Category: 2006-07-07

Ready to evacuate?

A few weeks ago in early June, I witnessed much of the first fire-related evacuation of Mistissini. I watched as lightning struck from the sky. Soon after, I could see a small plume of smoke reach for the sky. It would grow thicker and you knew another fire was on ... read more ››

Quench for Fire

After having often watched, mainly for the education mind you, Quest for Fire, in which fire was revered and carried about in some pre-historic gadget to guard an eternal flame long before our trusty Bic was around, now I’m finding fire to be somewhat more of a nuisance. Forest fires blazing ... 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 ››

Harper gov’t says no to self determination

Canada’s Conservative government says it will vote against adopting a treaty on the rights of Aboriginals worldwide at the United Nations’ Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. According to a CBC news story, Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was firm on the Tories’ stance. “It contains provisions that are inconsistent with ... read more ››

Air Creebec wins medi-vac contract

The wait is over for those who have longed for the day when Air Creebec would be able to do simple, non-urgent hospital transport from Eeyou Istchee to Montreal. On June 7, Air Creebec signed a medical shuttle contract with the provincial government. The two-year contract effectively breaks the stranglehold rival ... 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 ››

Gathering caps Chisasibi family violence project

Family violence hurts everyone: children, wives, husbands, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. When it happens in a home, no one is immune or unaffected. Whether a person is the perpetrator, victim or a witness to family violence, it has an impact – it makes people afraid, it affects self-esteem and ... read more ››

Time to smell the roses

Gardening is very new to me. No one ever took the time to grow flowers, shrubs or trees up north. The closest thing to gardening in Attawapiskat was a sort of potato farm on Potato Island, a small island in the Attawapiskat River. This island has plenty of trees and ... read more ››