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We can clone you wholesale: Boffins build ML agents that respond like specific peopleWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.OTTAWA — The federal government has apologized for its role in the killing of sled dogs in Nunavik between the mid-1950s and the late 1960s. In Kangiqsujuaq, a Nunavik village in Northern Quebec, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree also announced $45 million in compensation for Inuit in the region. "The dog slaughter occurred across Nunavik, spreading grief and devastation from the brutality. For this, words are not enough to express the sorrow and regret we feel," Anandasangaree said at a ceremony Saturday afternoon. "The federal government takes responsibility for its role in the dog slaughter. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, federal officials knew that the dog slaughter was occurring and allowed it to continue, aware that Inuit way of life, health, and wellbeing depended on the dogs. "On behalf of the government of Canada and of all the Canadians, I am sorry. Please forgive us." The apology comes more than 14 years after former Quebec Superior Court Justice Jean-Jacques Croteau issued a report finding Quebec provincial police officers killed more than 1,000 dogs in Nunavik "without any consideration for their importance to Inuit families." Croteau found the federal government failed to intervene or condemn the actions and said the implementation of mandatory schooling and residential school was fundamental in the lead-up to the dog killings. In delivering the apology, Anandasangaree acknowledged the killings in the 1950s were done under federal authority. He also recognized the additional harm "caused by federal responses that did not fully acknowledge the role of the federal government, including the 2006 RCMP report that has been particularly painful for your communities." Receiving a federal apology has been a top priority for Makivvik, the organization which represents Inuit in Nunavik. It's something president Pita Aatami has pressed repeatedly through mechanism of the Inuit-Crown partnership committee -- a bilateral meeting which sees leaders from across Inuit Nunangat get face time with federal ministers three times a year. The Prime Minister attends one of those meetings annually. "I'm hoping for some of them that it will bring closure," Aatami told The Canadian Press ahead of the apology. "When I hear some of the interviews of the elders that had their dog slaughtered, the pain that they went through it was so much. Their livelihood was taken away from them. "They had no more means of going out on the land, to go hunt, to fish, or go get ice, or go to the tree line. All the things they did with their dogs, that was taken away." Aatami said the $45 million will go toward revitalizing the culture of dog team ownership in the region, and "all the things people need to raise dog teams." That includes training, food and fencing. "Historically, Inuit didn’t tie their dogs. That was one way of keeping them healthy. And it's only when the non-natives came, that they started having to tie their dogs. And that's when the dogs became more vicious, lazier. Not as good as before, kind of a thing." Aatami said some of the money will also go toward direct compensation, but how it will be disbursed has not yet been determined. "For me it's just a start because we also want funds for mental healing and so-forth," Aatami said, adding Makivvik had requested $75 million. The 2010 report from Croteau found Canada's liability for the deaths of the dogs arose, in part, because of the establishment of mandatory schooling and residential schools in Nunavik villages, and the failure to intervene sooner when the killing of sled dogs began in four initial villages. "The authorities chose confrontation over negotiation by using the services of the provincial police. As a result, any untied dog was killed without prior warning, while the statute relied upon allowed anyone to kill a stray dog without incurring liability," Croteau wrote. Croteau found Canada knew of the issue involving the killing of sled dogs as early as 1958, but still established more schools in other villages. Because attendance was mandatory, and because Inuit then never allowed themselves to be separated from their children, "Inuit families were in a hurry to settle in villages, bringing their dogs with them in order to ensure their livelihood and transportation," Croteau wrote. In Kangiqsujuaq specifically, where Canada's apology is being delivered, Croteau's report recalls how the federal government opened a school in 1960, then a nursing station a year later. By 1962, small prefabricated houses were built and Inuit settled in the village. Croteau determined that over a three-day period sometime between 1965 and 1967, more than 200 dogs were killed in Kangiqsujuaq alone, amounting to more than half of the canine population. Inuit there also reported some of their dogs died after being inoculated. The vaccines were requested by a federal administrator of the community, Croteau's report found, but nobody had warned Inuit of the risks. Croteau determined the federal government ought to have known that the influx of a large number of non-Inuit to the North would significantly disturb Inuit culture and their way of life. "Moreover, Canada, in its capacity as a fiduciary, should have asked its civil servants to solve the problem in the above-mentioned villages through negotiation instead of confrontation," Croteau wrote. In 2011, then-Quebec Premier Jean Charest formally apologized to Inuit in Nunavik for the province's role in the killings across the region, and settled with Makivvik for $3 million toward promoting and protecting Inuit language and culture. In 2019, the federal government apologized to Inuit in Nunavut for the RCMP's role in killing of sled dogs there. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024. Nick Murray, The Canadian Press
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:46 p.m. ESTAfter Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles
Presbyterian wins 71-61 over Monmouth
As fans await the anticipated crossover between Philadelphia-bred series Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia , Quinta Brunson and Rob McElhenney tided viewers over by joining forces to pull for their hometown Eagles in a promo for Sunday Night Football . “Being an Eagles fan in Los Angeles, I mean, of course you feel like an outsider sometimes,” McElhenny, who hails from Philadelphia, began in the ad. Brunson, who is from West Philly and born to a schoolteacher, agreed: “Being born and raised in Philly, living in LA, you know, you never really forget you’re not from here.” The two-time Emmy winning actress and writer was clad in a tracksuit boasting Eagles’ signature green. “Anyone else notice it’s, like, always freaking sunny here?” McElhenney joked in an obvious reference to his show’s namesake and the perpetual sunshine in California. “I guess you could say with the holidays around the corner, it’s nice to have some family in town,” the Welcome to Wrexham executive producer began, with Brunson chiming in “especially when your family is playing like this: The two football fans singled out quarterback Jalen Hurts, who made a cameo in a February 2024 Abbott episode alongside his teammates, and running back Saquon Barkley in highlight reels, including the latter’s iconic “spin hurdle” that was recently added to video game Madden NFL. But the Los Angeles Rams are formidable opponents, the two stars said: “The Rams did the same thing last year, started slow like they were playing possum,” Brunson noted, with McElhenny adding, “next thing you know, they’re in the playoffs.” (Last year, the Rams lost to the Detroit Lions in the wild card round, with the latter team clinching its first playoff win in 32 years.) “I love the contrast though. And at the end of the day,” Brunson began, with McElhenney finishing her sentence: “There is still no place like home.” The two NFL powerhouses will face off in week 12 of SNF at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. tonight. The game kicks off at 5:20 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock . Heading into the game, the Eagles are 8-2 with the Rams at 5-5. “All right, thanks guys, you can turn off the lights, I actually sleep here, so,” McElhenney said in closing out the video, set to an instrumental of Saint Motel’s “My Type,” filmed on-location at Paddy’s Bar. Last month, the casts of both Abbott and It’s Always Sunny united in a photo to tease the upcoming Disney crossover event of the year. Plot details of the crossover, which will be told in two parts corresponding to each show’s tonally wide-ranging interpretations, are being kept close to the vest. Abbott Elementary will return in the midseason to finish out Season 4 beginning Jan. 8, with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiering Season 17 sometime in 2025. View the SNF promo below:
Western Bulldogs are looking at offering Werribee hard nut and inspirational captain Dom Brew a potential list spot after inviting him to train with the club. The Herald Sun can reveal Brew, 27, will begin training with the Dogs this week in a bid to impress the club’s coaching staff and list management team. It could be the fairytale story of the summer as the mature-age hard and popular skipper nut has been desperately fighting for an AFL chance for years. But he still faces a fight to secure a list spot as the Dogs are weighing up other players to invite to the club as well. While there are no guarantees, the Dogs will consider whether Brew could help provide some midfield depth next season after losing Jack Macrae (St Kilda), Bailey Smith (Geelong) and Caleb Daniel (North Melbourne) in the exchange period. The tough nut enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024 winning the Liston Trophy as the best player in the VFL on 31 votes, nine ahead of second-placed Rory Atkins. Brew averaged 28 possessions, 10 clearances, nine tackles, and six inside 50s a game as part of an outstanding season playing on the ball. It means he is ready-made and will step straight into competitive match simulation with Dogs’ brilliant ball winners Marcus Bontempelli, 29 today, and Tom Liberatore, 32, over summer. Dom Brew will train with the Western Bulldogs in a bid to earn an AFL contract. Pic: Michael Klein Brew, who is one of the most respected and popular players in the VFL, also captained Werribee to the flag, was named captain of the team of the year, and won the coaches’ MVP this year. Brew is renowned for his professionalism, such as taking an ice bath every morning of the year, and outstanding character attributes. Brew said recently he wrote a letter to all 18 club coaches in a bid to try to secure a train-on spot this summer. He is certain to impress with his dedication, however the Dogs are likely to invite other players to try out for the club’s one vacant list spot. The Dogs will make a decision on who joins the list in the new year as part of the supplemental selection period ahead of the new season. The Dogs enjoyed an impressive draft last week, landing midfield-forward Cooper Hynes (pick 20), rebounding defender Lachie Jaques (pick 29), half forward Josh Dolan (pick 31), tall forward and medical student Sam Davidson (pick 51) and speedster Luke Kennedy (pick 61). But after taking five players at the draft, the Dogs have the room to add one more, such as Brew, in the new year after a training stint. Brew said on SEN last week he was desperate to get a chance at the top level. I just wanted to play the highest level of football,” Brew said on SEN. “I’m lucky enough now that I’ve played some good footy that I’m able to do that – write a letter to every club to let them know if there is an opportunity there. “Obviously I’ll only suit a couple of clubs because you get clubs that are rebuilding. But at my age and how much good footy I’ve got left in me, which is about five years, I just thought it was worth a shot. “You never know, and if it doesn’t work out then at least I can go to bed knowing that I did everything I possibly could which was the whole point of my year this year, was just making sure I gave myself the best opportunity to succeed and not leave a stone unturned. I just reckon that all I need is an opportunity. “I just need a foot in the door and the rest will take care of itself. That’s where I’m at mentally, but it’s out of your hands, you just don’t know. “I just feel like I could make a ready impact. There’d be natural improvement to come if you’re doing it every day in a full-time environment. “If I got in that environment where all I was focusing on was footy I’d go to another level. I’m convinced I would anyway.” Dom Brew. Picture Dylan Burns AFL PRE-SEASON SUPPLEMENTARY PERIOD: SEE WHO YOUR CLUB MIGHT TAKE AS AN SSP PICK Carlton and Essendon will be targets for hopefuls frozen out by during the AFL’s draft week, as the fight for a summer train-on spot begins. With the drafts now finished, the next chance for players to get on an AFL list will be the summer supplemental period (SSP) in February. Both the Bombers and Blues kept two spots open on their rookie lists for summer signings by passing up twice during Friday’s rookie draft. Liam McMahon will train with the Blues this summer. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos The Blues have promised cut pair Sam Durdin and Matt Carroll a chance to train with the club again and push for a SSP spot, while former Hawthorn No.6 pick Denver Grainger-Barras and Blues VFL ace Liam McMahon will get a go during pre-season. Clubs can have two players train per open list spot, and last summer those players were paid $1000 per week to put their hands up. Essendon has told delisted defender Kaine Baldwin he is welcome to return in summer and target one of the Bombers’ spots, while Jaxon Prior has been linked to the club. The Western Bulldogs kept a close eye on SANFL star ruck Harry Boyd amid intense interest from St Kilda leading into the draft. Norwood star Harry Boyd. Picture: David Mariuz Boyd was overlooked as the Saints plucked teen ruck Alex Dodson, and the joint Magarey medallist from Norwood could be in the sights of the Dogs as a Tim English back up. “He certainly deserves a crack at the AFL, he’s the best player in the SANFL and clubs would be silly not to look at him,” Norwood general manager of football Richard Kelly said. “We’re expecting clubs to offer him a train-on spot in the next couple of days and if he gets an opportunity, good luck to him.” Port Adelaide will invite North Melbourne VFL skipper Jack Watkins to audition for a SSP spot. Jack Watkins will train with Port Adelaide. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos Fremantle has long been expected to sign former Cat and Power midfielder Quinton Narkle and didn’t lock him in during the rookie draft. West Coast has been linked to cut Suns defender Sandy Brock. Gold Coast also passed up in the rookie draft and can sign a player through the SSP. Clubs will also be able to clear a spot on the list through long-term injuries or pre-season retirements, with Collingwood ending up with three SSP players last summer after Nathan Murphy retired. AFL Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories AFL News Inside father-son Crow’s rise from kicking socks to following dad Ex-Crow Scott Welsh has revealed the moment when he first thought son Tyler might follow in his footsteps – and the move that caught him off guard on draft night. Read more AFL ‘Now or never’: 24yo recruit can be Swans’ new Lizard Riley Bice had played everywhere, from Murray Bushrangers’ under-18 side to the Tiwi Bombers. But it was a surprise shift to defence at Werribee that caught the eye of AFL recruiters. 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