Volume 7, Issue 8

“Goodbye, Mavis – We Love You”

Mavis Verronneau, the Cree Health Board’s loving diabetes coordinator, passed away from illness on Saturday, February 19 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Montreal. She was diagnosed with cancer last August. Mavis, a diabetes educator and nurse, had dedicated her life to helping people with diabetes. In her earlier years, she started ... read more ››

Forestry Battle Goes to Washington

A Cree delegation was in Washington last week to tell U.S. trade officials and congressional staff all about Quebec’s forestry practices from the Cree point of view. “Quebec is obviously painting a rosy picture of what’s going on. We went down to give another side of the story,” said Geoff Quaile, ... read more ››

Heart Disease Takes Toll on Native Women

Native women in South Dakota have a higher death rate from heart disease than the statewide and national averages, reports the Rapid City Journal. The reasons: lack of proper medical care, higher diabetes rates, limited access to proper nutrition and smoking. From 1991 to 1995, Native women in South Dakota died from ... read more ››

Life at Moose Fort Residential School 1958-1960

The school, formerly known as Horden Hall was located at Moose Factory, Ontario, about 200 miles south of Fort George Island. The village of Moosonee is situated only a few miles from Moose Factory, Cree of Ontario occupies both villages as we know. Privileges at the school were very few and ... read more ››

Logging in Canada Unsustainable: Report

Canadian forests are being logged at an unsustainable rate and the country isn’t living up to its commitments to protect them, says a report by an international environmental group. Of all the provinces, Quebec by far accounts for the largest area logged. In 1997, logging in the province made up 36 ... read more ››

Mistissini Elder Goes Missing

Over 100 volunteers from Mistissini and nearby communities spent all last week searching for Elder Francois Mianscum, who has gone missing in the bush. Mianscum, 68, left his camp at Perch River on his Tundra II on Saturday, Feb. 26, in the early afternoon. Fie was last seen at 1:30 p.m. ... read more ››

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I have been noticing a lot of coverage lately about the mistreatment of First Nation people at the hands of some police forces. This issue really came to a head with the deaths of two First Nation men in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Apparently these men were taken by the police in ... read more ››

Recipe for a Good Woman

Ingredients: warmth modesty honesty humor understanding strength beauty mystery discretion independence intelligence kindness generousity love affection compassion devotion tradition tenderness style originality talent concern sensitivity wellness responsibility excitement humility Take equal amounts of the above ingredients, add a hint of edginess and blend together. Voila! Another beautiful creation. Happy International Women’s Day!

Saskatchewan Natives Demand Public Inquiry

Vigils are being held across Saskatchewan to call for a public inquiry into how the justice system treats Native people. The outcry is over two freezing deaths of Native men left out in the bitter cold by police officers. Stories of police brutality in Saskatchewan are also emerging. About 400 people attended ... read more ››

Suicide in Band Office

Employees of the Waskaganish band were stunned when they arrived at work two weeks ago only to find police officers and medical personnel at the building. In the basement, a young man who worked for the band had been found dead from a knife wound in the chest. Marc Menard, 24, was ... read more ››

Women We Love

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we conducted a phone poll asking you which woman you admire the most. We have to say we predicted the results quite accurately. Everyone loves Mom! Celebrate Women. Nian: I admire my Mom, because she never gives up on her children, no ... read more ››