Archive for December, 2015

Outrage over wasted caribou

Outrage over wasted caribou

“Oh my gosh, it was a complete disgrace,” said Nadia Saganash, describing her initial reaction to photos of caribou carcasses left to rot along the highway near Chisasibi. “It’s hard to look at, especially for Elders and community members; these […]

Cree Leaders New Year’s Reflections

Cree Leaders New Year’s Reflections

As years go, 2015 was a big one. Highlights included the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Grand Council of the Cree and the election of Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister. But there were also low points like the […]

Indigenous compilation album up for Grammy

Indigenous compilation album up for Grammy

The next Grammy Awards gala will see an album featuring a number of Cree and Indigenous artists from Canada competing in the Best Historical Album category. Mistissini’s own Willy Mitchell is featured on Native North America, Vol. 1, an album […]

A Quiet Revolution: Cree Shoppers go elsewhere

A Quiet Revolution: Cree Shoppers go elsewhere

As December dawned and Christmas approached, posts on social media showing pictures of the streets of Val-d’Or began to multiply: the streets, reported post after post, were empty. The boycott was working. The economic impact clearly influenced Val-d’Or municipal council […]

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How to build the perfect backyard ice rink

For many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, play during the cold months meant a makeshift patch of ice wherever one could find it. A pond or a lake and a shovel would suffice. If you lived close to a […]

Boycott dropped: Cree Nation, Algonquins strike deal with Val d’Or

Boycott dropped: Cree Nation, Algonquins strike deal with Val d’Or

As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission delivered its final report in Ottawa Dec. 15, the Cree Nation Government and chiefs of three local Anishnabe and Algonquin communities were joining forces with the city of Val-d’Or in their own “historic” effort […]

An eloquent and dangerous voice – remembering John Trudell

An eloquent and dangerous voice – remembering John Trudell

No one can claim that John Trudell led a charmed life. His was an interesting life and he lived it well. How many people have had a song written about them while in the prime of their lives. Who of […]

Justin times for Christmas

In old movies, whenever you hear background sounds and talking, the audio is almost always faked to enhance the effect of the visual art of the film. One such sound was the crowded room background, people talking to each other, […]

Don’t be fooled by hate

Recently, I have heard a lot of comments on the fact that we are welcoming many refugees from Syria. This topic is very popular in coffee shops and any other place where people meet throughout Canada. Sadly, I hear a […]

Bring them Home

Bring them Home

When then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to the First Nations Peoples in 2008 for the residential school system, I cast doubt on the sincerity of his words. I still feel that way given the many harmful pieces of legislation his […]