Volume 2, Issue 14

An absence of ethics

Government for the people by the people. This is the theory of democracy and why we should vote. We vote to choose candidates who will represent us. In fact, the Crees take the theory of democracy just a little farther when we choose delegates once a year to send to ... read more ››

Congratulations to Ouje-Bougoumou

The Grand Council of the Crees is proud to congratulate the Cree Community of Ouje-Bougoumou on its recent award. Ouje-Bougoumou was informed that it has been chosen as a recipient of the United Nations 50 Communities award. The reason why they were selected was that they, out of all the ... read more ››

Cree Nation Broomball Team

Just to let everyone know that for the first time a Mistissini juvenile broomball team was invited to participate in Quebec City in the Quebec Provincial Championship 1995, that took place April 14-16. They entered in a contact category and they only had three weeks of practice of how to play ... read more ››

Crees launch anti-logging campaign

After battling Hydro-Quebec to a standstill, Crees are fixing their sights on the logging companies. With frustration about clearcutting running at an all-time high, southern Cree communities and CRA are busy planning a campaign on forestry. Thanks to Quebec’s notoriously lax rules on logging, forestry companies have already clearcut 50 per cent ... read more ››

Crees, feds set to sign funding deal

Crees are on the verge of signing a major new agreement with the federal government to provide Cree communities with better operations and maintenance funding. These funds cover a lot of things the Cree communities require—salaries for Chiefs and band employees, maintenance of public buildings, equipment and utilities, public safety, police ... read more ››

Dad

Dad, you were very wise with your teachings. Dad, you were always gentle to your children. Dad, you always spoke wisely and gently. Dad, you taught me to respect our Mother Earth, For we are her children and she loves us. Dad, you taught me to respect the animals, For they are the ones that keep ... read more ››

Goose Break: even though most of today Crees may live in house, the excitement of a Goose Break is still there

When Goose Break comes thoughts turn to traditional hunting grounds and even though most of today Crees may live in house the excitement of a Goose Break is still there. When thinking of a Goose Break it is quite common to think of roast goose and bannock, teepees and brown men, ... read more ››

Hockey and Travis Grant

While most of the Cree hockey fans and players turned into couch potatoes glued to the boob tube, rumours reached The Nation that not everyone was just watching the Stanley Cup finals. No, there was one young lad still going strong. So like Travis Grant of Waswanipi, Neil and I ... read more ››

Inuit MP scolds Bloc

The Bloc Quebecois has insulted Canadians by saying Inuktitut shouldn’t be used in the House of Commons, says Jack Anawak, Inuk MP for Nunavut. Anawak came under fire from Bloc MP Pierrette Venne when he addressed Parliament in Inuktitut before translating his comments into English. “The member talked to us in a ... read more ››

Katejun beats Quebec motocross champ

Sydney Coonishish knew his son, Katejun, was a natural for competitive racing when he could handle a 440 cc ski-doo with ease at 4 years of age. But Sydney didn’t know of any snowmobile competitions for 4-year-olds. So Katejun cooled his heels for a few years until he and his father ... read more ››

North impresses Kohl

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl seemed open to First Nations concerns about fur exports after a three-day visit to three Baffin Island communities in June. “We have to consider their interests and the effects of our decisions,” Kohl told a German TV crew. “We have to talk about it again in the ... read more ››

OJ kids get off on new playground

Two new playgrounds in Ouje-Bougoumou are probably the only ones around that use Native themes and design. The springy toys aren’t the usual animals you see in the south. They are made to look like a canoe, a moose and a rabbit. The colours aren’t bright reds and blues like in ... read more ››

OJAY wins UN award

It’s official. Ouje-Bougoumou has won the UN’s 50 Communities Award. To mark the UN’s 50th birthday, awards are being given to 50 communities around the world that best exemplify the objectives of the United Nations. Ouje-Bougoumou won an award for sustainable development and “human settlement” The community was praised for its ... read more ››

Summit crashed

World leaders meeting in Halifax had their summit crashed by National Chief Ovide Mercredi and several dozen protesters in June. “If this embarasses the government, it’s nothing compared to the pain our people experience because of their policies,” said Chief Mercredi. “The embarassment is nothing compared to the fact that we have ... read more ››

The nation’s guide to Montreal’s sights, sound and tastes

“You know what we like.” Those were the words my uncle said before I ordered the food. The food in question was Chinese. My Grandfather George was in town for a hospital visit – escorting him was my Uncle Simon. I had taken them to Chinatown for some Chinese Food. Exploring ... read more ››

The spirit is going full force

There is a revolution going on at Makivik Corp. and her name is Sheila Watt Cloutier. Elected Corporate Secretary on March 31, Sheila is already planning big changes. She is honest, direct and has no use for the “games” and “political lingo” we sometimes see in organizations like hers. The sister ... read more ››

Toxic site in limbo as Northern leaves

After 200 years in Mistissini, the store now run by Northern is packing it in. The North West Co. decided to close its store after Mistissini decided July 1 to turn down the company’s request for $1 million to keep the store open. Chief William Mianscum said Northern can’t be bailed out ... read more ››

Use spitznagenh

“Many Aboriginal people, whether we are Indian, Inuit or Metis, travel. Oh yes we do, from Here to There, from North to South, from East to West, from Urban to Rural to Reserve, from the dirt roads and small houses to the big lights and sounds of the City. And ... read more ››