ARTICLES BY Alex Roslin

Pressure PQ on the “fundamentals”: Chief

After six years without formal talks, the Cree Chiefs and Quebec have agreed to sit down at the table together. Now, says Chief Abel Bosum, Crees have to make sure those negotiations focus on “fundamental” issues important to the entire Cree Nation, not just gains in funding or services. “Every community varies ... read more ››

Energy debate avoids Natives

Quebec is moving ahead with its public debate on energy, but the First Nations are already being overlooked. In a press release, the government says Quebec needs a new energy policy “rooted firmly at the centre of concerns such as economic growth, environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development.” No mention ... read more ››

Crees, PQ agree to bury the hatchet

A dramatic breakthrough has occurred in Cree-Quebec relations. Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come and Cree Chiefs met for the first time with Premier Jacques Parizeau on May 23. They agreed to resume formal talks on a wide variety of outstanding issues from economic development, infrastructure, services for Elders and the “modernization” ... read more ››

Two Mistissini Crees Recognized

Wally Rabbitskin and Jason Coonishish of Mistissini were honoured with awards at the Gala of Excellence in Chibougamau on May 6. Wally was named athlete of the year for 1994, and Jason won an award for innovation in tourism. They were chosen from among candidates across northern Quebec. Wally came in second ... read more ››

Gun law will fail in court: AFN

(Additional reporting by Paul M. Rickard) Give a single bullet to an unlicensed person and you will face a minimum sentence of one year behind bars and so will the person who got the bullet. That is the future facing First Nations hunters if the gun-control legislation proposed by Justice Minister ... read more ››

Friendship centre planning Mukushan, move to new home

Much rejoicing at Montreal’s Native Friendship Centre after a five-year search to find a new building has come to a happy end. The centre will be moving into a new building at the north-east corner of St-Laurent and Ontario which is two-and-a-half times the size of its current building. “We’re really excited. ... read more ››

Housing slashed in half for Crees

The Canada Mortage and Housing Corporation has cut the number of houses it will sponsor in Cree Territory by almost half. Last year, 73 housing units were built in east coast Cree communities. This year, that number falls to 40. This, despite a need for 900 to 1,200 new homes to ... read more ››

CBC North Braces for Cuts

Staff at CBC North are bracing for a possible 25-per-cent cut to their funding. There is even worried speculation that the meagerly funded northern service could be eliminated entirely as the CBC goes through a sweeping overhaul. In the latest Liberal budget, $44 million was cut from CBC’s $ I-billion budget. ... read more ››

Irwin apologizes… almost

Canada isn’t exactly apologizing to the High Arctic exiles—at least not yet. But Indian Affairs Minister Ron Irwin has given the clearest indication so far that Ottawa is sorry about the forcible relocation of 18 Inuit families to the Far North in the 1950s. And Canada is ready to compensate them. “He ... read more ››

Scandal at Eagle River

The Bloc Québécois has uncovered a strange scandal that is embarassing the Defense Department At a cost of $2.6 million to taxpayers, 20 generals flew off on two eight-week-long fishing vacations to Eagle River, a salmon fishing camp set up by the military on Innu land 175 km north of ... read more ››

Taking back the power Winneway-style

At the end of a winding, gravel road half-way between Val d’Or and Temiscaming is a little Algonquin community, Winneway. It sits right on the Winneway River, and 100 yards upstream you can see the Winneway hydro-electric dam. The Long Point First Nation has had its share of run-ins with hydro-projects ... read more ››

Ordeal at the Winneway dam

When the Winneway dam was built in 1938, Walter Poison was 20 or 21. He is one of the few Elders still alive in Winneway who worked on the dam in those days. On and off for six-and-a-half years, Walter worked at various gruelling jobs earning 30 cents an hour, 10 ... read more ››

Goose numbers worry CTA, scientists

Spring has come early this year in the southern half of Quebec. And that means one thing for James Bay. The geese are coming—lots of them. Goose numbers in the Atlantic flyway have been rising steadily for a few years. Geese are doing nicely because of a decline in hunting and ... read more ››

Mishtuk and Domtar sign $5.8-million deal

Mishtuk Corporation has signed a deal with Domtar Inc. to build a sawmill for $5.8 million. The agreement was signed March 17 in Domtar’s head office in Montreal. Construction of the sawmill could start by May, said Mishtuk president Peter Gull. The sawmill will be owned and operated by a new corporation, Nabakatuk ... read more ››

Deputy Grand Chief in Europe

Canada and Quebec officials are hard at work in Europe at taxpayers’ expense spreading misnomers about how Natives are well-treated back home, reports Deputy Grand Chief Kenny Blacksmith. Kenny was in Europe for two weeks in March. He says Canada lobbied hard to water down a draft declaration on indigenous rights ... read more ››

Viva Las Vegas

Has the Las Vegas of the North lost its glitz? Is the recent human rights complaint filed by Larry House just the tip of the iceberg? (See The Nation, February 17.) That is how many people feel about Val d’Or. Val d’ Or was once the hub of most Cree business ... read more ››

CreeCo. restructures, Brouillard out

CreeCo. is going through a miniperestroika in an attempt to meet concerns over its operations and turn around its food wholesaler arm, Servinor. Abel Kitchen is stepping down as president of CreeCo., the job he’s held since 1991, to devote all his time to putting Servinor Food Wholesaler Inc. squarely on ... read more ››

Commissioners chosen

The Eeyou-Astchee Commission on the Future of the Cree Nation has almost all of its members chosen. The 12 commissioners are Henry Mianscum, Diane Reid, Helen Atkinson, Robbie Matthew Sr., Rod Pachano, Lisa Petagumskum, Ted Moses, Romeo Saganash, Philip Awashish, Bertie Wapachee, James Shecapio and Bella Petawabano. Hearings will get started within ... read more ››

“I don’t have anything against the Great Whale People”: Robert Kanatewat

Quebec should go ahead and dam up the Great Whale River because it will create jobs for Crees, says Robert Kanatewat, former Chief of Chisasibi and commissioner of the Cree-Naskapi Commission. “I sure as hell don’t like how the opposition is going (against Great Whale),” said Kanatewat in a phone interview. ... read more ››

“We decided to play the game”

Within a year or two, the people of Nunavik will be electing representatives to a regional assembly that will control all aspects of public life from health care to education, law enforcement and justice. Nunavik leaders and the separatist government in Quebec City are now putting the final touches on a ... read more ››

Teachers’ lawsuit thrown out

Mistissini teacher Charles Bourassa is a happy man after a $30,000 defamation suit filed against him by two fellow teachers was thrown out of court. Bourassa was sued by teachers Robert Briand and Michel Tremblay after he accused them of racist behaviour in a 1992 letter. In a letter sent to ... read more ››

Debate on hearings delays mill

Domtar, Quebec and the federal government are of one mind—there shouldn’t be any impact hearings into the Waswanipi sawmill. But if Waswanipi has anything to say about it, those hearings will take place anyway. “They certainly don’t like it. They have no choice but to accept that position,” says Romeo Saganash, ... read more ››

Budget squeezes housing, economic projects, salaries, friendship centres

The latest Liberal budget has left First Nations annoyed and concerned. The Indian Affairs budget has been set at $5.3 billion for next year, up six per cent from last year. It will go up another three per cent the year after next Indian Affairs was the only department which wasn’t ... read more ››

Innu promise action on mine

The Innu of Labrador are promising to take “direct action” to stop mining exploration near their sacred burial sites. “The Innu Nation cannot participate in negotiations while drilling continues,” said Innu Nation President Peter Penashue in a press release. “The company’s action leaves us no choice but to take direct action to ... read more ››

Hearings will look at Cree future

Starting in March, the Cree people will be able to have their say on Cree rights, their future and political status in the event of Quebec separation. Cree Chiefs meeting in Val d’Or in mid-February agreed to establish a commission to canvass public opinion in all nine communities on the future ... read more ››

SM-3 protestors jailed

Two non-Natives have started serving jail terms for their part in a blockade against Hydro-Quebec’s SM-3 project last summer. Montrealer Christopher Larnder and Colin Donahue, of Vermont, started serving three-month jail terms at Bordeaux provincial prison on Feb. 20. Seventeen Innu are scheduled to go to jail on March 6. Seven other ... read more ››