ARTICLES BY Steve Bonspiel

Cree TV? – Group Studies Feasibility of Cree television stations

As the Cree Nation has grown over the past 40 years, so has the Cree communications infrastructure – radio stations, magazines and newspapers. Now Eeyou Istchee could also see the addition of one or more Cree television stations. “We’re going to look at it closely, it could be a year or ... read more ››

Out of the park, in the ground

Dudley George is a name we should never forget. After a lengthy 25-month inquiry and testimony from 139 witnesses, the inquiry into Dudley George’s death is bringing his family that much closer to closure in the 1996 shooting death of the Aboriginal protestor. But is it enough? Members of the Kettle and ... read more ››

Six Anglican Deacons Ordained in Chisasibi

The Anglican faith in Chisasibi gained a much-needed shot in the arm recently as six new Cree deacons were ordained in an elaborate ceremony. Annie Herodier, lay readers Clifford Bearskin, Abraham Cox, Stephan Pepabano and Samuel Bearskin, as well as the Rector’s Warden, Eliza Webb, were ordained deacons on August 30 ... read more ››

A Cree Pathway to southern schools

Cree students looking to attend CEGEP down south are in for a pleasant surprise: a new pilot program called Cree Pathways will help them integrate into their new surroundings more smoothly than ever before. “My job is to assist the students with their tutoring and homework and to ease the transition ... read more ››

AIDS: infecting our people at an alarming rate

The biggest misconception when it comes to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is the fact that you are safe from it and that you could not possibly contract the disease. Well, you’re dead wrong, especially if you happen to be Native. A recent report talked about the rates Aboriginals contract ... read more ››

Gordon Blackned elected new CSB Chairman – Brings ambitious program of change into new mandate

The people decided it was a time for a change. Voters from the nine Cree communities elected new Cree School Board Chairman Gordon Blackned, the Director General of the CSB, to replace incumbent William Mianscum during a run-off election in early August. Blackned took 1,350 votes to Mianscum’s 846 to win a ... read more ››

Cree lawyer-to-be is on a mission to help her people

As the Cree Nation continues to grow, so too do the hopes and dreams of its young people. Marie Eve Lachapelle-Bordeleau, 24, is a prime example. She recently passed the Quebec bar exam and is now hoping to help her own people. “I decided to study law because I wanted to [eventually] ... read more ››

Finally – support for Cree victims of crime

The Grand Council of the Crees is currently reviewing a very important new project that may affect you and your loved ones (see the Nation’s full coverage of the story in “Victims of crime to receive new services” located at the top of the main page). The Crime Victims Assistance Centre ... read more ››

Victims of crime to receive new services – Grand council reviews promising CAVAC project

Victims of violent crimes in Eeyou Istchee may – as soon as this fall – be able to rest a little easier in dealing with the after-effects of those incidents thanks to a program called CAVAC. CAVAC, which stands for Crime Victims Assistance Centres, is a vital tool to help victims ... read more ››

Three Chiefs denounce Rupert River diversion

The Chiefs of Nemaska, Chisasibi and Waskaganish – the communities who will be most affected by the damming of the Rupert River – have released a document that questions the validity of the EM-1A project. Chisasibi Chief Abraham Rupert, Waskaganish Chief Robert Weistche and Nemaska Chief Josie Jimiken presented their report ... read more ››

Profane put down by Coon Come shocks GCC meeting

The Grand Council of the Crees board meeting was running smoothly, albeit a bit long, when one derogatory comment from an elected official turned the mood sour. Matthew Coon Come turned to Dr. John Murdoch during his presentation at the meeting in mid-July and asked him if the middle initial in ... read more ››

Former Native Alliance leader founds new off-reserve group

A new organization for off-reserve Natives calling itself The Confederation of Aboriginal Peoples has been founded, and its leader, Guillaume Carle, is anxious to resume his recently interrupted political career. “We represent all Aboriginals living off reserve, including Metis, Inuits and Indians,” Carle told the Nation. “The confederation is a term ... read more ››

Five Generations of women in Eastmain

Many Native teachings talk about the importance of looking ahead to the unborn generations – usually seven – and what affect our lives will have on them and their offspring. One Eastmain family is lucky enough to be able to communicate between five generations, from a three-month-old newborn to their ... read more ››

Innu announce plans to sue Hydro-Québec – Seek $11 billion in damages from Crown Corporation, governments

The 4,000-strong Pessamit Innu community has filed an $11 billion lawsuit against Hydro-Québec for “total devastation of culture and way of life.” The Innu, led by Chief Raphael Picard, are outraged at the slow pace of negotiations for compensation after losing access to much of their traditional homeland caused by the ... read more ››

Manitau’s traditional inspiration – Richard Bosum looks to music to pass on Cree culture

From singers to dancers, to painters and sculptors, musical talent is in abundance in Eeyou Istchee. One of the more famous musical duos in Cree territory is Richard Bosum and Kenny Mianscum, also known as Manitau. “I got my first guitar way back in my teens,” Richard Bosum, 42, told the ... read more ››

Forest fires hit Mistissini again – More evacuations as fire creeps to within feet of homes

Forest fires, thought to be caused by lightning, came to within mere feet of some Mistissini houses and left many residents thinking they had seen the last of their homes. “I’ve been a firefighter for 12 years and in my mind, I didn’t think my house would be there when I ... read more ››

Cree vocational training centre grand opening

Looking for a better education? Cannot find it in your home community? Waswanipi and the newly opened Sabtuan Regional Training Centre might be just the place to go. The unveiling of the $18.3 million complex for students searching for vocational training took place May 31, much to the delight of the ... read more ››

Three times a charm – Mistissini holds third annual football camp for youth

“What time is it? Time to get busy!” Alouettes Coach Don Matthews’ unofficial song belted out of the speakers at Mistissini’s makeshift football field in front of 200-plus eager, football-hungry kids. The song, made famous by Mathews after he performed his own rap rendition a couple years back, led a short workout ... read more ››

Big Trout Lake – First Nation faces $10 billion lawsuit – Platinum prospectors trying to legally evict Ontario band from its territory

The Big Trout Lake First Nation in Northern Ontario is in a fight to protect its rights from exploration and to recover the land in question from the Ontario government. Big Trout Lake has been dealing with the government in the land claims process for years, but is now before the ... read more ››

Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis – First People’s Festival premieres Native drama – Alex Rice portrays Ellen Gabriel

Sixteen years ago, Quebec and Canada as a whole, learned a tough lesson on Native affairs and the ever-present land issue. In 1990, a peaceful protest in Kanesatake to protect sacred Native land, turned into a botched Surete de Quebec raid and left one SQ officer dead; all in the name ... read more ››

Does the Punishment Fit the Crime? Lenient sentences stemming from 1999 Supreme Court ruling partly to blame, says police director

Sexual assault cases are at epidemic proportions in Mistissini. In fact, when the Nation spoke to several key members of the community, they all had first-hand experiences with sexual assault, from simple touching to rape. “Right now in Mistissini we have two sexual offences a month,” Mistissini Police Director Calvin Blacksmith ... read more ››

Fires prompt Mistissini evacuation

The people of Mistissini woke up to a frightening occurrence on June 7 after at least six forest fires were ignited by lightning and were threatening the community. “Most people are gone, it’s just the core people like the police, fire department, the health board, some volunteers and myself who are ... read more ››

The spirit of the Mohawks

The Mohawk protest at Caledonia, Ontario brought back memories of another incident that is still fresh in the minds of most Aboriginals. In 1990, a small group of Kanesatake Mohawks set up a non-threatening, side-of-the-road camp to halt the Oka golf club’s proposed expansion onto their land. If plans had proceeded, ... read more ››

Odawa kicks off powwow season

Powwow season in Canada kicked off last week with the 30th annual Odawa powwow, May 26-28 in Ottawa. And what a start it was! The beautiful weather was shining down on spectators and the colorful dancers and Indian tacos were a big hit all around. Touted as the first powwow of the ... read more ››

First People’s Festival visually stunning – 16th edition opens with Inuit art exhibit

After anxious moments, a late start and high humidity, the 16th edition of the First People’s Festival in Montreal finally got under way – and it was worth the wait. The festival marked its grand opening with an exhibition by 11 Inuk artists from Inuvik on May 25. The vernissage was ... read more ››

Nemaska hit by early forest fires

Forest fires have hit the small community of Nemaska hard in recent years, and this year they are getting their share even earlier than usual. At press time, 7,456 acres had been blackened by the season’s first forest fire, which started in early May and had been burning for a week. “The ... read more ››