Volume 20, Issue 10

A new voice for the missing and murdered

A new Parliamentary committee will be formed, but who will it help?   A motion put forward on Valentine’s Day by Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett will finally see a new Parliamentary committee study the alarming number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. The motion passed unanimously on February 27. Bennett, who ... read more ››

Concordia Debate

Demand for unity is getting louder

The arduous journey of the Nishiyuu Walkers may be complete, but their demand for unity and a new relationship between the federal government and aboriginal people is only getting louder, native leaders said Monday. Seven men, including a guide, left the Cree community of Whapmagoostui, Que., on Jan. 16, and walked ... read more ››

Discovering Tursujuq’s beauty

A new collaborative park project for the north   photo by Robert Fréchette Covering an incredible 26,910 square kilometres of pristine land untouched by development, the new Tursujuq National Park project, on the eastern coast of Hudson Bay, highlights the transition between the boreal forest and tundra. Located near the Inuit community of Umiujaq, ... read more ››

In the spirit of respect and fairness

There are many success stories across Canada when it comes to resource-development agreements and partnerships between First Nations, companies and government. Most non-Native people don’t realize this. Even in my home community of Attawapiskat, negotiations in general between my people and De Beers Canada has benefited many. The process is ... read more ››

Increasing awareness

Will revamping the sex-ed program change the alarming stats?   It was just a few months ago that several health professionals from the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay were talking about how sex education needed to be expanded to an even younger clientele in the communities as ... read more ››

Mining Survey

A survey of mining-company executives conducted by the conservative think-tank the Fraser Institute says that the province of Quebec “continues to lose the confidence of the global mining community,” a piece of news that may be found bittersweet by some in Eeyou Istchee. While hostility to mining in Quebec might ... read more ››

Mistissini celebrates Women’s Day

The Mistissini branch of the Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association devoted six days to the women of their community by holding a special women’s conference from March 4-8, followed by a day of outdoor activities at the local children’s camp. The “Live, Love & Laugh Conference” featured a number of ... read more ››

Murder-suicide in Kuujjuaq

  The community of Kuujjuaq was in mourning after Kativik Regional Police Force Constable Steve Dery, 27, died from gunshot wounds and another officer was injured while responding to a domestic dispute on March 2. His funeral took place March 9 at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Ottawa attended by colleagues, family ... read more ››

Nishiyuu arrive in Ottawa

By the final day of the Journey of the Nishiyuu, the number of young people walking to Ottawa had grown from the “original seven” who left Whapmagoostui in mid-January to nearly 300. At first, the crowd waiting for their arrival on Ottawa’s Victoria Island—where Attawapiskat’s Chief Theresa Spence held her ... read more ››

Participate in a national study

We invite you to participate in a national study on Indigenous workplace inclusion. Your participation will help to advance Indigenous employment in Canada. Take the workplace inclusion survey. This brief survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All participants who complete this study will be entered into a draw for $1000 towards ... read more ››

Patrick Brazeau: The journey continues

Since the collapse of the pedestal Patrick Brazeau called home, little has been heard beyond the initial reactions. Perhaps the changing of the guard in Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AANDC), which saw John Duncan replaced with Bernard Valcourt as minister, had some positive results for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. ... read more ››

Recommendations for Ontario jury rolls

  Inquiries into the deaths of remote First Nations students Reggie Bushie, Jethro Anderson, Curran Strang, Paul Panacheese, Robyn Harper, Reggie Bushie, Kyle Morriseau and Jordan Wabasse may finally see the light of day as former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci delivered his report and recommendations regarding the exclusion of First ... read more ››

Respect and recognition

It is that time of year when Quebec’s community newspapers look back and take stock of their efforts. Here in Quebec we send the stories to the Quebec Community Newspapers Association and they send them to judges from outside the province. As editor-in-chief I am proud of the 12 nominations and ... read more ››

Standing up for women

International Women’s Day highlights the issues Every year on March 8, people around the world celebrate women who have made a difference in our society and raise their voices for those who have been silenced. Violence towards women is like a house fire – you cannot extinguish half of it and ... read more ››

Strongly opposed

A poll on uranium mining in Quebec confirms support for the Cree Nation’s position A new poll from Leger Marketing commissioned by the Canadian Boreal Initiative shows widespread opposition to uranium mining – and by association, to the Matoush uranium project – across both Cree and non-Cree communities. Though Cree opposition ... read more ››

Télé-Québec airs Objectif Nord

Télé-Québec aired the last part of a four-part documentary series about northern Quebec on March 11. This final episode, titled The Future of the North, concluded one part of Télé-Québec’s massive multimedia undertaking called Objectif Nord. Objectif Nord seeks to inform Quebecers about the North with a documentary series, website and ... read more ››

Traditional Cree Fishing and Chisheinuu Chiskutamaachewin Project

Students of the cabinet-making program offered by Sabtuan Adult Education Services took a morning off their woodworking projects on February 7 to visit the Traditional Cree Fishing and Chisheinuu Chiskutamaachewin Project with their teacher, Andy Anderson. The project comprises a series of teaching lodges arranged in a semi-circle on the bank ... read more ››

TRC movie screening

Upcoming events in Montreal

Spring is here and there is plenty to do in the next few days if you’re in the area around the city of Montreal. On Saturday, March 30, there will be a global day of action taken against American oil giant Chevron and its partner Apache Canada Ltd. as the ... read more ››

Walkers arrival

Winter 2013 and Nishiyuu arrival Video & Nishiyuu Walkers Arrival in Ottawa – March 2013 Video    

When justice is injustice

Howard Sapers is ringing the alarm. If the rate of incarceration of a specific community’s people is an indication of the health of that community, First Nations in Canada are in an emergency. Sapers is the Correctional Investigator of Canada. His job is to provide an independent oversight over how the ... read more ››