Matteo Cimellaro

Reporter Ottawa English

News, Indigenous communities, climate change, municipal policing, Ottawa

About Matteo Cimellaro

Matteo Cimellaro is a Cree/settler writer and journalist who currently covers urban Indigenous communities in and around Ottawa, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative and the Government of Canada.

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104 Articles

Non-affliated Sen. Patrick Brazeau in his Senate office. Photo by Spencer Colby / Canada's National Observer

‘I thought the world was coming down’: Sen. Patrick Brazeau draws on personal struggle to fight for alcohol warning labels

Sen. Patrick Brazeau is candid about his struggle with alcohol — it’s what informs his new work in the Senate on alcohol warning labels and suicide prevention.

News, Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa | February 6th 2023

Six of the 29 Carl Beam prints that were on display at Wabano on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Canada Fine Art

‘What a beautiful gift’: Ottawa organization celebrates legacy of renowned Ojibwe artist Carl Beam

An exhibition of Carl Beam's Charity Works collection carried on its original spirit. In 1999, proceeds of sales from the works supported Indigenous organizations, and in 2023, the same is taking place at Wabano.

News, Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa | February 2nd 2023

Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge on the Nekaneet First Nation, about about 30 kilometres southeast from the closest city of Maple Creek, Sask. Photo courtesy of Correctional Service Canada

Healing lodges, designed for Indigenous inmates, are failing the people they’re meant to rehabilitate, say prison reform advocates

After a death at a healing lodge managed by Correctional Service Canada, critics are calling for the return of the original vision of the lodges that are Indigenous-led and community-managed.

News, Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa | February 1st 2023

The debate over mandatory minimums continues in both the Supreme Court and in Parliament, but as Indigenous incarceration increases, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls for them all to be repealed. Photo courtesy of Tom Carnegie

After lithium mine approval, Ontario-based Cree want a seat at the table for environmental assessments of mining in the province

Cree nations in Ontario hope the province will make room for them at the table when developing environmental protections for mining development.

News, Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa | January 18th 2023

Matteo Cimellaro

‘I thought the world was coming down’: Sen. Patrick Brazeau draws on personal struggle to fight for alcohol warning labels

‘What a beautiful gift’: Ottawa organization celebrates legacy of renowned Ojibwe artist Carl Beam

Healing lodges, designed for Indigenous inmates, are failing the people they’re meant to rehabilitate, say prison reform advocates

Should mandatory minimum sentencing exist? Supreme Court rulings highlight ongoing debate

What if an Indigenous woman was the face of Canada’s $20 bill?

Feds, First Nations settle class-action lawsuit over ‘collective harm’ of residential day schools

3 issues that got the federal NDP revved up at caucus retreat

Feds fund cultural awareness teacher, community-based services to tackle high rates of Inuit in justice system

‘Significant increases’ in mental health hospitalizations for First Nations youth, StatCan says

After lithium mine approval, Ontario-based Cree want a seat at the table for environmental assessments of mining in the province