Volume 4, Issue 17

”We’re Still Poor”

When we decided to ask Crees from different walks of life what they thought of the new HQ river diversion idea, we immediately thought of Margaret Cromarty. As the Cree world has changed, she has remained a constant passionate voice reminding us about justice, equality and the other time-honoured principles that ... read more ››

Abel Bosum – Chief of Ouje-Bougoumou

Personally I’m not surprised that Hydro-Quebec has studied alternative ways of getting some power from the North. I think it’s they’re biggest source. I think we would have been a little naive not to think that while the Great Whale River project was being delayed—probably more for political reasons—that quietly ... read more ››

Bertie Wapachee – Spokesperson and Chairman of the Cree Nation Youth Council

What is your reaction as a youth on the Hydro-Quebec plans to divert the Great Whale and Rupert rivers into the existing La Grande Complex? Bertie Wapachee: Over the years listening to the plans of Hydro-Quebec, one of them being the plan to make a big lake out of Iiyuuschii, in ... read more ››

Bouchard Promises To Occupy North – “We Will Inevitably Have to Populate This Territory”

Premier Lucien Bouchard promised to plant the Quebec flag in Iiyuuschii and occupy the North during his historic first visit to James Bay this month. Bouchard was the first Quebec premier to visit a Cree community in 20 years. He came to Waswanipi for a meeting with Grand Chief Matthew Coon ... read more ››

Canada Cited for Illegal Police Killing

Amnesty International says the police killing of Chippewa protester Dudley George may have been an “extrajudicial execution.” Normally it’s countries like El Salvador, Mexico and Indonesia that are known for extrajudicial executions—illegal murders of political activists by the government. Now, Canada has been singled out as well in the latest Amnesty report ... read more ››

Eva and George Bosum

Two years ago I nominated Eva and George Bosum, two Cree Elders from Ouje-Bougoumou, for a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. This nomination was based on visits my family had with the Bosums on their traditional land near Ouje-Bougoumou. During these visits we came to know and respect Eva and George ... read more ››

Gilbert Pilot – Innu Community Leader from Mani-Utenam

The four river diversions in the Innu homeland Nitassinan will primarily affect the community of Betsiamites. It is a community 300 kilometres to the west of ours. But the impact will touch everybody. To divert the four rivers will totally destroy the life of the wildlife in this area. The ... read more ››

Johanne Fillion – Greenpeace Quebec

(Greenpeace is a member of a new coalition of groups protesting any new projects and the deregulation of Hydro-Quebec.) The big picture is simple. We want a moratorium on all Hydro projects and to have public hearings on the state of the rivers and what they are intending to do and ... read more ››

Johanne Grenon Honoured at Gala

Congratulations to our very own tireless Johanne Grenon, who moonlights as president of the group Les Amitiés interculturelles de Chibougamau. Her years of generous volunteer efforts paid off when the group was honoured with the title of Cultural Organization of the Year at the 3rd Gala of Excellence of Radissonie, which ... read more ››

Lawyer Counsels Against Forestry Deals – Immediate Action Needed on Logging: Waswanipi Lawyer

The legal counsel of the Waswanipi band believes that private deals with forestry companies are “the modern version of the selling of Manhattan Island/’and recommends that tallymen should not sign them because they undermine Cree rights to their land. “The tallyman who has entered into such a deal virtually loses the ... read more ››

Matthew Mukash – Chief of Whapmagoostui

I first met Matthew Mukash during the Great Whale campaign in the U.S. He impressed me with the large amounts of facts and figures he had stored and ready for use in almost any situation. The other and most important thing this man impressed me with was his dedication and ... read more ››

Pickup Pays Price For Protest

What would a trip to Waswanipi be like without a little excitement over Paul Dixon’s pickup? Premier Bouchard was in town for a historic visit with the Cree chiefs and the grand opening of Waswanipi’s sawmill. But here was Paul hunched over the wheel of his truck deep in thought. ... read more ››

Selling Our Future Down the River

The mega-corp. Crees love to hate is back. Just when Crees and all their allies thought the Great Whale project was dead it showed up again in a new mutated, virulent form. The utility and Quebec government sang everyone a soft lullaby and hummed that James Bay Phase II is ... read more ››

Taking Bouchard to Task – Matthew Coon Come Talks About Meeting The Premier in Waswanipi

With all of the rumours flying around about Bourassa’s bulldozers coming out of retirement, The Nation thought it would be a good idea to visit the man at the top of the Cree totem pole and ask him to shed some light on the situation. Grand Chief Coon Come was ... read more ››

Ugliness at 381

The rest stop known as “381” is known to Crees for its ridiculous prices and awful food. Now, it is also becoming known for bad attitude. Christopher Stephen, CBC reporter from Waskaganish, was pressed for time when he pulled into the 381 gas bar at 11:57 a.m. on Friday, June 20. He ... read more ››