Volume 3, Issue 15

Cliche backs down on Chapais dump

Another development project has been done in by opposition from the Crees. A project to send Quebec’s garbage to James Bay for disposal was a done deal until the Crees came along. Environment Minister David Cliche had approved the plan to import up to 80,000 tonnes of garbage each year on May ... read more ››

Crees frozen out of Hydro contracts

All of Hydro-Quebec’s maintenance slashing contracts in James Bay have been awarded to non-Cree businesses in the South this year. “To our great surprise and astonishment, no work will be available in region 10 (James Bay) for the Crees of Mistissini, while the work will be performed by contractors from down ... read more ››

Hawaiian Sovereignty On The Horizon

The move toward Hawaiian sovereignty is gaining momentum big time. “Those of us of Hawaiian ancestry should govern ourselves, run our own affairs, on land that is ours, but within the borders of what you would still call Hawai’i,” said Mililani Trask, Prime Minister of the pro-sovereignty organization, Ka Lahui Hawai’i. “Sentiment ... read more ››

It’s A Trap…

From the faxline… The headline read “Cree Strategic Planning.” This is followed by the Quebec government’s proposals to Crees for a “regional government.” Frankly, as I read through it, I found it quite disturbing and alarming. I felt like that guy in the action movies who yells, “Go back, it’s a ... read more ››

Ladies, gentlemen and other readers of Rez Notes I humbly accept your nomination for Grand Chief.

Ladies, gentlemen and other readers of Rez Notes I humbly accept your nomination for Grand Chief. Thank you. If elected I pledge to change my title to a less loftier one such as Grand-But-Still-Modest-Chief. I also promise not to complain bitterly after signing agreements that the other party is not ... read more ››

Lubicon Not Giving Up

The Lubicon Lake Cree continue their fight against development on their ancestral lands. Lubicon representatives were recently in Montreal to spread the word about their struggles. Their land has never been ceded in a treaty, but clearcutting and drilling for oil and gas have been detroying their land for nearly 20 ... read more ››

Mistissini Sets Up Cree Language Dept.

Soon there won’t be any more “rewinduuh” or “honkuu-je-hornuum” heard around the Mistissini band office. The band has set up a Cree Language Department to promote Cree language use in band business. The department’s two employees will offer Cree employees of the band courses to improve the quality of their Cree. ... read more ››

Review: Are You Ready For W. O.R. ? Without Rezervation First Nations Music

One can only call the musical style of Without Rezervation angry, Native-oriented Hip Hop. It’s on a par with anything out there in this musical style. There are Native overtures but it’s definitely in the black hip hop mode. Guilty til proven innocent is a strong, in-your-face song guaranteed to reach ... read more ››

Sawmill Gets Mixed Review At Tense Public Hearing

Consensus seems further away than ever among residents of Waswanipi on Chief John Kitchen’s proposed $5.8-million sawmill project. Sixty to 70 people attended a tense public hearing into the sawmill held by the COMEX environmental panel on June 6 in the community’s arena. The hearing, which lasted from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., ... read more ››

The Zero Balance Club

The attached program has been successfully implemented in our community and may be of some interest to The Nation’s readers. For the past three years, our local housing program has begun a “Zero Balance Club. ” By Chief George Wapachee The payment of monthly rent, as we all know, has not had ... read more ››