January ’94 Cree Territory Mexican peasants, mostly Natives, calling themselves Zapatistas seize four towns in the state of Chiapas. Ted Moses, Cree Ambassador to the UN, visits Mexico on a human rights mission.
Revenue Canada says that as of Jan. 1, 1995 certain Natives under certain conditions within certain guidelines, who had been formerly tax-exempt, will have to pay income taxes.
Grand Chief Coon Come expresses concern that Crees seem to be outnumbered 3-to-1 in the staff at most Cree entities and businesses. Little Big Horn? The rest of the world North American Free Trade Agreement comes into effect.
Davis Inlet boots out RCMP claiming they have no jurisdiction, but finally hand over 12 prisoners on January 2.
Liberal Daniel Johnson is sworn in as Quebec’s 25th premier succeeding Robert Bourassa. Liberals still refuse to give up Bourassa’s wet dreams for the Cree Territory.
During the coldest days of the year Hydro-Quebec coped with a record energy demand, with power to spare.
Rhode Island decides it doesn’t need any more power and says no to Hydro-Quebec offers of power.
Nancy Kerrigan is attacked and injured. Later Tonya Harding admits to conspiring to have her competitor knocked out of the Olympic competition.
February Cree Territory Mistissini is raided as the Raid des Braves adds Mistissini to its snowmobile race route. Two Cree teams from Waswanipi and Mistissini place amoung the top four.
Walter Bosum from Ouje-Bougoumou wins amateur class in the 28th annual Chibougamau Rallye.
1st Aboriginal Law Moot is held in Toronto.
Servinor comes under fire for withdrawing large amounts of money under the cash management fund system.
Hydro engineers say they are worried about energy over-capacity and question the need for more dams.
The rest of the world Police threaten to raid Mohawk reserves over cigarette smuggling The 700 Club (Christian Broadcasting Association) launches a new ministry specifically catering to the First Nations peoples.
Ottawa and Quebec drop cigarette prices by $22 a carton in an effort to combat the growing black market. Cigarette tax revenues rise rather than dropping.
March Cree Territory Maamuitaau wins journalist award from Nursing Association.
Waswanipi Cree evangelist Billy Ottereyes starts a gospel radio show heard in 18 states and 6 provinces. It is also broadcast to the Cree Territory.
Tufts University sells Hydro bonds.
Lawrence Martin wins Juno in new Aboriginal music category.
Crees get less than needed for housing from Ottawa.
New York Power Authority says it doesn’t need Hydro-Quebec’s power and kills 800-megawatt deal. Consolidated Edison backs away from a potential $2-billion contract with Hydro.
New controls are implemented for the cash management fund.
The rest of the world Liberal hatchet man Claude Ryan retires at 69.
Assembly of First Nations starts inquiry into residential schools.
Charlie Watt loses Makivik election.
Quebec Federation of Professional Journalists holds forum at which Quebec Ombudsman Daniel Jacoby says some Quebec editorialists are writing hateful articles against Aboriginal peoples.
April Cree Territory Chisasibi residents can finally sit down on a toilet knowing they have adequate sewers.
Cree policing crisis begins when outside funds are cut April 1st.
Makivik signs deal with Hydro-Quebec on Great Whale.
CRA representatives call for resignation of Board of Compensation controller Richard Brouillard.
The rest of the world Milton Born With A Tooth found guilty in Alberta on weapons charges because of the Lonefighters’ stand against the Oldman River hydro-project.
American Indian Movement charges that one of its founders, Clyde Bellecourt, is a police informer.
May Cree Territory Overall a good goose hunt for most Crees. Several rumours had circulated they had taken it out of the freezer, but Don MacLeod, Fredrick “Bleg” Jonah, Freddy Shecapio-Blacksmith, “Domis,” David Whiskeyjan, Andrew Moore, George Kudlu and Isaac Rupert fortunately have witnesses to their getting the first goose in Mistissini, Waskaganish, Ouje-Bougoumou, Waswanipi, Eastmain, Nemaska, Wemindji and Whapmagoostui respectively. Who will be the first this year? Abel Kitchen elected president of the newly formed Aboriginal Business Council of Quebec.
In Mistissini Northern Stores proposes bringing in Kentucky Fried and Pizza Hut if band agrees to foot $1-million renovation bill.
The rest of the world Nelson Mandela becomes first black president of South Africa.
Palestine and Israel sign an agreement to implement Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip.
June Cree Territory Crees and others mourn the loss of Isaiah Awashish. Written by Boyce Richardson, his obituary is the only one of a Cree hunter to appear in a national newspaper, the Globe and Mail.
Initiation for pow wow dancers takes place at Fort George Pow Wow.
Minister of Indian Affairs Ron Irwin says Quebec Natives and their territories would be welcome to stay in Canada.
The rest of the world Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (first university run by Natives in Canada, what will they think of next?) gets permanent facilities.
Vancouver riots when New York Rangers beat the Canucks to take the Stanley Cup on the 14th.
A PQ politician describes government response to Oka as “weak” and suggests that under the PQ, reaction would be swift and harsh if Natives don’t honour an independent Quebec.
The O.J. Simpson police freeway chase kick starts the O.J. Simpson saga. Maybe we’ll find out if he was guilty this year.
M3i scandal rocks Hydro-Quebec and the Liberal government. Enormous profits are made by prominent Liberals such as Mario Bertrand (Bourassa’s former chief of staff). For an initial investment of $20,000, his shares are now reported to be worth $1 million. Politics and business anyone, apparently it pays well.
July Cree Territory Moose depletion is a hot topic at Waswanipi’s annual CTA meeting. Crees in Waswanipi have been requesting that Quebec look into this problem for years. Quebec wants to limit the Cree hunt despite guarantees in the James Bay Agreement. Quebec worries that limiting non-Native hunting will be seen as showing favouritism to the Crees. Meanwhile in Nemaska non-Native fishermen disturb sturgeon spawning grounds.
Hydro-Quebec’s private police force comes under fire. HQ union complaints join those of Natives and environmentalists. Leaked documents show hostility to Natives and environmental groups.
First Cree Nations Gathering takes place in Saskatchewan.
The rest of the world Earth is glad to be alive after huge chunks of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collide with Jupiter.
A Quebec inquiry finds that the Montreal Urban Community police are racist, ill-trained and poorly equipped. RCMP Sikh members are allowed to wear turbans, says the Supreme Court. The Surete du Quebec union says armoured cars should be taken out of storage and used against Mohawks.
Mohawks in Kahnawake say no way to casino plans.
Reform Party steps on Native toes by suggesting they are “children” living off of arich uncle and comparing reservations to south sea islands. He is invited to visit a few “islands.”
August Cree Territory Wemindji celebrates 35th anniversary.
The Cree Board of Health and Social Services walks in and takes out five kids from a Val d’Or youth services center.
Eastmain becomes first Cree community to officially recognize the role of the tallyman in band resolutions.
Air Creebec reports it is in the black and looking good.
Hydro-Quebec union says the dams are vulnerable despite Hydro cops’ mandate to secure them.
Two jet fighters collide over James Bay. A shame the pilots didn’t get a chance to sample Cree hospitality.
The rest of the world Woodstock II takes place 25 years after the first one. This time the promoters cash in.
PQ candidate Richard Le Hir gets into pre-election hot water over comments that Natives have nothing to teach him and questioning their being civilized in the past.
September Cree Territory 1st James Bay Cree Nations Gathering takes place.
There are no police services in Cree communities; police crisis begins.
MoCreebec expelled from Mushkego-wuk Council after Chiefs’ meeting in Timmins.
PQ separatists inflamed over Grand Chief’s visit to Washington and La Presse editorialists accuse Coon Come of playing whites off against each other. Divide and conquer anyone? Newly elected Premier Parizeau keeps Native portfolio. Only 21 per cent of Crees actually vote in the provincial election.
The rest of the world The PQ takes power with 77 seats crushing the Liberals’ 44. Ungava riding represented by PQ’s Michel Letourneau.
Davis Inlet given respite as Newfoundland Justice Minister calls off forced entry of government officials.
A white buffalo is born and seen as fulfilling a Sioux prophecy of the arrival of a new era.
The baseball season is cancelled officially. The NHL mimics the baseball season as the players are locked out despite their willingness to play while negotiating.
October Cree Territory James O’Reilly resigns as Cree general legal counsel.
PQ offers Natives possibility of resource royalties.
The rest of the world The Solar Temple commits mass suicide and murder of its own members. The temple had a few tie-ins with Hydro-Quebec through membership and employee motivation seminars.
Lady Di and Prince Charles release biographies revealing “all” that happened in their turbulent marriage. Scotties softies for those tears anyone? November Cree Territory Grand Chief Coon Come gets environmental award and Hydro-Quebec calls it a “victory for propaganda and for disinformation.”
Police agreement quietly signed by mail after Crees refuse to do so in proposed public ceremony.
Quebec Native Women’s Association celebrates 20th anniversary.
Four of the five committees studying the Hydro-Quebec Great Whale study say it is flawed and recommend over 300 changes to this $256-million report.
On the lighter side PQ Premier Jacques Parizeau says publicly that the Great Whale project is put on hold indefinitely. Crees and environmentalists wary but jubilant.
The rest of the world Quebec misses out on the $9 billion in contracts that the Team Canada trade mission brings back from China when Premier Parizeau boycotts the trip.
December Cree Territory The Nation celebrates one year of existence and expands to include the west coast of James Bay.
Ouje-Bougoumou sees work begun on a new phone system.
Atomic Energy Board of Canada admits Cree officials weren’t warned of danger of lights that saw 16 west coast Cree children exposed to radiation in Kashechewan.
The rest of the world Federal government admits it may cut off funds to Native Friendship Centers, putting 1,800 jobs in jeopardy.
Federal Bloc Québécois Leader Lucian Bouchard loses his leg to a flesh-eating virus.
Premier Jacques Parizeau introduces a bill declaring Quebec a sovereign country that includes 17 steps on how to achieve independence. Say what… is the cart in front of the horse?
