting change.

As First Nations continue the work of addressing the legacy of the Indian Residential School system with admirable resiliency, the lingering presence of denialism remains deeply concerning. Efforts to deny, minimize, or distort the truths and ongoing impacts of the Indian Residential School system undermine Survivors, families, and First Nations communities while hindering shared understanding and progress toward accountability, justice, and healing.

“ I want to take this opportunity to say that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is the time for governments to act, denialism must be criminalized. On a day of remembrance and honouring we are haunted by the on false narratives and blatant demonstrations of intimidation inflicted upon us by denialists. This unabated hatred cannot be allowed to thrive and cannot continue to go without consequence. Survivors’voices must be heard, their experiences must given the weight and recognition they deserve, and their truths must never be diminished or distorted.,” says Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige of the Anishinabek Nation, Chiefs of Ontario Indian Residential School Portfolio Holder.

Across Ontario, Survivors and First Nations continue to lead important work to preserve these truths and ensure they are carried forward. This includes, Survivor-led public education, such as the Survivor’s Secretariat Stolen Childhoods exhibition, decades of advocacy and repatriation efforts that helped bring Percy Onabigon home to Long Lake #58 First Nation, and efforts to preserve Survivor testimony and records, including the Indian Residential School Records Project, led by Connie Walker and Kimberly Murray.

Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict shares, “Commitments made by the provincial and federal governments to First Nations must be upheld, and communities must have the resources and supports necessary to continue this incredibly important work, guided by their own priorities and timelines. While commemoration is an important part of reconciliation, it cannot come at the expense of unfinished work.”

For reports and additional resources, visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website.

https://chiefs-of-ontario.org/chiefs-of-ontario-calls-for-action-to-confront-residential-school-denialism-and-honour-survivors/

09/30/2026

2 days to go. On September 30, join us for Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, alongside a full day of programming on APTN and APTN Languages.

Find the full schedule at aptntv.ca/ndtr.

09/29/2026

On September 30, Chiefs of Ontario will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day alongside communities across Canada.

This is a time to honour Indian Residential School Survivors, the children who never returned home, their families, and all those who continue to live with the intergenerational impacts of the Residential School system.

Truth must remain at the centre of reconciliation. This means listening to and honouring Survivors, preserving their testimony, supporting ongoing search and repatriation efforts, protecting historical records, and confronting attempts to deny, minimize, or distort the truth.

The resources highlighted in this post offer opportunities to learn from Survivor experiences, support truth-telling, and continue the work of reconciliation.

Mental health and crisis supports are available for Survivors, First Nations, families, and anyone who may need support.

09/29/2026

Ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, Former Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray reflects on the ongoing responsibility to support First Nations families and communities searching for missing and disappeared children.

“Searching for missing and disappeared people is not a program. It is an obligation.”

To learn more, please visit: https://osi-bis.ca/osi-resources/reports/