Volume 5, Issue 10

Alive ‘n’ Bitching!

Aries (March 21 -April 19) Happy belated Birthday to our dear rambunctious ram. Everything is la-di-da for you really. Plan days of non-stop action. You have plenty of energy to spare you square. So take care. Taurus (April 20-May 19) Listen to call of the wild. You are becoming more impulsive, go with ... read more ››

Between Friends Questionnaire results

A big thank-you goes out to all the readers who responded to my questionnaire. I learned a lot from your answers, and will do my best to refer to them in future issues. This column was originally aimed at women, so I was surprised to hear from so many male ... read more ››

Four trophies for Kung Fu club

The Chisasibi Shaolin Long Fist School sent some students to Quebec City on March 7 for a tournament called the 18th Eastern Canada Championship. They went there by road and came back with four trophies and medals with only six participants. The students who went there were David Sam, Leslie Herodier, Mario ... read more ››

Inuit, Quebec close to self-gov’t deal

The Inuit of Northern Quebec are on their way toward getting a regional assembly andself-government powers. While the Crees were asking for more funding from Quebec, the Inuit were pursuing a differentstrategy. In their negotiations with Quebec, they pressed for full jurisdiction in all areas affecting theirregion, Nunavik. They had in mind something ... read more ››

Logging “is AIDS to our people”: CTA Cree lawsuit would halt logging in half of Quebec

Passions are running strong because of the upcoming Cree lawsuit on forestry. Cree trappers are pleased that something may finally be done, but for the logging companies,thousands of jobs and billions of dollars are at stake. The Cree lawsuit, to be filed in May with Quebec Superior Court, will argue that Canada ... read more ››

Our week with Elijah and his family

We arrived at Elijah and Marion Cox’s camp on the I Oth of March. The camp is made up of severalcabins used by different family members. It is wedged in between the LG-2 airport and the dikes thatsnake along their family’s traditional hunting grounds. The camp is in an area ... read more ››

Protesting Murder Inc. in Mexico

Members of the Kahnawake Mohawk community, supporters and Mexican Indians held a walk on March 16 to protest against a proposed “Oaxaca-Kahnawake Trade and Commerce Convention,” also known as Project O.K. Project O.K. would set up an international trade board having powers over Mohawks and Iroquois art and crafts. The massacre ... read more ››

Quebec proposes taxes on Natives

Quebec is proposing to do away with the Native tax exemption, after complaining that the exemption hasled to fraud in Native communities. In its broad new First Nations policy announced last week, the Quebec government says Nativecommunities could reduce their “dependence” on outside governments by collecting taxes from theirresidents. First Nations will ... read more ››

Rez Notes

After putting in a few hours on CBC North’s Winshgaoug and Eyou Dibajimoun several weeks ago Christopher Stephen’s voice, amidst some very cloak and dagger maneuvers, was suddenly and without explanation to his audience, silenced. It all started, guite innocently, with an interview Christopher had done for Cree@large (Issue 5.9, page ... read more ››

Smiles all around at signing ceremony

Love is in the air. Cree leaders were in a joking mood at a press conference held jointly with NaturalResources Minister Guy Chevrette in Montreal to sign the famous $15-million “MOU” deal. Everyone was feeling very upbeat, laughing it up and trying to make funny comments. The journalists’probing questions did little ... read more ››

The few, the many..

The controversial Quebec-Cree Memorandum of Understanding was finally signed by Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come and Minister Guy Chevrette on March 27 in Montreal. All Chiefs except for Matthew Mukash of Whapmagoostui were also in attendance. Like Kenny Blacksmith said, I am not against the community projects, but rather against the ... read more ››

Wellness

I clearly wanted to tell that I am happy that I walked in this Wellness Walk. I thought a lot about trying to help myself to make my life better because I have abused bad stuff. That is the reason why I walked is to help myself. I am glad that ... read more ››

Wellness Walk

The reason why I did the Wellness Walk was because I wanted to show how it is like in the bush fromwhere I was raised. There seems to be people who just talk about Cree culture and don’t actually show it. There also seemsto be things that are kept hidden. There ... read more ››