Best APTN Podcasts (2025)

1
Dec. 24, 2025—Chiefs Commission, First Nations Caring Society submit child welfare reform plan 8:59

Play Pause

35m ago8:59

8:59

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 Ha…

1
From Trudeau's resignation to Jordan's Principle: A year in review and what lies ahead 42:38

5d ago42:38

42:38

On this edition of APTN News InFocus, host Cierra Bettens is joined by Karyn Pugliese, APTN's senior online reporter and host of Nation to Nation, and Dennis Ward, host of APTN National News and Face to Face, for a year in review. We break down the biggest stories of the year, from Justin Trudeau's resignation and the evolving Liberal government un…

1
Comedian Sherry McKay getting through stand up one laugh at a time 24:37

20h ago24:37

24:37

On this episode of Face to Face: Sherry McKay Sherry McKay calls herself a "baby comedian." That's because she's only taken up space in the standup comedy industry for the past three years, although she's been telling jokes much of her own life. She shares her comedy journey on this episode of Face to Face. • • • APTN National News, our stories tol…

1
Dec. 23, 2025—Carney gov't submits new reform plan for First Nations child and family services 8:18

21h ago8:18

8:18

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.By APTN

1
Dec. 22, 2025—Guards who evicted man from SK hospital barred from work at health facilities 6:25

2d ago6:25

6:25

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.By APTN

1
Dec. 19, 2025—Feds, Ontario sign agreement to fast-track major projects in province 7:25

5d ago7:25

7:25

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.By APTN

1
Post-reconciliation, pre-reckoning: A year in Indigenous–federal relations 24:56

5d ago24:56

24:56

On this episode of Nation to Nation, three journalists who've spent the year covering Indigenous–federal politics sat down for a blunt look at where things stand. The verdict? Canada may have entered a post-reconciliation era and the cracks are starting to show. • • • APTN National News, our stories told our way. Visit our website for more: https:/…

1
Dec. 18, 2025—Mi'kmaw title claim in the works to seek good chunk of Nova Scotia lands 7:54

6d ago7:54

7:54

Our lead story: a major Mi'kmaw-led, Aboriginal title claim in the works at Sipekne'katik First Nation in Nova Scotia, the scope of which would include a good chunk of the province.By APTN

1
Dec. 17, 2025—Mi'kmaw cannabis sellers meet to discuss Nova Scotia crackdown on stores 10:06

7d ago10:06

10:06

Our lead story: a Mi'kmaw organization representing over 60 cannabis retailers in Nova Scotia meets to strategize on a provincial crackdown on their operations.By APTN

1
The consequential moments Mohawk historian Cody Groat has his eyes on 26:06

7d ago26:06

26:06

On this episode of Face to Face: Cody Groat As a professor in history and Indigenous studies, Cody Groat always has his eyes on political affairs, and at the moment, there is no shortage of consequential issues affecting Indigenous Peoples. The 10th anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report is one of those…

1
Dec. 16, 2025—10 years after TRC final report, renewed calls to fight residential school denialism 10:15

8d ago10:15

10:15

Our lead story: a decade after the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was released, some mark the anniversary with reflection and renewed calls to tackle residential school denialism.By APTN

1
Dec. 15, 2025—RCMP arrest 27 in northern Manitoba drug bust 9:20

9d ago9:20

9:20

Our lead story: RCMP in northern Manitoba arrest 27 people and lay 51 drug trafficking related charges under the police operation known as Project Derry.By APTN

1
Dec. 12, 2025—Treaty 8 First Nations signal strong opposition to proposed tar sands pipeline 8:07

12d ago8:07

8:07

Our lead story: Treaty 8 First Nations leaders gather in Ottawa to voice their opposition to a recently signed federal/Alberta MOU promoting a future tar sands pipeline to B.C.'s west coast, a proposal they were not consulted on.By APTN

1
Can Nunavut fix its child welfare crisis? 47:07

12d ago47:07

47:07

On this edition of APTN News InFocus, host Cierra Bettens looks at the state of child welfare in Nunavut and why advocates say the territory is falling behind. Child and youth representative Jane Bates has been raising the alarm for years. In her latest report she says the territory is making little progress in the areas most critical to keeping yo…

1
Two child welfare plans head to Canadian Human Rights Tribunal 25:17

12d ago25:17

25:17

Two separate processes, now in motion to try to end long-standing discrimination in the federal on-reserve child-welfare system, will take important steps this month. Chiefs in Ontario are seeking approval from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for a regional reform agreement, while First Nations leaders in the rest of the country, represented by …

1
Dec. 11, 2025—Sipekne'katik First Nation bans Nova Scotia premier, cabinet ministers, from their lands 8:04

13d ago8:04

8:04

Our lead story: citing a variety of issues, the chief and council of Sipekne'katik First Nation vote to ban the premier of Nova Scotia from their lands, along with two of his cabinet ministers.By APTN

1
Dec. 10, 2025—Century-old kayak among repatriated Inuit items newly unveiled to public 8:26

14d ago8:26

8:26

Our lead story: Inuit artifacts over a hundred years old—included a hand-crafted, sealskin kayak—are newly unveiled to the public at the Canadian Museum of History shortly after their repatriation from the Vatican.By APTN

1
Joel Pedersen talks '60s Scoop, rising through the military ranks 28:50

14d ago28:50

28:50

On this episode of Face to Face: Joel Pedersen Our guest this week is Chief Warrant Officer Joel Pedersen of 38 Canadian Brigade Group in the Canadian Army's Third Division. In October 2024, he became the first First Nations person to serve as brigade sergeant major. The Fond du Lac band member joined the Canadian Army Reserve at 17 and later mento…

1
Dec. 9, 2025—Dozens of Indigenous artifacts long held by Vatican begin journey home 8:52

15d ago8:52

8:52

Our lead story: held overseas for over a century, dozens of items belonging to Indigenous peoples in Canada began their repatriation from the Vatican over the weekend. >Interstitial: zapsplat.comBy APTN

1
Dec. 8, 2025—Concern for Saskatoon's growing unhoused population as temps drop 7:22

16d ago7:22

7:22

Our lead story: as colder weather sets in across the Prairies, concern mounts in Saskatoon over a growing number of people without stable housing, some of them from First Nations north of the city.By APTN

1
Dismantling Denialism 24:59

17d ago24:59

24:59

In Canada, the histories of residential school survivors are being challenged by a surge of denialism. Dismantling Denialism confronts those attempts to rewrite history — and explores what it will take to defend truth and reconciliation. APTN Investigates: Dismantling Denialism | By Christopher Read • • • APTN National News, our stories told our wa…

1
Dec. 5, 2025—AFN meeting wraps up discussing major projects, First Nations infrastructure gap 9:03

19d ago9:03

9:03

Our lead story: as the Assembly of First Nations winter meeting wraps up in Ottawa, a panel discussion on economic partnerships features chiefs and federal cabinet ministers.By APTN

1
Prime minister faces applause, skepticism at AFN special chiefs Assembly 25:24

20d ago25:24

25:24

The Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly opened this week with a blunt assessment from National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who told delegates the federal government had fallen short on key promises. But the national chief also marked one significant win, an agreement securing a First Nations seat at the First Ministers meeting. Tha…

1
Dec. 4, 2025—Ontario chiefs sceptical of federal promise of clean water legislation 10:18

20d ago10:18

10:18

Our lead story: at a press conference on Parliament Hill, some Ontario chiefs express scepticism about renewed federal promises of clean water legislation for First Nations.By APTN

1
Dec. 3, 2025—Feds/Alberta pipeline MOU does not go over well at AFN meeting 9:13

21d ago9:13

9:13

Our lead story: at day one of the Assembly of First Nations winter meeting in Ottawa, last week's federal/Alberta tar sands pipeline MOU does not go over well with chiefs on the floor.By APTN

1
Aysanabee still trying to process the last three years 28:32

22d ago28:32

28:32

On this episode of Face to Face: Aysanabee Oji-Cree multi-instrumentalist, Aysanabee has been on a run like very few others in the Canadian music industry. He burst onto the scene in 2022 with his debut album Watin, named after his grandfather, a residential school survivor. The album, based in part on conversations between the two during the pande…

1
Dec. 2, 2025—Three years after her murder, landfill search for Ashlee Shingoose's remains begins 6:11

22d ago6:11

6:11

Our lead story: the search of a Winnipeg-area landfill begins for the remains of 30-year-old mother of three Ashlee Shingoose—one of four First Nations women murdered over three years ago by a now-convicted serial killer.By APTN

1
Dec. 1, 2025—Ross River Dena Council opposes $4B Yukon–BC Grid Connect proposal 8:46

23d ago8:46

8:46

Our featured story: the Ross River Dena Council speaks out against the proposed $4 billion 'Yukon–British Columbia Grid Connect' project, touted by the Carney government as one of its initial "nation-building" priorities.By APTN

1
November 28, 2025—Criticism of federal/AB MOU signing on proposed bitumen pipeline to BC 9:56

26d ago9:56

9:56

Our lead story: with a MOU on a new proposed tar-sands-to-B.C. pipeline now signed, some slam the conditions of the federal/Alberta memorandum of understanding as excessive, while others claim there should have been more attached.By APTN

1
Who gets status? Inside the fight over the second-generation cut off 34:40

26d ago34:40

34:40

On this edition of APTN News InFocus, host Cierra Bettens looks at the debate over the second-generation cut-off in the Indian Act. The Senate's Indigenous Affairs committee is reviewing Bill S-2, proposed legislation from the government that ends some discrimination against women in the Indian Act - but not all. The committee also wants to add an …

1
Bill S-2 amendments to end discrimination face critical Senate vote Tuesday 25:08

27d ago25:08

25:08

Sweeping changes to Bill S-2 that would eliminate the second-generation cutoff from the Indian Act will face a crucial vote in the Senate on Tuesday. If the amendments are approved, they will mark a historic step toward ending decades of gender-based discrimination in First Nations status law—but they also risk delaying the bill's original goal, re…

1
November 27, 2025—Talk of proposed tar sands pipeline to BC criticized by some First Nations 9:15

27d ago9:15

9:15

Our lead story: an anticipated federal/Alberta memorandum of understanding regarding a proposed pipeline from the tar sands to the west coast sparks concerns from both British Columbia and First Nations.By APTN

1
November 26, 2025—Community consultation report on Manitoba Red Dress Alert system 9:30

28d ago9:30

9:30

Our lead story: Manitoba's Red Dress Alert system takes one step closer to reality with the release of a final report on community consultations.By APTN

1
Niigaan Sinclair says pace of TRC implementation 'frustrating' 28:31

29d ago28:31

28:31

On this episode of Face to Face: Niigaan Sinclair Educator, author and columnist Niigaan Sinclair brings sharp insight and clear perspective to every conversation – whether it's in the classroom or on the page. A professor in the department of Indigenous studies at the University of Manitoba, Niigaan was named columnist of the year at the 2018 Nati…

1
November 25, 2025—AFN council says new Alberta laws threaten safety of two-spirit Indigenous youth 6:39

29d ago6:39

6:39

Our featured story: the Assembly of First Nations 2SLGBTQQIA council claims new Alberta laws affecting young trans individuals—laws exempt from Charter-based court challenges for 5 years under the so-called notwithstanding clause—directly threaten the safety of Indigenous youth in the province.By APTN

1
Rob Smith looks back on his series about disappearances in the BC interior 7:09

30d ago7:09

7:09

This week on APTN Investigates Retrospectives, we look back at DARK VALLEY—Holly Moore and Rob Smith's 2018 story on a series of disappearances in the BC interior. With multiple updates since the story first aired, Rob Smith joins host Brittany Guyot to talk about what it was like on the ground. Dark Valley | Originally aired October 19, 2018: http…

1
November 24, 2025—Family of missing Natanis Merasty remain hopeful she'll be found 7:42

1M ago7:42

7:42

Our lead story: a candlelight vigil near the Alberta legislature is held in honour of Natanis Merasty, the missing 24-year-old from Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, last seen in Edmonton this past May.By APTN

1
Ivan Zinger: Why Canada's prison watchdog is leaving early 36:20

1M ago36:20

36:20

On this edition of APTN News InFocus, host Cierra Bettens speaks with Canada's outgoing Correctional Investigator, Ivan Zinger, about why he's leaving the job early after eight years. In his final annual report, he called for an overhaul of mental health services in federal corrections, arguing that they're ill-equipped to provide long-term care. T…

1
November 21, 2025—Latest on alleged misspending of Kanesatake pandemic funds 10:10

1M ago10:10

10:10

Our lead story: new and significant developments concerning allegations of misspending of federal Covid-19 relief funds at the Mohawk community of Kanesatake.By APTN

1
Nunatsiavut government surprised by G7 announcement on Strange Lake mine 28:34

1M ago28:34

28:34

The Carney government's first budget passed with opposition support, but not everyone backed it. Nunavut MP Lori Idlout explains why she abstained. Plus, renewed plans for a gas pipeline in B.C. face opposition from Lax'yip Firekeepers. And $2.8 billion earmarked for off-reserve housing remains unspent. We hear from advocates calling for action. Th…