Features

Just in time for Mother’s Day, APTN lumi invites you to explore the many faces of motherhood through an inspiring collection of Indigenous stories called Kikâwînawak (Our Mothers). From fierce protectors and resilient nurturers to chosen families and homecomings, these programs reveal that motherhood can be so many different things but at the heart of each bond it is about strength, humour, healing and unwavering love. Whether it’s a young mother starting fresh in North of North, a woman searching for her birth family in Little Bird, or a midwife reclaiming traditional birth practices in The Spirit of Birth, these stories honour the diverse and powerful ways motherhood shapes our lives. 

“In Indigenous cultures, family units go beyond the traditional nuclear family living together in one house. Families are extensive networks of strong, connective kinship; they are often entire communities.” — Tanya Talaga, “The Power of Indigenous Kinship” 

Don’t miss the first episode of North of North beginning January 7th on APTN! It’s the North like you’ve never seen it before: funny, fiesty and fierce!

APTN is set to commemorate the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) on September 30th, 2024, with a compelling lineup of programming. This special day will feature content that honours the history, cultures, and resilience of Indigenous communities. 

As an essential and influential network that plays a crucial role in representing the diverse cultures, perspectives and stories of Indigenous Peoples, APTN wishes to create a safe space for inclusive conversation around How to be an effective ally to Indigenous communities – Guidelines for Allyship. This article explores key principles and actions to assist everyone in becoming genuine allies for Indigenous communities and moving together towards the healing process of reconciliation.  

This September, APTN is set to captivate audiences nationwide with a groundbreaking lineup of Indigenous and French-language programming, now available across the entire country. For the first time ever, viewers from coast to coast to coast can experience the richness of our diverse content on APTN, APTN lumi and our new channel APTN Languages. This new channel supports APTN’s mission to help preserve and revitalize Indigenous languages across Canada, which is especially important during a time when so many of our languages are at risk of disappearing.   

As we get ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary, we can’t help but look back and cheer for a quarter-century of amazing storytelling and cultural celebration at APTN. We’ve been shining a spotlight on the vibrant voices and rich traditions of Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, proving every step of the way that we’re all about honoring our heritage and languages. 

As an organization that’s attentive to diversity issues, APTN wishes to establish more inclusive communication practices within the network.

June is a significant month in Canada, marking National Indigenous History Month.

This spring heralds the launch of the Language Learning for Littles collection on APTN lumi, scheduled for March 25.

Following the signature of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between APTN and Whakaata Māori in December 2022, a delegation from the Aotearoa-based Indigenous broadcaster visited APTN headquarters in Winnipeg in April 2023. 

On April 16, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced the winners of the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards in 145 television, film and digital media categories.

Little Bird, the first joint production between Crave and APTN, was in production from April to June 2022.

In March, APTN’s award-winning investigative news program, APTN Investigates, is launching an important four-part series from inside corrections facilities to uncover why there is an overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples within these institutions. 

To continue celebrating Hockey Night In Canada in Cree and more Indigenous hockey players making it to the NHL, APTN’s hockey fans can now add to their card collections with worldwide sports and entertainment company Upper Deck’s First Peoples Rookie Card pack.

The APTN CEO wants to keep the network flexible as opportunities emerge for Indigenous-led storytelling.

What is winter for, if not for curling up on the couch and finding a new show to get you through the long stretches of cold?

The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer and things that go bump in the night are on the prowl!

This fall, APTN is offering a host of powerful new shows by, for and about Indigenous Peoples to viewers across Canada.

APTN announces special broadcast, Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to air on all platforms in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Join us for APTN Indigenous Day Live 2022 (IDL 2022) at the Forks in Winnipeg, Man., on June 18!

“Shadow of the Rougarou,” aptly dubbed an “Indigenous horror” and “dark western,” will premiere on APTN lumi on May 9, 2022.

This spring, APTN is delighted to share an exciting new lineup of programming with Canadian audiences.

APTN is proud to be bringing Inconvenient Indian, a film from the National Film Board of Canada and 90th Parallel Productions, to audiences across Canada on April 8, 2022.

On December 1, 2021, APTN is proud to present the Alanis Obomsawin collection on APTN lumi. This one-of-a kind collection spans four decades and chronicles the lives, stories and issues faced by Indigenous Peoples all over Turtle Island.

On Sept. 30, for the first time in this country’s history, Canadians will observe a statutory holiday in honour of residential school survivors, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

As the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDT&R) approaches, APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) would like to invite all Canadians to honour residential school survivors and reflect on the lasting impact of the residential school system on Indigenous Peoples.

APTN Indigenous Day Live 2021 brings a joyous celebration of the 25th National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) to screens across Canada on June 20, 2021, showcasing Indigenous Peoples’ long heritage and lively, diverse cultures.

APTN’s language revitalization campaign Speak With Pride launched on March 31, 2021, on National Indigenous Languages Day. The nation-wide interactive engagement platform encourages Indigenous Peoples to speak their language with pride.

APTN is delighted to invite our audiences to tune in to our new and exciting spring programming. As the weather starts to heat up, so does our schedule!  

This article was originally published in Playback on March 17, 2021. 

Adam Garnet Jones will join the organization as director of TV content and special events, while director of marketing Lisa Ducharme has moved over to the programming side.

APTN has carefully weighed the possibility of producing NHL games in Plains Cree again this year. Unfortunately, given the challenges of COVID protocols around logistics and travel, we’ve made the decision to stay on the bench this season.

APTN is thrilled to share its holiday lineup and winter programming, filled with diverse and original content. Watch out for new series, seasons and specials that are sure to entertain and educate over the colder months.

Chuck Hughes is a well-known chef, TV personality and co-owner of top Montreal restaurants. He has embarked on a new adventure with Chuck and the First Peoples’ Kitchen, where he visits Indigenous communities and learns about their culinary arts. APTN sat down with Chuck to chat about his experience creating the show.

This fall, the recording sessions of APTN Indigenous Day Live Winter Solstice brought together musicians of all stripes. Artists recorded in Winnipeg, Halifax, Montreal and remote locations in preparation for the broadcasts airing December 21-25 on APTN.

In belated honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, APTN invites you to illuminate the night with a unique adaptation of APTN Indigenous Day Live (IDL).

This piece was originally published in The Globe and Mail on Nov. 22, 2020 as part of the publication’s “Indigenous Leaders” series. 

On Sept. 25, 2020, APTN, The Guardian Australia, High Country News and the Texas Observer released a collaborative investigative project called “The Anti-Indigenous Handbook.”

APTN is excited to announce its fall 2020 schedule – a season filled with authentic new educational programming and the latest seasons of returning favourites.

APTN started with a radical idea: that Indigenous peoples must tell their own stories, to empower us to design our own ways of articulating who we are, why we are here, and where we are going if we are to truly self-determine.

Tune into the Summer Solstice Concert on June 21 and Concert du solstice d’été on June 22 for a virtual celebration in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Launched in the fall of 2019, this streaming platform gives viewers unprecedented access to programming made by, for and about Indigenous Peoples.

Welcome to the APTN Media Centre! This is the journalist’s one-stop shop for all things APTN, where you’ll find everything from promotional material to fun editorials, to show information and more.

APTN chatted with Ron E. Scott, director/creator/showrunner of the hit show Blackstone to discuss his APTN crime-drama TRIBAL.