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Why do we have to stay 2 metres apart from others?

2m Staying 2 metres apart protects us from contaminated droplets in the air after an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes.

By protecting ourselves properly, we’re also protecting others.

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Gardez vos distances

Toussez Lavez Gardez Portez Toussez Portezdans dans Lavez Gardezvos vos Portez votre coude un votre masque coude vos vosmains mains distances distances un unmasque masque Québec.ca/coronavirus

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CONTENTS EDITORIAL

The times they aren’t a-changing

NEWS

The battle intensifies

Collaborative exploration 6

IN BRIEF

5 Covid update

Sustainable mining

Riding tall in the saddle

Harvesting their rights

Keep them reading

Change in Great Whale

PUZZLES REZ NOTES

Working hard or hardly working

T&B Joyce’s message

The first Indigenous Tour de France competitor Community

FEATURES

Asserting lobster fishing rights

Summer reading camps

Politics

Photo by Pauline Ballet

New Chief and Council

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the the Nation Nation 3 3

Editorial

The times they aren’t a-changing by Will Nicholls

Editorial

y now most of you will have either seen or heard of the video portraying Joyce Echaquan’s last moments in a Joliette hospital. How the clearly distressed Atikamekw woman from Manawan pleaded for help but received only slurs and neglect from nursing staff shortly before she died. The outrage expressed in the news and social media was overwhelming. Ironically, it was just a year ago that the Viens Commission – created to investigate discrimination against Indigenous peoples in Quebec’s public services – released its final report. Among its 142 Calls for Action were 34 that dealt with the health and social services sector. The report was clear in saying that First Nations and Inuit persons faced systemic discrimination when using public services. Though Quebec Premier François Legault condemned the actions of the nurses in Joliette, he rejected the view that systemic discrimination exists in Quebec – just as he did after the Viens Commission. That is telling. It means that the Viens Commission’s report will likely have the same fate as so many other reports undertaken by federal and provincial governments. They sit on the shelf gathering dust until similar problems capture public attention. Then Indigenous leaders will point out, and rightly so, that if action had been taken in previous crises the situation would not have happened. In

Quebec, it means the premier either has never read the report or will ignore it and the actions needed to ensure that all residents of Quebec, regardless of their background, receive equal treatment when dealing with Quebec’s public services. This was not an isolated incident, it just happened to be live streamed on Facebook. It touched us all to see the way Joyce Echaquan was treated instead of receiving the lifesaving care we should expect in our hospitals. It is likely this lack of care led to her death. The Quebec coroner’s office will be looking into the circumstances surrounding her death, though it will likely take months. Months in which the story will likely be forgotten, except by family, friends and the community she came from. We can cry out for justice for Joyce Echaquan. But for how long?

Over the years Indigenous people have learned that justice is not always blind. What is behind the representation of the symbol of justice with a woman holding scales blindfolded is that sex, race, religion or culture is not a factor. That justice and the law is impartial to all who are before it. Yes, one nurse has lost her job but that seems too little. As a September 29 release by the Grand Council of the Crees said, this was not an isolated event. “Such conduct could only happen in an environment that tolerated it,” the statement added. “The staff abused Joyce Echaquan because they thought that they could, with impunity, without consequences.” Let’s change that. Vigils, marches and gatherings are good, but most politicians aren’t really swayed by

them to act. So, how do you get their attention? The easiest way is through email. Remember that after they are elected many voters don’t have much communication with them. All we have to do is go to Quebec’s National Assembly page and click on Members. Each one of them has an email tag that can be used to send a message demanding justice for Joyce Echaquan and changes to the system. Send it to as many Members as you want. Resend it each workday for the next month. And all it would take is five minutes a day from your time on Facebook. If enough people do this, then something just might happen because as it stands right now the times aren’t changing unless you, and the rest of us, help make it happen…

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 Dan Isaac CONTRIBUTING WRITERS M. Labrecque-Saganash, S. Orr, P. Quinn, B. Powless, D. Coyle DESIGN Matthew Dessner (Kontroller Media) SALES AND ADVERTISING Danielle Valade, Donna Malthouse, Melissa Juliette 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 |

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CMCA AUDITED

News

The battle intensifies

Assessing the Covid situation as the second wave hits Quebec by Ben Powless

s Covid-19 cases rise across Quebec and the rest of the country, one new case occured in the community of Kuujjuaraapik, neighbouring on Whapmagoostui, but health authorities believe the case is contained. According to Jenny Simpraseuth of the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS), the case was confirmed September 21 from an individual who is believed to have become infected while travelling in the south. “All the significant contacts have been reached, tested and isolated. From the information we have from the investigation, there is no Covid19 circulation in the community,” Simpraseuth said. The Cree Health Board (CHB) is working with the NRBHSS and confirmed that none of the person’s contacts were residents of Whapmagoostui and said there was no need to close services or schools in the community at this time. That news comes as the Quebec government confirmed that a second wave of Covid-19 has struck the province, raising the threat level to its maximum in several areas. This follows the discovery of three positive Covid-19 cases recently at Montreal’s Espresso Hotel, affecting Crees travelling south for health care. The CHB issued a statement expressing gratitude to the hotel staff and to patients forced to stay in the hotel under self-isolation measures. “There was a total of three cases that arose and after contact tracing it can be confirmed that Covid-19 was

quickly contained and there was no transmission of Covid-19 in Espresso or beyond those three cases,” the statement read. The CHB said it would be using the experience to help improve its response and services at the Espresso for the future. The statement also said the Cree Nation is still confident that the “maximum measures” have been put into place to insulate Eeyou Istchee from the “alarming trend” of rising cases in the south. “The immediate implementation of preventative measures like physical distancing, mask wearing when appropriate and most importantly our local mandatory self-isolation have allowed us to be confident in opening schools and giving children as normal a life as possible during these trying times,” the statement continued. A new committee in the Cree Nation Government will support local public security officers to assist with exemption requests from local mandatory self-isolation laws. Public health authorities were also looking at making adaptations for regional gatherings, such as the Regional Science Fair and Art Contests, and said they will be shared soon. A recent survey of post-secondary students was completed with over 350 respondents, indicating that 55% of them have decided to continue their studies from their communities. The Cree School Board reminded parents to fill out the mandatory daily student health checks on eeyouedu-

cation.ca, whether or not children are attending class. As of September 29, there was still one active case of Covid-19 related to the Espresso Hotel outbreak, with 12 total cases recovered. With 1,134 regular tests, 1,112 tests returned negative and another nine were waiting for results. A further 1,385 screening tests were done, with 1,371 negative results and 14 still awaiting results. For those travelling outside of Eeyou Istchee, there are several changes to regions considered unsafe. All except regions 8 (AbitibiTémiscamingue), 10 (Nord-duQuébec), 17 (Centre-du-Québec) and 18 (James Bay) are now considered unsafe, with regions 1, 4, 9, 11 and 12 considered unsafe since September 18 and region 2 considered unsafe starting October 2. In Ontario, Sudbury, Porcupine, Timiskaming and North Bay are considered safe for now. All mining sites are considered unsafe except for those with proper documentation from the Windfall Lake site of Osisko Mining Inc, the Renard site of Stornoway, and the Éléonore site of Newmont as of October 5. All forestry camps, except the Forestry Camp at Km 105 are also considered unsafe. Anyone who travelled to an unsafe area is required to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to Eeyou Istchee. There was a confirmed outbreak of four cases recently in the Porcupine Health Unit region surrounding Moose Factory, with three cases alone on Moose Factory Island,

according to a statement from Moose Cree Chief Mervin Cheechoo. Cases have begun to rapidly rise across the country, with recent days seeing over 1,700 new cases nationally, and over 800 a day in Quebec alone. In response, the Quebec government has limited all gatherings and parties and closed bars, restaurants, theatres, libraries, museums, casinos and cinemas until at least October 28 across Greater Montreal, Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches. Quebec has pledged not to close schools even in the regions facing new outbreaks. Ontario is also fighting large outbreaks, with the government estimating it would likely see 1,000 new cases a day in early October. However, Premier Doug Ford has said the province will not return to the lockdowns seen earlier in the pandemic and says he intends to keep schools open. This comes as the federal government passed new legislation providing for more financial aid for unemployed or underemployed workers. The measure is meant to help transition millions of recipients of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to employment insurance, which will have expanded eligibility rules and benefits. Across Canada, there were over 153,000 reported cases of Covid-19 and over 9,300 deaths. Globally, over 33.7 million cases were reported, as the global death toll passed one million deaths.

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 5

www.creejustice.com If you need more information or have additional questions, contact our office in Val-d”Or.

By phone: 819-874-2600 By email: justicevaldor@cngov.ca 6 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

hat remains after the gold rush? As mining activity has exploded in Eeyou Istchee over the past few decades, the Cree Nation is adamant that emerging projects ensure appropriate sustainability, transparency and collaboration in their operations. The latest prospecting campaign was recently launched by Goldstar Minerals near Lake Nemenjiche, located 60 kilometres south of Chibougamau within the Ouje-Bougoumou trapline. It is also 15 km east of the Nelligan Project, which was named “Discovery of the Year” last fall by the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association for a significant initial gold estimate totalling 3.2 million ounces. “The regional understanding of mineralization controls has been greatly advanced with the Nelligan discovery,” stated Goldstar CEO David Crevier in a press release. “This new understanding will be applied in our efforts on the Nemenjiche project.” The company’s initial five-week campaign will target about six square kilometres for detailed mapping and sampling of outcrops while its exploration team prepares for prospecting and airborne surveys of both its Nemenjiche and Anctil claim areas. Although there is no guarantee Goldstar will succeed, this geological region between Abitibi and Chibougamau is a greenstone belt well known for its deposits gold, silver and copper. Eeyou Istchee has become one of the world’s best mineral exploration grounds in recent years with over 400 active mining projects. “We have a lot of companies like Goldstar starting projects,” confirmed Youcef Larbi, chief geologist for the Cree Mineral Exploration Board (CMEB). “Goldstar are in the area where we know there is huge potential. We’ll be happy for them to find something if they respect the activity in Eeyou Istchee like any company.” Communication is the foundation of this respect, which Larbi feels has been lacking from Goldstar so far, although he added it’s too early to judge. Sometimes companies deal directly with the community and occasionally they under-

Collaborative exploration

Ensuring that Cree benefit from new gold mines by Patrick Quinn

take only lightweight sampling and leave after six months. “I wish we had better communication with Goldstar, but I don’t stress myself in the beginning,” Larbi told the Nation. “If they bring machinery to the trapline, they have no choice. Then they have to come to us – we usually bring them together with the tallyman and the Chief.” The CMEB was created in 2002 to facilitate information exchange between tallymen and mining companies and to ensure the Cree Nation receives maximum benefit from all sustainable development in Eeyou Istchee. It worked closely with the CNG to develop the Cree Nation Mining Policy and has been striving to clarify essential protocols for any company seeking to initiate activity in the region. “Mining companies need to understand we know it better and have more control over what happens here,” said Larbi. “We’ve been working a long time to make them understand they can go nowhere without social acceptability. As soon as the company takes the claim, they should know where to go.” While companies can currently access mining claims through the Quebec government’s website, Larbi asserts that to avoid unnecessary confusion they should be corresponding with the CMEB for guidance and to ensure that information is proper-

“We’ll be happy for them to find something if they respect the activity in Eeyou Istchee like any company” - Youcef Larbi, Chief geologist, Cree Mineral Exploration Board

ly delivered. The CMEB collaborates with mining coordinators and the Cree Trappers’ Association to share information within communities. Emails should also be sent to the tallyman, Chief and Deputy Chief, with details about the claim location, work plan and period, numbers of various personnel involved, and how the camp will be accessed. From interested companies, Crees expect job offers, invitations to invest and opportunities to provide services and infrastructure. “It’s important for companies to understand we have people to provide when they come to Eeyou Istchee,” Larbi explained. “One of the reasons we wanted to start communication is so they understand they can’t come here and not hire people from the area. I’m not saying everybody but at least some of our own.” As mining activity has intensified in Eeyou Istchee, so too has local knowledge about geology. In collaboration with Cree Human Resources Development, the CMEB provides school presentations, participates in

community prospecting training and has developed an exploration training program. The expected knowledge and technology transfer from companies working in the region is an important part of this capacity building and for establishing mutually respectful relationships. It’s a significant departure from the often exploitative, early encounters with the mining industry. Ouje-Bougoumou has a long history of mining in its territory, which forced the community to relocate several times until many years of negotiations finally led to the construction of the current village 30 years ago. Contamination from mine and exploration sites abandoned decades ago continues to be a community concern. When gold was discovered at Éléonore near Wemindji in 2004, it signalled not only the beginning of a new staking rush but also a new era of collaborative relationships. The CMEB has gone from very few companies initiating communication at that time to about 85% this year.

Despite the current business difficulties faced by Stornoway Diamonds and Nemaska Lithium, the huge mineral deposits that made those companies in the first place aren’t going anywhere. Numerous companies are now on the land, although the Covid pandemic has resulted in less exploration work than usual and shifted the season a little later this year. A growing number of exploration enterprises, projects and prospectors are Cree, which the CMEB help promote throughout their various initiatives. While mining represents exciting economic potential for the Cree Nation, respect for the land is always at the heart of any long-term strategy. “We have so many projects, but we wouldn’t have a thousand mines,” Larbi asserted. “Right now, we have three – for activity like that there is a limit. We still have potential for a couple of mines in the future, but they won’t be all together at the same time. We can’t just take everything and not leave anything for our kids.”

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 7

Amos 819-732-5207 Benoit Genesse b.genesse@pneusgbm.com

Chibougamau 418-748-2645 Lampron Gaétan Lamp g.lampron@pneusgbm.com

Matagami 819-739-4343 Jessica Dubé j.dube@pneusgbm.com

Val D’or 819-825-4802 Cédric Lavaud

Many growing Indigenous communities and businesses trust the strong team we have built. We are committed to provide banking solutions to fulfill the needs of Indigenous people.

c.lavaud@pneusgbm.com

Ville-Marie 819-629-2515 Francis Brisson f.brisson@pneusgbm.com

www.fnbc.ca

ᓃᑳᓐ ᐁᐃᔑ ᒋᔅᑐᐦᑌᔨᐦᒄ Let’s keep

Moving Forward, Together! Proven results:

Her vision:

• Community partnering and Health Assemblies

• Cree Traditional Medicine and Land-Based healing

• Mental health services

• Elder’s homes and family respite services

• Hemodialysis at home

• Birthing centres

• Midwives

• More Youth Mental Health services

• Partnership with Nishiiyuu Council of Elders

• Increased capacity to hire Eeyouch/Eenouch and

• 2019 Agreement (600 new jobs and $700

inspire our youth for our future

million for new facilities)

Vote Bella Moses Petawabano for CBHSSJB Chairperson

The newly formed FNB Trust - trust management and advisory services is another way we continue to support Indigenous prosperity, leadership and well-being.

In Brief Atikamekw mother of seven dies in hospital Joyce Echaquan, a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman, died September 29 in a Joliette hospital shortly after recording a Facebook live video of racist slurs hurled by nursing staff. She had been hospitalized September 24 because of stomach pains. During the video, while restrained to her hospital bed, Echaquan is heard screaming for help, believing she had been over medicated. In the background, two women – at least one of them a nurse – can be heard saying that she’s only good for sex and that she would be better off dead. Shortly after the video was recorded, her family rushed to the hospital to intervene, but Echaquan had already died. Her family believes it was due to her heart condition and an adverse reaction to morphine. Echaquan leaves behind seven children – her eldest child is 22 while her youngest is seven months old. She was also a grandmother. Following Echaquan’s death, Premier François Legault called the incident “totally unacceptable” during a press conference but said he did not believe it is evidence of systemic racism within the province. The coroner’s office is now investigating her death and one nurse

has already been fired. The local health authority is also looking into what happened in the room before Echaquan’s death. According to her family, Echaquan was frequently hospitalized and often faced discrimination during treatment. She had taken to recording Facebook live videos in order to protect herself from the mistreatment. In the wake of the video, the Atikamekw Nation is now calling on Quebec to accelerate the implementation of the Vien Commission’s recommendations. “It is unfortunate that in 2020 such behaviours can still occur,” Atikamekw Nation Grand Chief Constant Awashish said in a statement. “It is everyone’s responsibility to denounce them, especially in the context of health services and whose ethics should protect us from the discomfort of racism.” Following her death, vigils were held across the province under the banner “Justice for Joyce”. A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up under the same name to help support the family. At press time the campaign had raised over $210,000 – some of the donations had been given by nurses and other hospital staff horrified by the treatment Echaquan received.

Garage fire in Waswanipi A fire broke out behind the Waswanipi municipal garage September 25. According to Waswanipi Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Happyjack, the cause is still unknown, but he believes youth messing around with scrap cars was likely what started the fire. Though no one was hurt, and significant property damage was avoided, it was a “pretty tough fire to put out but we managed,” Happyjack added. The scrap cars in question were to be used by the local fire department for car extrication training – a process where emergency responders learn to remove vehicles from around a person who’s been in a car crash. “I don’t know how we are going to do the training now,” lamented Happyjack. “We’ll have to look for other vehicles I guess.”

imagineNATIVE moves online While the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts festival had aspirations of keeping their 21st iteration an in-person live event (by postponing until August 2021), the festival’s creative

team announced September 29 they would be moving ahead with their fall program in a completely online environment. The event will still hold networking events for Indigenous filmmakers and executives from studios like Netflix, but this year it will be hosted on Zoom. Likewise, their annual pitch contest will also be moving online and will award the winner more than $40,000 in prize money and in-kind services. Featuring works from 53 Indigenous artists in 23 languages from 13 countries and 97 Indigenous nations, the festival opens October 20 with a night of short films and concludes with an awards ceremony October 25. For more information and to purchase 2020 passes, visit imaginenative.org.

Murder in Mistissini The Mistissini Eeyou Eenou Police Force, responding to a call of a man needing assistance getting home early September 27, arrived to find Simeon Coon who was suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to the local clinic, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. A crime scene was established, and with the help of the Sûreté du Québec, a homicide investigation was launched. On September 28, Jonathan Petawabano was arrested and charged with second degree murder. His charges were confirmed via phone appearance with a judge, and the suspect will remain in custody until he faces trial. If anyone has any information regarding the case, they are urged to come forward to the EEPF.

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Features

Riding

tall Photo by Pauline Ballet

in the saddle

by Dan Coyle | Photos provided the ASO

t has been 117 years since the first running of the legendary Tour de France, back in 1903. With racers riding from Nice to Paris on a course that extends almost 3,500 kilometres, the Tour de France not only represents the pinnacle of cycling excellence, but is also one of the most grueling sporting events in the world. With Neilson Powless making an impressive debut in this race, the Tour de France can now be counted among the international sporting events to feature a young, upcoming Indigenous star. A proud member of the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin, Powless claimed the distinction of being the first tribally recognized Native North American to take part in the Tour de France when he hit the road in August. An avid cyclist from a young age, competing in the Tour de France had been Powless’ childhood dream. The 24-year-old turned heads in his debut in “La Grande Boucle”, finishing among the top five in two of the race’s 21 stages, and closing out the competition ninth among young riders, and a respectable 56th overall out of a field of 176 cyclists. “It was so exotic and powerful that even before I turned 10, I dreamed of one day competing in the Tour de France,” Neilson said in an interview with ESPN during this year’s race.

10 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

Photo by Alex Broadway

While Powless had no Indigenous cycling role model, there has been no shortage of athletic influences in his life. A resident of the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation in Wisconsin until his death in 2015, Powless’ grandfather Matthew was a champion boxer during his time as a US Army paratrooper, and later owned a gym, where he trained young pugilists, including his talented young grandson. The elder Powless played a huge role in introducing his grandson to Oneida traditions, including how to make the wampum bead belts that often grace the frame of his bike. But for Neilson, who grew up half a continent away in Roseville, California, it is the memory of spending time with his grandfather, listening to him speak in his Native language, and learning Native dancing and smudging that sticks out in his mind. “One of the reasons I loved visiting my grandfather was to watch him crush a smoke dance,” explained Neilson. “Normally I would have a painting of the Oneida bead belt, the wampum belt, somewhere on my bike, my garment, my shoe,” he added, when asked by reporters about his heritage during the Tour de France. “Just something really small, most people wouldn’t even really see it. It’s something that I have always tried to keep close to me.” Powless’ parents are also accomplished athletes. His father Jack is a former nationally ranked triathlete, who passed along to his son some hard lessons on the importance of dedication and discipline to achieving not only athletic goals, but life goals. His mother Jen, who is non-Native, is also an accomplished athlete. She competed for Guam as a marathon runner in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Jen also played a lead role in getting Neilson and his sister Shayna involved in a variety of organized sports at a young age, including soccer, track & field, and the triathlon. With his successful debut at the Tour de France as a member of the EF Pro Cycling team, Neilson has now participated in two of the cycling world’s “Grand Tours”. Neilson powered to a 31st-place finish in his debut at the Vuelta a España in 2019. While he won’t be participating in this year’s race, a debut in the

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Photo by Charly Lopez

Giro d’Italia is likely just around the corner. In addition, the 2017 US National Under-23 Road Championship winner has tallied eight top 10 finishes since placing his focus on the cycling world’s biggest events in Europe. Neilson’s career is being closely followed by Indigenous people across the US and has captured the imagination of many Oneidan youth. And the opportunity to make change is not lost on Neilson or his family. Neilson’s focus on becoming one of the world’s top cyclists has not distracted him from his goal to spend more time working with young athletes in the Oneida Nation

“The impact one big tournament can have is incredible” - Shayna Powless

12 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

once his days as a top racer are done. Both Neilson and his sister, also an accomplished cyclist, look forward to spending more time among the Oneida Nation, getting youngsters involved with cycling, and passing along the lessons of perseverance that have served them both so well. “I can’t imagine how many Native American kids I’ve talked to at the reservation are going to watch Neilson – just from this past week at the Tour de France – and be excited to take up cycling,” said Shayna in recent conversation with ESPN.

“The impact one big tournament can have is incredible.” His father Jack agrees, adding that his dream for his son “is to make a difference in young tribal members’ lives – to make them better and to give them something to hope for and aspire to.” “To be Native American is something I am very proud of,” Neilson explained. “If someone asks what my ethnicity is, I usually say Native American first. I always try to highlight the fact that I am Native. I think it’s important.”

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An approach adapted to the different regions to limit transmission of the virus It is now more important than ever that we follow health measures to limit the spread of the virus. It is essential that each of us remains vigilant and adopts good habits. Since the virus is not spreading everywhere at the same rate, a new tool has been implemented to show how the situation is evolving in each Quebec region. This four-level alert system will make it easier for you to keep track of the governmentâ€™s interventions. We must contain the spread of the virus throughout Quebec. This is how we can retain some level of normalcy over the next few months. Each region can make a big difference in limiting the spread of the virus. Letâ€™s continue to protect each other.

Progressive regional alert and intervention system The Progessive regional alert and intervention system specifies which additional measures each health region must take to slow the transmission of the virus. These depend on the alert level reached and are intended to limit the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19, protect those who are most at risk and avoid overburdening the healthcare system. The alert levels are established based on the recommendations of public health authorities who regularly review the situation, taking into account the epidemiological situation, transmission control and the capacity of the healthcare system.

Donâ€™t forget that everyone must adopt behaviours that limit transmission of the virus. We do it to ensure that our children can keep going to school, to protect our seniors, to ensure the safety of our healthcare workers and to revive our economy. Follow the basic measures at all times:

Keep your distance Wear a face covering Cough into your elbow Wash your hands Adapt your greetings

FOUR ALERT AND INTERVENTION LEVELS LEVEL 4

Maximum Alert

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 1

Vigilance Level 1 requires constant attention amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It corresponds to a low level of transmission in the community. It requires that the basic measures established be followed in all settings (physical distancing, respiratory etiquette, hand washing, etc.). Special measures may also apply to certain activities or settings.

Early Warning This level is imposed when the level of transmission starts to increase. The basic measures are reinforced and further actions are taken to promote and encourage compliance. For example, there might be more inspections and crowd control in some settings to facilitate physical distancing.

Alert Level 3 introduces additional measures that target specific areas of activity and settings where the risk of transmission is deemed higher. These areas are subject to selective restrictions, prohibitions and closures.

Level 4 selectively applies more restrictive measures up to and including ceasing non-essential activities for which the risk cannot be sufficiently controlled, while avoiding the generalized confinement that was experienced during the first wave of the pandemic as much as possible.

To find out the alert level in your region, consult the Map of COVID-19 alert levels by region at QuĂŠbec.ca/alertlevels

QuĂŠbec.ca/coronavirus 1 877 644-4545

Harvestingtheir rights

Miâ€™kmaq in Nova Scotia assert their right to fish by Ben Powless |

Photos; left by Ashley Julian-Rikihana; right by Justice Grubmen

16 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

xactly 21 years after a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling affirming the rights of the Mi’kmaq to hunt, fish and gather in pursuit of a “moderate livelihood,” the community of Sipekne’katik in Nova Scotia decided to test the limits of that right. Over 200 people gathered in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia, September 17 as Sipekne’katik First Nation announced they would be launching their own “moderate livelihood” fishery outside of the commercial fishery regulated by the federal government. After a ceremony to bless the fleet, seven licenses were issued to community members, allowing them to set up to 50 traps each. The first fishing license was awarded to Randy Sack, the son of Donald Marshall Jr., who won the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 1999. However, the news wasn’t well received by non-Indigenous commercial fishers, who set out on the water that day to attempt to blockade Mi’kmaw fishery crews and forcefully remove their traps from the water. That led the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs (ANSMC) to declare a state of emergency September 18, “in response to the violence occurring over Mi’kmaw fisheries across the province,” the official announcement said. In response, federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan issued a statement urging peaceful protests and to “lower tensions on the water and in our communities.” Jordan said she was inviting Indigenous leaders and industry leaders to meet and try to find a peaceful resolution. While the launch of the fishery was a surprise to other commercial fishers, it comes after decades of failed negotiations between Mi’kmaw chiefs and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to define what constitutes a “moderate livelihood”. “We have been trying to negotiate a long-term plan with DFO for years,” Chief Terrance Paul, Fisheries Lead for the ANSMC, said in a statement. “Through consultation, we hope to find a path forward immediately. Our communities are going fishing and we want to ensure that they don’t have to be fearful of being harassed or charged.” The First Nation-led fishery came out of years of community consultation, according to Sipekne’katik Chief Michael Sack. “It’s been worked on for a number of years, and we decided to move forward with the community. We had community consultations, we had fisheries teams go door to door, and this is what was decided upon,” Sack said. Along with the licenses, the Mi’kmaw harvesters will receive a copy of the community’s Rights Implementation and Fishery Management Plan, a document which lays out policies on things like harvesting, sales and trap sizes, similar to the existing DFO guidelines for commercial fisheries. Non-Indigenous commercial fishers said that they were removing the traps out of concern for ecological damage to the fishery.

“Unless there is one set of rules driven by the conservation of the fishery, Canada’s fishery will be destroyed,” said Bernie Berry, President of the Coldwater Lobster Association. Chief Sack said it was the first he’s heard some of these concerns being raised. He called it “saddening” that non-Indigenous fishers were attempting to seize community members’ property. “Our people scrape together the fishing gear, then they came and took it all away, it’s very unfortunate,” he said. “Conservation and preservation is our concern, and we’re monitoring our people very closely,” he continued. “We only have a few boats down here, we’re fishing under 1% of what the commercial fishery is.” His assurances were echoed by Megan Bailey, an associate professor who studies fisheries management at Dalhousie University. She told the CBC that the hundreds of traps proposed by the First Nation pale to the hundreds of thousands of traps set every year in the commercial fishery. A joint statement on behalf of Minister Jordan and federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett urged locals not to take the law into their own hands. “Reconciliation is a Canadian imperative and we all have a role to play in it. What is occurring does not advance this goal, nor does it support the implementation of First Nation Treaty rights, or a productive and orderly fishery.” Sack said that he has spoken to representatives of the federal government, and that negotiations are ongoing. Meanwhile, tensions have settled a bit after tropical storm Teddy passed over the region. According to Sack, Sipekne’katik isn’t the only community planning on implementing their own fishery and issuing their own licenses. He said another community has plans to launch their fishery on Treaty Day, October 1. Chief Wilbert Marshall of Potlotek First Nation said his community has also developed a Livelihood Plan. The community has requested meetings with the DFO to discuss their fishery management plan. Chief Paul said that one of the main challenges to asserting a right to fish was the public’s lack of understanding on Indigenous rights. “While the public may not comprehend a fishery outside the realm of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, that does not make our fishery illegal. We called on Canada to help educate the public on the truth and to address the systemic racism that has been a major part in denying our ability to exercise our rights,” he said. A rally in support of Sikepkne’katik was held September 26 in Halifax, with hundreds of people showing up in support of the community. Sack said he is buoyed by the support. “We’ve had letters from across the country, donations, emails. It’s been overwhelming and we’re appreciative of that – it feels like we can’t thank them enough.”

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 17

General Category

1st place: $1,500 2nd place: $1,000 3rd place: $500 Prosepector Category

One prize of

$2,000

RoCk CoMpEtItIoN - LeArN FrOm ThE LaNd! The Cree Mineral Exploration Board's Rock Competition Requirements: New discovery Sample must be the size of a ďŹ st Sample must be located on a map Complete the application form

Deadline and shipping: CMEB assumes the analysis expenses of the participating samples The contest ends on October 31 Shipping is at participant's expense

Hints on the ground: look for rusty surfaces Hints after breaking: sample metallic minerals

Do not forget:

SAMPLE LOCATION PLACE NAME MAP GPS COORDINATES SAMPLE COLLECTED FROM

NAME PHONE ADDRESS COMMUNITY SIGNATURE Send to: CMEB

Deadline: October 31

Stream Bank

River Bank

21 Hilltop, P.O. 150, Wemindji, QC, Canada JOM 1LO Tel: 819-978-0264 ext. 327

18 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

Lake Side

Fax: 819-978-3834

E Shore Line Mountain

N Island Other

E-mail: youceflarbi@creenet.com

October is Fire Prevention Week Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 blaze that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8 but continued into the night doing most of its damage on October 9, 1871. According to popular legend, the fire broke out after a cow, belonging to Mrs. Catherine O'Leary, kicked over a lamp setting first the barn, then the whole city on fire. From this event and every October since, fire departments all over promote fire safety to the public. Each year a theme is created by the National Fire Protection Association to promote fire safety. The theme this year is â€œServe Up Fire Safety in the Kitchenâ€?

the Nation 19

Community

Keep them reading Fewer summer literacy camps operated this year by Patrick Quinn | Photo provided by Frontier College

hildren’s literacy camps have become an anticipated part of summertime in Eeyou Istchee, helping to nurture a lifelong love of reading while reducing the risk of summer learning loss. In this summer like no other, a very limited version took place in three communities.

“It was an experiment,” admitted program manager Mark Anto. “We usually hire 50-some staff, work in all nine communities, have hundreds of kids sign up. All of that shut down. Instead of having kids come to the camp, we brought the activities to them.” Frontier College began offering these reading camps eight years ago in partnership with the Cree School Board, which have become more popular and enmeshed in the community with each passing season. This year, they relied entirely on local counsellors with a combination of online and in-person activities. With so much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, the green light for the camp came only in midJune, forcing a last-minute scramble to find available counsellors. Four out of five were former counsellors, who organized activities in Waskaganish, Waswanipi and Mistissini. “We just had enough time to see things through,” said Anto. “The counsellors were doing good work

“It’s definitely a crisis but it is opening new opportunities and spaces for learning” - Mark Anto, Program manager

for the community, getting kids back in the routine a little without it being too much. It was something the kids really appreciated.” While 557 kids participated last year, Anto estimated they reached about 75 this year in-person and another 150 digitally through literacy and numeracy challenges on Facebook. They also distributed close to 500 books throughout the communities as well as activity booklets. “We had developed a 40-page booklet for kids to fill out with activ-

20 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

ities like crossword puzzles, what’s your favourite book, write a word with each letter of the alphabet,” Anto explained. “I think every parent was desperate for any kind of diversion at that point. I spoke to a few and they said, ‘Oh man, that thing really helped.’” As schools were closed, halls were rented in two of the three communities, but most activities happened outside according to local distancing guidelines in a mix of English and Cree. With a limited number of

participants and sign-in sheets to enable contact tracing, organizers made sure to err on the side of caution. “It was a lot different this year but still fun,” said Waskaganish counsellor Constance Esau, who is currently distance learning at McGill University to become a teacher. “I really missed the original camp and all the other counsellors and kids who would be there. I had a good turnout of kids 6 to 9 years old. I think the older ones were sleeping all summer.”

Since kids have been away from school for six months, teachers are just trying to play catch-up - Mark Anto

Since few members of her group were able to read, Esau discussed stories they read together and led related activities. The kids were excited to meet each day in the schoolyard, weather permitting, exploring new ideas and playing with friends. Online programming was expanded at all stages of this year’s camps. Counsellors were trained on Zoom, resulting in substantial cost savings, and integrated material from the Cree School Board’s online learning platform in their activities with the kids. “It’s definitely a crisis but it is opening new opportunities and spaces for learning,” Anto said. There are opportunities to reorganize and make it more community-centric. A few counsellors cooked online and broadcasted on the Waswanipi group – they did a really good job of on-thefly organizing.” Frontier College based this year’s last-minute camps on similar community projects they organize across Canada, which derive programming from local resources and literacy gaps. The big difference is that those are year-round programs. Here they had six weeks – two weeks longer than the usual camps. “We hit the ground running and tried everything,” shared Anto. “The Cree School Board was fantastic in trusting us. Down the road, this could be a good platform for literacy learning.” With students tending to lose up to two months of reading and math

knowledge over a regular summer break, literacy initiatives were perhaps more important than ever this extraordinary year. Just 15 minutes of reading daily can stop that summer slide – kids get three to four times that much at literacy camp. “Since kids have been away from school for six months, teachers are just trying to play catch-up at this point,” Anto argued. “They usually say they can tell which students went to literacy camp. They have a quicker step in their reading. Teachers have told us if you can just keep the same reading levels to the next school year that would be amazing.” Literacy levels are continuously improving throughout Eeyou Istchee, supported by growing capacity in the Cree School Board and initiatives like these summer camps. When Esau received two more boxes of books near her camp’s end, she donated them to a local mobile library run by Waskaganish teacher Annie Loyer called Together for Literacy. While the pandemic limited how many books could be sent, the participation of guest speakers and other typical features of the literacy camps, early feedback suggests that communities were very appreciative that they happened at all. “All in all, everyone was happy,” concluded Anto. “It would be nice to go back to full-blown programming next year, but we’ll see what Covid has in store for us.”

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 21

A FIRST NATIONS HEALTH MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

COVID-19 VIRTUAL TOWN HALL

Information Session & Q&A

EVERY THURSDAY 1 PM EDT WWW.IHTODAY.CA

Watch live at

PAP_RECYC-QUÃ‰BEC_Automne__9,5x4,75_ANG-D.pdf

CMY

2020-09-03

13:56

Politics

Change in Great Whale Whapmagoostui elects new chief and council

by Patrick Quinn | Photos provided by the Whapmagoostui First Nation

fter many years of dedicated work in the local government, Robbie Kawapit was elected Chief of Whapmagoostui in the first round of council elections September 16 with 51% of the vote. “A new chapter has just begun in my life and I’m excited to see how it turns out,” Kawapit stated on Facebook following his victory. “Yes, I know at times it will not be easy for me or my family, but we all gotta ride the storm to get to safe harbours. A big thank you to Whap people.” Kawapit defeated former Chief Louisa Mamianskum Wynne, Lisa Petagumskum and John Shem. The Nation was unable to reach Kawapit for further comment. “Every election there’s always some sort of excitement,” said Deputy Returning Officer Sidney Orr. “The Chief tried a few times before. He’s a good guy. It’s a good indicator of his strength, not to give up.” The race for Deputy Chief between Rita MastySheshamush, John Mamianskum and Isaac Masty was tighter, forcing a run-off election on September 28 between the first two candidates. MastySheshamush was declared winner. Elected as band councillors were Amy Dick, Matthew A. Iserhoff, Jordan Masty, Elijah Sandy and Maggie Sheshamush George. Maria Kawapit Jr and Candice Sheshamush earned the title of women councillors. “Young people are getting more involved,” Orr told the Nation. “I think they understand it’s important to have a government to work for them. They’ll have to learn how to govern, how meetings work, what’s expected. I think there are a few with that experience.” With Returning Officer John Henry Wapachee often unavailable because of current travel restrictions, Orr played a key role in this election’s planning and preparations. Wapachee was present throughout every nomination meeting and would correspond with the election team with online messaging. Clarification was sometimes required regarding certain elements of the local by-laws, such as enabling electors outside the region to vote by fax. There was also some confusion about how much

time candidates had to accept their nomination. Orr had two days to find and inform nominees, who then had two days from that point to decide whether they would accept. Of course, public safety precautions made voting logistics a little more complicated this year. Polling stations and pens had to be disinfected after each voter, which sometimes resulted in a line outside. Voters from the same household were encouraged to come together to reduce the need for this cleaning. Like any community, the new government will be tasked with adjusting to conditions imposed by the pandemic. A positive case of Covid-19 was found in neighbouring Kuujjuarapik a few weeks ago, though the Cree Health Board has found no evidence of the virus circulating in Whapmagoostui. “There will be the same priorities there are every year,” asserted Orr. “Is the ship going to come in? Are we going to have our transportation in time? Is winter going to be good to us? We are looking at having alternative transportation like a winter road.” Orr also anticipates a growing need for skill development in the energy sector. As Hydro-Québec phases out diesel, there will be new opportunities in renewable energy like wind power. “There are a lot of opportunities just in those two sectors,” said Orr. “The energy sector is now active. It’s going to happen. We’re looking at having a transportation connection to the south. Those are two major things that will affect people.”

Is the ship going to come in? Are we going to have our transportation in time? - Deputy Returning Officer Sidney Orr

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 23

October 2020 - Issue 2

Puzzles

Crossword

SUDOKU Very Hard

Previous solution - Tough

4 9 8 6 5 2 7 1 3

9 5 6 7 1 3 2 4 1 7 8 5

– ngle number can r column. But... are divided by black artments. These with numbers that t’. A straight is a set gaps but can be in ,5]. Clues in black umber as an option umn, and are not part nce at the solution to The solutions will be published here in the next issue. are formed.

4 8 6 5 2 1 4 4 7 8 5 9

1 2 2 3 4 5 3 4 1 5 3 4 2 6 7 8 7 6 7 6

No. 262

6 2 1 3 9 7 4 8 5

5 7 3 8 4 1 6 9 2

8 4 2 1 6 5 3 7 9

7 1 9 4 8 3 2 5 6

3 5 6 2 7 9 1 4 8

1 8 4 9 3 6 5 2 7

9 3 7 5 2 4 8 6 1

2 6 5 7 1 8 9 3 4

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

STR8TS

SUDOKU

No. 262

Medium

7 6 7

Previous solution - Easy

3 4 5 6 5 8 4 7 1 6 7 6 7 9 8 7 8 6 2 6 7 1 2 3 9 5 2 3 5 1 4 8 4 2 3

8 2

5 1

8 3 6 6 4

7 9

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

Easy

7 6 3 2 1 5 4

1 2 2 3 4 5 3 4 1 5 3 4 2 6 7 8 7 6 7 6

24 27 32

39 42

41 43 46

10 16

23 25

55 Durable fabric 56 Lump of dirt 57 Like venison's flavor 58 Animal in a roundup 59 Film feline

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Hold dear 30 Church leader Care for 32 Back street Flightless bird 35 Lacking shape Mildew cause 36 Discrepancy Having limits 38 Green mineral Scintilla 39 Golf shot Origami bird 41 Overly diluted "Stop right 42 Tony, to Jeannie DOWN there!" 44 Cooktop 1 Hit the mall 19 Make giddy 45 Minor damage 2 That certain 21 Drop off 46 Vicinity something 24 "Ick!" 47 Study hard 3 Prairies, e.g. 25 Brazilian dance 48 Give a hoot 4 Pumpkin pie 26 Beelike 49 Singer Tori Previous solution - Tough Very Hard seasoning 27 Haughty 50 Jedi guru 4 6 5one 8 7 3521 Chow 9 2 checker 5 Knock down a 28 Worthless 9 2 7 4 1 5 8 3 6 peg 29 Have a feeling

9 5 6 7 1 3 2 4 1 7 8

8 6 5 2 7 1 3

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These PREVIOUS need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set SOLUTION: of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to The solutions will be published here in the next issue. see how ‘straights’ are formed.

24 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

4 8 6 5 2 1 4 4 7 8 5 9

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.

ACROSS 1 Long story 5 Went out with 10 Drop a line? 14 Make a pitch 15 Fluid buildup 16 "Field of Dreams" setting 17 Like some vaccines 18 Of great importance 20 Log-in entry 22 Flexible 23 Sudden outpouring 24 Pesky insect 25 Solution for dry eyes 27 Masquerade 31 On the double 32 Cropped up 33 Slippery one 34 Outfielder's cry 35 Dentist's advice 36 Work the bleachers 37 Ill-behaved 38 Horse pill 39 Analyze grammar 40 Heeded an R.S.V.P. 42 Whodunit feature 43 Fighting force 44 4:1, e.g. 45 Poetic measure 48 Gilligan, for one No. 262 51 Not germane 53 Verne's captain 54 At hand

by Margie E. Burke

1 3 9 7 4 8 5

3 8 4 1 6 9 2

2 1 6 5 3 7 9

9 4 8 3 2 5 6

6 2 7 9 1 4 8

4 9 3 6 5 2 7

7 5 2 4 8 6 1

5 7 1 8 9 3 4

Working hard or hardly working?

Rez Notes

by Sonny Orr

’ve been very busy working hard for the past month or so, something I’ve been used to for a long time now. The first job I had when I was 12 was with Bell digging trenches and carrying a very heavy ladder. The following summer was about the same except more wiring down from poles as the old in-ground system was being phased out. It was the new age of a triple-digit phone number as more than a hundred phone lines were installed. In those days every wire was colour coded. Synching everything meant memorizing all the numbers associated with that card and making a connection from the main board, which had at least 10 five-foot high

clusters of wires. On the other end at your home terminal where three or four wires were neatly clipped and connected. The whole operation was powered by a long line of batteries to keep it running at all times, which was handy if you didn’t have electricity at your home. Try doing that today.

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ᖃᖓᑦᑕᔫᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᑐᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ CHARTERS 1 800 661-5850

The next summer I joined an elite group of older guys in their late teens and early 20s. We had the job of cleaning up the town and taking all that refuse to the dump, where we incinerated it with homemade Molotov cocktails. Making homemade explosives was the best part of the job. The other cool part was driving the dump truck, which no one knew how to operate on the first day. After several hours of trying, we made it to first gear, the rest will always be remembered as having driven the truck with the strongest set of gears ever made, after grinding them down in shuddering starts and gear changing. Yeah, that was fun. The following summer was all about painting. Painting done all by hand. We got so good at it that all those weird dreams caused by the fumes from the paint and kerosene to clean the brushes became part of the work routine. We started at sunrise and finished late after supper. Again, it was a fun job and we only got paid at the end of the contract. My buddy nearly had a heart attack when he saw the final amount of the cheque and refused to accept it. Finally, after a lot of urging from

his family he took the pay and I think they bought an outboard motor with it. Anyways, after a long hard summer of work, school was a nice break. In the following years I somehow got involved in the airline business with Austin Airways. It was an entirely different type of business – lots of labour work, crazy weather and endless stories of the past from my boss, who seemed to know everything about the weather and the airline business. The heavy lifting of baggage and cargo became easier after time and improved my overall health. I did this for several years and after a while, handling heavy things was easy. Later in life, hard physical work gave way to a desk job. But the hours were standard and sometimes very stressed as I learned the values of hard work also applied to office work. After a while, thinking hard and sweating bullets to meet deadlines became my new norm. Hard work, in any form, is hard work. So, as I get on in years, I amaze myself with having worked for 49 years. I guess it’s time to take on softer work, which will be very hard for me to do.

www.nationnews.ca October 9, 2020 the Nation 25

Bannock & Joyce’s message

Tea

by Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash

eah Gazan always reminds me to take care of my spirit. Sometimes I do it, but often I end up fighting on Twitter with racist people. I truly never learn, but I just cannot look past bigotry and hate. I often bump heads with people on social media over the concept of systemic racism. By definition, “systemic racism is a form of racism that is embedded as normal practice within society or an organization. It can lead to such issues as discrimination in criminal justice, employment, housing, healthcare, political power, and education, among other issues.” So, systemic racism does not mean that everyone is racist all the time. In the healthcare system, you can identify it through certain patterns or behaviours towards a minority. For us Indigenous folks, it takes many forms – healthcare professionals refusing certain medications under the pretext that we might be drug addicts, receiving poor services because treating us badly has been normalized, forced sterilization, coercion, or healthcare providers not making any effort to understand our needs. Therefore, systemic racism is

I saw a woman die on my Facebook feed not saying that everyone is racist, but rather that the system allows these patterns to continue. Because of the normalization of these patterns, it is very hard to hold individuals or the whole system accountable. I saw a woman die on my Facebook feed. Joyce Echaquan was from Manawan, had a husband and seven children. The nurses who were supposed to care for her watched her die while making racist comments to her. Joyce filmed herself as she was probably feeling her body give up on her. Unfortunately, I am not surprised that she had the reflex to pull out her

cellphone. Indigenous people know they have strong chances of facing racism when seeking medical treatment in urban centres. Further denying the existence of systemic racism will lead us nowhere and will certainly not bring justice to everyone who suffered while navigating systems that were not designed for them. When Justice Jacques Viens submitted the final report of the Public Inquiry Commission on relations between Indigenous Peoples and certain public services in Quebec, he used the term “discrimination” instead of “racism”. I

do believe this was a political choice of words. Quebec has been so afraid to acknowledge, dissect and even mention the word “racism” that it sets back the healing process we need to undergo collectively here. I did not know Joyce, yet I know too well the comments she received. I am tired of seeing my people die on social media. It is not normal. It is traumatizing. Unsurprisingly, Premier Legault denied once again the existence of systemic racism. At this point, I am truly scared at how settlers are in denial of such a measurable concept.

We have been present since 1939. All members of the large Deshaies' family are by your side today and will also be for the better days to come.

26 the Nation October 9, 2020 www.nationnews.ca

PUBLIC NOTICE TO ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS RESPECTING THE ELECTION FOR CBHSSJB CHAIRPERSON Notice is hereby given that the election for the office of the Chairperson of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) will be held on Monday, October 19, 2020. The CBHSSJB Chairperson is the Cree representative on the CBHSSJB Board of Directors elected by and from among the members of the Cree Nation Government for a term of four years. The present notice is in accordance with CBHSSJB “Consolidated By law No 9: By-law respecting the Procedure for the Election of the Cree Representative of the Members of the Cree Nation Government and Chairperson of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay. Qualifications to Vote • The qualifications to vote in the election of the CBHSSJB Chair person are as follows: • To be a member of the Cree Nation Government (enrolled or en titled to be enrolled as a Cree beneficiary of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement); • To be of the age of majority on the date of the election (18 years of age on October 19, 2020); and • Not to be affected by any legal incapacity.

ADVANCE POLL: Thursday, October 15, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

MAIN ELECTION POLL: Monday, October 19, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please check future Public Notices for the locations of the polling station(s) in each community and other locations, and for information regarding authorization to participate in the poll by telephone where deemed appropriate by the Returning Officer. For further information please contact Returning Officer John Henry Wapachee at: jhwapachee@nemaska.ca; or call 514-601-4607. For information, please also contact Robin Pachanos, Deputy Returning Officer at robinpachanos@gmail.com. NOTICE GIVEN ON THIS 28th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2020 BY ORDER OF THE RETURNING OFFICER.

John Henry Wapachee, Returning Ofﬁcer, CBHSSJB Chairperson Election 2020

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Air Creebec is operating by respecting and exceeding the rules with extensive cleaning and disinfecting of the aircraft, social distancing on board and at all service counters. We encourage everyone to respect the rules and to stay safe.

For the latest Air Creebec updates, please visit aircreebec.ca/covid19