Category: News

Senate audit is called

Marjory LeBreton, the Conservative government’s Senate leader, called for an audit of Senate expenses June 3, two weeks after the Mike Duffy expense scandal broke. After asking for unanimous consent, LeBreton encountered resistance from Liberal and Independent senators. The audit will examine claimed expenses by members of the Senate. The expenses ... read more ››

“Level all their tents”

Strateco President Guy Hebert says that the Crees have no say over resource exploitation in Eeyou Istchee because “the Crees sold their rights.” Hebert made the comment during Strateco’s 2013 shareholder assembly. During the meeting, one investor went even further, questioning whether Crees qualified as Quebecers. “We should level all ... read more ››

Rekindle, refresh, renew

Wemindji wellness worker Mickey De Carlo discusses her journey of restoration Many First Nations men signed up for World War II because they knew what it was like to have their land taken away. When my dad was a young boy, his father went to war. Fellow soldiers admired him because ... read more ››

KI youth invite Canadians for a visit

Ottawa filmmaker Andrée Cazabon has partnered with the Oji-Cree youth of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nations to bring 25 young Canadians to the remote fly-in community in northern Ontario. The youth extended their invitation April 26 to the Canadian public to experience their community and learn about their way ... read more ››

National support for inquiry grows

Political support for a national inquiry into the tragic scandal of missing and murdered Aboriginal women grew last month as nine provinces jointly called upon the federal government to conduct an extensive investigation into the issue. Aboriginal affairs ministers from every province and territory except British Columbia met in Winnipeg to ... read more ››

Picard addresses UN on Indigenous education issues

“Education is the instrument through which cultures perpetuate themselves,” said Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL), in an address to the 12th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) on May 21. The focus of this year’s forum ... read more ››

Heading down the Powwow Trail

A guide to some of this summer’s hottest Powwows JUNE  Running June 1-2 is the Pictou Landing Annual Powwow in New Glasgow, NS. For more info: 902-752-1918 or 902-754-3726 June 8-9 brings Peace River’s 18th Annual Aboriginal Gathering and 10th Annual Powwow on the Peace River Ag Grounds in Peace River, AB. The event features a hand ... read more ››

Toxic spill

Tailings pond dyke breached at Casa Berardi Mine The breach of an internal tailings dyke at Aurizon’s Casa Berardi Mine 95 km north of La Sarre May 1 spilled up to 150,000 cubic metres of contaminated water into the James Bay watershed. Aurizon says initial estimates were overstated, claiming that between 50,000 ... read more ››

Voices of truth and reconciliation

Supporting survivors and telling truths Crees were well represented at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) National Event in Montreal. They weren’t just on the stand, speaking to the Commission, or in the Survivors’ Sharing Circle. They were also there to support their friends, family and other community members who made ... read more ››

Native numbers jump

The 2011 census documents a sharp increase in Canada’s Aboriginal population New Statistics Canada data published May 8 reveals substantial population growth among the country’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis, making Aboriginals the fastest-growing and youngest ethnic category in Canada. Three figures in StatsCan’s National Household Survey (NHS) stand out: almost half ... read more ››

Elijah Harper: A man to remember

It was a blow to hear of Elijah Harper’s death on May 18 at the age of 64. He will be remembered for his courage and his actions, above all for his role in opposing the Meech Lake Accord 23 years ago. That moment became a turning point in Canadian ... read more ››

Taking summer holidays by the horns

The Nation’s annual provincial guide to a plethora of summer fun While some Cree communities may still be experiencing the occasional snow shower or are watching the first signs of spring as the geese return north to be plucked by some anxiously awaiting Crees, down south the heat has already begun. While ... read more ››

Decoding native style

A unique Montreal exhibit threads the relationship of clothing to Aboriginal identity Montreal’s historic McCord Museum, which has long been devoted to the preservation of Native Peoples’ history, opened a new permanent collection May 2 that explores the relationship between Native dress and identity. Wearing Our Identities: The First Peoples Collection presents ... read more ››

Looking back in order to move forward

Romeo Saganash discusses residential school’s impact on his life and family NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s personal struggles and emotions have been very public in recent months. After being removed from a flight in October for drunkenness, he immediately came clean about his alcoholism and the emotions that underpinned it – the ... read more ››

An Origin(e)-al take on Aboriginal tourism

Quebec Aboriginal Tourism (QAT) has launched a new magazine aimed at developing tourism in Quebec’s First Nations and Inuit communities. The first of its kind in Canada, Origin(e) is an annual publication that will provide an in-depth look at the unique cultural and natural attractions that Aboriginal communities in Quebec have ... read more ››

Flooding leaves Attawapiskat, Kashechewan in state of emergency

Both Attawapiskat and Kashechewan First Nations declared a state of emergency April 30 after rapidly melting snow caused major sewer backups that fouled homes and other buildings. Hundreds were evacuated from Kashechewan throughout the week, as were some patients from the Attawapiskat hospital. “The spring runoff overloaded our sewer system, and so ... read more ››

Hotel project bedding down in Waswanipi

 A new hotel project that could potentially create 14 jobs and generate more tourism is on the drawing board for Waswanipi. John Kitchen, a Waswanipi resident and President of Mamu Sibi Construction Inc., is planning to open the new establishment with his wife, Erca Polson. “We’re looking at a 20-room, two-story hotel ... read more ››

Wind power plant study blows into Whapmagootsui

A study to assess the potential of a wind hybrid power-plant will be conducted in Whapmagootsui. The research is part of a national $82 million clean-energy initiative announced by the federal government May 3. The government has budgeted $700,275 to finance a Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study to determine ... read more ››

Financial transparency act becomes law

Bill C-27, also known as the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, has reopened the controversy surrounding the salaries of First Nations chiefs. Critics of the new bill argued that the public is being fed myths and stereotypes over the salaries of the First Nations chiefs. On March 27, the bill received ... read more ››

Attawapiskat reimbursed

After a year of holding back support funding at the Attawapiskat First Nations, the Conservative government sent a single transfer of $136,132 to the band office for the work of the third-party manager. The amount covers his time managing the community between December 2011 and April 2012. The payment comes after ... read more ››

Quality Inn Val-d’Or nominations

After winning three awards at the regional level, Quality Inn & Suites Val-d’Or has been nominated for two awards at the 27th annual National Gala for the Grand Prize in Quebec Tourism. The finalists were announced on April 16 with Quality Inn Val-d’Or being nominated in the categories for accommodations ... read more ››

Breaking the mould

The truth about moulds and your health Whether it is in images on the news of abandoned homes in Attawapiskat or a creeping fungus that has just appeared in your own basement, mould may be a relatively new problem to the north but it can have a huge impact on both ... read more ››

Walking in a suit

Waskaganish youth leader shares Cree perspective on Ottawa conference Elliot on the far right with the Nishiyuu before departing from Waskaganish On the afternoon of March 25 while the Nishiyuu walkers were arriving on Victoria Island in Ottawa another emerging young Cree leader was huddled inside the National Press Building on Wellington ... read more ››

She shoots, she scores

Jenna Ottereyes of Waswanipi is rising fast in the world of youth soccer Four years ago, when Jenna Ottereyes moved to Val-d’Or with her family, she was hoping she could play hockey like she had back home in Waswanipi. Because she was only eight years old, however, she was too young ... read more ››

Timmy’s arrives in Mistissini

Two Crees open their own Tim Hortons franchise The new Tim Hortons’ outlet in Mistissini isn’t just the hottest ticket in town right now but it’s a labour of love, devotion and passion for siblings Anthony and Elaine MacLeod, the two franchisees who stand proudly behind the counter. Hosting its grand opening ... read more ››

I am mother, hear me roar

Two Cree women reflect on motherhood Whether you are a single mom braving it on your own or a grandmother with numerous grandchildren, part of being a Cree mother is not just your bloodline but an ancestral connection to how the land and tradition have shaped families for generations. To talk about ... read more ››