ARTICLES BY Jeremy East

Saganash re-elected in northern Quebec, Liberals win majority

Romeo Saganash Justin Trudeau will be Canada’s next Prime Minister, as the nation’s longest election campaign in over 100 years ended October 19 with his Liberal Party sweeping its way into a 184-seat majority government. In a tight regional battle, Waswanipi’s Romeo Saganash retained his seat in the Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou riding. Saganash was ... read more ››

Body of First Nations woman found near Amos

Police are investigating the death of a 20-year-old Cree woman near Amos, but the nature of the incident remains unclear. The body of Cindy Trapper Hamel-Robert was discovered at kilometre 82 of Route 109 near Saint-Dominique-du-Rosaire, in the early morning hours of September 5. Hamel-Robert had been a passenger travelling in ... read more ››

Footwear artisans Creenisgaa win acclaim by staying true to their roots

A good pair of boots wouldn’t normally take you from British Columbia all the way to New York City, but the success of Creenisgaa footwear has been whisking First Nations designers Linda Lavallee and Patrick Stewart across the continent for half a decade. Since 2010, Lavallee of BC’s Nisga’a First Nation ... read more ››

Pierre Dufour – Liberal Party of Canada

Why you are the most qualified person to represent this region? Pierre Dufour first became involved in community development as Director General of Val-d’Or’s mining tourism attraction, the Cité de l’Or. After opening it under Dufour’s guidance in 1995, the attraction went on to win Quebec’s Innovation in Tourism prize ... read more ››

Steven Hébert – Conservative Party of Canada

Why you are the most qualified person to represent this region? Born in Val-d’Or, 28-year-old Steven Hébert is the youngest candidate running in the Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou riding. A graduate of the University of Ottawa, he spent the last four years working in the Prime Minister’s Office as a communications advisor. Prior ... read more ››

Luc Ferland – Bloc Québécois

Why you are the most qualified person to represent this region? Luc Ferland, who represented the Parti Québécois in Quebec’s National Assembly from 2007-2014, is a well-known figure throughout the region. After losing his provincial seat last year, Ferland is looking to represent the region once again, this time on ... read more ››

Dignitaries officially launch Goldcorp’s Éléonore mine

Louise Mayappo speaks to the crowd about her late husband, Michael Mayappo After years of development and negotiation, a gathering of investors, workers and political leaders finally inaugurated Goldcorp’s Éléonore mine last month. Operations at the site 300 km east of Wemindji have been in full swing since April. The July 30 ... read more ››

Terms reached on Baril-Moses dispute and Broadback protection

Yellow areas on this map indicate lands that will now be protected from forestry and development under the new Cree-Quebec agreement. A nation-to-nation forestry agreement has led the Grand Council of the Crees to shelve a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Quebec government, but not all Crees are satisfied with the terms ... read more ››

How one man is fighting the James Bay Highway’s pothole epidemic

Photos from James Bay Highway Road Conditions Group Waskaganish’s Ryan Erless is no stranger to the James Bay Highway (JBH). He’s traveled up and down the 620 kilometres of the decaying two-lane road too many times to count. Like many Crees, Erless knows the highway’s most infamous potholes, cracks and bumps ... read more ››

Report says inadequate Kashechewan dike puts community at risk

For many Crees, the spring thaw is associated with warmer weather and the pleasures of goose break. For the residents of Kashechewan First Nation however, the change of season is a time of destructive flooding and a grim annual evacuation. In late April, the community of 1500 Crees was evacuated for ... read more ››

Tim Whiskeychan’s $5 coin now available

Tim Whiskeychan is officially a minted success. In September, the Nation reported that the Royal Canadian Mint would use the Cree artist’s design for a special edition $5 coin. The coin, which features a Cree hunter aiming his bow at flying geese from behind a blind, was launched at a ... read more ››

Former EEPF officer found guilty of sexual assault, victim speaks out

A former lieutenant with the Eeyou Eenou Police Force, Joshua Kawapit, has been found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced earlier this month after a two-year trial concluded in August. His victim was Linda Masty, a fellow employee at the Whapmagoostui detachment. EEPF detachment in Whapmagoostui When Masty began working as an ... read more ››

Cree School Board grad rates down

A summary page from the Cree School Board’s most recent Annual Report The Cree School Board’s (CSB) latest Annual Report reveals that student success significantly declined across the Cree Nation during the 2012-2013 school year. The CSB has struggled over the last decade to increase graduation rates, particularly among those working towards ... read more ››

Strongman Hugo Girard hoists healthy living in Nemaska

The Cree Nation of Nemaska may have the smallest population in Eeyou Istchee, but if Hugo Girard has his way, it will be home to the biggest biceps of the North. Girard, known for winning numerous international strongman competitions – including the title of “North America’s Strongest Man” in 2001 and ... read more ››

Artwork you can bank on: Tim Whiskeychan designs artwork for new $5 coin

Tim Whiskeychan has been celebrating traditional Cree culture through his art for years, but one of his recent pieces is guaranteed to be collector’s item. One of the Waskaganish artist’s designs has been selected to appear on $5 silver coins produced by the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM). The coin is the ... read more ››

Crees reaffirm position on uranium

The Cree Nations of James Bay have reaffirmed their position on uranium mining in Eeyou Istchee. In a resolution passed August 6 at the Annual General Assembly in Waswanipi, the Cree government reiterated its commitment to ensuring that any land falling under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement remains free ... read more ››

Osheaga music fest brings sights and sounds to Montreal

Montreal’s festival season has offered up a gamut of high-octane events for years, but one of the youngest events on the summer bill has quickly become the city’s biggest. England’s Arctic Monkeys closed out the festival on Sunday evening. (Photo by Pat Beaudry) On August 1, the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival ... read more ››

Results from Chisasibi's Duncan Lake Fishing Derby

Chisasibi’s first Walleye fishing Derby made a splash this weekend, wrapping up on August 17 with big fish and bigger prizes. Organized by the Chisasibi Sports & Recreation Association and held at nearby Duncan Lake, the event attracted anglers from across Quebec. “It was our 1st Walleye fishing derby and we will ... read more ››

From Gaza to Grassy Narrows

The Harper government is finally talking about land rights. They’re even advocating the sovereignty of a people who occupied their land thousands of years ago. Unfortunately, they had to look outside the country to do so. As of press time, the conflict in Gaza has claimed over 1,360 Palestinian lives, the ... read more ››

Val-d’Or Friendship Centre wins top honours

The Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre received the 2014 National Award of Excellence earlier this month at the 43rd general annual assembly of the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC). The award recognized the Val-d’Or centre’s outstanding performance in carrying out its mission, as well as the leadership association brought to urban ... read more ››

Hydro-Québec slashes maintenance budget for James Bay Highway

Already infamous for its rough driving conditions, the James Bay Highway could present travellers with increasingly treacherous conditions in 2015 following a budgeting decision by Hydro-Québec. The Société de développement de la Baie-James (SDBJ), the government entity responsible for the maintenance of the 620-km long route, revealed in its annual report ... read more ››

Odjick faces his final fight

Aboriginal hockey star and feared NHL enforcer Gino Odjick revealed late June that a terminal illness might mean he only has weeks to live. Odjick disclosed his condition in an open letter to his fans posted on the official website of the Vancouver Canucks. “We have shared many great moments together ... read more ››

Inadequate mail service has Mistissini residents going postal

Like many northern communities, the Cree Nation of Mistissini relies solely on Canada Post to provide its residents with the means to send and receive letters and packages. Private delivery companies don’t serve the community. The community’s burgeoning population means its postal needs are growing, but people in town claim ... read more ››

Ancestral legends hit the stage in Whapmagoostui

Cree folklore played out on stage for the first time this month, as the theatrical production Mind’s Eye premiered in Whapmagoostui to a multi-generational audience. As the lights in the Whapmagoostui gymnasium dimmed, Oujé-Bougamou’s Redfern Mianscum moved to the centre of the stage, lit by a bright yellow drum representing the ... read more ››

James Bay rock: Attawapiskat group shines with debut album

In a community plagued by years of negative media attention, Attawapiskat singer/songwriter Adrian Sutherland is hoping his latest project will put a sheen on the reputation of his disadvantaged community. Formed in 2011, Sutherland’s Midnight Shine released its self-titled debut album earlier this year. The nine-track disc combines Top 40 rhythms ... read more ››

Theresa Spence wins second term in Attawapiskat

Nationally celebrated Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence won a second term to lead her embattled community in elections last month. But Spence, who galvanized the country, gained massive media coverage and helped create a movement during her six-week hunger strike last winter, nonetheless won only 42% of the 507 votes cast ... read more ››