Miles Morrisseau
ICT
It was a year of change for Indigenous people in Canada, and in some cases 2025 reflected the old saying, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
It was time for a new prime minister when Justin Trudeau stepped down in January and former banker Mark Carney was elected leader of the Liberal Party and then leader of Canada. Carney’s government came in with promises of taking on Donald Trump by building Canada strong, but opposition began to grow against the fast track of projects, including pipelines.
For the first time in history, however, an Indigenous person was named Minister of Indigenous Services when Mandy Gull-Masty, Cree, was selected to Carney’s cabinet.
The ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls was spotlighted by searches of two Winnipeg-area landfills.
The Indigenous arts community continued to grow and shine on the country’s highest stages such as the Juno Awards and the Toronto International Film Festival, where a record number of artists were nominated, with some taking home the top awards. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre celebrated 20 years and the musical “Bear Grease” was selling out shows all across the country after a successful run off-Broadway.
But two foundational Indigenous icons passed away in 2025 when activist and organizer Marion Meadmore and actor Graham Greene began their journeys to home.
Here are some of the top stories of 2025 in Canada.
Starting the year with politics
Canada started off 2025 with the departure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had faced low poll numbers and internal revolt in his administration, sparking concerns among Indigenous leaders about what a new regime would mean for their relationship with Canada.
Mark Carney was elected the new Liberal leader and ultimately Prime Minister of Canada.
Carney campaigned on a Canada Strong message in an election that was dominated by anti-Trump rhetoric. It was a reaction to the radically changed relationship with its largest and until then the most-trusted trade partner, the United States. The launch of a tariff war and suggestions that Canada should be annexed as the 51st state by President Donald Trump continued to drive policy on the north side of the border.
Highest number of Indigenous people ever elected to Parliament
Twelve Indigenous people were elected as Members of Parliament, the highest number in history. Three were appointed to Carney’s cabinet, including Rebecca Chartrand, Anishinaabe/Inninew/Dakota/Métis who was named Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, and Buckley Belanger, Métis, named Secretary of State for Rural Development.
But perhaps the biggest news for First Nations was the appointment of Mandy Gull Masty, Cree, to Minister of Indigenous Services, formerly Indian Affairs, the first time in the history of the historic department that it has been held by a First Nations person.
Landfill searches continue
The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people was brought to national and international attention when a search in one landfill in Winnipeg, Manitoba, discovered the remains of Indigenous women.
In the early part of the year, remains discovered at the Prairie Green landfill were identified as the victims of confessed serial killer Jeremy Skibicki, who targeted Indigenous women in the Winnipeg area.
By the end of the year, another person identified as a potential serial killer of Indigenous women was released early from prison, drawing protests from family members, supporters and First Nations leaders.Family members, supporters and First Nations leaders gathered in shock to share their anger, pray, sing and round-dance in solidarity, shutting down Main Street. A new search began Dec.1 at the Brady Landfill..
Pope Francis remembered in Canada for residential school apology
Pope Francis — who sought to usher the Catholic Church toward social justice for disadvantaged people, protection of the environment and Indigenous reconciliation — died just after Easter on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.
In Canada, Pope Francis was remembered for his historic visit to the country in 2022 when he apologized to First Nations, Métis and Inuit people for the role of the Catholic Church in the Indian residential school system. The apology came only after all the major religious institutions that operated the schools had apologized, including the Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches.
Indigenous artists big winners a Canada’s Juno Awards
Indigenous musical artists in Canada are being recognized at the highest levels, taking home some of the year’s top prizes at the annual Juno Awards with outstanding music across multiple genres.
The Snotty Nosed Rez Kids, Haisla Nation, led the way by taking home one of the night’s biggest awards, Rap Album of the Year, for their release, “Red Future.”
Elisapie, Inuk, won the award for Best Adult Alternative Album for her release, “Inuktitut.” The album features covers of contemporary pop songs from a wide array of artists including Metallica, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Cyndi Lauper and more, all performed in the Inuktitut language. Another big win for Indigenous music that signals how Indigenous artists are creating and elevating in a variety of musical genres was Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds, who took home the award for Classical Composition of the Year for “Angmalukisaa.”
Indigenous film celebrated at TIFF
The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and celebrated its 50th anniversary by showcasing the most Indigenous films in its history.
Acclaimed Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk took home the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival for his film, “Uiksaringitara: Wrong Husband.” He was also given the festival’s Special Tribute Award for his contribution to film, along with other honorees such as Jodie Foster, Idris Alba, Catherine O’Hara and Guillermo Del Toro.
In his acceptance for the Special Tribute, Kunuk recalled how he didn’t have any idea what he was getting into when he began making movies.
“When I first directed drama, my actors would improvise their own lines,” Kunuk said. “From there, getting a bigger project, I think we needed a script to show to our funding agencies what we’re after. So I would have an English script and an Inuktitut script that I’m going to follow when I’m directing, so that’s how I work.”
Mohawk dancer celebrates 20 years
Santee Smith celebrated 20 years of the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, the company she founded that evolved into a creative vehicle more about storytelling than dance.
“I can be sharing these stories from my community, and stories that are not available out in the mainstream and not even available within our own communities in a creative way,” Santee told ICT. “So that really was the initiation point of thinking I would like to pursue dance. But now, as I evolve, I don’t even say the word ‘dance’ anymore. I embody storytelling, because that’s really what the work is for me.”
‘Bear Grease’ continues to rock across North America
Following a successful run off-Broadway, the musical “Bear Grease” continues to tour across North America as audiences can’t get enough of the great mix of Indigenous story and the classic 1970s movie “Grease.” Following their matinee performance at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg, director Crystal Lightning encouraged all the youth to follow their dreams.
“We’re the first Indigenous musical to have our own playbill. We are the longest-running Indigenous musical on off-Broadway as well,” Lightning said. “I tell you guys this because for the kids and the young people in the audience… Anything is possible. There is no silly idea. Nothing is too big for you.”
Auditor general slams ‘persistent barriers’
Canada’s Auditor General Karen Hogan slammed the federal government for “unsatisfactory progress” on providing safe drinking water to a number of First Nations and a lack of emergency services to face climate change-driven threats such as wildfires and flooding. “Our audits of Indigenous programs and services have underscored persistent barriers to equitable outcomes, including fragmented program delivery and a passive, siloed approach to supporting First Nations,” Hogan concluded in her annual report.
Carney’s first budget cuts Indigenous Services
In the first budget of the Mark Carney era, the Canadian prime minister made cuts to the two ministries that serve Indigenous people. The Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Indigenous Services Canada will be cut by $2.3 billion. There was an investment in housing and continuing the goal to end all boil-water alerts on First Nations communities.
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has been tasked with coordinating a cross-government Indigenous housing strategy following engagement with First Nations on reserve, Inuit treaty organizations, Métis governments, and modern treaty holders and self-governing Indigenous governments.
Canada loses measles-free status
In a sign of the impact of the anti-vax movement on the overall health of the general population, Canada lost its status as a measles-free country in November after nearly 30 years.
The Pan American Health Organization, an agency of the United Nations, declared on Nov. 10 that Canada no longer holds measles-elimination status after the highly contagious disease continues to spread.
“It’s a really unfortunate change that we have experienced, no longer being measles-free,” First Nation pharmacist Jaris Swidrovich told ICT. “A lot of factors have contributed to this, and much of that I would attribute to misinformation and disinformation that has rapidly been spread around social media.”
It is unknown what the impact will be on the Indigenous community, but the government has to create a strategy that includes Métis, First Nations and Inuit, according to Swindrovich.
“With this situation with the measles, who knows what this is going to look like?” Swindrovich asked. “Who knows where we’ll start seeing cases pop up?”
First Nations and allies prepare to fight another pipeline
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plans to deal with its vastly changed relationship with the United States is to fast track big projects to get resources to new markets. Carney signed an agreement with the oil rich province of Alberta committing to build the infrastructure needed to get their product to the ocean. including pipelines.
Despite the Carney administration’s intent to move quickly to get the big projects going, the fight against pipelines is one that First Nations in British Columbia are ready to take on. “We have amazing allies here in British Columbia. So you’re not only looking at the coastal First Nations,” Union of British Colubia Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip told ICT. “Here in British Columbia, as in the past, will have the full support of the environmental movement here, church groups, other human rights organizations. So it will be a rerun of previous pipeline battles.”
In Memoriam: Icons Marion Meadmore and Graham Greene
Two of the country’s most iconic and groundbreaking individuals made their journey to the spirit world this year.
In March, Marion Meadmore passed. She was an incredible organizer and one of the first Indigenous woman lawyers in Canada. She created the foundational organizations that evolved into the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Assembly of First Nations, The Indigenous Law Society and the Friendship Centre movement. “She and her board of directors made a decision that they should invite provincial leaders from across Canada to meet in Toronto with a view of them taking over their work,” Delia Opekokew, who went to law school with Meadmore, told ICT. “That was the founding of the Native Council of Canada and the National Indian Brotherhood, before it became the Assembly of First Nations.”
Graham Greene , who died Sept. 1, 2025, at age 73, was a legendary actor whose career broke down doors and barriers for decades. He started in theatre, winning accolades on stage. When he went to shoot a cowboy movie he had no idea how it would change his life. At the time, the Western was a dead genre in Hollywood; no one had made a big studio Western since “Heaven’s Gate” sunk United Artists. The film, “Dances with Wolves,” became a phenomenon and worldwide hit that swept the Oscars. Greene was nominated in the best supporting actor category, the first time an Indigenous person was nominated for an acting performance at the Academy Awards.
He had memorable performances in “Thunderheart,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance” and others on the big screen and, on the small screen, with his roles in “Reservation Dogs” and “The Lowdown.”
Greene has 195 movies in the IMDb online database, including six movies that are yet to be released.