Volume 18, Issue 12

11-year-old Aboriginal boy tased by RCMP in BC

First Nations leadership in British Columbia is calling for an independent investigation into why the RCMP decided to tase an 11-year-old special-needs child after he attacked a staff member in his care facility. The boy was being cared for in a special facility where he had two caregivers who monitored him ... read more ››

A worthy recognition

After a successful year on the international film-festival circuit and brief theatrical runs in several major Canadian cities, Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian keeps making headlines. On April 1, filmmaker Neil Diamond and the production crew at Rezolution Films heard the unbelievable news that Reel Injun had ... read more ››

Bolivians want UN to grant “Mother Earth” rights as a human being

Led by Indigenous President Evo Morales, Bolivia has drawn up documents to have “Mother Earth” recognized under the same rights as individuals at the United Nations. Such rights would include the right to life, to pure water and clean air. The ploy is geared at getting the UN to recognize that ... read more ››

CSB public-speaking winners awarded in Oujé

The Cree School Board held its annual Regional Public Speaking Competition Final on April 13 in Oujé-Bougoumou. There were a total of 15 high-school students who participated in the event in three separate language categories: English, French and Cree. According to Rachel Bush, the 2011 winners are: English category: 1st place, Summer ... read more ››

Double gold for Wemindji

Two teams from Hockey Abitibi-Témiscamingue reached the top of the podium, winning gold at the 2011 Inter-regional Hockey Championships, much to the delight of the James Bay Cree community of Wemindji. The Atom A Wemindji Future Wolves and Midget A Wemindji Paint Hills both swept their competition in the Laurentides-Lanaudière ... read more ››

Easter memories

Over the past hundred years, spring has developed into a religious experience for the Cree. It all started in late winter in March when the local Catholic church reminded us of Lent and its 40 days of fasting. My parents were brought up surrounded and deeply influenced by the Catholic ... read more ››

Make the vote count

Crees, Inuit and other First Nations traditionally don’t really vote as much as other residents of either the Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou or the Timmins-James Bay ridings. The times though are changing. Romeo Saganash, a Cree from Waswanipi, has tossed his hat into the ring as the NDP candidate hoping to win the Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou ... read more ››

Open season on elections

Since the rejection of the Harper government’s last budget, it has now been a few weeks since the candidates in the coveted federal riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou have been out to vie for your votes. Between incumbent Yvon Lévesque for the Bloc Québécois, Romeo Saganash, the first Cree to ever run as ... read more ››

Science fair successes

Congratulations are in order for Eastmain’s Raven Mark and Mistissini’s Amy Mattawashish and Roberta Polson-Blacksmith as all three returned home winners from the 2011 Quebec Aboriginal Science and Engineering Association (QASEA) Science Fair provincial finals held on the Naskapi Kawawachikamach reserve March 22-23. Twelve-year-old Mark, who is in Secondary 1, claimed ... read more ››

Standing proud

The poster for the film Sauvage says it all. It’s a drawing of an Aboriginal man decked out in traditional clothes and a feathered headdress speaking on a cellphone. It’s this image that’s at the heart of this uncompromising, yet appealing documentary as it delves into the issue of Aboriginals ... read more ››

This vote’s for you

As I summon up all the memories that I have about elections, one thing is certain – Canadians either love to vote, hate to vote, or just don’t care about the vote for an upcoming election, it all depends on who you talk to. The people I know don’t seem ... read more ››

Your vote, your choices

Our brother and sister First Nations on the Ontario side of the James Bay have four choices when they head to the ballot boxes for this latest of federal elections on May 2. Chief Norman Hardisty Jr. of the Moose Cree First Nation said, “For myself I look at the best ... read more ››