ARTICLES BY The Nation

Geographer “discovers” Cree territory

The “discovery” of seven waterfalls along the Again River in the Hudson Bay Lowlands by Canadian geographer Adam Shoalts was met with the confusion and disdain of some members of Moose Cree First Nation in August. Shoalts received considerable praise from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for being the first to ... read more ››

Resolutions from the 2013 Cree Nation Youth Council

CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF A RESOLUTION OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CREE NATION YOUTH COUNCIL On a motion duly made by Ms. Jamie Houle and seconded by Ms. Melissa Whiskeychan, the Members adopted Resolution AGA1314-01 approving the appointment of the Chairman. The undersigned, Corporate Secretary of the Cree Nation Youth Council (the ... read more ››

2013 Annual General Assembly Resolutions

Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/Cree Regional Authority Annual General Assembly   Resolution 2013-08: Joint Special General Assembly between GCCEI/CRA and Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay WHEREAS, the delegates of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Regional Authority 39th/36th Annual General Assembly have received a ... read more ››

VIDEO: Coon Come and Mark Inaugurated

After final election results were decided in a run-off vote held in July, Dr. Matthew Coon Come and Rodney Mark were inaugurated into their positions as Grand Chief and Deputy Grand Chief at this year’s GCC/CRA Annual General Assembly. Inauguration ceremonies were conducted in English and the acceptance speeches were ... read more ››

Strateco denied safeguard order

The Grand Council of the Crees (GCC) welcomed an interim judgment of the Superior Court of Quebec earlier this month that denied Strateco Resources Inc.’s request for a safeguard order in relation to the Matoush uranium project. Strateco had claimed that it was unable to pay the current maintenance expenses of ... read more ››

Premiers support inquiry into missing and murdered women

The pressure to uncover the truth is building. On July 24, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) proposed a national inquiry into the tragedy of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in an effort to investigate over 600 cases of our missing and murdered women between 2005 and 2010. NWAC made the ... read more ››

Mohawks and Mi’gmaq team up for education

The Mohawk community of Kahnawake and the Mi’gmaq community of Listuguj are embarking on a historic partnership by launching the First Nations Regional Adult Education Centre (FNRAEC), Quebec’s first English-language adult education centre geared toward Aboriginal students. Opening in September, the FNRAEC will offer quality education while paying tribute to First ... read more ››

Police attack goes viral

A screengrab from a video allegedly showing Norbert Mestenapeo being beaten by SQ officers A YouTube video posted in July appears to expose a case of police brutality against an Innu man in eastern Quebec. The victim in the video, 24-year-old Norman Mestenapeo of Unamen Shipu (La Romaine), claims to have ... read more ››

Broken cable causes election delay

Results from the first turn of the 2013 Grand Council Elections were delayed for more than 12 hours by a failure in fibreoptic communications cable north of Matagami on July 15. The failure affected all communications system in the area, including cellphone reception, internet and landline connections. In an email to ... read more ››

First turn of elections inconclusive

The first turn of the 2013 Grand Council elections ended without the naming a Grand Chief or Deputy Grand Chief. No candidate was able to secure the required absolute majority (50% + 1) needed to secure a victory. Results from the run-off election pitting Matthew Coon Come against Ashley Iserhoff ... read more ››

Mistissini student wins Cree-Naskapi Commission Award

Carrie-Lynn MacLeod, 17, is the latest winner of the 16th annual Cree-Naskapi Commission Award, which highlights highest academic achievement. MacLeod was first nominated for the award by her high school, Voyageur Memorial, located in Mistissini, where she was also valedictorian and prom queen. “I just graduated from Grade 11, I feel ... read more ››

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Edith Cloutier named Member of the Order of Canada

  Regroupement des Centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ) President Edith Cloutier has been appointed Member of the Order of Canada for her work and actions improving the living conditions of urban Aboriginals. RCAAQ said they were proud of her achievements centred mainly on the Native Friendship Centre Movement. Cloutier said, “This ... read more ››

Mistissini Niimuuhiikan… Mistissini powwow

Mistissini is the place to be July 19-20. After too many years to count, this Cree community will finally be hosting a powwow. Says organizer Luke MacLeod: “Years ago, I asked an Elder if they had songs made just for dancing. He was a respected Elder who often sang using ... read more ››

“Level all their tents”

Strateco President Guy Hebert says that the Crees have no say over resource exploitation in Eeyou Istchee because “the Crees sold their rights.” Hebert made the comment during Strateco’s 2013 shareholder assembly. During the meeting, one investor went even further, questioning whether Crees qualified as Quebecers. “We should level all ... read more ››

Financial transparency act becomes law

Bill C-27, also known as the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, has reopened the controversy surrounding the salaries of First Nations chiefs. Critics of the new bill argued that the public is being fed myths and stereotypes over the salaries of the First Nations chiefs. On March 27, the bill received ... read more ››

Attawapiskat reimbursed

After a year of holding back support funding at the Attawapiskat First Nations, the Conservative government sent a single transfer of $136,132 to the band office for the work of the third-party manager. The amount covers his time managing the community between December 2011 and April 2012. The payment comes after ... read more ››

Quality Inn Val-d’Or nominations

After winning three awards at the regional level, Quality Inn & Suites Val-d’Or has been nominated for two awards at the 27th annual National Gala for the Grand Prize in Quebec Tourism. The finalists were announced on April 16 with Quality Inn Val-d’Or being nominated in the categories for accommodations ... read more ››

CSB’s new location in Montreal

The Cree School Board officially opened its head office for Post Secondary Student Services at a new location at 1440 St. Catherine St. in Montreal. The grand opening took place March 28 with numerous students and friends present for the event. With so many universities and trade schools in Montreal, the ... read more ››

Branding Eeyou Istchee

Eeyou Istchee Tourism, Tourisme Baie-James and the Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association unveiled a new brand image for the region. Launched at the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Centre April 8, the new marketing campaign is placing the spotlight on Cree heritage and the region’s vast tract of wilderness in hopes of ... read more ››

Val-d’Or’s Quality Inn wins three awards

Since opening in 2011, the Quality Inn and Suites Val-d’Or has already made quite the impression in the region with its award-winning services. On March 16, at the Grand Prix du Tourisme de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue held in La Sarre, the CREECO-run hotel managed to pick up three more awards to add ... read more ››

A monument for residential school victims serves to remind

On March 25, the Anishinabek Nation erected a monument to honour their citizens who suffered in the residential school system. The monument was unveiled by the Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation Patrick Wedaseh Madahbee in front of the head office of the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) in ... read more ››

End First Nations poverty by ditching Indian Act

OTTAWA — An influential lobby group with close ties to the federal Conservatives is recommending that Ottawa ditch the Indian Act and give First Nations more control over their land in order to end aboriginal poverty once and for all. On the surface of it, those are goals that First Nations ... read more ››

First Nations brace for 'nefarious' funding cuts

First Nations leaders in Northern Ontario are preparing for looming federal funding cuts and caps that could slash their budgets in half. “We’re vulnerable right now,” Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno told almost 50 chiefs gathered for a meeting in Thunder Bay on Tuesday. “With the funding cuts that ... read more ››

First Nations youth discuss ideas for change

Youth taking part in a forum to discuss issues such as education, culture and suicide plan on making recommendations to government and First Nations leaders about how to make things better for their communities. The three-day forum in Thunder Bay involves young people from more than 90 northern Ontario First Nations ... read more ››

Canada First Nations Joint Action Plan

Canada and First Nations have an enduring historic relationship based on mutual respect, friendship and support.  Under this government, there has been a shift in Canada’s relationship with First Nations, exemplified by the Prime Minister’s historic apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, the creation of the Truth and ... read more ››