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CONTENTS EDITORIAL

10 Moose hunt suspended Tensions in Cree communities

Community

Tomorrow, tomorrow

National Chief survives

Protecting Quebec’s original languages

NEWS

BRIEFS FEATURES

One-sided management

Seeing red flags

Stolen identity

Searching for dignity

PUZZLES REZ NOTES

24 25

The woes of travel

UTNS Knowledge is power

The year of Special Needs

Politics

Fighting Ottawa’s assimilation policies

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Editorial

Editorial News

Tomorrow, tomorrow

National Chief survives

by Will Nicholls

ow, a landmark decision has seen Canada sign a $20 billion compensation agreement on First Nations child welfare. Now why would they do that? In the past, their response has always seen large amounts of dollars going to lawyers fighting Indigenous claims rather than settling them. One suspects they were running out of courts to appeal decisions made by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Federal Court. Of course, the spectre of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children on the grounds of former residential schools might have been a factor. Especially when you consider that part of the compensation package the feds signed includes First Nations children who were removed from their homes. It also includes Jordan’s Principle, which is meant to ensure that Indigenous children are not denied essential social and medical services when provincial and federal governments argue over who should pay for those services. Factors such as these and a battle for those rights for children have spanned three decades. The Human Rights Tribunal said that Canada should pay each First Nations child unnecessarily placed in foster care $40,000 each.

Canada appealed the decision, simply arguing that the Tribunal has no right to order specific compensation amounts. Of course, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said the $20 billion is expected to cover those minimum payments and those who might be entitled to more. An appeal is still possible but may be dropped if the deal is approved. The Federal Court is expected to review it in September. Money could begin flowing into First Nations next year. Little Orphan Annie’s song line – “Tomorrow! Tomorrow!” – is a hopeful one, but sad in its own way. A 2016 census showed that fewer than 8% of children under 15 are Indigenous but they make up more than 50% in foster care. Another $20 billion is earmarked for a long-term reform of on-reserve child welfare systems but no settlement has yet been reached. Given the food insecurities experienced by many First Nations because of high costs, low-paying jobs and low employment, it is easy to blame First Nations families for inadequate care. Forgotten are the elements that brought many First Nations communities to that place in Canada – like the policy to assimilate the Indian through residential schools.

Another method was the Buffalo Jump program, which was designed to make reserve life so bad that Indians would have to leave their homes and move to cities. This was done through locating reserves on inferior lands that would flood or be difficult to grow crops on. Those on reserve at that time needed permission from the Indian Agent to sell their goods and products. These factors are the roots of the problems faced by Indigenous Peoples today. It’s nice to know some more things will possibly change for the better… tomorrow. A shout-out goes to North Bay’s Rotary Club. They spent July 5 packaging almost 15,000 meals that will be sent to First Nation communities in the North. Club President Grace Doiron said it was important given the cost and inability to get nutritious food to the North. The meals include a protein, veggies, rice and more than 20 vitamins and minerals. “The children love it,” Dorion said. “It has flavour and it’s good for them. So, it means them having a meal.” Now these are people who believe doing something today is better than tomorrow, tomorrow.

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the Nation is published every two weeks by Beesum Communications EDITORIAL BOARD L. Stewart, W. Nicholls, M. Siberok, Mr. N. Diamond, E. Webb EDITOR IN CHIEF Will Nicholls DIRECTOR OF FINANCES Linda Ludwick EDITORS Lyle Stewart, Martin Siberok PRODUCTION COORDINATOR AND MANAGING EDITOR Randy Mayer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS X. Kataquapit, S. Orr, J. Janke, P. Quinn, B. Powless DESIGN Matthew Dessner SALES AND ADVERTISING Danielle Valade, Donna Malthouse THANKS TO: Air Creebec CONTACT US: The Nation, 4529 CLARK, #403, Montreal, QC., H2T 2T3 EDITORIAL & ADS: Tel.: 514-272-3077, Fax: 514-278-9914 HEAD OFFICE: P.O. Box 151, Chisasibi, QC. J0M 1E0 www. nationnews.ca EDITORIAL: will@nationnews.ca news@nationnews.ca ADS: Danielle Valade: ads@nationnews.ca; Donna Malthouse: donna@beesum.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: $60 plus taxes, US: $90, Abroad: $110, Payable to beesum communications, all rights reserved, publication mail #40015005, issn #1206-2642 The Nation is a member of: The James Bay Cree Communications Society, Circle Of Aboriginal Controlled Publishers, Magazines Canada Quebec Community Newspaper Assn. Canadian Newspapers Assn. Les Hebdos Sélect Du Québec. Funded [in part] by the Government of Canada. | www.nationnews.ca | facebook.com/NATIONnewsmagazine | Twitter: @creenation_news

4 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

CMCA AUDITED

Suspended in June, RoseAnne Archibald wins vote at AFN general assembly

by Ben Powless, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

t a tumultuous meeting of the Assembly of First Nations July 5, RoseAnne Archibald was reinstated as National Chief after being suspended by the AFN executive committee June 17 over complaints of abusing staff. The executive committee said Archibald was under investigation for accusing four individuals who had issued complaints against her of seeking over $1 million in payouts. Archibald maintained that she was targeted for speaking out against the corruption in the organization. During the first session of the assembly, she accused the AFN secretariat and regional chiefs of being part of a colonial structure not grounded in Indigenous values, and hinted at legal threats, illegitimate bank transfers and other questionable conduct. “An attack on me is an attack on you,” she told delegates. “Regional chiefs have usurped your authority. It’s your authority to determine what happens to me, not regional chiefs. It’s time for you chiefs to take the AFN back. Assert yourselves.” She repeated a request for a forensic audit and outlined her vision of a new corporation based on Indigenous values. The AFN executive committee had ordered Archibald to cease making statements that “amount to serious breaches of the confidentiality and privacy interests of AFN employees, service providers and others, including making broad allegations of misconduct.” Neither the AFN nor Archibald responded to a request for comment. Chief Wendy Jocko of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan said the regional chiefs were caught “in flagrante delicto” and were overstepping their authority. “We strike down their unlawful decisions,” Jocko declared. “We must turn our attention to how to deal with the

“An attack on me is an attack on you” - RoseAnne Archibald

discreditable actions of the AFN secretariat and our respective regional chiefs. Someone must be held accountable for the treatment of our National Chief.” The first woman to lead the AFN, Archibald has suggested that sexism played a role in her suspension. According to the Globe and Mail, however, Archibald also faced informal complaints of harassment and bullying during her term as Ontario Regional Chief. The executive committee had banned her from attending the assembly but rescinded the order after legal threats. Delegates debated an emergency resolution July 5 that would have maintained the suspension until the outcome of a human resources investigation. Chiefs largely spoke in opposition to the resolution, with many saying they felt

there had been wrongdoing by both sides – the National Chief’s office and the wider secretariat. Chiefs made calls for reconciliation, unsure whose side to believe. Others sounded frustrated that there was such a focus on this issue, particularly in the media, and urged the assembly to get back to more urgent affairs, like dealing with clean drinking water and rising suicide rates in communities. Some repeated the calls for a forensic audit, while one chief spoke out against it for its high cost. Speaking after the vote, Archibald said she heard the message about reconciliation, but continued to urge chiefs to vote for a forensic audit. “The corruption needs to be exposed. Whatever you decide, I stand with you.”

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

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Protecting Quebec’s original languages Provincial funding arrives after severe criticism of French-language bill by Ben Powless, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Taapwaauchaayimiisu (Believe in Yourself) is a resource available for schools under our Youth Enrichment Services. We offer support to students between the ages of 10 and 17 who need a break from the classroom while continuing with their schoolwork. t Our trained team offers one-on-one and group workshops designed to improve behaviours, motivation, and self-esteem, and monitors students to keep up with the lesson plans the teachers send. The expression “Believe in Yourself” is dear to our program as we want to send a strong message of empowerment and self-worth to our youth.

Taapwaauchaayimiisu is currently offered in 4 communities: Waskaganish, Chisasibi, Mistissini and Nemaska. For information on our program, how to refer a student, how you can access services for your child, and more, please contact:

6 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

he Quebec government announced new five-year funding for Indigenous language and culture initiatives just weeks after passing Bill 96, widely criticized for making it harder to protect Indigenous languages. Quebec Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière said $141.1 million will be invested in First Nations and Inuit projects to protect and promote Indigenous languages, support Indigenous media, create childhood language projects and establish cultural centres. There is also money for issues facing Indigenous women. Lafrenière said the plan came after a year of consultation with the 55 Indigenous communities in Quebec. He acknowledged that Bill 96 was very controversial during these visits, and that many communities were concerned about their ability to protect their languages under the law. Bill 96 restricts the use of English when accessing certain government services and limits the number of students eligible to attend English-language CEGEPs. Lafrenière said he is confident the province could protect the French language and preserve Indigenous languages at the same time. A Cree Nation Government statement acknowledges the funding and expects the CAQ to honour promised legislation to protect Indigenous languages if the Legault government is re-elected. “These measures and proposed legislation are encouraging indications of the Government’s intention to support the protection of Indigenous languages and culture. It is unfortunate that these measures were not included as part of the Bill 96 initiative, as their inclusion would have marked a real commitment towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples,” the CNG stated.

“As Indigenous People and as citizens of Québec, we are entitled to the same strong future as all Québécois. Indigenous groups understand the concerns and goals underlying Bill 96 to protect the French language because we share the same concerns and goals to protect our own Indigenous languages,” Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty said in the statement. “Our languages form a critical part, not just of our own heritage and identity, but of Québec as a whole. We must redouble the critical language protection work that has been underway in many communities.” Cree Language Commissioner Jamie Moses said the Cree are establishing a leadership group to discuss preserving culture and language. Despite multiple initiatives, including adopting the language law, Moses said there was still a need for efforts such as land-based cultural activities aimed at younger generations. He noted the Crees had joined a discussion table with the government. “Hopefully we’re able to influence some funding going towards the protection of language,” Moses said. “The opportunity is there and it’s up to us how far we’re able to take it.”

Moses is still concerned about the impact of Bill 96, including on hospital patients who need to travel for specialized services and don’t speak French. He also noted that if forestry, mining or hydro companies on Category-3 lands choose not to hire individuals who don’t speak French, the Cree have little influence over those decisions. “There’s not that many great opportunities and careers if you choose that life, but we have to create opportunities for younger generations to have a career in culture and languages,” Moses said. “The school board has many positions

for language teachers, but there’s also a need for land-based expertise.” Moses said communities also need to prioritize Cree and ensure the language is featured as prominently as English and French on public notices, public buildings and signage. “I want to encourage the Cree population to demonstrate the high importance of the Cree language. We’re working together to get there,” he said. “We create positions for the protection of the language, but there’s no way one person can reverse the situation. We need everyone to contribute at every level.”

“As Indigenous People and as citizens of Québec, we are entitled to the same strong future as all Québécois” - Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

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In Brief

We are hiring! Our company is searching for passionate people.

ᐆ ᐁᐃᐦᑕᑯᐦᒡ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᔮᐦᒡ ᑖᐧᐯᐅᒉᔨᒥᓲ ᑳ ᐃᔑᓂᐦᑳᑌᒡ ᐁᑯᓐ ᐆ ᐁᐃᐦᑕᑯᐦᒡ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᑖᑲᓅᐦᐧᑳᐤ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒫᒉᐅᑲᒥᒄᐦ ᐊᓐᑦ ᐅᔅᒋᓃᒎᒡ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐋᑲᓅᐧᑖᐤ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᑲᓅᐦᒡ᙮ ᐃᐦᑕᑯᓂᔫ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐋᑲᓅᐧᑖᐤ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓂᒡ 10 ᐁᐃᑎᑐᐳᓀᓯᐧᑖᐤ ᐲᐦᐄᒻ 17 ᐁᑳ ᐧᐄ ᐃᐦᑖᐧᑖᐤ ᐊᓂᑌ ᐁᐱᒋᓵᔨᒡ ᐁᒋᔅᑯᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓅᐧᑖᐤ ᔮᐸᒡ ᒉ ᒋ ᐃᐦᑑᑕᐧᑳᐤ ᐅᒪᓯᓇᐦᐄᑲᓄᐧᐋᐤᐦ ᐁᒋᔅᑯᑎᒫᓱᐧᑖᐤ᙮ ᐊᓐᒌ ᒉ ᐧᐄᒋ ᐊᐸᑎᓰᒫᐧᑖᐤ ᑫᑌᐦᐹᓐ ᐧᐄᒋ ᐊᐸᑎᓰᒣᐅᒡ ᐊᓂᔫ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓐᐦ ᓀᔥᑦ ᒫᒨ ᓀᐅᒡ ᒉ ᒌ ᐊᔨᒨᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓄᔨᒡ ᒉᐧᑳᔫ ᒉ ᒌ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐄᑯᔨᒡ ᒉ ᒌ ᒥᔫᐸᔨᔨᒡ ᑖᓐ ᐁᐃᑌᔨᐦᑖᑯᓯᔨᒡ, ᒉ ᒌ ᐊᔅᒉᔨᐦᑕᒥᐦᐄᑯᔨᒡ, ᓀᔥᑦ ᒉ ᒌ ᒥᔫᑲᓄᐧᐋᐸᒥᓱᔨᒡ ᓀᔥᑦ ᓂᓈᑲᒋᐦᐁᐅᒡ ᐊᓂᔫ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓐᐦ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑑᑕᒥᔨᒡ ᐊᓂᔫ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᒥᔮᑲᓄᔨᒡ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᔑ ᐊᐸᑎᓰᐦᑲᐦᑕᒥᔨᒡ ᑖᓐ ᑳᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᔅᑖᔨᒡ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒫᒉᓲᐦ᙮ ᐆ ᐁᐃᔑ ᒌᓱᐧᐋᓅᐦᒡ “ᑖᐧᐯᐅᒉᔨᒥᓲ” ᒥᔅᑕᐦᐄ ᓂᑎᑌᔨᐦᑕᒥᐦᐄᑯᓈᓐ ᐆ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᔮᐦᒡ ᐧᐁᔥ ᓂᐧᐄ ᒋᔅᒉᔨᐦᑕᒥᐦᐋᓈᓐᒡ ᑯᔅᒋᓃᒌᒥᓅᒡ ᑖᓐ ᒉ ᒌᔑ ᒥᔅᑯᓰᐧᑖᐤ ᓀᔥᑦ ᒉ ᒌ ᒥᔫᑲᓄᐧᐋᐸᒥᓱᐧᑖᐤ᙮

Founded in 1976, Cree Construction and Development Company, Ltd. is the ﬁrst Canadian company owned by First Nations to earn and maintain ISO certiﬁcation from the International Organization for Standardization. Today, with more than 45 years of experience and expertise, Cree Construction and Development Company, Ltd. is the largest Cree-owned company in Canada. Operating primarily in northern Quebec, the company is fully owned by the Nine Cree Nations of James Bay.

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To complete our team, we are looking for new members to ﬁll certain positions: - Concrete plan operator - Specialized laborer - Foreman - Excavator machine operator

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ᐊᓂᑌ ᐧᐁᐦᒡ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᑲᓅᐦᒡ ᐆ

Casey Bosum muscled his way to a first-place victory in the Canadian National Armwrestling Championships July 2 in Winnipeg. Bosum is now the national champion of the right arm U-21 100kg+ class. Born in Ouje-Bougoumou, the 19-year-old started wrestling at the age of three and has not looked back since. “I was raised in the arm-wrestling environment,” said Bosum, whose father, John “Arms” Bosum, is well known in the sport and the Eeyou Istchee region. “Armwrestling is so different and unique, and it brings the community together. I just fell in love with it.” Next up for the Cree powerhouse is the World Arm-wrestling Federation Championships, which Bosum hopes to attend on October 14-23 in Antalya, Turkey. “I would like to thank god for making this all possible, along with the OujeBougoumou and Waskaganish bands for their help, and all my teammates at Montreal Titan Arms,” Bosum stated.

Fishing for climate change strategies

ᑖᐧᐯᐅᒉᔨᒥᓲ ᐊᓂᑌ 4 ᐃᔨᔫ ᐃᐦᑖᐧᐃᓐᐦ ᐃᐦᑕᑯᓐ: ᐧᐊᔅᑲᑲᓂᔥ, ᒋᓵᓰᐲ, ᒥᔅᑎᓯᓃ ᓀᔥᑦ ᓀᒪᔅᑳ᙮ ᐁᑎᑑ ᐧᐄ ᒋᔅᒉᔨᐦᑎᒣᐧᑫ ᐆ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐱᒥᐸᔨᐦᑖᑲᓅᐦᒡ, ᑖᓐ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑏᓐ ᐁᐧᐄ ᐲᐦᑌᐸᔨᐦᐄᑦ ᒋᔅᑯᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓐ ᐊᓐᑦ, ᑖᓐ ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑏᓐ ᒉ ᒌ ᐅᐦᒋ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐋᑲᓅᑦ ᒋᔅᑕᐧᐋᔒᒻ, ᓀᔥᑦ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑎᑑ ᐧᐄ ᓇᓇᑑ ᒋᔅᒉᔨᐦᑕᒥᓀ ᒉᐧᑳᓐ, ᐅᑌ ᒋ ᑳ ᒌᔑ ᐯᒋ ᑖᐦᑲᐱᐦᒉᓂᒉᓐ: ᑖᐦᑳᐱᐦᒉᓂᑲᓐ ᐁᐃᑎᓯᓈᑌᒡ: (418) 923 2661 ᒦᓐ ᐁᒪᑯᓂᑲᓅᐦᒡ ᐊᒋᐦᑖᓱᓐ 1172 ᐁᒋᓯᐸᔨᐦᒡ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐲᐦᑌᓯᓇᐦᐄᒉᔨᓐ: YES@cngov.ca

Cree arm-wrestler is national champion

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Researchers at the University of Victoria have a new outlook on climate change related to Indigenous practices. Of course, those practices are related to a 5,000-year-old look at fish bones on Canada’s West Coast. Research is revealing how Indigenous Peoples there adapted to warming oceans. This study could help shape

the way fisheries management adapts to climate change. Previous fish studies didn’t include archeological evidence. Changes in the “relative amount of what fish were caught was enough to detect changes in temperature,” said UVic researcher Dylan Hillis. While such staples as salmon continued to make up the bulk of the diet over the years, warmer water species increased. Hillis said there is a rich abundance of ancient Indigenous fisheries evidence worldwide, however, it is generally not being considered or incorporated in modern fisheries management. “Indigenous fisheries evidence... is generally not being considered or incorporated in modern fisheries management” - UVic researcher Dylan Hillis

Relying on mere decades of data ignores that abundance that could help to deal with climate change and modern fishery methodology. University of British Columbia professor William Cheung noted however that ocean temperatures are increasing at an unprecedented rate. “The consequences of warming oceans will be much higher than they were in the past,” Cheung said.

In Brief

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Features

One-sided

management

Suspension of moose sports hunt sparks tensions in Cree communities by Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

any across the region expressed disappointment that this year’s sports hunt for moose is suspended in Zone 17. Delivered by Ungava MNA Denis Lamothe, it came as a surprise to the Cree Nation Government, which criticized Quebec’s lack of consultation over potential solutions. While the CNG had been considering a limited sport hunt for Cree members, Lamothe’s announcement June 30 signalled that alternatives would not be considered by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP). Lamothe’s Facebook post claimed that a compromise couldn’t be reached with the Cree community of Waswanipi. “I was absolutely astonished that the MNA would take it upon himself to announce this decision and to further blame one of the communities for not having consented,” responded Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty. “He had never been part of the Cree dialogue – I don’t think he even spoke to local leadership. That is completely colonialist behaviour – he made a huge mistake.” The CNG said such a policy change should go through the government’s Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Coordinating Committee (HFTCC), which protects Indigenous harvesting rights in the region and acts as an advisory board to federal and provincial governments. After an aerial survey last year revealed a dwindling moose population in Zone 17, the HFTCC allocated a harvest limit of 104 moose entirely to the Cree, according to guaranteed levels stipulated in the JBNQA. Zone 17 includes traplines of Ouje-Bougoumou, Waskaganish and Waswanipi, as well as the towns of Chibougamau, Chapais, Matagami and Lebel-sur-Quévillon.

10 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

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Photos provided by Flora Weistche

“Forestry is not our only resource. It’s about ensuring best practices for sustainable development, working with local leadership to establish a regional economic plan” - Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty

12 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

Although the CNG had raised concerns about moose numbers for many years, it was only after resolving to independently undertake a survey that Quebec became involved. While the MFWP had reportedly received preliminary data in June, 2021, the Cree Nation didn’t receive the preliminary results until September 9. “We were displeased that we paid 50% for this aerial survey and the results prepared in mid-summer were not provided to the Cree Nation until the fall,” Gull-Masty told the Nation. “I hate to say but I think there was an intention to keep that area open [for last fall’s hunting season]. From the get-go we were really concerned but we acted in good faith.” While the Cree Trappers’ Association passed a resolution last September calling for a moratorium on sports hunting, the CNG conducted extensive consultations over the past five months to explore measures to mitigate the issue and the feasibility of sharing a portion of its allocation. Although a majority of Waswanipi tallymen supported a strict ban on sports hunting, members of Ouje-Bougoumou generally expressed openness to inviting Jamesien hunters into part of Zone 17 for a trial period to encourage a better understanding of Cree traditional practices. However, Gull-Masty said that Quebec

12 the Nation May April20, 22,2022 2022 www www.natio .nationnew nnews.ca s.ca

rejected this offer due to supposed security concerns. “I think they were really ignorant of the process and dismissive of the possibility to work together,” asserted Gull-Masty. “Unfortunately, their decision perpetuates the gap between the Cree Nation and the Jamesiens. The fact we even explored this process speaks to the importance of relationship building.” As numerous Jamesien residents voiced complaints on social media, GullMasty sees common misconceptions about Cree harvesting and traditional wildlife-monitoring practices. She affirmed that Cree are subsistence hunters and that these constitutionally protected rights are necessary to maintain the Cree way of life. During three consultation sessions, communities identified factors impacting the moose population and habitat – including pressure from development, forestry and mining activities; insufficient monitoring; and a lack of surveillance in the territory. Tallymen recommended limiting hunting to certain periods and traplines, promoting traditional hunting methods and using all of the harvested animals. Harvesting guidelines and a moose conservation plan will continue to be developed through a moose management committee. The Grand Chief also hopes

to launch an awareness campaign for Jamesian hunters to better understand Cree priorities and key issues related to helping moose numbers rebound. “I’m certain the Jamesiens know that forestry practices are detrimental to wildlife habitat,” said Gull-Masty. “I think they care about the wildlife population in this region as much as we do and that we need to take measures to protect it. We are going to manage moose conservation – we were the ones who alerted Quebec there was an issue.” As the CNG works with concerned communities to regenerate the moose population, it is also developing a united approach to addressing one of the biggest impacts to its habitat – forestry. On June 2, Gull-Masty signed the Aah Nuutaahtikwaaniwich Nisituhtimuwin Memorandum of Understanding with Chiefs Clarence Jolly (Nemaska), Clarke Shecapio (Waskaganish), Curtis Bosum (Ouje), Thomas Neeposh (Mistissini) and Marcel Happyjack (Waswanipi). “The moose population decline is a reminder that there is an imbalance in wildlife because of the impact of forestry practices driven by Quebec,” Gull-Masty said. “There has historically been a very individual community-driven approach to forestry, but every community was facing the challenge to do something productive

and also talking about the impacts on the territory.” With these communities, the CNG intends to create a “Cree Leadership Forestry Table” to enhance employment opportunities for youth and local entrepreneurs. Land users had felt the existing process could be better managed and wanted to have discussions about both the industry’s impacts and potential benefits. “We’re incorporating mechanisms that contribute balance to our way of life,” explained Gull-Masty. “Forestry is not our only resource. It’s about ensuring best practices for sustainable development, working with local leadership to establish a regional economic plan.” But the Grand Chief emphasized the Cree Nation’s intention to manage moose conservation in the territory according to Cree values and traditional knowledge. “Traditional knowledge is able to identify quicker than biologists when there is an imbalance in the system of wildlife and habitat in the Cree territory,” Gull-Masty asserted. “Because there is a moratorium for five years, we’re going to take the time we need to make a proper plan in the best interests of the wildlife species, the habitat and most importantly, our Cree way of life.”

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

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Seeing red flags

2022 is the year of Sp ecial Needs in Eeyou Istch ee by Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Photo provided by Christine Duff

ne of the primary outcomes of last November’s initial Eeyou Tripartite Table, comprised of the Grand Chief and leaders of the school and health boards, was the recognition of the need for a regional special needs policy. The Table declared that 2022 would be the Year of Special Needs in Eeyou Istchee. “We believe that families, social workers and educational staff could greatly benefit from a symposium on special needs and look forward to what we can achieve together,” said Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty following the meeting. “We must plan and work together if we are to provide the best support possible for all members of our communities.” The Cree School Board led the planning for a special needs symposium to be held November 27-December 3 in Gatineau. It’s an issue close to the heart of CSB chairperson Sarah Pash, who had to seek services outside the territory for her own child. “The purpose of the symposium is to bring parents together with practitioners and other support givers so they can look at ways to practically support their

children day-to-day, share experience and also look at things like self-care and advocacy,” explained Pash. “We’re looking at the symposium as a way to help parents feel supported and welcomed and create a space for them.” To organize the event, the CSB is meeting regularly with the Cree Health Board and the Kate Sharl Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing culturally appropriate resources for Cree people with special needs. With the goal of helping Eeyou children with special needs feel important, the Foundation helps kids realize their dreams, whether it’s meeting their heroes, attending camps or getting specialized bikes. “Before it was only for children but now we’ve extended that to adults,” clarified Foundation vice-president Christine Duff. “The foundation is there to financially support equipment or any type of camp within the criteria. For example, recently there was an application from a girl who wanted to go to a deaf camp. Another child in the city for school requested an iPad to communicate with their family and community.”

16 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

While resources such as speech language pathologists became available in recent years, many children still require professional services in Montreal or are on waiting lists due to the pandemic. As the Foundation is exclusively funded through donations, shutdowns over the past few years have strained the organization’s finances. On August 13, the Foundation will host its fifth annual golf benefit at the Doubletree Hotel in Gatineau, which is its biggest fundraiser. Registrations and sponsorship packages are available until July 30 through the Foundation’s website for $150 or $200 including a meal. “We’re really looking forward to that because it couldn’t happen for two years and we needed to do a big event to continue the foundation,” Duff told the Nation. “This is the first event we’ll have a celebrity, actor Yvon Barrette (who played Denis Lemieux in the 1977 movie Slap Shot). Hopefully people don’t get black eyes.” There will also be a performance by the Andy Dewache Band, a country band from Maniwaki. For the event’s auction, they’re asking people to donate tradi-

tional items, gift certificates or handmade arts and crafts to help raise extra funds. The Foundation is additionally planning a walkathon fundraiser in Chisasibi sometime this autumn. The organization was created in 2009 in memory of Kate Sharl from OujeBougoumou, who was born with brain trauma and required a special van to get to treatments. Her family struggled to pay for her basic needs and spent countless hours in hospitals for their “little bird with a broken wing” but sadly she passed away days after her fifth birthday. President Barbara Snowboy, who also works with the Cree Nation’s Child and Family Services Department, regularly visits the region’s childcare centres to support their special needs educators and shadows. There are currently about 70 children aged five and under with special needs in these centres, mostly with speech and behaviour issues. “We provide special equipment for their needs, especially learning toys and a special walker for one child,” explained Snowboy. “We send school transition forms when they’re out of the daycare to (inform) teachers, do referrals to clin-

ics and consultations to see the speech language pathologist, the occupational or physical therapist, or special educator.” Through Cégep de Saint-Felicien, Snowboy previously delivered a oneyear in-community training program for special needs educators. Similar courses are offered in Waskaganish and Whapmagoostui. Training focuses on initiatives such as “calm-down kits” that include specific toys for children with behaviour issues and will soon be available in every daycare playroom. To promote awareness, Child and Family Services and the Kate Sharl Foundation will have an information booth at this year’s Annual General Assembly in Eastmain. They’ll also have booths at the special needs symposium, where Snowboy will lead a workshop about the Nipissing checklist, which reviews a child’s growth and development at a specific age. With parent involvement, questionnaires help identify where children require extra stimulation with language, fine or gross motor skills, or social and emotional aspects. However, some par-

ents don’t want to sign the consent forms or have one-on-one support. “Some parents are in denial when they see their child has red flags,” Snowboy explained. “We don’t tell them your child has this or that, but we do a team meeting to look at where the child has low scores. I think we need to have training for parents to know about integration in childcare, not only in the daycares but also the schools.” The CSB has been reorganizing services in its special needs department, improving its speech language expertise and initiating consultations to understand local needs. “We are enhancing partnerships between the CSB, the daycare system and the Cree Health Board so that we can take a more integrated approach to special needs support,” asserted Pash. “This will ensure that files are continuously followed from daycare through to secondary with the goal that no child falls through the cracks. With concerted efforts, we can all make a difference for our children.”

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

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the Nation 19

Politics

Stolen identity Cree activist fights Ottawa’s assimilation policies toward off-reserve Indigenous children by Joshua Janke

he Federal Court of Canada has certified a class-action lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of off-reserve Indigenous children who were removed from their families and forced into non-Indigenous foster care between 1992 and 2019. Judge Michael Phelan’s ruling includes status and non-status Indians, Inuit and Métis individuals who were not living on reserves during the defined time period. The class action will pursue the recovery of specific costs and restitution on behalf of those harmed by Canada’s Indigenous child welfare system. Lead plaintiff Cheyenne Stonechild is a 26-year-old Nehiyawewin (Cree) woman and a member of the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation in southern Saskatchewan. Stonechild has spent years fighting for Indigenous justice – and for her lost childhood. “No one wants to become a statistic, but those who become one rarely have a voice,” said Stonechild. “I was eight years old when I became a statistic. I was taken away from my mother and placed in state care.” She was one of the thousands of Indigenous children who, although making up only 5% of the total child population, represent more than 50% of the children in foster and state care in Canada. Stonechild is a survivor of the “Millennium Scoop”, a time period between 1992 and 2019 when critics say Canada’s foster care and adoption sys-

Members of the IPRF

tem was used to assimilate Indigenous children. It’s an intergenerational trauma. “My mother was a survivor of the ‘Sixties Scoop’ – one of the 20,000 or so Indigenous children adopted out to predominantly white families,” explained Stonechild. “My kohkom [grandmother] is a survivor of residential schools.” In 2017, a $750 million deal settled a class-action lawsuit by Sixties Scoop survivors. As of June 2022, a total of 20,495 class members have had their claims approved.

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Recent data shows that when compared with the number of Indigenous people in residential schools at its height, there are three times as many Indigenous children in state care today. Although the process of Indigenous assimilation began with residential schools, it did not end with their final closure in 1996, instead continuing under the policies of the Indigenous child welfare system, Stonechild argued. This certification comes at an important time. In early July, the federal government signed a landmark $20

billion agreement to compensate on-reserve children and families affected by Canada’s discriminatory child welfare system. The settlement is the largest in Canadian history, according to Indigenous Services Canada. However, the deal excludes off-reserve individuals, even though most children placed in government control were not living on reserves when they were taken from their families. “When Canada only agrees to settle claims concerning children who had been on-reserve when apprehended and placed into care, this begs the question: Why this distinction? Was I less Indigenous because I was not on-reserve when I was separated from my mother as a child?” asked Stonechild. Already stripped of their families and cultures, she says that keeping off-reserve children out of child welfare settlement claims is Ottawa’s attempt to deny their Indigenous identity. “[For the federal government], if you live off-reserve, you are no longer truly Indigenous and no longer a federal responsibility. One less Indian in the Indian problem,” Stonechild observed. “Canada’s cruel logic is, ‘We won’t take responsibility for the policies of assimilation regarding those we consider to have already been assimilated.’ It’s a doubling-down on assimilation.” Working alongside Stonechild is Vancouver lawyer Angela Bespflug, who says the Federal Court certification of the lawsuit gives reason for hope, even though the team knows it will be a “lengthy battle.” “Canada has repeatedly failed to protect the Indigenous identity of off-reserve children. The Federal Court’s certification signals that Canada may finally be held to account for that. The decision is historic and signals an important shift in the law,” said Bespflug. She stated that the current overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the country’s child welfare system represents a “humanitarian crisis”. “Indigenous children are no less Indigenous because they live off-reserve. It is fundamentally wrong that Canada has agreed to compensate

on-reserve children while leaving off-reserve children out in the cold.” Bespflug said Canada needs to negotiate a resolution. “Failing this, we will press forward with the litigation. Our goal is to not only obtain compensation for survivors but, also – with the help of experts – to revamp Canada’s broken Indigenous child welfare system.” The court ruling deemed a single, national class-action as preferable to 13 provincial and territorial legal actions across the country. “At a time of truth and reconciliation, federal responsibility to Indigenous children should not be hidden behind provincial or territorial walls,” wrote Judge Phelan. Stonechild said that it remains to be seen whether the government will negotiate real restitution for “Millennium Scoop” plaintiffs.

“Will this message be received? One of the things we learn as foster kids is never to get your hopes up,” she said. “When faced with a choice between healing and fighting Indigenous kids in court, it seems clear which path the Canadian government has chosen.” Despite this, Stonechild finds strength in knowing that she has already won a personal battle, outside the court halls and within herself as a person. “I was one of those children. I was deprived of access to my culture, language and rights as an Indigenous person. Now, I have acknowledged [my childhood] for what it was. I have taken the steps to heal and to take back what the government had stolen from me – my culture and identity as an Indigenous woman.”

“No one wants to become a statistic, but those who become one rarely have a voice” - Cheyenne Stonechild

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

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Community

Photo provided by Karen Joyner

Work will begin this summer and is expected to take two to three years with funding from federal and provincial governments.

Searching for dignity Chisasibi to pursue ground-penetrating radar searches of former residential school sites by Patrick Quinn,

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

n National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Cree Nation of Chisasibi announced it will pursue a search of grounds at residential school sites on Fort George Island. Following consultations with survivors and communities, Chisasibi will use ground-penetrating radar (GPR) at former Anglican and Catholic schools. “We will conduct this ground search, armed with the knowledge the answers will be difficult for many in and outside Eeyou Istchee,” said Chief Daisy House. “Our missing children never made it home. Where they lie is sacred ground – it’s up to us to bless it in their memories.” Like other First Nations, the Crees were deeply affected by the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops in May 2021. Within a month, Chisasibi announced its own plans to investigate sites on Fort George Island, where two long-running residential schools were located on five sites between 1933 and 1981. After the community’s relocation in 1979-80, the schools and other buildings were demolished, and the areas became overgrown. Experts suggest much of the first year of investigation would focus on locating potential search sites – including two cemeteries and three residences – which are so covered in debris, trees and cabins, that

some areas would have to be clear cut to deploy GPR. Consultations were held in various communities and online to discuss search methods and hear from as many voices as possible, including other First Nations people who had been sent to these schools. As the community didn’t want remains to be disturbed, there will be no excavation. Contributors emphasized the duty to honour the children who never came home. Many wanted to know what happened to their loved ones to seek closure. Others hope to discover how many children remain on the island or were placed with new families. “I believe it is the right step forward in addressing long-heard concerns from former students; shining a light on something that has been kept in the dark for way too long, taking another

22 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

step in the healing journey of our survivors, and seeking truth for what is a difficult part of the Cree Nation’s history,” stated Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty. The Grand Chief talked about meeting the Pope during one consultation and her hopes for greater access to the Catholic Church’s archives. Chief House said that step could “paint a clearer picture of our shared history.” Participants recommended traditional ceremonies and protocols as guided by Elders. To close the process, they suggested offering tobacco with a drum song, marking graves without disturbing them, and holding feasts for grieving families. Some suggested erecting a monument with interpretive panels at sites of both schools, rejuvenating the grounds with places to sit and remember those who never made it home. Survivors

asked for continued transparency about the search process while conducting a confidential survey to collect stories about their experiences. Both the St. Philip’s Anglican and SainteThérèse-de-l’Enfant-Jesus residential schools became overcrowded and occasionally faced food and fresh-water issues because of their remote location. While the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has recorded 16 former students buried on Fort George Island, community records show the numbers were far higher. “With a GPR being done we can put those rumours to rest,” said George Pachano, who began organizing annual healing gatherings for survivors after attending a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing in 2013. “It’s like a burden is lifted.” GPR is a non-intrusive method of recording what’s buried below the surface, sending electromagnetic waves into the ground at various frequencies. As different materials are reflected to the device, the system maps an image of the terrain. Conducting this survey during summer months minimizes external variables.

The process begins by flagging areas of interest identified by survivor accounts, school archives and aerial photos. The team then assesses the landscape for obstacles and soil disturbances, then visualizes the earth’s surface with LIDAR technology before applying GPR. “We know of certain graves and cemeteries, but there will be many unique challenges to this search,” explained Chief House. “The island has reclaimed some of these sites and exploring them has been made more difficult as a result.” Work will begin this summer and is expected to take two to three years with funding from federal and provincial governments. “We will welcome these loved ones home by honouring them with the knowledge we wanted to learn their fate,” said Chief House. “We owe it to them and their families and those who loved them to honour them with the dignity that they deserved. We must do what we can to protect our future generations from this pain – we will heal together.”

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Tales of people stranded without their T A A T T U M O T T A O E V A G N 63 "Time" anagram Sodapop on R IShow N S 48 Capital of sound 48 64 Outsiders" 35 Scrooge's cry Gthe U ropes M S M E Otalk L S A E R R 59 Cluckers Awe-inspiring 17 "The Dance-music W E E D Y E S P N 36RPigged E E out F R N G S S A T E S E R A 64 Cluckers "The Outsiders" to sleep immediately, only to have the belongings circulate like dramas on K I T C H O L E S T E R O L 65 Neck rear 23 Shoebox scene Taiwan 10 Ahead of its time 3 "Iliad" setting 31 Blood 49 C LIt'sAjust N over D E aS T I N E W A S 61 Doofus genre fluids Answers K Ifoot T C to H O L E S E T E 65 Neck rear 23 Shoebox scene G A N H 66 Breaks off 25 Four" 50 Put down 11 Twilled wool 39 Outdoor gear 4 Nonwoody 33 Unwanted look L X V LI E N Previous E O N Crossword: TW R R A O S L H 62 Forebodings 21 "Fantastic He played alarm wake me several minutes later – at social media – some angry, some lost, G L E M A N E W 66 Breaks off 25 actress "Fantastic Four" C A I N IT LU H A LO G LV I A D S L U S 52 Summit goal fabric brand 34 Pride member 51 Shouldered E H A D N T A O MN O V T A T H 63vegetation "Time" anagram Sodapop on least it seemed that way. A fitful five-hour some just fed up with not being able to C H A I E N A I A L N T A V A L actress H IT M DOWN 26 artist? R IThompson T E CorB A C A N O 54 Middle bit of site a 12 Makeup Get up 40 Dry as a bone 5 Construction 37 Free will 53 R O I R N N G S M S RA E S S O E N R E A 64 Cluckers "Thegussied Outsiders" sleep and back to work, meeting and change their clothes or brush their teeth. H O R N E B R I M S T O N E DOWN 26 Makeup EK IL M 1 sight Sunday service 27 I L SStone O S R C S R D R Venn 14 Benjamin of 42 Kind of surgery 38 Obliterates I D T E C E H LO E E ES A T E E T R O O A L 65 Neck diagram rear 23 Constraint Shoeboxartist? scene E L D E R L I M E E T N A 1 Sunday service 27 Constraint W E E D Y E S P N R E E F 2 Canyon call 29 Mine product carrying out corporate affairs. I try not to Thanking my lucky stars that I haven’t T A P I R I N T E R V N E 58 Comparable (to) "Law & Order" 43 Drive in Beverly 6 Charged item 41 Is contingent 55 Depict G L E A N H E W 66 Breaks off 25 "Fantastic Four" W E DI U Y P N L E Canyon call 29 Supervise Mine product A 59 Awe-inspiring 17 Dance-music Hills 72Forum garb 44 56 Impassioned C E H A G N M M E A SI M L O N R A R V E A FL actress blink as my eyes can’t open long enough been hit with anything unhealthy or even C A D E S 61 Doofus to light genre 45 Mass confusion 8 Coming 46 chair site 57 Cats and H L O R N N E dogs B T R II N M E S T W O A N S E DOWN 26 Easy Makeup artist? to make my state of consciousness bitten by any stray dogs with rabies, I LE X V Iof R N or EL OI N R A 62 Forebodings 21 He played spots 60 47 Stalactite 91Machine 47 rally LType D E M E -TVery EHard T S N H A Sunday gun service 27 Spelunking Constraint Previous solution Previous site solution - Medium No. 604 Tough No. 604 Easy E V A U O "Time" Sodapop W E E N D Y T4 A E8 T S P M N R T E T E O F 48 Capital2 of1 7 3 4 5 63 48 the on ropes talk 2sound Canyonanagram call 29 Show Mine product 5 6 3 1 7 9 2 6 64 Cluckers of its time 4 6"The Outsiders" 9R I N G5 S 3 S7 A2 9T 5E 8 4 S6 1E R A 2 1 8 4 3 6 10 5 Ahead 7 3 Taiwan Answers scene to Previous K Crossword: I T C H9 O6 L1 2E 7S 4 T8 E3 5R O L 3 4 2 1 8 7Twilled 65 Neck rear 23 Shoebox 50 Put down 11 wool 1SG LL UE SA2HN5 7 3 4H6 E1 W8 9 1 3 4 5 2 8 9 66 7 6 Breaks off 7 25 L"Fantastic G A D 6Four" I D O 3 L 52 Summit goal fabric 6 1 9 7 8 5 2 4 3 6 9 2 3 7 8 R Iactress T E C A R AC H CA AI NN OM8EA4 3I 1L 9 2 N6 A5 7V A L Middle 9 5 bit 3 of 4 a 8 6 7 12 2 1Get gussied up 1 7 2 6 5 54 Venn DOWN 26 I SMakeup O S Cartist? E L E SH O AR RN DE O 7RB3 R 8 4I 2M9 S5 T 1 O 6 N E 8 diagram 7 6 5 3 14 1 2Benjamin of LEARN HOW TO DRIVE WITH US | S TA R T T R A I N I N G I M M E D I AT E LY 6 7 8 (to) 9 2 4 13"Law Sunday service 27 T AConstraint P I R 3 I1N TE EL RD VE ER N 1EL2 4I 5M 6E 3 9 E7 8T N A 58 Comparable & Order" 3 1 9 8 6 9 7 4 3 25 Canyon call 6 8P 1N 7 3 R 2 4E E F W OE LE AD RY 5 E9 S 29 MineGproduct U M M 59 Awe-inspiring 17 Dance-music Don’t be a backseat driver anymore! Experience the freedom of the road and we’ll make it How to beat Str8ts – 5C L A N D E S T I N 2E W AToScomplete Sudoku, fill the 1 61 Doofus genre Like Sudoku, no single number can happen in no time at all. board by entering numbers 1 to 9 L X V I N E O N T R A Ssuch H that each row, column and repeat in any row or column. 62 Forebodings 21 HeBut... played 6 2 6 1 2 rows and columns are divided by black E V A N T A T U M O T T3x3 O box contains every number 63 "Time" anagram Sodapop on Contact Voyageur Driving School at 418-770-3699 or check out our Facebook page. Still on squares into compartments. These R I N 4 G S S5 A 2 T E S E Runiquely. A 64 Cluckers "The that Outsiders" need to be filled in with numbers 3 3 foot? Then just come and see us at 203 Mistissini Blvd. The course is available for everyone complete A straight is a setscene K I T C H O L E S T E R OForL many strategies, hints and 65 Neck rear a ‘straight’. 23 Shoebox in Mistissini. of numbers with no gaps but can be in tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org 2 G L E 9A N 7 H E W 66 Breaks off eg [4,2,3,5].25Clues "Fantastic any order, in black Four" 4 cells remove that number actress as an option C H A I N M A I L N A V AIf you L like Str8ts check out our SO DON’T DELAY! Come and sign up to expand your horizons in that row and column, and are not part 5 H O9 R N E B R 1I M S T8O Nbooks, 4 iPhone/iPad Apps and E DOWN of any straight. Glance26at the Makeup artist? solution to You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com nextEissue. E T Nmuch E will L be D published E R here L in ItheM A more on our store. see how ‘straights’ are 1 Sunday service 27formed. Constraint The solutions W E E D Y E S P N R E E F 2 Canyon call 29 Mine product

Puzzles

The woes of travel

Rez Notes

ere’s another edition of the Nation’s puzzle page. Try your hand at Sudoku or Str8ts or our Crossword, or better yet, solve all three and send us a photo!* As always, the answers from last issue are here for you to check your work. Happy hunting.

STR8TS

T&B

So, to all the harried travellers who must fly, please put trackers on your baggage or you might never see it again

SUDOKU

cocooned in my air-conditioned room wishing that the morning would come sooner, so I could finally head home. Home where there aren’t problems with lost baggage, only lost socks in the laundry. Home where I have a large garbage bag full of socks that don’t match. Aside from having to deal with the theoretic possibility of losing stuff, I thought I actually had lost a credit card, which put my muddled mind in a real stage of panic. Luckily, due to my fatigue before leaving home, I discovered that I left it on my desk. Now that my furrowed brow could straighten out before the onset of forehead cramps, I slept without worry for at least a few hours before heading back to the airport, Hopefully, my baggage will make it home with me, and I promise to no longer fret over losing three pairs of socks. So, to all the harried travellers who must fly, please put trackers on your baggage or you might never see it again. Unless you track it down in Istanbul.

24 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

LET’S DRIVE!!!

www.nationnews.ca July 15, 2022

the Nation 25

www.underthenorthernsky.com

UTNS

Under the Northern Sky

Knowledge is power by Xavier Kataquapit

raduations symbolize a student’s completion of an important level of education. For my people, seeing the youth move up in their education justifies a major ceremony. My parents always looked forward to celebrating these accomplishments. I can remember seeing all our Elders from my parents’ generation being so happy to witness the graduation of their youth every year. Celebrating a graduation is so important because a proper education was something Elders had hoped for themselves but were denied. They survived the horrors of the residential school system as children and to them, receiving an education from non-Native instructors meant pain, abuse and even death. In my parents’ time, attending residential school in the 1940s and 1950s meant that education for Indigenous children was more about indoctrination into a foreign culture. It is a documented fact that the Canadian government ran these residential schools run in such a way as to “civilize’ the Indigenous children by forcibly removing them from their families and their homes. It was all about assimilation no matter the cost. Education improved later on, but it was always lacking in so many ways in Indigenous communities. Personally, I consider myself fortunate in that I experienced several skilful and caring teachers in elementary school in my community of Attawapiskat. However, there were several instructors in the 1970s and 1980s who still saw Indigenous children as people to dominate, abuse and undeserving of a quality education. The greatest tragedy we faced at the JR Nakogee Elementary School in

Attawapiskat was its disastrous design, with the installation of fuel storage tanks underneath the school. The lines feeding and emptying these tanks broke in the extreme cold winters and over many years leaked thousands of gallons of fuel into the ground. Little did we know as children that several generations of students spent their entire elementary school education above a toxic fuel dump. I remember the smell of the school. It reeked of some chemical and we all just assumed that it was the smell of institutions like hospitals or a grocery store where they used strong industrial cleaning products. We thought it was normal and that is what a school smelled like. In fact, we were breathing in toxic fuel fumes every day in class. Education has always been a struggle for my people on the James Bay coast and across Canada. Even now, our educators and advocates must fight for resources and adequate funding for their schools, the teachers and the students. Thankfully, we have more Indigenous educators these days working hard to make sure our students are getting culturally appropriate instruction. My community also built the new Kattawapiskak Elementary School, which now provides a healthier environment for its students. I’ve always believed that education for Indigenous children should be a government priority. It doesn’t make sense from a historical perspective, after the terrible history we have endured, it just makes good economic strategy in the long term. If we encourage generation after generation of well-trained, well-educated and highly motivated Indigenous youth, they will go on to lead our com-

munities and find solutions to many of the problems and challenges we face. The alternative is far worse. If Indigenous education is neglected or cut back it will leave young people with no hope and no opportunity. This will keep my people stuck in a colonial mindset and that takes us to a dark and sad future. Education has always been an important part of life for my family and for many others on the James Bay coast. My parents encouraged us to focus on learning in school, to keep up our grades and to arm ourselves with knowledge. They always taught us that gaining as much education as possible would give us the opportunities we would need to survive in the new world. They saw in every annual graduation a new generation gaining more knowledge, confidence and ability. This time of the year we celebrate all our graduates, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, as we realize the future is in their hands. Our Elders have always understood that these young students will go on to become better, stronger people who will in turn inspire and encourage new generations of Indigenous children. These new generations will move our people ahead while maintaining a balance with one foot in our cultural and traditional ways and the other foot in the non-Indigenous world. Congratulations to all students and in particular to those Indigenous youth who are proudly carrying our traditions and cultures as they move further in education, employment and leadership. Education is knowledge and knowledge is power.

We have Webeen havepresent been present since 1939. since All 1939. members All members of the large of theDeshaies' large Deshaies' family are family by are yourbyside your side today and today willand alsowill bealso be for thefor better the days bettertodays to come. come.

26 the Nation July 15, 2022 www.nationnews.ca

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