Volume 21, Issue 3

Christmas comforts: Our guide to holiday indulgences

Hark! While hear those “angels” sing during those most cherished holiday moments, we are usually engaging in other forms of celebration, most notably in the forms of eating and drinking. As the month of December is frequently an inevitable break from calorie counting, one philosophy about indulging is to make sure ... read more ››

Christmas memories

Memories of Christmas past often return to me as the holidays approach. One of my earliest was in Moose Factory. We lived in a small red trailer on the island in those days with dad working at the former CFB Moosonee. Santa used to come to every home to hand ... read more ››

Days of wine and whiskey

Day One It was proud, it was loud and what a crowd at this year’s La Grande Dégustation de Montréal held November 8-9 at Place Bonaventure. This annual exhibition is a spiritual event for anyone looking for a new flavour to impress friends and family over the holidays. This is an ... read more ››

First Nations suicide conference knits Nations closer together

They came from far and wide. Some flew in from James Bay, Nunavik and the Quebec-New Brunswick border. Others drove from reserves throughout the interior. More simply hopped a bus from Kahnawake. But they all gathered for a sobering and emotional reason – to talk about suicide. First Nations social workers, ... read more ››

From senator to journo?

Controversial senator Patrick Brazeau of Kitigan Zibi has landed a new gig as a “journalist.” Brazeau was hired by the Halifax arm of Frank, a satirical and gossip magazine, that lampoons Canadian politicians. Brazeau came to prominence when he boxed future Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau. Brazeau lost the bout and ... read more ››

How to recognize the difference between the blues and depression

While the holidays are hyped as a time for tidings of comfort and joy, there are those who tend to get a little down during the Yuletide season and then those who slip into severe depression. But just what is the difference between the two and when should someone get help? ... read more ››

I’m dreaming of a white bingo

The wind swept my driveway clean, but my neighbours didn’t do so well in the super storm that reminded us that winter still exists, as eight-foot drifts stranded nearly everyone in the small community of Great Whale River. The night before, we tuned into the radio bingo game and wondered ... read more ››

Mistissini’s Anti-Bullying Conference doesn’t pull any punches

Former CFL player Orlando Bowen makes a point at Mistissini’s anti-bullying conference. When you hear the word “bullying,” do you think of something serious, or do you think of it as child’s play? Are bullies are a minor problem that kids endure at school, who are easy to forget as soon ... read more ››

Odjick: One hit over the line

Former Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks enforcer Gino Odjick, 43, was admitted to a Gatineau psychiatric hospital December 3 for undisclosed reasons. Sources close to “the Algonquin Enforcer” say he claims his problems stem from the numerous concussions he suffered during his years playing and fighting in the National Hockey League. ... read more ››

Put the love and joy back into Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and already I see the sales push everywhere I go. I have never really enjoyed this time of the year because I realize that it is mostly about a huge push to market products to us – the consumer. That brings about a lot ... read more ››

Roger Orr chronicles the rough-and-tumble life of the homeless in Val d’Or in an online video series

Confronted with the brutal side of Val d’Or, Nemaska drug counsellor Roger Orr decided not to turn away. Instead, he decided to record an intimate glimpse at the City of Gold’s impoverished underbelly. While staying at the city’s Native Friendship Centre last summer, Orr said that he heard a scuffle not ... read more ››

Summer reading camps succeed

Over the course of four weeks last summer 418 children took part in literacy camps run by Frontier College and the Cree School Board. As a result, 418 kids went back to class in September with stronger literacy skills. Programs in all nine Cree communities combined reading with language and ... read more ››

The lost tribes: Bringing the Jewish and Aboriginal communities closer together

First Nations and Jewish communities each have an interesting history. At the start of European contact many Jews believed that the First Nations were descendants from the lost tribes of Israel. As the relationship progressed through the centuries, however, many Jews began identifying with the plight of Native Americans due ... read more ››

Val d’Or business conference focuses on northern economic development

Regional leaders and business owners came out in force at the annual Business Exchange Day organized by the Secretariat to the Cree Nation Abitibi-Témiscamingue Economic Alliance (SAENCAT) on November 28 at the Forestel Hotel in Val d’Or. Bringing together over 150 companies and organizations, this year’s edition of the Exchange ... read more ››