Volume 19, Issue 19

A better tomorrow?

On July 18, Chiefs from most First Nations in Canada gathered in Toronto. It was the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly and this year elections were held for the National Grand Chief. For some reason Willie Dunn’s song, “Ballad of Crowfoot,” came into my mind. I heard, “Comes the ... read more ››

Are you label savvy?

A big part of being healthy is based on eating healthy. But in order to really eat healthy we need to understand what is in the food we eat so that we can make the right decisions when we fill the grocery cart. This may be easier said than done when ... read more ››

Bachelor Lake Mine gets green light

Sandstorm Gold Ltd. announced July 6 that the Bachelor Lake Mine, operated by Metanor Resources Inc., had received an environmental certificate of approval for commercial production. Although they are approved to commence the mining operation located near Val d’Or, the company will still have to respect certain conditions, such as water ... read more ››

Beach blanket boogie

Once in a hot while, the thought of hitting the beach seems to be just the solution for cooling down anyone from north of 52. Just a thought, though, as I am one of those unfortunate few who just can’t stay afloat or flounder about enough to keep breathing. I ... read more ››

Cree traditional medicine travels well

Having experienced the power of Cree traditional healing first hand, Chisasibi’s Larry House was thrilled to share the positive impact of these practices this past June at the International Indigenous Development Research Conference in Auckland, New Zealand. House appeared at the June 27-30 conference on behalf of the Cree Board of ... read more ››

Drowning in Waskaganish

The Nation extends its condolences to the Jolly family of Waskaganish after the loss of 16-year-old Tyler Jolly. On July 16, Jolly was fishing with a friend by the bay to the east of the community of Waskaganish. After the friend left Jolly alone to go get some drinks, he returned ... read more ››

Echoes of a Proud Nation’s many colours

The 22nd edition of the Echoes of a Proud Nation Powwow went off, as usual, without a hitch despite the sweltering heat of the July 14-15 weekend. The drums were pulsating deep in the heart of Kahnawake as First Nations voices cried out in traditional song, bells jingled and many a ... read more ››

First Woman to lead Algonquin Anishinabeg National Council

History was made this month when Alice Jerome was elected during a vote held July 13 to lead the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council as Grand Chief. She will be the first female Grand Chief since the Council’s founding in 1992. Jerome won the race when another candidate, Larry Whiteduck, withdrew ... read more ››

Hit the Ice:

On July 22, production started in Aylmer, Ontario on a new reality television series focused on the development of young Aboriginal hockey players from across the country. “Hit the Ice”, which will air on APTN starting in January 2013, features young Aboriginal hockey hopefuls as they are put through the paces ... read more ››

Last-minute triumph

On July 11, Kathleen Wootton sat with bated breath, waiting for the last two polling stations to submit their results for the Cree School Board Chairperson elections. She trailed her fellow nominee Kenny Blacksmith by just three votes, with only Eastmain and Mistissini results to come. Eastmain’s totals came in: ... read more ››

Learning to teach

Sitting in coveted shade at the Kahnawake Powwow, they looked like a group of old friends, joking around as they ate Indian Tacos, making silly faces for the camera. But just a week before, most of these young Cree leaders had never met each other; the only distance that trumped ... read more ››

Logging operations spark tensions

The company and the SQ are saying that they have a copy of a signed document from our main harvester allowing the cutting to happen,” said Norman Matchewan. “But our harvesters are here with us at the campsite, saying they never gave consent or signed any document.” The people of Barriere ... read more ››

Montreal Friendship Centre looks to get back on track

A group of prominent Native leaders in Montreal is trying to reorganize a multiservice Native Friendship Centre for the city after the current centre was hit by funding cuts due to its exclusive focus on housing issues for homeless urban aboriginals. An eight-member steering committee led by Eric Cardinal is consulting ... read more ››

My Father

Told by Eliza Webb Translated and transcribed by Brian Webb www.beesum-communications.com/legends Another story I’ve heard of my father was during the fall when ice begins to form. People jigged for fish on the river where we stayed. People caught lots of speckled trout. Other people from far away camps came by dogteams to ... read more ››

New land governance deal to take effect

By the time you read this, Quebec Premier Jean Charest is expected to have announced that a governance agreement to restore Cree land rights will have been reached with the Grand Council of the Cree. Since Bill 40, which created the Municipalité de Baie James (MBJ), was adopted by the Quebec ... read more ››

Uranium fallout

On June 6, in the middle of the public hearings held by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to examine the request by Strateco Resources to begin “advanced” uranium exploration on Cree ancestral lands near Mistissini, Chisasibi Chief Davey Bobbish and the Chisasibi Band Council passed a resolution stating their opposition ... read more ››

ᓅᐦᑖᐐ

ᐃᓛᐃᓵ ᐌᑉ ᐋ ᒌ ᑎᐹᒋᒧᑦ ᐱᕌᔨᓐ ᐌᑉ ᐋ ᒌ ᐃᑣᔥᑎᒫᑎᐦᒃ ᑭᔮ ᐋ ᒌ ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐊᐦᒃ ᐋᔪᐎᒄ ᑮᑆ ᒥᒄ ᐊᓂᔮ ᑳ ᐹᐦᑎᒧᒡ ᐊᓂᔮ ᓅᐦᑖᐐ, ᐊᓂᑖ ᑮᑆ ᐋ ᑎᒀᒑᔨᐦᑖᑯᓂᔨᒡ, ᐅᔥᑭᒡ ᐋ ᐊᑎ ᒥᒥᔥᑭᐎᑎᐦᒡ ᐊᓂᑖ᙮ ᑳ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑎᓈᓂᐎᒡ ᐙᔥ ᐊᓂᑖ ᐋ ᐅᒋᒀᒋᒑᓂᐎᒡ ᐊᓂᑖ, ᐊᓐ ᑮᑆ ᓰᐲ ᐋ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑖᔮᐦᒡ᙮ ᓈᔥᒡ ᐙᔥ ᐋ ᒌ ᐅᒋᒀᓱᒡ ᓂᒫᓯᒡ, ᒫᓯᒫᑯᓯᒡ ... read more ››