ARTICLES BY Amy German

Sleeping it off on the streets of the city of gold

While many folks are still enjoying the warm heat of the August sun, luxuriating in it over vacation time with family or hitting the mall for back-to-school shopping, the growing numbers of alcohol and drug addicted people on the streets of Val-d’Or all face the same problem: where am I ... read more ››

A goal-oriented approach

Whatever else one might say about Irene Neeposh’s run for chief in Waswanipi’s election on August 31, few would say the candidate lacks ideas for ways to help and improve her community. Neeposh spoke with the Nation recently about why she believes she is the right woman for the job. Neeposh emphasizes ... read more ››

Scoring special status

The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) has been granted special consultative status at the United Nations, helping further the cause of urban Aboriginals in Canada and, in turn, presenting the friendship centre model to an international audience. On July 22, NAFC learned it had received United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) ... read more ››

Barricading INAC

After years of infighting, members of the Barriere Lake community have come together to fight Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl’s bureaucrats and their determination to disallow the community’s customary electoral process. In recent years the divided community has had a series of interim chiefs representing only one faction, or competing chiefs ... read more ››

A place to call home

The Crees of Washaw Sibi have set their sights on an area to build a village that they can finally call home. If all goes according to plan, it will be the first time they have ever had their own officially recognized community. It’s been a long time coming. The Department ... read more ››

Crees on the contamination scene

Though the province of Quebec has its own steering committee mandated to assess the contamination and conduct a cleanup on sites near Oujé-Bougoumou that have been affected by several mining operations, the community has decided to get more involved. According to Oujé-Bougoumou’s Traditional Pursuits Director Norman Wapachee, Chief Louise Wapachee and ... read more ››

Video won’t kill this radio star

Joshua Iserhoff describes his radio show, “The Joshua Show”, as a blend of “Larry King stirred in Oprah, dipped in Amanpour, sprinkled with Seacrest and finally kissed by Ellen”, all in Cree. Three months ago, Iserhoff took to the James Bay Cree Communications Society airwaves and discovered the new monthly talk-show ... read more ››

A Cree-owned hotel

The city of Val-d’Or will be stepping up to the plate when it comes to offering accommodations and meeting spaces to clients from the north and abroad at the new Quality Inn and Suites, slated to open in January 2011. On June 28, Crees from the Cree Regional Economic Enterprises Company ... read more ››

Stopping Aboriginal stereotyping

Starting in September, a new one-day training course will be given to health and social services workers in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region that is geared specifically at diminishing racism and racial stereotypes of Aboriginals. Known as the PIWASEHA training project, the six-hour course was developed through the Algonquin Nation Programs and Services ... read more ››

Yep, you can too!

While unemployment rates in the Ontario Cree communities is high and often it is difficult to find local job training, the Youth Entrepreneurship Program at the John R. Delaney Youth Centre is offering a new solution. Starting for the first time in the 11 Ontario Mushkegowuk Cree communities in early July, ... read more ››

Truth and reconciling

First Nations, Métis and Inuit from across Canada convened, shared, prayed and made permanent records of the abuse that they suffered at the hands of the government-imposed Residential School System at the Truth and Reconciliation National (TRC) Event held in Winnipeg from June 16-19. Many of Canada’s First Peoples attended the ... read more ››

Voices of opposition heard in Vermont

While Vermont moved quickly this past May to pass a bill that would see Hydro-Québec granted status as a renewable-energy source, no Crees had the opportunity to speak about the projects that have so deeply affected them in the state legislature. Instead, journalist Keefer Irwin took statements made on Vermont Public ... read more ››

Imposing elections

According to Tony Wawatie, a community representative from Barriere Lake, Minister Chuck Strahl and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) are imposing section 74 of the Indian Act electoral system on the community despite its desire to select its own leadership traditionally. “They are sending out mail-in ballots to ... read more ››

From missing to murdered

Bones found by a construction worker near the Mercier Bridge linking Montreal to the South Shore have been identified as those of Tiffany Morrison, a Mohawk woman who disappeared on June 18, 2006. “The body was found in the bush, a good 100 feet off a roadway along the 132-138 service ... read more ››

Safety during the blaze

During the last week of May, with soaring temperatures and no rain for a succession of days, forest fire season began early and with a big bang. According to Éloïse Richard, an information agent from SOPFEU, Quebec’s forest fire protection agency, though the fires were in the Mauricie region, with southern ... read more ››

Where energy meets environment

Amidst a May heat wave that had the entire population of Quebec practically melting, Crees, members of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue business community and a series of experts in everything from wind power to mining to environmental protection converged for a two-day meeting of minds. With energy and natural resource development being a ... read more ››

In memory of Shannen Noella Jane Koostachin

At the tender age of 15, youth leader Shannen Koostachin, who garnered national and international attention for standing up to Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl on Parliament Hill, has passed away as a result of a May 31 car accident. Koostachin, originally from the Attawapiskat First Nation on the Ontario side ... read more ››

Walking to the General’s beat

Chisasibi is gearing up for a big 10-km community walk on June 23 for diabetes awareness and in doing so they will be honouring the memory of Alan “the General” Neacappo, a community member who could be found at just about any of these types of walks in the past. As ... read more ››

Partnering up

CREECO had formed a new business partnership with Marcel Baril Ltée to obtain 51 per cent ownership of a new construction supply distribution company. The Cree Regional Economic Enterprise Company’s newest Entity will be known as Eeyou Distribution and under the new partnership agreement; both parties will be looking to pool ... read more ››

Hitting the big time

Call them the little festival that could, despite hard times, financial woes and a lifetime of living in the shadows of other major Montreal festivals, Land InSights, the Montreal First People’s Festival, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in a big way. In the last few years the First People’s festival has ... read more ››

Strateco comes to Mistissini

Several months late, Strateco finally made their way to Mistissini and Chibougamau to present the results of their environmental impact study on May 25-26. The mining development corporation was supposed to make their presentation 45 days after the environmental impact study (EIS) was released last fall but it was repeatedly delayed. At ... read more ››

More than just a roadside attraction

While Quebec may have a never-ending series of festivals running throughout the summer months, the province also has a whole bounty of attractions that can be taken in at any time for some family fun and excitement. Whether you are seeking action and adventure, water parks or roller coasters, Quebec has ... read more ››

Fighting racism from outside and within

In recognition of his contributions to working with Aboriginal communities from across Canada through his charitable organization, Gathering Nations Together (GNT), Kenny Blacksmith has been appointed to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF). The CRRF originated out of an agreement between the Canadian government and the National Association of Japanese Canadians ... read more ››

Crees victorious in court

Canada’s top court ruled in favour of the Grand Council of the Crees in regards to a six-year battle sparked by a mining company’s attempt to leave the Crees out of the equation when it came to obtaining mining permits for a vanadium mine on Cree territory. Six years ago, Lac ... read more ››

Gearing up to chill out

While many Crees are still out in the bush getting their first taste of the easier living that comes with warmer weather, the Nation has already set its sights on the future to help you plan out your vacation time. For some individuals summertime is all about living slower while vacationing ... read more ››

Hydro getting a better name in Vermont

The Vermont Senate is moving quickly to pass a bill that would see Hydro-Québec granted status as a renewable-energy source which could in turn increase energy exports to the state. In that each of the U.S.’s 50 states has its own Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) when it comes to defining which ... read more ››