Chief Bird responds to allegations made in CBC story on the Meadows purchase
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By James Wastasecoot
PEGUIS - Chief Dr. Stan Bird went on social media Saturday Nov 22, to update Peguis band members on the article published on the CBC news website Nov 18 about the sale of the Meadows property. Chief Bird refuted allegations from former Peguis Real Estate Trustees that he is responsible for Peguis losing land and $10 million due to a bad deal on the Meadows. He said several deals including Assiniboia Downs, the BFI loans, and Meadows were initiated - and failed - under the leadership of former Chief Glenn Hudson. Terra Indigena is reaching out to Hudson, and the former chair of Peguis Real Estate Trust Greg Stevenson for comment. We will update this story as more developments occur.
The following is the complete statement by Chief Stan Bird.
I want to bring greetings. Today is Saturday, November 22, 2025. I want to welcome you to another update. In this update, I want to respond to a CBC article that came out on Thursday, November the 18th, 2025 in this article, there seems to be a suggestion that I am responsible for Peguis losing the land known as the Meadows, as well as potentially $10 million of Treaty Land Entitlement monies. This is completely false. This unusual transaction is only the latest in a series of bad deals that were spearheaded by former chief Glenn Hudson, starting with Assiniboine Downs, the Bridging Finance debacle, the M Jardine investment that's seen us lose millions and many more. As a Chief and Council, we continue to do our best to clean up the mess that he has left behind. I want to clarify the background to the Meadows purchase and the eventual sale.
Read more: Chief Bird responds to allegations made in CBC story on the Meadows purchase
Protestors rally at Manitoba Legislature over Peguis CFS
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By Trevor Greyeyes
WINNIPEG, Nov. 14, 2025 - A small group of Peguis First Nation members gathered on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature at noon today, calling for accountability, transparency, and an immediate meeting with the leadership of Peguis Child and Family Services (CFS).
In a handout, the group outlined a series of concerns they say have gone unanswered for months.
The protesters, many of them parents and caregivers, allege that Peguis CFS has drifted away from serving the community and is instead operating with little oversight, limited transparency, and questionable spending priorities.
Several held posters naming conflict-of-interest concerns, budget issues, and the lack of community consultation.
The handout distributed at the rally listed ten key allegations.
Among them is the claim that Peguis First Nation did not hold the required community vote to adopt Bill C-92 the federal "Honouring Our Children, Families and Nation Act" and that was before transferring child-welfare authority from provincial jurisdiction to a community-based system.
According to the document, no community ratification occurred, leaving many members feeling excluded from a decision that directly affects families on and off reserve.
Read more: Protestors rally at Manitoba Legislature over Peguis CFS
Aboriginal Veteran's Day observed in Peguis
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WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
"Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends and country".
As we approach November 11, Remembrance Day, we will remember and celebrate our veterans from Peguis and St. Peters. These brave men who fought and died must be remembered for their sacrifice and bringing victory to our shores. We owe them our freedom and love.
In the two World Wars, our boys volunteered in large numbers, setting examples to all of Canada to unite and defeat the Nazi regime; Victory was theirs.
Many of us had relatives in the war. I had three uncles in the first World War, two who gave up their lives in France, fighting Germany. I heard many of the veterans' stories about the battles they fought to win the war. They even said the Germans were afraid of them.
We are approaching the times where all our second World War veterans are gone now: a few remain around the country and a few widows of these brave soldiers. We still have one widow of WWII, Isabel Bear, her first husband Wallace Sinclair fought and survived WW1 1 .
We had about 98 men and women who were in VVW1 and WWII: these are our veterans who we must never forget. It's our rich heritage and history, and our elders, parents and children must remember them. This history must be shared in school and other gatherings in the future. God be with our boys.
"They shall not grow old as we that are left behind grow old". LEST WE FORGET
The $558,616 line item Peguis CFS won’t explain
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By James Wastasecoot
The Peguis CFS CFO told the AGM 2025 meeting that their board of directors is a “working board” and that its expense of $558,616 for travel and honoraria last year is a legitimate expenditure, honoraria payments are confidential, and detailed explanations are not forthcoming. The Peguis CFS Annual General Meeting was held at the Maamawibiway (former Shergold farm) east of Hodson on Thursday Sept. 25. The meeting was held under the recently constructed dome on artificial turf thoughout, an opulent setting where less than 50 band members were seated at the opening to hear reports and ask questions about the agency.
Days before the meeting, Peguis CFS posted a notice on their website asking people to pre-register because of “limited seating.” In reality, there was plenty of room. For many who were already uneasy with the agency, that message read like a barrier, not an invitation. It likely kept people away. That matters because confidence in Peguis CFS has been shaky. There was a protest at the CFS building just a few months ago. Many band members are hesitant to speak in public meetings at the best of times, let alone stand up to question a service provider about money and governance. If the goal is participation, you don’t start by narrowing the door.
Following the presentation of the 2024-25 financial statements by MNP, I asked a question about the Board travel and honoraria expense of $558,616 which is up from $391,444 last year. A rough calculation reveals this to be $111,723 per board member. Peguis CFS Chief Financial Officer Bev Stranger explained that the CFS Board of directors is a “working board” who meets more than once a month, and that “other costs that have to be allocated into that category. It's not paid to them directly.” She said this includes items such as meeting rooms which are at times not available in Peguis and must be rented elsewhere like Winnipeg, Selkirk, Fisher Branch.
Forging History: Stranger Bronzeworks’ Monument to Chief Peguis Takes Shape in Peguis
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By James Wastasecoot
Wayne Stranger’s ambitious commissioned project to honour Chief Peguis is steadily taking shape in his studio in Peguis. The 18‑foot bronze statue—designed and crafted by Stranger and his team at Stranger Bronzeworks—will be the tallest public monument to any Indigenous leader in Manitoba’s history.
Read more: Forging History: Stranger Bronzeworks’ Monument to Chief Peguis Takes Shape in Peguis
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