ARTICLES BY NATION

Former 0-J Band Councilor sentenced for sexual assault

Former Oujé-Bougoumou band councilor Lance Cooper was given a conditional sentence of house arrest for one year and 24 months probation after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year old boy in the victim’s own home. The sentence, handed down in O-J June 12, means Cooper will be under house arrest ... read more ››

Grand Chief is hospitalized

Cree Grand Chief Matthew Mukash checked himself into the Montreal General Hospital May 24 to treat what doctors diagnosed as internal bleeding. The Grand Chief thought he was suffering from diarrhea and went to the hospital as a precaution. “He’s recovering well,” said Deputy Grand Chief Ashley Iserhoff. “From what his ... read more ››

Cree Language in Cyberspace

Although many Cree homes now have computers and are connected to the Internet, many people may still be unaware that we have a website dedicated to the Cree language. The Cree Programs staff of the Cree School Board and Dr. Marie-Odile Junker of Carleton University in Ottawa, have been developing ... read more ››

Edith Cloutier nominated Knight of the Ordre nationale du Québec

Val-d’Or, June 1st, 2006_ This Thursday, Premier of Quebec Jean Charest announced the nomination of Mrs. Edith Cloutier, Executive-Director of the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre and President of the Regroupment des Centres d’amitié autochtones du Quebec, as Knight of the Ordre national du Québec. She becomes the second person in ... read more ››

Jolly accepts guilt in X-mas attack

Green activist Freddie Jolly pled guilty on May 12 to four criminal charges, including assault with a weapon. Jolly, who is known for his love of nature and the fight for the preservation of the Rupert River, was also charged with two counts of uttering threats and one count of simple ... read more ››

Ontario Mohawks continue protest

Mohawks continue to occupy land they claim was stolen from them in Caledonia, Ontario. Representatives of the Six Nations and the federal and Ontario governments had signed an agreement to talk about settling the issues underlying the occupation of a partly completed subdivision in late April. So far, talks have been ... read more ››

CRA and Quebec sign cultural deal

The Cree Regional Authority will be getting $435,000 for the renewal of a three-year cultural development agreement, according to the Quebec government. Line Beauchamp, Minister for Culture and Communications, made the announcement on May 15. The monies will be spent for regional and local cultural development. “In a land as vast and ... read more ››

Former OJ band councilor guilty of sexual assault

Former Oujé-Bougoumou band councilor Lance Cooper has pled guilty to sexually assaulting a minor May 8 in OJ. The incident happened at the youths’ house January 30. The 15-year-old alleged victim cannot be identified due to his age. Cooper, 24, who was an Oujé-Bougoumou band councilor at the time, was also charged ... read more ››

2006 NATIONAL ABORIGINAL HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS

The fifth Annual National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) was held May 6-13 in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and the community of Chateauguay. The community of Kahnawake and its people are to be commended for the great hospitality to the people from across this great land. As with last year, ... read more ››

Child shot to death in Waswanipi

Eeyou Istchee has another victim of careless firearm storage, this time in Waswanipi. On May 2, two children under 10 were left alone in a boat tied to a dock with a firearm nearby. “A kid accidentally fired a .410 shot gun,” said Waswanipi Constable Wasesguin Gunner, one of the responding officers. ... read more ››

Quebec scolds Hydro

Hydro-Quebec was caught red-handed and red-faced when they admitted to doing work last summer without a proper permit. An April 24 CBC News report said that Hydro had performed certain remedial works on the Rupert River before the giant hydroelectric project was given an official green light. These works included tree cutting ... read more ››

Innu challenge JBNQA

The Innu of Pessamit have launched a $75-million legal challenge against the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, according to a report in the Montreal Gazette. The Innu cited the fact that they were not a part of the JBNQA in 1975 signed between the Cree and Inuit, and Quebec and ... read more ››

Youth charged in shooting

Short-staffed Mistissini police are relieved after a shooting incident ended without bloodshed. The police received a tip around 1:30 am May 2 that someone was shooting while walking around the community with an arsenal of weapons. “Shots were fired, and we responded to the scene,” police spokesman Bradley Mianscum said. “We didn’t ... read more ››

The POW WOW LISTINGS

May 13: Youth Traditional Pow Wow Rama, Ontario, Mask Arena 705-325-3611 ext. 1294 vickies@mnjikaning.ca May 20-21: Bkejwanong Community Cultural Celebration Pow Wow Wallaceburg, Ontario 519-628-5628 or 519-322-6164 May 26, 27, 28 2006 Odawa Native Friendship Centre 30th Annual Odawa Pow Wow Ottawa Nepean Tent & Trailer Park 411 Corkstown Rd. off Moodie drive North Rain-out location: TBA for more info : (613) 722-3811 www.odawa.on.ca June ... read more ››

Hydro-Québec left red-faced again

Hydro-Québec was left scrambling earlier this month as important security documents were found on a metro bench in Montreal. A Radio-Canada employee found 300 pages describing new security measures in an abandoned file folder in an east-end metro station. The breach was the second in the past year. A Radio-Canada crew freely ... read more ››

Matthew Mukash, wildlife protector

Grand Chief Matthew Mukash has become the newest member of Cree Wildlife Protection as he was sworn in as an auxiliary April 7 in Quebec City. Mukash successfully completed the training program provided by the Protection de la faune du Québec. “He may thus provide the necessary information to the ... read more ››

0-J Midget ‘A’ team deals with tragedy

A talented Oujé-Bougoumou Midget A’ team, also made up of players from Waswanipi and Mistissini, suffered a major blow as they lost one of their supporters in a car crash during a trip to the Inter-regional hockey championships in Farnham. The tragedy was evidently too much to bear as the ... read more ››

Waskaganish wins inter-Regionals in Cowansville

Spurred on by their undefeated season and cohesive team chemistry, the Waskaganish Future Wings have proven that when it comes to Atom A hockey in Quebec, they are the best! “We were the heavy favorites going into the tournament,” said coach Charles Hester. “We played against the best teams from each ... read more ››

JBNQA trumps CEA Quebec Superior Court

The Superior Court of Quebec has ruled that the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act is in violation of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. In a lengthy decision handed down April 3, the Superior Court affirmed the Crees’ constitutional right to “fully participate in the management, control and regulation of the ... read more ››

Cree woman wins ‘Loft Story’

The hugely popular Loft Story, based on the reality series from France of the same name and shown on Télévision Quatre Saisons, has produced a winner after 63 days of being on air – and surprise, she’s Cree! “I feel weird,” Stephanie Belanger from Ouje-Bougoumou told the Nation by phone. “We’ve ... read more ››

Weeneebeg festival

The lights were low, the seats were filled and people were smiling in Moose Factory March 8-12 for the fourth annual Weeneebeg Aboriginal Film and Video Festival. The event drew a record attendance this year with all of the screenings, workshops, special activities and guest artists to make this year’s ... read more ››

Foster Home Sought

Seven-month-old Will is a happy, playful bundle of joy who loves attention, especially being read to. He lies in his crib and tries to talk as if to say, “I am enjoying this story!” He has a good daily routine, is learning to sit up, naps twice a day and sleeps ... read more ››

In Memory of

Matthew Coon Come Sr. passed away on February 15 at the age of 114 (or more) years old. He was born in the 1890s and was the oldest Cree Elder. When he was a little over the youthful age of 100 Coon Come was given a pair of moccasins whereupon ... read more ››

Mistissini’s day centre open for business, others to follow

Mistissini patients will no longer have to go south for non-critical treatment thanks to the recently opened Multi-Services Day Centre. And the other communities aren’t far behind, according to the Cree Health Board. “It went pretty well, it was very good,” said Johnny Loon, the Activity Team Leader, about the mid-February ... read more ››

Waswanipi boy mauled by dogs

A four-year-old boy from Waswanipi is in serious condition at the Montreal Children’s Hospital after a vicious attack by a group of stray dogs. Jordan Icebound was attacked on the afternoon of February 4 in the community. “We’re trying to clean up some of the stray dogs in the community right now,” ... read more ››

O-J band councillor charged with sexual abuse of a minor

Lance Cooper, an Oujé-Bougoumou band council member, has been charged with breaking into a residence and sexually assaulting a minor. The 24-year-old Cooper is currently staying in Waswanipi pending a court appearance in Oujé-Bougoumou on February 13. According to Thierry Potvin, the Crown Prosecutor on the case, the incident allegedly happened on ... read more ››