Category: News

Plan Nord or Plan Mort?

There is no doubt that the political shift from the Liberals under Jean Charest to a Parti Québécois led by Pauline Mariois has created a different economic environment within Quebec. In the PQ’s first week in office the former Liberal government’s much-prided “Plan Nord” for natural resource development in the north ... read more ››

Means was mean but meant well

A powerful, eloquent voice for Indigenous peoples worldwide was silenced on October 22. Russell Means – activist, actor, musician, writer, boxer and political firebrand – succumbed to cancer at his home in Porcupine on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. He was 72 years old. Means gained notoriety in the ... read more ››

Fighting words

In what some in Eeyou Istchee said was not a surprising decision, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Council (CNSC) announced on October 17 that it would be granting a license for advanced uranium exploration in the Mistissini area to Strateco Resources Inc. This came despite the profound opposition to the project voiced ... read more ››

Jamming with Buddy

Making your dreams come true is everyone’s goal. For some, it takes a lifetime to reach their aspirations, but for one lucky 17-year-old it came early. For Joseph Seth Jolly, Jr., that moment arrived September 21when he played in front of a crowd of 10,000 people with his hero, blues ... read more ››

The struggle continues, for the kids

On October 1, reports surfaced that the government of Canada has spent $3.1 million attempting to prevent the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) from bringing the issue of Aboriginal child welfare underfunding before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Child welfare services ... read more ››

Cool times during the cooler seasons

As the days grow shorter and the air colder, many crawl under the blankets on the couch seeking comfort and coziness from the fall and winter weather. And then there are those who are already planning their escape from cabin fever by buying concert tickets and perusing other cultural events to ... read more ››

School and sports

Across Quebec each school year, thousands of student-athletes, including a number of gifted Aboriginals, take part in the Sport-Études program run by the Quebec Ministry of Education and various sports leagues and associations across the province. No such program has ever been offered in Eeyou Istchee – until now. With the start ... read more ››

Raising Native awareness

From September 24-28 McGill University held its 2nd Annual Aboriginal Awareness Week. Events were held on campus to promote awareness of Aboriginal culture and foster cross-cultural dialogue. The events were varied and many, ranging from dream-catcher making workshops to film screenings to guest speakers. Among the guest speakers were renowned Native ... read more ››

Remembering our sisters

This October 4 marked the 7th Annual Sisters in Spirit Memorial March and Vigil. About 200 people gathered at Place Émilie-Gamelin in downtown Montreal to call attention to Native women who have been killed or gone missing. Sisters in Spirit (SIS) was a research program initiated by the Native Women’s Association ... read more ››

Bieber thinks he’s Indian enough to get free gas

The August issue of Rolling Stone held a surprise for fans and non-fans of Justin Bieber as they learnt he thinks he is part Aboriginal. “I’m actually part Indian,” he stated in the magazine. “I think Inuit or something? I’m enough percent that in Canada I can get free gas.” Bieber ... read more ››

A man with a bow

Kenneth Henry Taylor Born: March 25, 1953 Son of Harry Taylor (Rouyn-Noranda) and Jeanine Roy (La Tuque) Married to Ethel Katapatuk (Waskaganish) Father of Daniel Taylor (Lisa Shallhorn) and Cynthia Taylor (Dr. Mark Watson) Grandfather of Annika Mabel Taylor and Autumn Esme Watson This lifelong woodsman with a vast knowledge of the outdoors walks a singular ... read more ››

Clinically troubled

The good news is that the toxic mould that appeared in Mistissini’s health clinic this summer got cleared up pretty quickly. The bad news is that the clinic that got cleaned up is the old one. Mistissini’s new medical clinic, which might have been operational by now, is being taken apart ... read more ››

Tightening the bond

Native friendship centres around Quebec are looking to turn their friendly relationship with the Grand Council of the Crees (GCC) into a more formal one. Under section 28, article 14, of the James Bay Agreement, Native friendship centres have traditionally relied on funding and assistance from the provincial and federal governments. ... read more ››

Air Creebec’s new hangar

On September 17, Air Creebec inaugurated its new airport hangar on Ryan Ave. near the Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, in time for its 30th anniversary. Built with a $1.3 million subsidy from the province, the $10 million construction project began on November 15, 2011 and was completed less ... read more ››

New structures

The rate of growth in the Cree Nation is amazing at times and this is one of those times. Cree Human Resources Development (CHRD) has expanded their organization to the coast by opening up a new office in Chisasibi. It might seem like a small thing but when you talk ... read more ››

Belly fat blues

A new Mayo Clinic study has caused a stir amongst the health community as it suggests that people who are of normal weight but have a large concentration of fat over their abdomen (belly fat) are at higher risk than those who are obese. The study examined data on 12,785 people ... read more ››

(Super)heroes on display

There were no shortages of Batmans. Among the 32,000 visitors who made their way to Montreal’s fourth annual comic convention at the Palais des Congrès September 14-16, there were probably hundreds of caped crusaders. Skinny Batmans, obese Batmans, Batmans with costumes that probably cost thousands, cheap Batmans who wore crappy, ... read more ››

Halloween cometh

  October brings so many wonderful sights, scents and sinful delights to celebrate. As the children begin to dream about what costume they will wear to trick or treat, pumpkin becomes the theme to both decorate with and the flavour to play with in the kitchen. When looking at the emerging trends ... read more ››

Agreement forecasts Waswanipi gold rush

Waswanipi residents are set to benefit from job creation, skills training and millions in investments following the signing of a socio-economic participation agreement (SEPA) with Metanor Resources, which is redeveloping the nearby Bachelor Lake gold mine. Cree Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come, Waswanipi Chief Paul Gull, Metanor President Serge Roy and ... read more ››

Charged up

  A few years back, Charles Bobbish Jr. wanted to get out of Chisasibi. He didn’t have much work, and the jobs he did get were only as a replacement. To fill the time, he did a lot of drinking and partying. “I was at home,” he says, “Nothing to do. I ... read more ››

Working together

  For three days August 21-23, the Secretariat to the Cree Nation Abitibi-Témiscamingue Economic Alliance (SAENCAT), in association with the city of Amos, hosted a delegation of business people from the surrounding area to showcase Cree business and opportunities. The delegation’s composition was a highly diverse group of 16 businesspeople ranging from ... read more ››

Youth Council Resolutions

  The following are some abbreviated resolutions from the CNYC’s AGA: The position of a board member on the Cree Native Youth Council representing the Crees of Senneterre is invalidated and they will not have one until they are interested in having one. The CNYC is still waiting to hear from the Grand ... read more ››

Board of Compensation bonus

  While it may not be Christmas yet, the Board of Compensation was all about giving this year after they distributed large one-time sums to each of the Cree communities and to several of the entities in the hopes of getting the Cree economy moving. This announcement was made at the Cree ... read more ››

A youth revolution through resolutions

  Despite a summer of unseasonably cold weather, the Cree Nation Youth Council (CNYC) saw three days of brilliant sunshine for their Annual General Assembly and it was perhaps a good omen for positive change. According to Joshua Iserhoff, CNYC’s recently elected Youth Chief, this year’s host community of Chisasibi pulled off ... read more ››

Recognizing our own

  Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come, President of the Cree Nation Achievement Awards Foundation, remarked that the Cree Nation Achievement Awards Gala was “an historical evening to recognize those who’ve contributed to the communities”. The gathering on August 30 wanted to recognize those who made their mark on the Cree Nation. In ... read more ››

Thou shall not judge

One autumn evening I was patrolling the streets of Whapmagoostui and I was hurting and crying in my heart. I have been a special constable for a little over a year now and I lost many friends. They turned against me. But this was not the reason why I was ... read more ››