ARTICLES BY NATION

Feds Looking For Triple Whammy

Three national bills affecting First Nations are now before Parliament. The Minister of Indian Affairs has introduced the first three of his so-called “suite” of bills in Parliament that will have tremendous impact on First Nations. C-6 (Specific Claims Resolution Act), C-7 (First Nations Governance Act- FNGA) and C-19 (First Nations ... read more ››

Natives Picket 24 Sussex to Protest Exclusion From First Minister’s Meeting

Native leaders waving signs rallied outside the prime minister’s residence two weeks ago to protest their exclusion from the first ministers’ summit on health care. Aboriginals were shut out of the meeting at 24 Sussex Drive that ended with a healthcare deal worth billions of dollars. About 60 protesters representing ... read more ››

Shooting in Great Whale

A shooting incident in Great Whale January 22 left a hole in the community’s gymnasium, but fortunately no one was hurt. One eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, said that he heard a “loud noise,” but he didn’t know what it was at first. There were a number of children in the ... read more ››

Pabineau Pushes Ahead With Casino

The Pabineau First Nation near Bathurst, New Brunswick, says it won’t wait for the results of a plebiscite on casino gambling before opening a gambling centre on reserve. Bathurst city council voted this week to hold a referendum on whether to build a casino in the city. Pabineau Chief John Henry ... read more ››

Scientists to Cultivate Ancient Herbs

For generations, Native American tribes of the American Southwest have used three medicinal herbs – yerba mansa, cota and osh – to treat a number of ailments. Often considered sacred plants, these healing herbs grow wild. Now researchers at New Mexico State University want to know if these elder plants can ... read more ››

Residential Abuse Case Update

The Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon announced that it has contributed $300,000 towards a national $25 million fund to compensate Natives who were sexually and physically abused in residential schools that the denomination ran on behalf of the Government of Canada. Statements from the diocese said its 50 congregations and clergy members ... read more ››

Métis National Council President Refuses to Resign

The Métis National Council has retreated from a Jan. 6 announcement that its troubled president Gerald Morin would be returning to his duties and has asked for his resignation. The MNC board of governors reached the decision after it learned the details of a Dec. 11. incident in which Morin allegedly ... read more ››

Mohawks Know Their Lacrosse Sticks

A First Nations-owned and -operated company from Akwesasne will be supplying lacrosse sticks to the National Lacrosse League for the upcoming season. The Mohawk International Lacrosse, the leading manufacturer of lacrosse sticks in Canada, beat out larger manufacturers in the United States to win the contract for the 12-team professional league. Company ... read more ››

Alberta Adoption Crisis

A Calgary social services is trying to find good homes for several First Nations children up for adoption. According to the Rocky View Child and Family Services, there is a serious shortage of First Nations families as potential adopters for over 30 Native children in the agency’s care. “There is a need ... read more ››

VMS Elementary Grows

As with each New Year, there is a reason to celebrate. Voyageur Memorial School’s students from Grade 4 to Grade 6, teachers, support staff, and special guests welcomed 2003 with the opening of the elementary school’s extension. This celebration was partially because of this new addition to the building, but ... read more ››

Tragedy in Mistissini

A youth from Waskaganish died in Mistissini Jan. 19. Jeremiah Cheezo, aged 19, was killed in an accident after borrowing a snowmobile to do some late night skidooing. Mistissini Police say a combination of high speeds and unfamiliarity with the Mistissini terrain led to his death. Cheezo was found by ... read more ››

Police Scoop Booze and Pot in Nunavik

The Kativik Regional Police Force have seized quantities of hard spirits and close to a kilo of marijuana as part of a campaign against the flow of contraband booze and drugs into the Nunavik region. On Jan. 15, acting on tips, KRPF police in Kangirsuk seized 67 grams of marijuana at ... read more ››

AFN Plans Opposition to “Three C’s”

The Assembly of First Nations is planning a “proactive resistance” to bills C-7 (The First Nations Governance Bill), C-6 (Specific Claims Bill), and C-19 (The First Nations Statistical Management Act). The action plan is in two phases. The first calls for the First Nations to convince Canadians and the federal government ... read more ››

Kiskimaastakin Camps Receive Funding From Quebec

Quebec will provide $163,900 in financial assistance for the Kiskimaastakin hunting and fishing camps. The assistance will be used to develop an outfitting establishment in the LA-1 reservoir sector at James Bay and will result in the creation of 10 seasonal jobs. This outfitting establishment will offer caribou hunting, fishing adventure, ... read more ››

21st Anniversary Cree Nation Invitational Tournament 2002

December 5,6,7,8, 2002 – Val d’Or With the advent of the Tommy James Foundation Tournament that was first held in early 1980s, many Aboriginal Nations have come together to take part as players representing their respective communities or as spectators to join the excitement that the prestigious event brings from year ... read more ››

Secwepemc Elders Found Not Guilty

Aboriginal activists left a Kamloops, BC, court house jubilant Jan. 10: a judge found elders Irene Billy and Charlie Willard of the Secwepemc Nation not guilty of contempt of court for refusing to leave their land at Skwelkwelk’welt. Also present was Lawrence Pascal of the neighboring St’at’imc Nation who was ... read more ››

Robbie Robertson to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The 14 winners of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards were announced with rock legend Robbie Robertson receiving the lifetime achievement award. Other winners included CBC’s Dead Dog Cafe writer Tom King for literature, two physicians, an Alberta oilman, a University of Victoria legal scholar, and eight other prominent achievers from ... read more ››

Fighting Whities Inspire Imitators

The hottest ticket in U.S. college basketball this season might turn out to be a match between the Fighting Whities and the North American Stealers. The pride of the University of Northern Colorado, the Whities won only two games in their intramural basketball league last year, but their idea of turning ... read more ››

How Do I Love Thee…?

Ted Moses is singing the praises of the Quebec government in a European tour with PQ cabinet minister. The Globe and Mail’s Lysiane Gagnon reports that French journalists were stunned by Moses’ warm words for the Quebec government. For years, she writes, aboriginal leaders toured the world, routinely accusing Canada of ... read more ››

Maamuitaau Wins Award at Native Film Festival

CBC North Television’s weekly Cree language news magazine, Maamuitaau, was a big winner at the prestigous Native America Film and Television Alliance in Los Angeles, California on December 8th, 2002. The winning entry, entitled Albert’s Fish: Will Anyone Listen, was produced by CBC Maamuitaau’s Jeff Dorn and journalist Abel Rabbitskin. The ... read more ››

Cree Legal Eagles Join Bigger Flock

The legal team of the James Bay Cree for the last quarter century is joining with a high-powered Montreal law firm. Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP (Gowlings) has announced that Mainville & Associates were signed up effective December 2, 2002. Robert Mainville is joining Gowlings as a partner. Mainville practices mainly in ... read more ››

Xmas Stand-off

Kuujuaq-On Friday January 3rd, a 20-year-old man with a medical history of mental illness, spurned on by an insult from an unidentified local, triggered a 20-hour standoff with Kativik Regional Police. Fortunately, the standoff ended on Saturday, January 4th, 2003, with no fatalities, although one local man, Taamusi Sivuaraapik received non-life ... read more ››

Waskaganish Hockey Chronicle – White Winter Halloween Week

The White Winter Season has been around in the Bay James territories since Halloween week. Does that mean we’ll have a longer or shorter winter if we consider that the cycle of season has been changing in the last years. If that means hockey season will last longer, kids will ... read more ››

“CNIT 2002” Money Talks …Walks!

My husband and I were sitting on the edge of our seat, at home, on Sunday night, December 8th, listening to the final class ‘A’ game on the radio… that was so awesome! Did we ever enjoy it! Not only did we feel part of the crowd, yelling “wouah, wouah,” ... read more ››

Reinhard Reitzenstein: Earth in Context

From the forthcoming book, Art Nature Dialogues, by John K. Grande. A conversation with artist Reinhard Reitzenstein Reinhard Reitzenstein has long been preoccupied with the nature-culture dialogue in his artmaking and sculpture. In 1991 when I first met Reinhardit was at the first Art and Environment Symposium at Queen’s University in Kingston, ... read more ››

Dianne Reid Joins Rupert Reverence

Dianne Reid becomes the 12th Board member of Rupert Reverence, bringing to a total of six the number of Cree directors among the Cree-Quebec environmental organisation. Reid was a Journalist for CBC North from 1974 to 1986, Dianne Reid was also member of National Aboriginal Communications Society from 1979 to 1989. ... read more ››