Category: Editorials

Whatever Happened To Good Manners?

Good manners, while we had them, made life easier. No one knows exactly when good manners were killed off, but for sure they are gone from our society never to return again… This is really sad when you really think about it. Let me tell you a little story which I feel ... read more ››

Drum Up The Vote

Mr. Mercredi, you’re proposing that I vote against the Liberals. Who do you suggest I vote for? The Reform party? The Natural Law Party? Or how about the Tories? Wait, wait how about the Bloc? Pretty good choice, eh? Who are you voting for? It is like choosing, to use ... read more ››

Do I Bitch?

Are you ready to quit? Sick of the system? Fed up with the mysterious “they” Cree leadership/your boss/the feds in Ottawa/the PQ in Quebec City and all who control your destiny? Yes? Well friend, you may be suffering from the common disease of the downtrodden—APATHY! Apathy is defined as follows: 1. ... read more ››

The Art of No War

The conference on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was a real eye-opener. There was no feeling of invading a temple as when I once dropped in unexpectedly at an anti-fur conference. The people who attended were from all over Canada and some dropped in from the States. This conference ... read more ››

A Tradition Under Fire

New Years was different this year. A familiar sound was missing. One that I always felt was unique to Cree communities and an important tradition. A new by-law was delivered just after Christmas to each household banning the firing of guns on December 25th, 26th, 31st and January 1st on Category ... read more ››

Thoughts for the Season…

Well, Christmas approaches ever nearer by the day and when you’re shopping you see the by now familiar signs; drop an extra can of food in for the needy. It used to be Crees didn’t have the “needy” in the same sense that we have today. We had the less fortunate ... read more ››

Confronting The Future Head On

Not since the days of the Great Whale fight have I seen Crees on the streets of a city gathered to protest. It was a group of students banded together to fight the Cree School Board’s move to the new Cree building in Old Montreal. I am neither for or against ... read more ››

To Vote Or Not To Vote, Who Be The Question?

Duringthe recent election campaigns for the Cree leadership positions, both on a local level and national levels, I noticed something that was raised as an issue by only one candidate. The issue was the lack of time to campaign. This, I believe, is a very serious issue. Without a time period ... read more ››

Balances

There seems to be a new attitude being fostered in the Cree communities that I find very disturbing. It’s the old government propaganda machine in motion with the same old message: See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Of course the powers that be don’t say it in ... read more ››

From one of the illiterates

On May 15, Josée Legault, a prominent Quebec nationalist and Le Devoir columnist, participated in a talk show in Montreal. In it she mentioned a few “facts” and comments on the s of James Bay. She said Crees have an extremely high level of illiteracy. Crees, she said, would have to ... read more ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

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 ››

For the better of all

Well, another year has come and gone. I hope you’re rested from the ups and downs of last year and ready to meet the new. It has been an interesting year for the Crees. We have seen a new opening up on the part of the leadership, both local and ... read more ››

Be it Resolved…

A new year is upon us. Isn’t it always strange that it is only this time of year (besides birthdays) that we all look back and reflect on our past. This is why it is the time that we make resolutions to further ourselves in the game of life. We draw on ... read more ››

Our walking out

This is our walking out ceremony The Nation has been in existence for one year now. I never knew The Nation would develop into anything like this, much less make it to a year. I knew communication is an integral part of any society, but it really hit home when we were ... read more ››

V for Victory

When I first heard that Great Whale had been postponed indefinitely, all I felt was disbelief. I had to check things out myself. I mean, given the tenacity with which Hydro-Quebec promoted the Great Whale project, I did not think the war would be over so soon. No celebrations for ... read more ››

Mad Hatter Syndrome

Did you ever read Lewis Carrol’s book or see the Disney feature-length animated movie Alice in Wonderland? I did, and one of my favourite characters was the Mad Hatter, who was insiduously insane, partly, I think, from drinking large amounts of tea from chipped china tea cups which were laced ... read more ››

This space for rent

Well, actually it’s free. Here we are, issue # 20. I’ve usually done the editorials for this page. And I’ve run out of things to say… Actually I’m getting lazy. So we here at The Nation are inviting you to contribute. To contribute to The Nation and to your nation. We want ... read more ››

Your changes for a change

The countdown has started. In eight to ten months, the province of Quebec will be looking at a referendum on separation from Canada. That decision will have far-reaching consequences for Crees and other indigenous peoples whose territories, lands or resources happen to be in the present boundaries of the province ... read more ››

Cree people are very much alive

There is something beautiful that goes on each and every day. Especially in the hunting territories which are left intact. The richness of our heritage is very apparent, be it the land itself or our culture as a people. Contrary to what some people believe, the Cree people are very much ... read more ››