ARTICLES BY The Nation

First Nations ask for urgent meeting

More than 2,000 aboriginal protesters took a “dire” call for change to the nation’s capital on Friday in a bid to pressure the government to meet and discuss treaty rights and “crises” plaguing First Nations communities. The demonstrators, who were taking part in a growing grassroots First Nations movement called “Idle ... read more ››

First Nations eye action to oppose pipelines

A coalition of aboriginal leaders has drawn a line in the oilsands and has warned of a “long, hot summer” ahead in the group’s fight against the government’s resource development agenda. [wzslider height=”450″] First Nations leaders from Canada and the United States held a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday to warn ... read more ››

Demand for unity is getting louder

The arduous journey of the Nishiyuu Walkers may be complete, but their demand for unity and a new relationship between the federal government and aboriginal people is only getting louder, native leaders said Monday. Seven men, including a guide, left the Cree community of Whapmagoostui, Que., on Jan. 16, and walked ... read more ››

Participate in a national study

We invite you to participate in a national study on Indigenous workplace inclusion. Your participation will help to advance Indigenous employment in Canada. Take the workplace inclusion survey. This brief survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All participants who complete this study will be entered into a draw for $1000 towards ... read more ››

Mistissini celebrates Women’s Day

The Mistissini branch of the Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association devoted six days to the women of their community by holding a special women’s conference from March 4-8, followed by a day of outdoor activities at the local children’s camp. The “Live, Love & Laugh Conference” featured a number of ... read more ››

Recommendations for Ontario jury rolls

  Inquiries into the deaths of remote First Nations students Reggie Bushie, Jethro Anderson, Curran Strang, Paul Panacheese, Robyn Harper, Reggie Bushie, Kyle Morriseau and Jordan Wabasse may finally see the light of day as former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci delivered his report and recommendations regarding the exclusion of First ... read more ››

Murder-suicide in Kuujjuaq

  The community of Kuujjuaq was in mourning after Kativik Regional Police Force Constable Steve Dery, 27, died from gunshot wounds and another officer was injured while responding to a domestic dispute on March 2. His funeral took place March 9 at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Ottawa attended by colleagues, family ... read more ››

Télé-Québec airs Objectif Nord

Télé-Québec aired the last part of a four-part documentary series about northern Quebec on March 11. This final episode, titled The Future of the North, concluded one part of Télé-Québec’s massive multimedia undertaking called Objectif Nord. Objectif Nord seeks to inform Quebecers about the North with a documentary series, website and ... read more ››

Cultivating cross-cultural business

March 12 and 13, the Eeyou Economic Group in collaboration with the Chibougamau Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an entrepreneurial symposium, “Towards the Development of Sustainable Partnerships in Northern Quebec,” in Chibougamau. Also on the event’s steering committee are the Chibougamau Eenou Friendship Centre and the Northern Entrepreneurship Centre. They ... read more ››

Duncan walks the plank

A minor scandal over an inappropriate letter gave Prime Minister Stephen Harper the pretext he needed to dump now-former Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan from his cabinet. Duncan submitted his resignation February 15 after a small uproar over his letter of recommendation for a constituent. The letter was addressed to the ... read more ››

Attawapiskat ice road blockade

A standoff between residents of the First Nation of Attawapiskat and the De Beers’ Victor diamond mine ended without incident on February 22. A team of officers from the Ontario Provincial Police force arrived to enforce a court order to remove the barricades that had been set up for the ... read more ››

Elders pass on

On February 20, the community of Whapmagoostui lost beloved Elder and longtime Clergyman Sandy Masty. Born in 1925, he passed away at age 88. The love and tenderness he showed to his fellow community members will long be remembered. His legacy lives on through his family and the people whose ... read more ››

New Year’s babies

Children are the most precious gift you can give your community. They signal the continuation of family traditions and their people’s culture. Every new child is worth being written about and it’s always a pleasure to introduce new additions to Eeyou Istchee. The latest bundles of joy to join the communities, ... read more ››

New Native centre opens in Montreal

The Montreal Native Community Development Centre has opened its doors to the public to offer a wide array of services and activities to the Native residents of Montreal. Located at 2306 Sherbrooke St. East, the centre will serve as a cultural hub for people of First Nations, Inuit and Métis ancestry ... read more ››

Seeking actors

The First Nations Human Resources Development Commission of Quebec has put out a call for five roles in a documentary production. The project is being done with the National Women Association of Canada. They are seeking two young women and one young man between the ages of 15 and 18. Those ... read more ››

Diamond Jubilee medals rejected

Ellen Gabriel, former president of the Quebec Native Women association, and Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee of the Anishinabek Nation both rejected the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The medal is meant to “honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians” for the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the ... read more ››

Chief Spence ends hunger strike

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence ended her 44-day hunger strike January 24. The same day, Elder Raymond Robinson, of the Cree Cross Lake Indian Reserve in Manitoba, ended his own hunger strike. Robinson had joined Spence two days into her protest in December. The circumstances of Spence’s decision to end her strike ... read more ››

Romeo Saganash appointed Deputy Critic

Two days after returning from a three-month medical leave January 17, NDP MP Romeo Saganash was appointed Deputy Critic for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs for his party. Saganash wasted no time making an impact by signing the declaration to carry on the struggle for Indigenous rights. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said ... read more ››

Attawapiskat Chief begins hunger strike in Ottawa

Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat began a hunger strike to protest the Conservative government’s handling of First Nation issues on December 12. “I am willing to die for my people because the pain is too much and it’s time for the government to realize what it’s doing to us,” said Chief ... read more ››

Beaver hunt brings together Kahnawake Mohawks and Waskaganish Cree

Cree Hunters from Waskaganish made a six-day trip to Kahnawake Decemeber 8 -14 to help the Mohawk community control a beaver overpopulation problem. The beavers were damaging public and private property. Fallen trees and flooding from excess damming became an issue in Kahnawake. “It spread to the point that we were worried ... read more ››

Organization steps up for Indigenous women

An Ottawa-based organization is making sure to tell as many stories of Indigenous women as possible after it released a second volume of a book collection on the topic. The release of the new collection, Honouring Indigenous Women: Hearts of Nations Vol.2, was produced by the Indigenous Peoples’ Solidarity Movement Ottawa ... read more ››

Rock book launched

Congratulations to Nation journalist Jesse Staniforth on the launch of his new book, The Deadly Snakes: Real Rock and Roll Tonight, published by Halifax’s Invisible Publishing as part of their Bibliophonic series of short histories of Canadian bands. The Deadly Snakes: Real Rock and Roll Tonight charts the rise and gentle ... read more ››

McGill study on residential schools

The impact of residential schools on the Cree has left scars that span generations. Dr. George Blacksmith’s doctoral thesis examining the impact on three generations from this dark period in history has been recently published. The results of the study shed light on how things were handled as well as ... read more ››

Murder in Mistissini

Mistissini police officers discovered the body of Jason-Billy Coonishish-Rock, 22, with visible markings of a violent beating at around 9 am on November 17. The local police handed the investigation over to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) shortly after they arrived at the scene. For now, details surrounding this event are ... read more ››

Grand Chief Coon Come and Premier Marois meet for first time

Ties between the new Quebec government and the James Bay Cree were solidified during a meeting between Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come and Premier Pauline Marois on November 19. This was the first such meeting since the Parti Québécois was voted into power on September 4. The purpose of the meeting ... read more ››

Stornoway Diamond signs agreement involving Route 167 extension

Stornoway Diamonds entered into a new agreement with the Quebec government that puts the responsibility for the Route 167 extension under Stornoway’s direct management. This new agreement replaces two previous ones between Quebec and Stornoway. The Route 167 extension is necessary for the construction of Stornoway’s Renard Diamond Project. The road will ... read more ››