We are witnessing a revolution in Cree politics with this election in more ways than one. Or is your head so far up your butt that you didn’t notice the election styles becoming more and more like the US presidential and the Canadian campaigns.
Check out the candidate’s ads in this issue. The short and sweet: Vote so and so. New Ideas from a New Leader for a New Millennium. Another reads: The Balanced Choice. This Guy for Chief. Still another proclaims: Let’s Get to work on our future for a strong and united Cree Nation! Now I don’t know if this is a bad turn of styles. I remember in a past election years ago, two of the candidates had, very humbly, posted up their CVs at the local store bulletin board for the voters. And that was it. They might have done a radio spot or two, but who listened to those with all the bingos on the air to enjoy?
So now it’s come to this. It’s only a matter of time before we’ll have silver-tongued (not that a few aren’t already) Cree politicians wearing phony smiles, wading through adoring and not so adoring throngs, shaking hands, and kissing babies. But that’s a long way off and I’m glad I won’t be around to witness it. On second thought, I would like to see the mudslinging that is sure to take place. But that’s it, man. (You gotta use that word in your school assignments sometimes, kids. Teachers love it.)
Another revolution, if that’s not too strong a word, is the fact that Matthew… excuse my French… Doctor Matthew Coon Come is not running. He’s stepping down! He’s thrown in the towel! He’s relinquishing his crown! I know, that’s stunning news. Oh Eeyou Estchee, tell it not in Quebec. Publish it not in the streets of Ottawa. Lest the daughters of Hydro-Quebec rejoice. Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph… oops! Got a little carried away there.
Seriously, it’s the end of an era. Hence the mad scramble for power we’re witnesses to. I think it’s safe to say that a majority of the Cree population have never known anyone but the Doctor at the helm of the good ship Eeyou. And it’s also safe to say a majority of these little brats don’t follow Cree politics and they just don’t care. Yet. They’re too busy causing trouble, staying out till the wee hours and making their poor parents worry.
But we care, don’t we? We want someone at the top who’s every word and action is feared and respected by the kind folk at Hydra-Quebec. We want someone who will inspire us, who will unite us, who will listen, who will lead us, and most importantly, serve us.
And so, as we bid adieu to Matthew, we can only hope and pray that his potential replacement will carry on with the same zeal, professionalism and strength. Even if most of them are geeks, nincompoops, and political morons.
All ass kissing aside, this is a great time for Cree political junkies isn’t it? There’s so much going on. So much to see. Oh how the mighty have fallen all over the place. Case in point, Chief Billy Diamond is no longer Chief Billy Diamond. Billy, who usually doesn’t return our reporters’ phone calls and continually denies requests for interviews suddenly opened up and filled up an entire half page(!) of our humble magazine (pg. 25). Billy has a flair for the dramatic and offered Alex some foreboding words on his political future. So he’s still someone to watch.
A final word. The advance polls are on August 25 and the big one on August 31st. Go out there and put the X in the little box and don’t go over the lines. Remember the last Quebec referendum. With all the strange things that have been happening in Creeland lately, it’s better to be paranoid than sorry.
