Best Mikmaq Matters Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 290: John Risley's latest bad idea Data centres drain water and electricity, create intense heat and make a constant hum. Citizens across the U.S. are rising up against them. Are they coming to ... 24:58

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6M ago24:58

24:58

John Risley's latest bad idea Data centres drain water and electricity, create intense heat and make a constant hum. Citizens across the U.S. are rising up against them. Are they coming to a NL community near you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 289: Can a re-energized FNI fill void left by failed Qalipu? 22:43

7M ago22:43

22:43

This week, we look at the implications from a pivotal decision by the Court of Appeal, and speak with David Rosenfeld, lawyer for plaintiffs in the Collins class action lawsuit, who contrary to Qalipu chief Jenny Brake says the FNI's absence from that matter hasn't been that big a deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 288: The $765K Mystery: No Paper, No Authorization 16:15

7M ago16:15

16:15

Chief Jenny Brake says Finance Director cleaned out FNI account prior to handing it over and he did so without her or Qalipu council authorization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 287: Can UNDRIP change NL policy that Mi'kmaq have no rights? 18:49

7M ago18:49

18:49

UN Declaration is part of federal statute and now the AFN wants to incorporate it into provincial law, which might be a big deal in NL, where the government says Mi'kmaq arrived with Europeans and don't have same status as our people in Nova Scotia. We speak with Keith Cormier, who's coordinating AFN outreach on the island. Hosted on Acast. See aca…

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Episode 286: An environmental agenda for Qalipu 21:11

7M ago21:11

21:11

Several candidates raised the issue of "cumulative affects" in the recent band election -- development projects are not one-offs but things that affect everyone and everything present and future. We learn more from Camille Ouellet Dallaire, Program Chair, Environment and Sustainability at Grenfell Campus, and talk about the need to replace to 20-ye…

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Episode 285: Bad Qalipu list blamed for election chaos 16:04

8M ago16:04

16:04

Don't blame us, says third-party contractor. Meanwhile, at least one band member plans to lodge appeal to get election overturned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 284: Qalipu election reflection 15:11

8M ago15:11

15:11

Re-elected chief Jenny Brake will have more friendlies, but there might be a way to marshal some land-and-water consciousness even on this council, especially with Charlie White in the pivotal role of Western Vice-Chief. Plus: what happened to Byron Alexander? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 283: Byron Alexander 17:29

8M ago17:29

17:29

Face to face with Byron Alexander, whose campaign platform of land and water defence and assertion of rights stands in sharp contrast to chiefs of Qalipu First Nation who have gone before. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 282: Two good choices for Western Vice-Chief 40:17

8M ago40:17

40:17

Charlie White and Jeffrey Young are both from the Bay St. George area, a welcome antidote to the Corner Brook domination of the Qalipu First Nation leadership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 281: On the Qalipu election trail 8:24

8M ago8:24

8:24

No signs and few candidates, coming to grips with a strange campaign for the leadership of the second largest First Nation in Canada . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 280: Financial Murk...and the Campaign Begins 25:55

9M ago25:55

25:55

This week: We look at the thin line between band affairs and self-interest, and we begin our candidate interviews with Charlene Combdon, vying for Central Vice-Chief. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 279: The repair job waiting for next Qalipu council 19:20

9M ago19:20

19:20

Nominations open for those who want to serve on a First Nation that has been divided, dysfunctional and disconnected from communities and their concerns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 278: The Facts About Fish Farms 21:27

1+ y ago21:27

21:27

This week: highlights from the Enviro Watch NL online forum, featuring Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins, authors of Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of Our Favorite Fish; Bob Chamberlin, chair of the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance; and Neville Crabbe of the Atlantic Salmon Federation. The event was moderated by Enviro Watch co-chairs Tara Ma…

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Episode 277: Wind Energy in Central Newfoundland Threatens Old Growth Forest 25:25

1+ y ago25:25

25:25

Protected for years from logging due to its high elevation, precious old growth forests in central Newfoundland now stand in the bullseye of about 300 EVREC wind turbines. This week, we speak with two members of a concerned citizens group, Leanna Paul and Robert Loder, about what could be lost if the project goes ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c…

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Episode 276: Critical Questions About Critical Minerals 25:15

1+ y ago25:15

25:15

Can we mine our way to a green transition away from fossil fuels, or will we destroy more natural environment? This week, we sit down with Christopher Pollon, author of Pitfall: The Race to Mine the World's Most Vulnerable Places. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 275: Delays Put Wind Energy Plans in Doubt 23:02

1+ y ago23:02

23:02

Unanswered technical questions, a lack of signed contracts, and a budget crisis in Germany may turn into roadblocks for the wind-to-hydrogen plans in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. We get the latest from Joan Baxter, a reporter at the Halifax Examiner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 274: For the Innu Nation, Reconciliation Is Just a Word 27:53

1+ y ago27:53

27:53

Five decades after Joey Smallwood flooded Innu land without their consent, another Liberal premier has ripped the nation off on Muskrat Falls revenue and started talks with Quebec on a new hydro project without consulting them. This week, we speak with Peter Penashue, chief negotiator for the Innu Nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for …

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Episode 273: Profiting From Aquaculture's Lies 28:52

1+ y ago28:52

28:52

An investigative exposé by Norwegian investigative journalists Simen Saetre and Kjetil Østl documents how misinformation and suppression of scientific evidence helped enrich some of the wealthiest people in Norway. This week, we speak with Saetre, co-author of The New Fish: The Truth about Farmed Salmon and the Consequences We Can No Longer Ignore.…

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Episode 272: Brendan Mitchell is Leaving—But He's Not Going Far 22:44

1+ y ago22:44

22:44

Amid surprise and controversy, Brendan Mitchell has become the first-ever Regional Chief for Newfoundland. This week, host Glenn Wheeler and Mi'kmaq Matters correspondent Greg Janes talk about the implications for Qalipu First Nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 271: Will Halifax City Council Reserve a Seat for Mi'kmaq? 19:43

1+ y ago19:43

19:43

Some say the change is long overdue, but it's up to the province to make the next move. This week, we speak to the councillor championing the addition, Wayne Mason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 270: Bringing Home our Ancestral Heritage 25:55

1+ y ago25:55

25:55

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 Aca…

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Episode 269: The Latest Developments in the Benoit Court Case 20:20

1+ y ago20:20

20:20

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.

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Episode 268: Too Big, Too Fast 26:29

1+ y ago26:29

26:29

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 Envir…

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Episode 267: World Energy GH2's 4,000-Page Environmental Impact Assessment 25:28

1+ y ago25:28

25:28

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…

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Episode 266: Can An Indigenous-Led Effort Save Newfoundland Land and Water? 19:36

2y ago19:36

19:36

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.…

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Episode 265: The Truth About Critical Minerals 23:44

2y ago23:44

23:44

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 i…

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Episode 264: Searching for Mi'kmaq Historical Sites Before It's Too Late 21:07

2y ago21:07

21:07

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.

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Episode 263: Elder Calvin White on Errors of the Past and Hope for the Future 27:53

2y ago27:53

27:53

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.…

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Episode 262: From BC to Burgeo—The Latest Fight Against Fish Farms 24:46

2y ago24:46

24:46

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.…

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Episode 261: Deciding Between Fish Farms and a Marine Conservation Area 22:04

2y ago22:04

22:04

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.

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Episode 260: Assessing the Benoit Court Decision 23:21

2y ago23:21

23:21

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 aca…

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Episode 259: Codroy Valley Outfitters Fear Wind Energy 23:19

2y ago23:19

23:19

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.

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Episode 258: A Game Changer in Wind Energy Fight 23:20

2y ago23:20

23:20

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.…

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Episode 257: Waiting for the Hydrogen Bubble to Burst 26:22

2y ago26:22

26:22

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 inform…

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Episode 256: The Good, The Bad, The Duds 30:03

2y ago30:03

30:03

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.…

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Episode 255: Protecting Mi'kmaw Archeological Materials 15:23

2y ago15:23

15:23

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…

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Episode 254: We Need a Federal Review of Wind Energy Projects 28:22

2y ago28:22

28:22

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…

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Episode 253: Is Mi'kmaq Land Being Sacrificed for a Hydrogen Bubble? 27:19

2y ago27:19

27:19

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 th…

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Episode 252: The North American Indigenous Games are About More than Sport 17:26

2y ago17:26

17:26

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 in…

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Episode 251: Looking After Forests in a Mi'kmaw Way 19:51

2y ago19:51

19:51

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. Se…

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Episode 250: In Search of White Pine 15:06

2y ago15:06

15:06

White pine is mentioned in the first line of Newfoundland's provincial anthem but on a canoe trip in the upper Humber watershed, writer and educator Daniel Banoub discovered it's no longer found in the forests. This week: the cutting frenzy threatening Newfoundland's white pine. Plus: reflections on the occasion of Episode 250. Hosted on Acast. See…

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Episode 249: Calving Caribou and Cultural Foundation Back Story 18:04

2y ago18:04

18:04

This week: Will a gold mine shut down temporarily to protect caribou? Plus: the back story of Qalipu's targeting of cultural foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 248: Qalipu Washes its Hands of Caribou Monitoring at Valentine Lake 14:07

2+ y ago14:07

14:07

Though calving is about to start, vice-chief says a site-visit to gold mine located on migration routes can wait until late summer. Plus: the strange salmon anglers are pulling out of the rivers on the south coast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 247: Deserted by Indigenous Leadership, Land Defenders Start New Band 28:50

2+ y ago28:50

28:50

This week, Tami Park-Tighe on how the West Wind First Nation aims to put land and water ahead of collusion with corporate wind energy interests. Plus: Sheila Hinks tells hosts Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes about an injunction case against land defenders that's taken a surprise turn into a sovereignty claim. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…

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Episode 246: A Mi'kmaq Band Bursts Back to Life 20:34

2+ y ago20:34

20:34

This week, Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes discuss the tough dilemma facing voters in Long Range Mountains: Is it okay to vote for fellow Mi'kmaw Carol Anstey, even if her leader, Pierre Poilievre, was part of the anti-Indigenous Harper government? Plus: the Port au Port Mi'kmaq band plans to revive Mi'kmaw culture in communities on the east side of t…

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Episode 245: Is a Call for Mediation in the Port au Port Peninsula Too Little Too Late? 17:43

2+ y ago17:43

17:43

This week, hosts Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes discuss the call for harmony from community chiefs when it comes to the wind energy issue. Plus: a new Qalipu band manager, and the anti-Indigenous response to restoring the name of Burgeo's Route 480. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 244: Crucial Court Case for Port au Port Peninsula Land Defenders 15:29

2+ y ago15:29

15:29

This week, Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes discuss an injunction application against Port au Port peninsula land defenders. In 2016, the judge involved in the current Port au Port case ordered criminal charges against a Muskrat Falls reporter. The charges were eventually overturned when an appeal court found they did not abide by the tenants of reconc…

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Episode 243: Qalipu Takes Aim at Cultural Foundation 26:47

2+ y ago26:47

26:47

This week, Glenn Wheeler and Greg Janes discuss the Qalipu Cultural Foundation's name change, and who might run for Regional Chief. They foresee a difficult choice coming up for Burgeo between fish farms or a marine conservation area. And an update on the Port au Port protests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 242: Land Occupation on the Port au Port Peninsula 19:46

2+ y ago19:46

19:46

Mi'kmaq Matters correspondent Greg Janes and host Glenn Wheeler discuss protests that have shut down work on a mammoth wind energy project for two weeks. Plus: What's up with the abrupt stop to Dean Simon's language classes for Qalipu First Nation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Episode 241: Town Fills Regulatory Hole 24:00

2+ y ago24:00

24:00

With exploration for gold taking place within its boundaries and close to its water supply, the Town of Appleton has had to bring in its own permit system to exert some control over exploration. This week, we speak with Appleton mayor, Garrett Watton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…