Volume 3, Issue 17

“It’s Been A Struggle”

It hasn’t been an easy ride for Janie Pachano, says one of her friends and coworkers. “It’s been a struggle. But we’re not going to quit. We understand too much,” says Dianne Reid, who was recently appointed president of the James Bay Cree Cultural Education Centre. “We have to go forward with ... read more ››

A Canoe Of Fools

Here’s a list of the idiots who can turn your special project meetings into a complete waste of time. Idiot #1 —is the fool who misses the first two or three meetings, drops by for the fourth and has to be “brought up to speed” by dragging the entire group back over ... read more ››

AGA Passes Landmark Resolution Cree Constitution & Government In Works

“We must empower ourselves to decide what is important for the preservation of our language, our culture, our communities and for Eeyou Astchee. “We must empower ourselves and, in doing so, revive the indigenous control that we have over our own lives, our institutions, and over Eeyou Astchee…” Proposal for ... read more ››

An Open Letter To Romeo Saganash

Dear Romeo, We heard the news. Congratulations, we believe, are in order. You’re one of the best and brightest of the Cree Nation and now we’ve heard you’re taking on a postition as one of the top advisors for the PQ. Nobody knew. Not even the chiefs. We found out ... read more ››

Canada Less Tolerant

Don’t expect any favours from Canadians. A poll conducted for the feds shows Canadians have adopted less neighourly attitudes toward the First Nations. In Ontario, 53 per cent feel Native people are being reasonable in their land claims. But in Quebec and B.C., 67 per cent believe Natives are being unreasonable. ... read more ››

Crees Buy Lamborghini Building

Cree entities with offices in Montreal will soon have a stylish new home: the Lamborghini building. Cree entities in Montreal pay out over $230,000 to non-Cree landlords per year. With these costs in mind, a few years back the Grand Council received a mandate to put all Cree entities in ... read more ››

Getting Firewood and Working on Geese

During this time, I really liked making myself work. I used to gather firewood into a pile so that I could work on food during the spring. I used to prepare the things that I would use. Many times, I woke up very early in the morning. I was trying ... read more ››

League Defends Rejecting Cree Midget AA Team

Crees can’t join the Abitibi Midget AA league because it would cause scheduling problems for the other teams, says the league’s president. “We would have to add games to the schedule. There is not enough time in the season,” Raymond Call told The Nation. But another minor-hockey official in the Abitibi region ... read more ››

Mercredi, Separatist

Move over, Quebec. Ovide Mercredi has jumped on the sovereignty bandwagon, too. The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations says he tired of constant rejection by the feds. It’s time to reclaim First Nations lands and come up with something better. Mercredi said a range of tactics must be used ... read more ››

Much has happened since we began our campaign.

Much has happened since we began our campaign. Unfortunately, very little of it in our quest for the prize. Or so I thought when I wrote the above days ago. Since then the team has more than doubled to four. I now have an unstoppable campaign manager with years of ... read more ››

PQ Hires Romeo Saganash

Romeo Saganash, the Deputy Chief of Waswanipi, has gone to work for the Parti Quebecois government. Saganash was hired as a special advisor on Cree issues and northern development to Native Affairs and Natural Resources Minister Guy Chevrette. “We are very, very, very happy,”said Pierre Chateauvert, a top bureaucrat working ... read more ››

Public Money, Public Trust

Crees are asking questions about how the James Bay Cree Cultural Education Centre is run. As one person put it, “It’s public money – there should be public knowledge.” Janie Pachano knows the James Bay Cree Cultural Education Centre has an image problem. “People have no idea what the Centre is doing. Like ... read more ››

Sawmill Approved With Conditions

The Waswanipi-Domtar sawmill has been approved, but there are a few conditions. Two environmental panels held hearings into the sawmill in June. They released their reports to Irene Neeposh, Waswanipi’s Environmental Administrator, who was to make the final decision. On July 10, Neeposh announced her preliminary ruling at Waswanipi’s General ... read more ››

The Val D’Or Native Friendship Centre Hosts Nitahigan ’96 – A Discovery of Aboriginal Talents

The presentation of this third annual event Nitahigan ’96 permitted our guests to discover the different Aboriginal talents. This event, which was held June 14th, welcomed over 400 guests who shared in this unforgettable evening of pride and solidarity. The show opened with Red Thunder, a group of traditional dancers from ... read more ››