Volume 12, Issue 8

A Cree Enron?

A problem that has been going on for some time continues to bother me. Everyone in Eeyou Istchee has been talking about accountability and transparency but has anyone been doing anything about it? It’s a big question but one that we Crees need to answer. We say that foreign systems have ... read more ››

AFN Joins Federal Tax Commission

Wondering whether you’re tax exempt for a recent purchase? Or how much money you’re entitled to for Child Tax Credits? These and other questions will be answered by a new First Nations Advisory Committee. Federal Minister of National Revenue John McCallum and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine announced ... read more ››

Billy Diamond, Hall of Famer

Billy Diamond became one of the first members of the new Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame when he was inducted February 15. Diamond was inducted in Toronto along with Irvin Goodon, a Métis from Boissevin, Manitoba by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB). Diamond played a prominent role in founding companies ... read more ››

Celebrating Women in Eeyou Istchee

In this issue the Nation marks March 8th, International Women’s Day, by asking people in Eeyou Istchee about the women they look up to and why. Marjorie Mark of Eastmain: When I was asked who are the women I admire most or look up to, I thought I would not only ... read more ››

Cree Film on AIP Makes Debut

A Cree film chronicling the signing of the Paix des Braves Agreement – aptly titled One More River – made its French language debut at the Cinematheque Quebecoise February 19. Produced by Rezolution Pictures, a Cree company, the documentary takes viewers on a journey through the eyes of two trappers, a ... read more ››

Cree Nation Deals With Another Suicide

A 12-year-old girl is the latest in a long line of tragic suicides that has struck the Cree Nation – this time in Whapmagoostui. The girl, who cannot be identified because of her age, was found in her own home just after 8 pm February 19. Police spokesperson Ruth Masty said they ... read more ››

Four Waswanipi Women Charged With Theft, Forgery in Caisse Populaire Scandal

Four former employees of the Waswanipi Caisse Populaire have been charged for stealing money from entities within the community, including two grocery stores, the day care centre, and the band office. Pauline Icebound, Josephine Happyjack-Gull, Cynthia Saganash, and Emily Gull-Happyjack were charged February 8 by Crown prosecutor Christian Leblanc with theft ... read more ››

International Women’s Day

Eeyou Istchee is filled with many inspirational women who don’t always get the credit they deserve. March 8th marks International Women’s day, a time to celebrate the creators of life and our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and aunts. In this issue we profile four very different women with one common trait – ... read more ››

Living With the Cold

Recently, I woke up early in the morning to shovel out the driveway after a long, drawn-out winter storm that had dropped over a foot of snow on the ground. As soon as I stepped out I could feel the cold seep through my layers of clothes. The frigid air ... read more ››

Quebec, Quebec

In one of my rare forays to Quebec City, I chanced upon a tavern rare, just feet away from the hotel exit. Strangely enough, the bar was half full of mainly men. I and two chums commented on the “Louie-ish” aroma that pervaded the air and brought back memories of ... read more ››

Revenue Canada Will Tax Native Students’ Income – Cree Students Immune Under JBNQA

Native post-secondary students should be aware – some of them will have to start paying taxes on their income, possibly as early as 2006. Documents obtained by the Nation say that Revenue Canada will tax Aboriginal post-secondary education (PSE) students who make more than $ 16,000 in income as of the ... read more ››

Security at Northern Dams Easily Compromised

Two hours and 14 minutes. That’s how much time Chisasibi residents would have to evacuate their community before it was totally submerged in water if anything happened to the LG-2 dam, according to Hydro-Quebec. That’s an especially troubling fact considering the Radio-Canada television report – that Hydro-Quebec tried, and failed, to ... read more ››

SNC Bullies Waswanipi Elders to Support Firing Range

According to one Waswanipi family, SNC Technologies has sunk to a new low in the company’s quest for an artillery firing range in Cree hunting and trapping territory. Rose Dixon, daughter of Charlotte and Lawrence Dixon, says her father’s trap line will be partially affected by the 105 millimetre shells that ... read more ››

Whapmagoostui Youth Charged With Murder After Shooting

The community of Whapmagoostui is in shock after two people were shot at, one of which succumbed to his wounds a few hours later. Timothy Fleming fought unsuccessfully for his life after a February 9 shooting that occurred at 2:30 am on the Inuit side of town and involved two suspects. The ... read more ››

When the Levee Breaks

My sympathies go out to our friends and colleagues at Hydro Quebec regarding the recent beatings they’ve endured in the Quebec media. It all started when an ungrateful Radio-Canada TV crew broke through HQ’s wall of security at one of their installations, embarrassing President Andre (Monsieur Caille to his Cree friends) ... read more ››