Volume 8, Issue 25

25 Years of Force-fed Acculturation: the Crees of James Bay Have Achieved Remarkable Things

In 1971 when the James Bay Hydro project was announced by Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa, 6,000 Crees were hunting and trapping around the rivers running into James Bay, as they had been doing since time immemorial. Only a handful among them, the younger ones, had been to any kind of ... read more ››

About That Deal…

No one can deny it has been a hectic past two weeks with the recent announcement of the Agreement-in-Principle between the Crees and the Quebec Government. Some people have been crying savior while others say sell-out. No matter what you think it is a historic occasion that requires a lot ... read more ››

Eastmain: After the Shooting

The community of Eastmain continues the healing process in the wake of a shooting incident that saw the SWAT team summoned to help bring in two boys aged 10 and 11. The boys, who shot at other youths and police officers before taking flight in a stolen canoe, have undergone ... read more ››

I am Addressing This Message to Each and Every Cree Person – A Message From Ted Moses

Last week, an Agreement-in-principle was signed with the government of Quebec.The purpose of this Agreement-in-principle is to allow the Cree and Quebec to enter into a nation-to-nation agreement that will strengthen the political, economic and social relations between the parties. These relations are to be characterized by cooperation, partnership and ... read more ››

Push For Full and Complete Participation

The Agreement-in-principle was one of the most closely guarded secrets in Quebec. At this point it’s difficult to discern everything it could mean for the Cree. Upon reading it, I will say I have reservations about the deal, especially because of the Rupert River diversion, among other issues. But the crux ... read more ››

Something Fishy in Ouje-Bougoumou

Residents of Ouje-Bougoumou have just learned that they’ve been consuming poisoned fish for at least two years. The community received a warning from the Quebec government that children under six and women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should stop eating the fish from two local lakes due ... read more ››

The Agreement in Principle

In what is being described as a “new relationship” between the James Bay Cree and Quebec, the two signed a monumental Agreement In Principle in Quebec City Oct. 23 that redefines the rights and responsibilities of each partner. The agreement spans 50 years and promises eventual payments of at least ... read more ››

Things Are Looking Up

Last night I was out with some friends of mine at three in the morning in anticipation of the annual Orionid meteor shower that takes place during the fall. I read about this celestial event on CBC’s internet news website at www.cbc.ca. I discovered that the best time to view ... read more ››

To Sign or Not to Sign That is the Debate

Before large hydroelectric dams, transmission lines and power stations were even heard of, we depended on the wood stove. The occasional house had electricity and even fewer had running water. Institutions or the Hudson Bay Company owned these houses and the best thing about knowing someone who lived in one ... read more ››

What’s In It for the PQ?

Who has figured out all the ins and outs of the Agreement in Principle signed between the Cree and the Quebec government last week? If you haven’t worked out all the angles yet don’t be ashamed, you’re not alone. There are people out there who will tell you that this ... read more ››