Volume 17, Issue 23

“Bites” for a burial

or the upcoming Sisters in Spirit vigil to remember and create awareness for Canada’s 582 missing and/or murdered Aboriginal women, Sue Martin is preparing bags of homemade jerky for sale to raise money to bury her murdered daughter. Martin’s daughter, Terrie Ann Martin-Dauphinais, a 24-year-old Cree woman, was found beaten to ... read more ››

A Visit From Mikisew

I spent some time in the deep forest this past week. It felt great to breathe in the fresh air and to stir the coals of a fire while the weather turned cool and wet. One morning, a young eagle (or mikisew in Cree) glided overhead and began to screech ... read more ››

Abraham Rupert on the mend

Newly elected Chisasibi Chief Abraham Rupert said he is feeling much better after suffering a heart attack at the beginning of September. He was subsequently medivaced out for medical attention but returned to the community a few days later, amidst a storm of gossip. “I had a heart attack. The doctor’s ... read more ››

Digging for gold

Matachewan First Nation welcomed a host of dignitaries to a groundbreaking ceremony of the $1.5 billion Young-Davidson mine on their traditional lands September 10. Northgate Minerals Corporation officials were joined by provincial, federal, First Nation, regional and municipal leaders in officially celebrating the rebirth of the historic goldmine destined to ... read more ››

Getting to Know You

Earlier this summer Richard Shecapio was voted in as Mistissini’s new leader. A family man, Shecapio has been married to Jeanette for 12 years and has two daughters, aged five and nine. Shecapio has a lengthy career working for the local and regional administration, having spent 10 years at the Mistissini ... read more ››

How sweet it is!

Not only is the Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro Ottawa’s first and only Native restaurant, it is also a celebration of Aboriginal culture and a visceral catwalk of food made from regional ingredients. In the heat of mid-summer, editor-in-chief Will Nicholls and I headed to Ottawa to enjoy a wedding gift that we ... read more ››

Join the missing women’s movement

You can see the movement happening all over Canada. In the Yukon, the Minister responsible for the Women’s Directorate Marian C. Horne said, “Reducing the incidence of violence against Aboriginal women continues to be a priority for the Yukon government.” Horne backed that up with $190,000 from The Prevention of Violence Against ... read more ››

Mixing sound under the stars

There were times when Nemaska’s music festival felt like a good karaoke night in some lonesome out-of-the-way dive. Which was fun because, who doesn’t love dives and karaoke? Nothing would happen in Cree land if it didn’t start late. Which is why Roger Orr is nervously prowling the stage 45 minutes ... read more ››

Montreal Inuit hostel project cancelled

Nunavik’s Regional Board of Health and Social Services has pulled out of plans to convert Montreal’s defunct Chinese Hospital on Montreal’s St-Denis street into a hostel and cultural center for those receiving medical care in the city. The Health Board President, Alacie Arngak released a statement on September 9 saying they ... read more ››

Offering a northern perspective

While it might not give him rock-star status (which he kind of already has), former Grand Chief Matthew Mukash is feeling “excited” about being reappointed to the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board (NAEDB) because of what he can offer to Canada’s Aboriginal people. The NAEDB serves a unique function as the ... read more ››

Prophets of crime

Law C-25 is going to change the landscape of crime and justice in Canada, particularly in Indian country. Officially – and pompously – dubbed the Truth in Sentencing Act, the legislation eliminates the two-for-one time deduction that criminals until recently enjoyed for time served before their convictions. This one piece of ... read more ››

Teeing off for achievement

Chatter in Cree and robust laughter could be heard all the way throughout Mont Tremblant’s resort village and its golf courses on Labour Day weekend as almost 400 Crees and their business partners congregated for a good cause. The first-ever Cree Nation Achievement Awards Foundation (CNAAF) fundraiser was the draw for ... read more ››

The BP Platter

On one of my many forays into the deep south of Quebec – Montreal to be exact – I chanced upon a friend who really could understand the gastronomically inclination of eating out. My general rules for munching in strange countries would be to order something that I couldn’t either ... read more ››