ARTICLES BY Amy German

Polluter pays

Quebec’s new rules will force mining companies to pay for site cleanup   Quebec will finally require mining companies to commit funds to restore their mining sites once their operations are exhausted. Quebec’s minister of natural resources, Martine Ouellet, announced the measure during a conference in Montreal February 8 hosted by the Coalition ... read more ››

A shooting star flames out

To say that Senator Patrick Brazeau has been going through a rough patch of late would be an understatement. The controversy over his offensive remarks against Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence quickly blended into a growing Senate scandal over unmerited housing allowances he and other Conservative Senators claimed by allegedly lying ... read more ››

Lots of shiny chrome

By Amy German by Iulian Boz This year’s Montreal International Auto Show (January 18-27) had a lot to offer. Aside from presenting upcoming models, new concepts and the latest technologies, there were lots of activities for the entire family. Honda gave Montreal a gift by premiiering its new concept of Honda Gear at the ... read more ››

Addressing the issue

Stemming from a resolution signed by the Grand Chief at the 2012 Annual General Assembly of the Crees as a commitment to work on the issue of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Eeyou Istchee, six months later the issue got its own forum. Congregating at the Delta Hotel in downtown ... read more ››

Intimate escapes

While St. Valentine’s Day may be just around the corner, when it comes to booking a few days for a sweet couple’s escape or a playful getaway with the immediate family, just about any time is a good time to hit the road, particularly with the frigid temperatures of late. A ... read more ››

Resolutions for the new year

As the world revels in the season’s celebrations, much of the Cree Nation’s leadership is already thinking about 2013. To get a glimpse of what is to come in the New Year, the Nation spoke to the powers that be to see what was on their minds and what their areas ... read more ››

Political reflections and projections

There is no doubt that 2012 will go down as a major year for the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee with Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come at the helm. From the signing of the Cree Governance Agreement with the Quebec government to coming together as a unified front against the development ... read more ››

Summit on addictions

From November 19-21, Crees from various entities gathered in Val-d’Or to brainstorm ways to address one of the biggest issues in Eeyou Istchee today: addiction. According to Sol Awashish, one of the main organizers of this year’s Addictions Summit, the event was about finding new solutions. “The idea was to come up ... read more ››

Suicide is never painless

Hundreds of First Nations and Inuit individuals from all over Quebec descended on the Sheraton Hotel November 24-29 to talk about the loved and lost and how to keep from losing more loved ones. Since 2001, the First Nations and Inuit Suicide Prevention Association of Quebec has held an annual event ... read more ››

Holiday flavours to savour

The Nation’s annual guide to tasty holiday entertaining By Amy German As Eeyou Istchee is blanketed by the first snowfalls of the season, so too comes the time of year to bask in the lovely glow of the Christmas tree with loved ones – old and young – while enjoying some delectable seasonal ... read more ››

Making a list and checking it twice…

As the snows of Eeyou Istchee settle in for the season, children far and wide begin to dream of that incredible big morning after Santa visits… and we adults have to start planning out just what and where we will get all of that bounty that goes under our trees. Yes, ... read more ››

Diabetic patient talk

  What used to be a death sentence in the time before insulin, diabetes has become a much more manageable disease, provided the patient is willing to put in the effort and live a healthier life. For the newly diagnosed, however, testing positive for high blood sugar can be a terrifying event, ... read more ››

Grand weight loss

  Having been in the public eye of the Cree world since the mid-1990s, Deputy Grand Chief Ashley Iserhoff looks almost like a shadow of his former self. The political figure has lost over 60 pounds of excess body fat and revamped his entire lifestyle in the process. Now a lean, mean, ... read more ››

Plan Nord or Plan Mort?

There is no doubt that the political shift from the Liberals under Jean Charest to a Parti Québécois led by Pauline Mariois has created a different economic environment within Quebec. In the PQ’s first week in office the former Liberal government’s much-prided “Plan Nord” for natural resource development in the north ... read more ››

Cool times during the cooler seasons

As the days grow shorter and the air colder, many crawl under the blankets on the couch seeking comfort and coziness from the fall and winter weather. And then there are those who are already planning their escape from cabin fever by buying concert tickets and perusing other cultural events to ... read more ››

Belly fat blues

A new Mayo Clinic study has caused a stir amongst the health community as it suggests that people who are of normal weight but have a large concentration of fat over their abdomen (belly fat) are at higher risk than those who are obese. The study examined data on 12,785 people ... read more ››

(Super)heroes on display

There were no shortages of Batmans. Among the 32,000 visitors who made their way to Montreal’s fourth annual comic convention at the Palais des Congrès September 14-16, there were probably hundreds of caped crusaders. Skinny Batmans, obese Batmans, Batmans with costumes that probably cost thousands, cheap Batmans who wore crappy, ... read more ››

Halloween cometh

  October brings so many wonderful sights, scents and sinful delights to celebrate. As the children begin to dream about what costume they will wear to trick or treat, pumpkin becomes the theme to both decorate with and the flavour to play with in the kitchen. When looking at the emerging trends ... read more ››

Board of Compensation bonus

  While it may not be Christmas yet, the Board of Compensation was all about giving this year after they distributed large one-time sums to each of the Cree communities and to several of the entities in the hopes of getting the Cree economy moving. This announcement was made at the Cree ... read more ››

A youth revolution through resolutions

  Despite a summer of unseasonably cold weather, the Cree Nation Youth Council (CNYC) saw three days of brilliant sunshine for their Annual General Assembly and it was perhaps a good omen for positive change. According to Joshua Iserhoff, CNYC’s recently elected Youth Chief, this year’s host community of Chisasibi pulled off ... read more ››

Moratorium questioned

Some of the biggest news to come out of this year’s Annual General Assembly in Waskaganish was that the Crees of Eeyou Istchee have declared a permanent moratorium on uranium exploration, uranium mining and uranium waste emplacement throughout Cree territory. The day after the resolution was passed, on August 9, the ... read more ››

Fighting fetal alcohol syndrome

The Crees have entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Grand Council of the Crees and SAF (Syndrome d’Alcoolisation Fœtal) France geared at sharing information and practices when it comes to preventing the brutal and life-lasting effects of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The MOU was signed on ... read more ››

Driven by a dream

It was a long and winding road through academia for Darren MacLeod before he finally received the distinguished accreditation of Certified Management Accountant from CMA Ontario. Only one other Cree from Eeyou Istchee has ever achieved this level of success in this field, providing a good reason for celebration for ... read more ››

Taking the good with the bad

Hot of the heels of his “virtual walk” from Mistissini to Waskaganish, Sol Awashish, a member of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay’s Chronic Disease team, made a special presentation at the Annual General Assembly of the Cree Nation to update the people about the ... read more ››

A great success

Finally breathing a sigh of relief, André Dudemaine was happy to share that 2012 has been yet another incredibly successful year for Montreal’s annual Indigenous culture extravaganza, Terres en vues / Land InSights. Running from July 31-August 8, this year’s festival offered an incredible mix of cinema, live music, traditional arts ... read more ››

A bridge to greater development

After being talked about for many years, the long-awaited bridge in Mistissini over Uupaachikus Pass linking the community with land across the water is finally going to happen. Motivation for building the bridge is not only for residential development, but also for what lies on the other side – gravel. Without ... read more ››