11,000 Six Nations students out of school due to federal strike
A strike by federal workers means students in Six Nations of the Grand River are out of school for the third straight day.
Five federal schools in the community have been closed since Wednesday following strike action by members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
The impacted schools include Jamieson, J.C Hill, Emily C General, I.L, and Oliver M Smith Elementary Schools, and students from Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Six Nations of the Grand River elected council reports 11,000 children are impacted.
As of Friday, the schools don’t have a reopening date.
Indigenous Services Canada told CTV News in a statement, “Officials will continue working with First Nation leadership and families to ensure students are provided with opportunities to continue their learning during the labour disruption.”
Earlier in the week, Six Nations Elected Chief Mark Hill said in a statement, in-part: “The PSAC strike has impacted our Six Nations Of The Grand River community and has the SNGR elected council concerned for all of our members, students and families.”
Chief Hill had a press conference schedule for Friday afternoon, where he was to address the public about the strike but that was cancelled.
PARENTS REACT
Many parents in the community were left to make last minute child care plans.
For Olivia Forman’s family, that means relying on older siblings to watch younger siblings.
“It kind of sucks for them, because suddenly all their plans are just cancelled,” Forman told CTV News.
Robyn Joseph said she’s luckily she was already off work but her and her four kids are trying to find ways to fill their days.
“They’re home all day now and they’re fighting over the video games and so we’re going for a walk,” Joseph said. ““We had no school during COVID and these poor kids they have no internet down here, well it works sporadically – but all their friends, all my kids are behind, like so behind.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Child under 5 dies of measles in Ontario: PHO
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to Internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires burning across Canada: Communities threatened as flames creep closer
Thousands of residents fled Fort McMurray this week, fearing a repeat of the 2016 wildfire that forced out the entire community and torched more than 2,400 homes.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from “moving wrong” during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
French police fatally shoot a man suspected of setting fire to a synagogue
French police shot and killed a man armed with a knife and a metal bar who is suspected of having set fire to a synagogue in the Normandy city of Rouen early on Friday, the latest apparent act in a storm of antisemitism roiling France amid the Israel-Hamas war.