Countdown to 00:00:01 01/01/02 The second after New Years Eve, 2001 will go down in history as the most remembered year in history, when the world held its breathe in disbelief and a sick astonishment came over the world during the following months after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. We forevermore changed our outlook of humanity as we know it when another war was waged on the other side of the world to fight an unknown enemy whose culture is completely different from our own. Perhaps, one day, there will be world peace, as most beauty contestants wish for.
On another side, the New Year will bring either a new world awash with cash, houses and jobs from profitable ventures … or the same old same-o past and present situations within the Cree world. I’ve prepared a wish list of some sorts for the Agreement in Principle and compared it to today’s actuality,
Before AIP -Had only millions -Had forests teeming with wildlife -Chiefs in control -Made southern communities benefit -Same old guard -Funds invested in funny ventures -Created large regional companies -Had to go south to do business -P.E.I, used as measuring device -Poor trappers -Baby boomer/residential syndrome -Terra Nova -DIAND design housing -Po-ta-to After AIP -Will have only billions -Forest teeming with loggers on leashes -Chiefs out of control -Hopefully Cree communities will benefit -Changing of the guards -Funds invested for us instead -Create many smaller community companies -Southerners to come north to do business -Labrador sized projects -Rich trappers -JBNQA offspring -Eeyou Estchee -Our own designs -Po-ta-to Perhaps when we make up our minds as to exactly what we want from our lives and futures, then we’ll be happy in knowing that we are going and doing exactly what we want as a nation. When the United States established their so called democratic system, they used native philosophies as an example as to what personal freedom and democracy was meant to be, except with capitalism thrown in there for all its worth. Let’s use our traditional values as a guideline when this new era in nation building either happens or not. The future is in your minds, bring it out and make it so.
With the same regard, I wish the staff at the Nation seasons greetings, even though I’ve only seen you people only once or twice (and BeeZee not even once have I laid eyes on him!) I hope that somehow I’ve enlightened you and our readers, because so far, no one asked me to stop doing what I’m doing! Happy New Year!
