ARTICLES BY Will Nicholls

Harper: No knight in shining armour

Without warning the Harper government cut funding to Native Women’s shelters in spite of evidence they are desperately needed. The Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) may have to close its doors even as you read this editorial. A study of Aboriginal women, conducted by the Ontario Native Women’s Association in ... read more ››

Keep Eeyou Istchee Together

Keeping Eeyou Istchee together is the theme of the Grand Council of the Crees’ referendum on the offshore islands in the James Bay and Hudson Bay. But the Grand Council is doing something a little different this time around. They have added a challenge the youth component to the referendum. The ... read more ››

On The Road Again

One time while I was driving in the US a light snow had hit Connecticut. People slowed down like crazy. I slowly passed cars going under the speed limit. When I reached the front I speeded up to the limit. I soon saw a police light flashing in my mirror. ... read more ››

Assimilation by attrition

A story we cover this week suggests that the residential school era may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Native children. Foster-care placement of Aboriginal children in Canada today is actually three times the number of children who were sent to residential school in an average ... read more ››

It’s a pandemic

It’s really quite amazing how Quebec was freaking out over diabetes a few years ago when the Quebec population hit a diabetes infection rate of 3 per cent. Quebec, the other provinces and the federal government had been quietly ignoring the diabetes pandemic for ages. The stopgap measures show their assistance ... read more ››

That time of year is upon us

I remember this story from my youth. I thought it a sad story. Like any young person I felt that people should never pass by someone in need. Of course, this was re-enforced by the Cree way of life. I remember the village Mistissini was back in the ’60s and ... read more ››

Back to the bunkers

Public. It’s a simple word, only two syllables, but sometimes people have a hard time understanding what it means. Consider the term “public corporation.” Used in this way, it means that a company is owned by the citizens of a particular jurisdiction. Say, Hydro-Québec, for example. The owners of that corporation ... read more ››

Newly Wed

On October 3 at 6 pm I stole Amy German from the ranks of the single women and made her my wife in a ceremony officiated by Joe Jolly. It was a difficult wedding to plan and a lot of the invitations didn’t make it out to many people we would ... read more ››

From the colonized

Then: “Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question.” – Duncan Campbell Scott, Head of the Department of Indian Affairs in the 1920s. Now: “We also have no history of colonialism.” – ... read more ››

Remembering Albert

It was with a great sense of loss when I heard of Albert Diamond passing on. Albert was more than just a wonderful person; he was always so kind and considerate to all that we always welcomed seeing him at every opportunity. His passing will not only leave a void in ... read more ››

Assessing the Nation

It was an Annual General Assembly to remember. Not only Crees were on hand but Luc Ferland, the PQ MNA for the Eeyou Istchee-Ungava riding, dropped in along with the Amos Mayor Ulrick Chérubin and the Amos Chamber of Commerce in the form of Martin Veau. They came to the ... read more ››

Justice digs in

Cree justice is taking on a new face in the Cree communities of Mistissini and Waswanipi. Shovels hit the dirt and politicians and bureaucrats got their hands dirty breaking ground for new justice centres for the two communities on July 14. It’s a far cry from the previous lack of interest ... read more ››

On the campaign trail

It was a long debate in Chisasibi that ended at 5 am. It was a good test both of endurance and the willingness of the Cree population to really get to know the candidates. It also points out a problem in the Cree world concerning the electoral process. It is simply ... read more ››

National Aboriginal Day: It’s the longest day of the year though some may wish it were shorter.

It’s the longest day of the year though some may wish it were shorter. That’s because it’s National Aboriginal Day and segments of the population just wish Canada’s Aboriginal population would just disappear and be assimilated already. It is a relatively new addition to the Canadian calendar as it was just ... read more ››

More just hair

I know when people looked at this story they wondered what all the fuss was about. The story concerned a teacher’s aide in Thunder Bay, Ontario, who last month cut the hair of a First Nations student. After cutting the bangs, the aide was suspended. The region’s assistant Crown attorney said ... read more ››

Will on the Grill

Restaurant L’Orignal, 479 Saint-Alexis (corner Notre Dame) I had the opportunity to experience L’Orignal a while back. This restaurant features wild game and does it with panache. Owner Travis Champion, an expert in wild meat, grew up in New Brunswick eating it most of his life. He admits there aren’t many ... read more ››

Dear Mr. Robert Kanatewat

This is in response to your letter sent to me and included in this issue. I will say at this moment we have no record of you attempting to contact the editorial board or myself regarding the editorial by Boyce Richardson published in the Nation (Vol 16, Issue 10) on March 27, ... read more ››

Still waiting for action

Nine years after American geologist Chris Covel first raised serious concerns over mining contamination in Ouje-Bougoumou’s territory, a newly released government study is raising more questions than it answers among the community’s members. The Screening Level Environmental Risk Assessment, or SLERA, was commissioned by the Quebec government following negotiations between the ... read more ››

Nine years too long

Unfortunately the presses wait for no one. But the buzz of what happened in Oujé-Bougoumou March 31 will no doubt be making the rounds in the Cree communities. On that Tuesday, community members gathered to hear about the report, “Screening Level Environmental Risk Assessment: Traditional Territory of the Oujé-Bougoumou Cree ... read more ››

Cree Grand Council not fulfilling one of its mandates by hiring non-Cree filmmakers

I’m kind of sorry that the Cree filmmakers from Rezolution Pictures were not chosen to make a four-part history of the Crees that is being financed by the Grand Council of the Crees. It’s not so long ago that the Grand Council was a revolutionary organization fighting like tigers to defend ... read more ››

To be occupied…

A picture, it is often said, is worth a thousand words. It seems a logo can achieve the same thing. The logo represents an actual logo of the Quebec government. One can at least respect them for coming out of the closet. Last year, the Charest government announced that they ... read more ››

The outdoors on display

The National Outfitters Hunting and Fishing show had three Cree booths this year. On hand were Osprey Excursions, Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA) and the Cree Nation of Mistissini tourism people. They had a great presence at a show where reputation is everything.   Elijah Awashish, co-owner, Osprey Excursions The Nation: So how ... read more ››

Show me the love

Valentine’s Day is upon us. I can already hear some guys and no doubt a few girls saying, “Damn, what to do, what to do?” The crass commercialization of Valentine’s Day means you are expected to get a card, flowers, chocolates or something for the sweet tooth and follow it ... read more ››

Breaking the ice

If you thought the Manifest Destiny era of colonization was over, think again. The now former President George W. Bush, during his last days in office, declared Canada’s claims of sovereignty over Arctic waters to be moot. “Freedom of the seas is a great priority,” stated a White House directive issued ... read more ››

The Lessons of 2008

The crown prosecutor in his case had asked for a one-year sentence, in order to send “a strong message,” whatever that means. To his credit, the judge refused, saying a year would likely be an illegal sentence. Nonetheless, the judicial urge to get tough on Native activists is growing in Canada, ... read more ››

To make and break a year

Stuck in a rut? Making the same old resolutions year after year? Breaking the same old resolutions year after year? Got the will power of a weenie? Don’t beat yourself up over it. Making a resolution is recognizing there is a need for a change that will make your life better. ... read more ››