Volume 7, Issue 6b

A Line on a Map – A Mohawk Perspective on the International Border at Akwesasne

On December 21, 1999, the Government of Canada filed a lawsuit in the United States Federal Court against a major American tobacco manufacturer for its direct involvement in a smuggling conspiracy worth at least a billion dollars. Although most of the contraband in question passed through Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) ... read more ››

Are Forests Going the Way of the Cod?

Is Quebec running out of trees? From up in James Bay, the answer may seem obvious. Loggers are quickly rushing to the edge of the northern treeline, after clear-cutting the forests in southern Quebec. But the $18-billion forestry industry and Quebec government say the forests are being managed just fine, and there’s ... read more ››

Breaking Down Walls

Well, this will be my last editorial for a while. I am transferring over to the sales side of the business. It’s a natural progression in life to change, especially when change is required. I’ve enjoyed writing over the years but I’ve always felt that editorial copy and sales didn’t ... read more ››

Church Weighs Legacy of Schools

The Anglican Church is talking about residential schools more and more these days. Most recently it produced a 40-page Ministry Matters Winter 2000 edition talking about the church’s past and present involvement in residential schools. The church operated 24 residential schools for Canada until 1969 – a past that has come ... read more ››

Frozen Freedom

Winter months in remote communities, like Attawapiskat, are hard on people in terms of severe weather, but they are also a time of freedom. Temperatures of minus-40 and minus-50 Celsius are common in powerful blizzards that often hit the community. This can be a dreary time of year for many ... read more ››

I have no social life to speak of…

I have no social life to speak of but I like the freedom I have to get one should I choose to. Lately, come Friday night, I can be found at home, usually freezing cold, reading a book, watching a video, making a lonely meal, calling people on the phone ... read more ››

Like a “Mohawk Haircut”

It isn’t only the Crees complaining about the Quebec government’s way of managing forests in Quebec. Singer Richard Desjardins, Quebec environmental groups and the Grand Council of the Crees gathered in Montreal on February 15 to ask for a moratorium on the approval of new forest-management plans. The coalition pointed out ... read more ››

Mistissini Store Wins Award

Maamuu Mistissini Attaawaakamikw in Mistissini has received the national “Rookie of the Year” award from the Canadian Retail Hardware Association. The Mistissini True Value Hardware store was presented the award on February 8 at the Canadian Hardware and Building Materials show in Toronto. Doug Field, manager, and Don MacLeod, who runs ... read more ››

RCMP Fears Political Meddling in Residential School Investigation

The RCMP is considering handing over its massive investigation into residential-school abuse to another police force because of fears of political interference from the federal Justice Department, reports the Vancouver Sun. The Mounties have made a motion in British Columbia Supreme Court to have the Justice Department return more than 100 ... read more ››

Same Old CRCAP From Reformers

Canada’s newest right-wing party, the Canadian Alliance, thinks Native people live in a ‘communistic system,” and would invoke the notwithstanding clause to overrule court rulings like the Delgamuukw decision. The party, which unites members of the Reform and Conservative parties and has set its sights on winning the next federal election, ... read more ››

Weche Teachings – An Interview With Elmer N. Ghostkeeper

My mother was attending a workshop called Dream Catching. It was about teaching First Nations children. She called me to say I should meet a man she met. She was quite excited about it. I agreed and met an extraordinary man. Elmer Ghostkeeper is a Metis who holds a Masters ... read more ››

You Can Move Mountains

I’ve read a couple of articles in The Nation of people sharing their experiences with how they lost friends and loved ones through suicide. I lost a best friend, a childhood buddy, through suicide, and it was devastating. I could only imagine how other people feel when it’s a close ... read more ››