Our lead story: Kashechewan, a fly-in only First Nation near James Bay in northern Ontario, plans for evacuation after its water treatment system stopped working over the weekend.

Our lead story: a search of the Thunder Bay landfill for the partial remains of murder victim Deborah Anishinabie is wrapped up after it fails to produce any additional evidence.

Our lead story: claiming an upcoming Alberta referendum on separation would violate Treaty 8, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation files suit against the provincial government.

Our lead story: following four straight days without power during the holidays, officials from Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba say they are not out of the woods yet.

Our lead story: The National Children's Chiefs Commission and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society claim their plan for long-term First Nations child welfare reform is more thorough than the federal government's.

NOTE: APTN NEWS BRIEF WILL BE ON HIATUS OVER THE HOLIDAYS, RETURNING TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026.

MUSIC: 'Abundance' by 1000 Handz is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License.

Our lead story: the Carney government submits its new plan for long-term reform of the First Nations child and family services program to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, pledging $35.5 billion to the end of 2034, then $4.4 billion annually after that.

Our lead story: the Saskatchewan Health Authority says the security guards who evicted an Indigenous man from a Prince Albert hospital out into the cold are now barred from work at any SHA facility.

Our lead story: the same day Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford sign an agreement meant to speed up construction of major projects in the province, Treaty 9 First Nations hold a press conference on their lawsuit against such fast-tracking.