ARTICLES BY Will Nicholls

Taking care of our own

There comes a time when each human being looks around at the community they live in and notices changes. Some of those changes are beneficial but people, being what they are, notice the negative much faster. Often you feel that those changes are irreversible or that you are powerless to ... read more ››

Forest Fires Force Community Evacuations

The forest fire wasn’t all that noticeable when first arriving Monday, June 17 in Mistissini. The community didn’t have the look of a place that only three days before had evacuated the Elders, babies, pregnant women and people with asthma. Mistissini residents working at the nearby Troilus Mine had gone ... read more ››

George Coon An Undisputed Champion

George Coon from Mistissini is this year’s undisputed Amateur Status Ski-Doo Champion from Quebec. At the end of the 1995/96 year he was alone in the lead with 835 points, compared to the second-place competitor from Chibougamau who only scored 565 points. George is a shy winner often ducking reporters. We wish ... read more ››

It’s A Trap…

From the faxline… The headline read “Cree Strategic Planning.” This is followed by the Quebec government’s proposals to Crees for a “regional government.” Frankly, as I read through it, I found it quite disturbing and alarming. I felt like that guy in the action movies who yells, “Go back, it’s a ... read more ››

Review: Are You Ready For W. O.R. ? Without Rezervation First Nations Music

One can only call the musical style of Without Rezervation angry, Native-oriented Hip Hop. It’s on a par with anything out there in this musical style. There are Native overtures but it’s definitely in the black hip hop mode. Guilty til proven innocent is a strong, in-your-face song guaranteed to reach ... read more ››

Paternalism According To Menard

Noticed an article in the Montreal Gazette lately. It smacks of the twisted logic of paternalism. Serge Menard, minister responsible for the Montreal area, said that the municipal referendum process and rules should be changed. According to the Minister, the process is costly and hampering economic development. He mentioned the city ... read more ››

Quebec Urged To Change Forestry Policies

A Member of the European Parliament says there is an “urgent need” for Quebec to change its policies on forestry. “Quebec’s forestry practices clearly violate the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement from 1975. The Agreement promises the protection of the Cree people, their economies and the wildlife resources upon which ... read more ››

Where There’s A Will, Take A Gander

When I was reading I came across this story I would like to share. It was back in the late 1800’s when Theodore Roosevelt was police commissioner of New York City. He attempted to prohibit the selling of liquor on Sunday. One such law was passed in April of 1896 and ... read more ››

Court Hears Freddy Jolly Lawsuit

Normally, Freddy Jolly spends his birthdays in the bush with his family. But Wednesday May 8, saw him in Montreal listening to the closing arguments of whether he has a right to launch a class-action suit against Cree Construction, SDBJ and the Attorney-Generals of Quebec and Canada. He didn’t understand the ... read more ››

Jolly Says Support Was Felt

When the Route du Nord was proposed at a meeting in 1988, Freddy Jolly was the only Cree trapper present who would be affected by the road. Jolly told The Nation he felt it was wrong not to include them in the decision to build the road. “People from other ... read more ››

Cree Constructon In Court Over Route Du Nord

After two years of trying to reach an out-of-court settlement Freddy Jolly is about to have his day in court. On May 9th, he will be attempting to launch a class action suit against Cree Construction, the James Bay Development Corporation, the Attorney General of Quebec and the Attorney General of ... read more ››

Sacrilege at Aboriginal Awards?

Mohawk promoter John Kim Bell and the CBC came under fire for using Iroquoian Masks in the Aboriginal Achievements Awards show televised April 15th. The complaint was made to the CRTC by George Miller, a Mohawk from the Six Nations reserve in Ontario. He says that the masks used were ... read more ››

150 Jobs for Crees?

The La Grande Agreement guaranteed 150 permanent jobs with Hydro-Quebec by 1996. Today’s reality falls far short of these numbers. It was expected that about 300 Crees would undergo training and 150 would be hired. Today the LG3 training facility is empty and has been shut down. Only 80 Crees ... read more ››

Matthew Iseihoff Jr. Honoured with international award

Every year The Foundation for Exceptional Children conducts an international program called Yes I Can!. This is to recognize outstanding achievements of children and youth with disabilities. One of the 35 persons honoured this year was Matthew Iserhoff Jr. People who win this award are chosen from thousands of entries ... read more ››

SHOOTING BLANKS

I didn’t have much chance to sleep with all the adrenaline bouncing through my veins. Dad would have been proud as it had been a long time since I was awake and dressed by 6:30 a.m. In the past, the only times I usually got up at this time was ... read more ››

We’re Not Blood-Sucking Leeches

YOU MAY BE WONDERING at the changes from The Nation’s old format to our new Nation Enquirer style. It came about because of the jokes after our paper first came out and it was displayed alongside those types of tabloid newspapers at the Val d’Or airport. We requested a change ... read more ››

What you paid

It’s the great Canadian pastime—talking about how much government costs us. It’s now starting to be a Cree pastime as well.But people are unsure of the figures, what they mean and how to get them. All the figures included in this article are public information that any Cree can request. Most ... read more ››

Buffie Sainte Marie: Blazing New Trail with Technology

Buffy Sainte-Marie, Up Where We Belong, 1996, EMI With a whirlwind of interviews and photo ops at the Native Friendship Centre Buffy St. Marie came to Montreal to promote her new album. Her latest has proven she is embracing technology and pushing its limits. Her latest album is nothing short of ... read more ››

Mother Earth to Ovide…

It’s surprising the amount of interest there is in determining the status of territory and who speaks on behalf of the Natives living in today’s Quebec. The problems started when partitioning of Quebec was discussed and the PQ’ists stated, “No way.” Canada’s Ron Irwin said, “Yes,” and they can stay ... read more ››

Nisga’a give up tax exemption

In 1887, the Nisga’a people of what is known today as British Columbia sent their chiefs to Victoria to demand recognition of title, negotiation of treaties and provision for self-government Now, over 100 years later, they have finally signed an agreement-in-principle with the B.C. government and Ottawa. Emotions were high at ... read more ››

Crees making “abusive claims”: SDBJ

SDBJ vice-president Claude Dubois locked horns with the Cree people at a conference in Chibougamau in January. In his speech, he claimed Natives are using environmental protections in the James Bay Agreement as a weapon in negotiations between Natives and non-Natives. “Abusive claims, enormous demands and even threats are among some ... read more ››

SAME OLD, SAME OLD

Well, I didn’t expect the response I got to my last editorial about the moneymaking possibilities of adopting non-Natives who are trying to avoid taxes. It’s been mixed. Someone pointed out that the rich folks out there also have tons of connections in the business and political structure of this country ... read more ››

David Zell: Diamond in the rough

While on a recent trip to Kahnawake, we stopped in to see what local jeweler David Zell had to offer in the way of Native jewelry. Zell currently fixes jewelry from all over, including Wemindji, Chisasibi and Eastmain just to name a few places. From Cree hands to Mohawk and back ... read more ››

A NEW SOLUTION TO AN OLD PROBLEM!

You can tell the new year is here and the end of the fiscal year is coming. I hear news of money shortages and indeed a few reserves have had severe shortages all year round. Well have no fear, I’ve got a few ideas on generating cash and getting the ... read more ››

Kitchen Happy if Trappers Happy

Waswanipi Chief John Kitchen and trapper Harry Blacksmith signed an agreement with Domtar Inc. on Dec. 12 for compensation for forestry operations in Cree traplines. Affected trappers will get $ 15,000 the first year their trapline is cut and $ 10,000 each year after. The Waswanipi First Nation will receive ... read more ››

Lighting up legally

Mohawk company Alfred and Stacey, owned by Barry Alfred and Joe Stacey, is the first Native legal cigarette wholesaler in Quebec. This young Mohawk-owned company is young, full of pride and, according to the Quebec government, selling legal cheap smokes in Kahnawake. Long portrayed as the hotbed of alleged contrabrand ... read more ››