Volume 4, Issue 23

Another Logging Truck Bites the Dust

Another quiet night at Windy Lake. Somewhere out there, a logging truck was making its way along the road. Suddenly, a distant boom was heard in the Cree camp southeast of Waswanipi. Curious camp dwellers ventured down the road in their longjohns to see what had happened. About 200 metres down ... read more ››

Cree Trappers Ass’n Top Brass Laid Off

The Cree Trappers’ Association board of directors laid off the CTA’s president, vice-president and treasurer as of October 1 due to a lack of funds. CTA president Edward Gilpin said it doesn’t look good for the executive and that the CTA has “exhausted our begging” for money. He says the problem is ... read more ››

Don’t Back Down: Parizeau

Ex-premier Jacques Parizeau has also jumped into the debate over the 101 Caniapiscau islands. Parizeau said Quebecers shouldn’t be so apologize and back down when they are called racists. He pointed to the Quebec Toponymy Commission’s “surprising retreat” over naming the islands, which already have Cree names. “We have been insulted and ... read more ››

Idiotorial

Quebec’s most prominent newsmagazine has singled out Bill Namagoose for a bitter editorial. Namagoose, the executive director of the Grand Council of the Crees, is called a “useful idiot,” “naive” and “the mercenary of an anti-Quebec guerilla” in the unsigned editorial, which appears in the October 15 issue of L’Actualité. Namagoose, who ... read more ››

Indian Act Changes Scrapped

The new Indian Affairs Minister, Jane Stewart, is scrapping proposed changes to the Indian Act that had many First Nations leaders up in arms. Stewart says she doesn’t want to impose legislation on First Nations when it’s clear they oppose it. Former Indian Affairs Minister Ron Irwin had proposed the ... read more ››

Just a Thought

Crees are constantly thinking of ways to improve life for their fellow human beings, it’s true. Here’s an excellent civil engineering idea that came to us from Bertie Wapachee of Nemaska. While sitting having supper on a recent visit to Montreal, he drew diagram to describe his Cluster Improvement Idea. Right ... read more ››

Noble Steps Towards the Future

Eastmain is pushing ahead with plans to build an arena which will house a place for the Elders to meet, the children to have a daycare and for the youth of the community to have a place to play hockey thoughout the blistery cold winter months, amongst other activities. It is ... read more ››

Quebec Eyes Water Exports

Remember the zany idea of building a dam across the top of James Bay, filling the bay with fresh water and sending it through canals to the thirsty U.S.? Well, now Quebec is again eyeing water exports as a way to make big bucks. The government put out a 59-page “discussion ... read more ››

Repossessing Montreal’s Old Port

This year was the 16th annual Montreal Friendship center’s Pow Wow. “Is it possible to repossess land through celebration? We believe it is!” started off the Pow Wow program. This seemed to be the theme of the many people who came out to enjoy the festivities. This year the location was ... read more ››

Rez Notes

Many things happened back home but I missed all of them. Buuut, this is what I heard from some very valuable, highly reputable and noncriminal sources whose identities I will keep secret no matter what happens. They can drag my Cree ass through the highest court in the universe and put ... read more ››

There’s Gold in Them Thar Tabs

There are legends, those are the ones you hear in a darkened tent masterfully told to a rapt audience. Then there are urban legends, those are usually told as stories to unsuspecting people about something which may or may not be true, but it could be. Usually it involves a friend ... read more ››

Thoughts on Hydro-Quebec’s Plans

Several thoughts have been travelling through my head on Hydro-Quebec. At the head of the pack of my mind is the new international image Hydro-Quebec is cultivating. According to everything we’ve heard and know, the Evil Empire is saying that the Crees and Hydro-Quebec are experiencing a new relationship. It’s great ... read more ››

Vermont’s Higher Rates Linked to Hydro-Quebec

Vermont residents probably aren’t too happy with buying Hydro-Quebec power these days. Central Vermont Public Service Corp. [Corp.] has asked state regulators to increase rates 6.6% in 1998. In the past summer and winter had different rates. “Incentives” were in place to encourage using less power in the winters. Hydro-Quebec’s cost ... read more ››

Violence Threat

Denouncing partitionists as warmongered, a hardline separatist has threatened to use violence to keep an independent Quebec united. “Death to partitionists” and “Canadians go home,” were two slogans chanted during a rally by the Mouvement de Liberation Nationale du Quebec. One federalist was knocked down and roughed up when scuffles broke ... read more ››