Tom Longboat run cancelled by Six Nations after family decries local cannabis industry

Cameron Mahler · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 04, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 35 minutes ago

The Tom Longboat run, hosted annually by Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) near Brantford, Ont., since 1999, has been cancelled aft the household spoke retired against the First Nation's cannabis industry.

Brian Winnie, grandson of the famed Haudenosaunee runner who died successful 1949, published a connection connected a household blog saying contiguous household would not enactment successful today's lawsuit arsenic a nonstop effect of the "societal catastrophe" that is the cannabis manufacture connected Six Nations land.

According to Winnie, the Six Nations-elected set assembly is liable for the "death, drugs, overdoses, organized crime, human/sex trafficking and different types of related crimes, present occurring connected Six Nations territory" arsenic a effect of the cannabis industry.

He wrote the household would nary longer enactment in, endorse oregon let the usage of Longboat's sanction successful transportation with immoderate activities sponsored by immoderate set council, not conscionable constricted to Six Nations.

"Failure to observe this prohibition volition amusement the implicit disregard and deficiency of knowing of who precisely Tom Longboat was and what his connection is."

Winnie was contacted by CBC K-W to beryllium interviewed for this article, but helium declined, saying the statement speaks for itself.

CBC K-W besides reached retired to Six Nations set assembly for comment, but did not person a response.

A connection posted connected the SNGR's Facebook page says the lawsuit was "canceled [sic] retired of respect for the family's presumption and statement."

The connection besides says "efforts are being made to revive the lawsuit for adjacent year, with absorption connected highlighting the corporate achievements of assemblage athletes."

Grow-ops causing distress to residents

Controversy surrounding Six Nations' cannabis manufacture has been circling aft a caller turn cognition popped up adjacent the downtown core, distressing some residents.

Nancy Porter, 1 of those residents, said astatine slightest 55 greenhouses person been erected down her generations-old location implicit the past fewer months.

While the farms are private, they bash person assembly oversight done the Six Nations Cannabis Commission.

• To work much astir the turn cognition connected Six Nations land, work this CBC Indigenous report.

The tally is held annually to memorialize Longboat, who was calved on Six Nations in 1887. 

Growing up, Longboat had been sent to the Mohawk Institute residential school. He escaped from the institute twice by moving away.

More than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were forced to be astir 140 federally funded residential schools successful Canada betwixt the 1870s and 1997, erstwhile the past 1 closed. The schools aimed to portion distant their civilization and language, and reports of wide maltreatment person been documented.

WATCH | The History of Tom Longboat:

Longboat's archetypal notable competitory moving accomplishment was in 1907, erstwhile helium won the Boston Marathon.

In 1916, his volunteered for the First World War and served arsenic a connection runner successful Europe. At 1 point, helium was erroneously reported killed successful action.

Upon returning to Canada, Longboat worked successful Toronto for 20 years and was joined to Martha. Together they had 4 children. The mates moved backmost to Six Nations earlier his death.