The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has found the township of Emo will have to pay damages after refusing to proclaim Pride Month back in 2020.

Borderland Pride requested Emo to declare June as Pride Month and display a rainbow flag for one week but the township refused, resulting in a years-long process in which the tribunal ruled against the township.

The tribunal ruled Borderland Pride will be awarded $15,000, with $10,000 coming from the township itself and the other $5,000 coming from Emo mayor Harold McQuaker.

Doug Judson is a lawyer in Fort Frances and one of the directors on the board of Borderland Pride, and said they're elated to have finally brought it to a close and is a significant victory for the organization.

"We didn't pursue this because of the money. We pursued this because we were treated in a discriminatory fashion by a municipal government, and municipalities have obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code not to discriminate in the provision of a service," said Judson.

"The tribunal's decision affirms that. That is the important thing we were seeking here was validation that as 2SLGBTQA plus people, we're entitled to treatment without discrimination when we try to seek services from our local government."

In addition to the compensation, the tribunal also ordered McQuaker and the Chief Administrative Officer of the municipality to complete a "Human Rights 101" training course offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission within 30 days.

Judson said one of the messages it sends to other townships and municipalities is that Pride needs to be in the smallest and most remote communities just as it is in larger cities, and in some of the places "where it can be really hard to help people understand why it's so important"

"I hope that it emboldens and strengthens people in communities like Emo and other places like that across Ontario to know that they have entitlements from their government," said Judson.

I hope that it emboldens and strengthens people in communities like Emo and other places like that across Ontario to know that they have entitlements from their government, Doug Judson-

Going forward, Judson said he would like to see the relationship between Borderland Pride and the township of Emo be more positive, with the municipality being a more active supporter of their programming.

"Having a place like Emo as part of Pride and having leadership figures take part in Pride, it lends a lot of support to the movement. It validates and legitimizes that the message is important for the entire community, and so we hope that that is the case moving forward."

CBC News reached out to the mayor of Emo for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.

Canada is expected to present a settlement offer this week to First Nations of Robinson Superior treaty territory in a longstanding case involving annuities owed to the Anishinaabe on the northern shores of the Great Lakes.

Once the offer expected Friday is received, it'll kick off negotiations to partially settle a claim that dates back to 1999 and could be worth dozens of billions of dollars.

Lawyers for the Robinson Superior communities anticipate Ontario will make its own offer sometime around the new year, as a deadline imposed by the Supreme Court of Canada looms over the two Crown governments.

In its landmark decision earlier in June, the top court told the federal and provincial governments that they had until Jan. 26 to make offers.

According to the ruling, the First Nations could request an extension, but Canada and Ontario cannot.

"We'll hold the Crown's feet to the fire here in order to secure justice," said Brian Gover, one of the lawyers for the Robinson Superior Anishinaabe.

If the parties fail to agree to past annuities owing, it'll be up to the courts to decide fair compensation for the Crown having made a "mockery" of a promise central to the treaty relationship between Canada, Ontario and the First Nations, the Supreme Court decision says.

WATCH | First Nations members welcome Supreme Court ruling on annuities they're owed:

5 months ago

Duration 1:53

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the Ontario and federal governments made a ‘mockery’ of treaties signed with the Anishinaabe of the Upper Great Lakes in the 19th century by failing to increase annual payments for resource extraction. The decision could cost the governments more than $100 billion.

The other group involved in this historic annuities case — the 21 communities in Robinson Huron treaty territory — settled out of court for $10 billion in 2023, with Ontario and Canada each paying half.

Together with Robinson Superior, the cases centre on a promise dating back to 1850. Both treaties have nearly identical wording and contain a unique escalator clause.

The Robinson treaties promised the Anishinaabe that the annual payments they received from the Crown in exchange for the right to extract resources from their land would increase according to the wealth produced in the territory.

But these annuities were capped at $4 per person in 1874 and haven't increased since, despite the lucrative profits of the mining, timber and fishing industries — hence a legal battle for fair past and present annuities that has now spanned more than two decades.

2 different paths to justice

The First Nations of Robinson Superior and Robinson Huron treaty territories launched their legal challenges in an Ontario court in 1999 and 2012, respectively.

They were grouped together for the first stages of the trial, which determined that the Crown had a duty and legal obligation to increase payments, both retroactively and going forward.

The Ontario government appealed these findings, eventually taking the case to Canada's top court.

While Lake Huron Anishinaabeg settled out of court, their Lake Superior counterparts pressed ahead in the final stage of the trial, asking a court in the province to determine which level of government should pay the First Nations and how much.

That proceeding was paused by the Supreme Court earlier this summer to allow for this week's out-of-court negotiations.

Duke Peltier, spokesperson for the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund, said the decision to resolve the issue of past compensation outside the courts was taken by the 21 First Nation signatories.

"There was a turning point for us when the Crowns actually sat down with the leadership," he recalled. "There was a clear indication that the Crowns were serious about negotiations and putting forward a substantial offer."

Getting settlement soon to benefit elders

According to Peltier, all the communities in the Robinson Huron treaty felt a sense of urgency to reach a settlement in December 2022.

"There was a very clear realization that a number of elders in our communities were passing away before seeing any benefit from the treaty.

"Even if [we] went through the final stage, there was a chance for an appeal that would further delay any form of compensation," he said.

Should the Robinson Superior First Nation achieve a considerably more sizable settlement for past annuities than the Robinson Huron ones, Peltier said, the story wouldn't end there.

"Should they attain a higher dollar amount, I'd definitely congratulate them on that," he said. "But we also know there are plenty more discussions to happen in relation to the go-forward annuity."

Gover said he can see why the Robinson Huron decided to settle when it did.

"The Huron plaintiffs opted for finality, and one could appreciate the benefits of not litigating further," he said. "We're in a different position. We may have to litigate further."

Robinson Superior compensation could take months, years

Half of the First Nations in the Superior group have a parallel claim related to the annuities case. They argue they actually never adhered to the Robinson Superior treaty and never agreed to have resources extracted from their lands.

These issues will need to be resolved before the communities can officially sign on to the treaty and get their share of the past annuities compensation.

We will not accept a lowball offer.- Gimaa Kwe (Chief) Patricia Tangie of Michipicoten First Nation, spokesperson for Robinson Superior litigation team

Another factor that could complicate negotiations is the discrepancy between what Ontario and the Lake Superior Anishinaabe argued in court during the final stage of the trial.

The province argued it incurred an $11-billion loss while building the infrastructure that would enable resource extraction in the area.

This is in sharp contrast to the accounting models and expert testimony presented by the Robinson Superior plaintiffs, who say resources taken from the land were worth up to $193 billion.

Ontario also argues it shouldn't be held accountable for the capped annuities because treaties are a federal responsibility. Canada says its liability lies somewhere between 15 and 20 per cent, as managing natural resources revenue is the province's job.

Should the Robinson Superior plaintiffs disagree with the settlement offers Canada and Ontario make by Jan. 26, they could request an extension to the negotiations or let the court intervene.

According to Gover, an out-of-court settlement would likely be cheaper for Ontario and Canada than a court-mandated one, given how the courts have ruled so far on this case.

"By not negotiating, Ontario would risk an award from the court that would be higher," he said.

Lake Superior First Nation seeks 'dozens of billions'

If it came down to a court determining the settlement amount, Ontario Superior Court Justice Patricia Hennessy would take guidance from the Supreme Court of Canada decision.

That ruling says parties should look at the severity of the breaches, the number of Lake Superior Anishinaabe and their needs, the profits that flowed to the Crown, its honour, and the needs of other non-Indigenous communities.

Gover said that, since that ruling came down this summer, the Lake Superior First Nations have tried to "give meaning to those phrases." They've tried to see how Ontario and Canada assess them.

"We are not limited by what was given to the Robinson Huron communities," he added.

"I think we're certainly in the dozens of billions as a reasonable range of settlement."

So far, Canada has been "somewhat forthcoming," but Ontario has not, according to Gover.

Crowns not taking situation seriously: chief

Michipicoten First Nation Gimaa Kwe (Chief) Patricia Tangie, spokesperson for the Robinson Superior litigation team, said she's under the impression the Crowns don't take the renewal of the treaty relationship seriously.

"We've been working to sit in council fire since September and still haven't had it," she said.

"Last Friday, we were expecting to meet with ministers, and at the 11th hour, we got notice they're not able to attend."

Tangie said she feels a lot of pressure to deliver on a settlement for the Robinson Superior beneficiaries.

"People are really anxious. They see the Huron communities receiving their share and they are wondering, 'Where's ours?'"

Tangie said she's optimistic about reaching a good settlement, but worries about potential delays.

"People will look at it as chief and council's [fault], when really we have no choice but to not accept something that is not fair and just," she said. "We will not accept a lowball offer."

Lessons from Robinson Huron settlement distribution

Like the Robinson Huron Anishinaabe, Robinson Superior First Nations will look to keep a sizable portion of a potential settlement aside for collective purposes and future generations while distributing a certain amount directly to community members.

There's already an understanding for how a settlement would be shared among the Lake Superior communities, based on 2018 population levels.

Tangie said they've learned some lessons from the Robinson Huron treaty settlement distribution, chief among them communicating the collective nature of the annuity to the treaty beneficiaries, who are in the habit of receiving an individual payment from the Crown directly.

"We are launching a website this week because communication is key and we want the 12 Nations to have similar messages," she said.

In Robinson Huron treaty territory, the collective nature of the annuity created heated debate among community members who weren't used to seeing annuity money flow through band and council.

Some wanted a 100 per cent individual distribution or a greater say in how much gets set aside in a trust.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Related Stories

Javan Settles was a firefighter with the Ontario (CA) Fire Department who tragically passed away on Thursday, December 19th, 2024.

Settles’s tragic death occurred off-duty, according to the statement from the OFD. No cause of death was publicly listed.

The late firefighter had served for a year with OFD at the time of his demise.

“It is with deep sadness that the Ontario Fire Department shares the off-duty passing of Firefighter Javan Settles on Thursday, December 19, 2024,” the OFD statement read. “Firefighter Settles began his career with our department in 2023 and previously served with distinction at the FDNY and the Long Beach Fire Department.”

OFD noted Settles had left an enduring legacy at the Department despite his relatively short period of service. He was praised for his excellent work ethic and overwhelmingly positive attitude.

“We extend our deepest condolences to Firefighter Settles’ family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” the statement concluded.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ontario Fire Department (@ontariofiredept)

The Long Beach Fire Department, his former station, also expressed shock at the news.

“Brother Jarvan served alongside us as one of your Long Beach Firefighters for over a decade before becoming an Ontario Firefighter last year,” they said in a statement. “He was deeply loved, highly respected, and is dearly missed,”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Long Beach Firefighters (@longbeachfirefighters)

Settles, of Thousand Oaks in California, is originally from Queens in New York. He graduated Royal High School in 1998 and proceeded to the Queensborough Community College of CUNY, graduating in 2005 with a degree in Sports and Exercise.

He started his firefighting career with the New York City Fire Department, working from November 2006 to August 2012 as a NYFD officer. Settles then joined the Long Beach Fire Department, working for almost 11 years with Long Beach FD between August 2012 and March 2023. In March 2023, he left Long Beach for Ontario, joining the OFD.

To aid the Settles family in this trying time, a fundraiser has been organized by the OFD on givelively.

Kumawood young actor Bright Owusu, widely known by his stage name C-Confion, has tragically passed away.

According to reports, the unfortunate incident occurred on the morning of December 20, 2024, at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, where he had been receiving medical care.

Bright Owusu, a key member in Dr. Likee’s widely popular YouTube team, had captured the hearts of many with his comedic talent and vibrant performances. His untimely demise has left fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry devastated.

According to earlier reports, C-Confion had been battling an undisclosed ailment that left him bedridden at home for several months before his condition worsened, prompting his admission to the hospital.

While the exact medical cause of his passing has yet to be disclosed, the actor had previously hinted at a spiritual attack to his health challenges during an interview.

Tributes have begun pouring in from fans, friends, and industry peers, who have described him as a talented, kind-hearted individual whose contributions to the craft will not be forgotten.

See the announcement of his death by Dr Likee below;

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr Likee (Rass Nene) (@official_ras_nene)

Source:Ghanacelebrities.com

Talented Kids season 14 winner, Abigail Dromo Adjiri has announced her announced that DWP dancer and choreographer Lisa Quama is her new mentor.

This partnership follows Abigail’s recent separation from her previous mentor and former DWP member, Afronita.

Abigail, who gained worldwide recognition alongside Afronita during their dynamic performances on platforms such as Britain’s Got Talent.

In a recent TikTok video, Lisa Quama shared her excitement about mentoring Abigail, stating, “I am more than thrilled to start this mentoring journey with a wonderful talent.”

The transition comes after a period of speculation regarding the professional relationship between Abigail and Afronita. While the duo had captivated audiences with their synchronized dance routines, recent social media activity suggested a rift. Afronita failed to show up at Abigail’s recent birthday party which only proved that the two former best friends are no longer together.

Meanwhile, Lisa Quama’s collaboration with Abigail is anticipated to introduce fresh dynamics and creative expressions, further elevating Abigail’s career as a dancer.

As the dance community and fans eagerly await the outcomes of this new alliance, both Abigail and Lisa Quama have expressed optimism about their future projects.

See the video of them performing together below;

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lisa Darko (@lisaquama)

Source:Ghanacelebrities.com

Theodore Too, the beloved life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat, has been “safely righted and refloated,” its owner says.

The 20-metre vessel, which moved to the Port of Hamilton from Halifax Harbour in June 2021, partially sank Tuesday night after somehow taking on water while at the Ontario Shipyard in Port Weller.

Its owner, Blair McKeil, CEO of Breakwater Financial, said in a statement Wednesday that a team of professionals was devising a plan to refloat the tugboat.

Late Thursday, Breakwater said in a statement that those professionals were able to save the 24-year-old tugboat.

“We are happy to announce that at approximately 3 p.m. today, Theodore Too was safely righted and refloated,” it said.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but with that being said, we want to thank Olous Boag and his team from Ontario Shipyards for their immediate assistance and expertise with the salvage and refloat operations.”

The company went on to also thank subcontractor ASI Group for its dive team work, as well as the Canadian Coast Guard’s urgent response team for its help.

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

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

It’s still unclear how Theodore Too, which has long been an iconic figure to many Canadians, took on water.

Kayla Graham, executive assistant at Breakwater, told Global News Wednesday that Theodore Too was partially submerged in the shallow water. The rest of the vessel was resting in the mud beside a dock.

Photos shared with Global News showed Theodore’s iconic red ball cap, bulbous nose and friendly smile above water.

Built in 2000 in Dayspring, N.S., as a life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat — the title character of a CBC children’s TV show that aired from 1993 to 2001 — Theodore Too was often seen bobbing in the water of the Halifax Harbour or making appearances in photos.

Before his move to Hamilton, Theodore spent summers hosting children’s tours of the Halifax Harbour, as well as cruising the Great Lakes and seaboard in the U.S. and Canada, promoting Nova Scotian tourism.

Since arriving in Ontario, Theodore Too has visited more than 20 ports along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario and in the U.S., raising awareness about the marine industry and conservation, restoration and preservation of water resources, Breakwater said in a news release.

The partial sinking stirred emotion among some prominent Canadians, including Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who said in a Facebook post Wednesday it was “sad to see our old friend in such a damaged state.”

“I’m happy to read the owner is committed to repairing Theodore and a safe and successful refloat,” he said.

“Stay strong, Theodore!”

In an Instagram post on its official page Wednesday, Theodore Tugboat said its partial sinking was a “mishap.”

“I am resting safely on my belly in the mud and my family in Ontario has assembled a team of experts to carefully right and refloat me. They are working super hard to have me ship shape in time for the holidays,” it said.

“At this time of year, when so many of my friends across the country are struggling, I want you to know how much I love you all and I wish you a heartfelt happy, healthy and toot-ally magical holiday. Toot Toot!”