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CONTENTS 10

Thank You!

Honouring residential school victims The first annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Weengushk Film Institute

Community

EDITORIAL 4

Scammers

NEWS Breaking the wall of silence

Youth centre racism

IN BRIEF

FEATURES National Day for Truth and reconciliation

Residential school warrior

Catholic church finally offers apology

Keep on reading

REZ NOTES Weak links in the supply chain

UTNS They came in the night

Politics

20 18

Church avoided paying residential school survivors

YOUR TRUSTED JAMES BAY CREE PHONE BOOK 2022 EDITION 25 Anniversary Edition! th

Return of literacy camps

MESSAGE TO ALL COMMUNITIES’ MEMBERS OF EEYOU ISTCHEE Meegwetch to inform us of any changes to your contact information for the upcoming James Bay Cree Phone Book.

Photo courtesy of Tatiana Philiptchenko/CBHSSJB **Puzzles will return next issue!

Please call us before December 1, 2021 25th Edition coming January 2022 To update your contact info: Call 514-272-3077 | projects@beesum.com

Editorial

Scammers by Will Nicholls

was relaxing one morning with the sense of well-being that a great breakfast brings. For the curious, it was a Spanish omelette with multi-grain toast and hand-cut, double-smoked bacon. Then my cellphone rang, showing a local number. I answered, only to hear a robotic-sounding voice from someone claiming to be from the Canadian Border Services Agency. Apparently, my package (?) from the United States had been seized because it contains contraband and a warrant has been issued for my arrest. I know it’s not drugs as the US Border Patrol would have found something like that. Oh, yeah, the guy said something about electronics. Did an old friend send me a taser? I hung up and called the CBSA. After reaching an agent, I explained that I had received a call about a package. The agent started laughing. “You didn’t mention the warrant and request for money,” he said with a smile so wide I could feel it over the phone. “We get hundreds of these calls every day.” The CBSA agent informed me that this was one only of the latest phone scams, then he congratulated me on being smart enough to check it out. Similar scams involve the Canadian Revenue Agency, the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and the Student Emergency Benefit. People who call you claiming to represent these organizations say you owe money because of an overpayment. Then they threaten you, saying that unless you immediately repay a specified sum, you can expect an imminent visit from the police. Other scams are a little more old school, and arrive by snail mail. Most of them these days however involve cell-

If it sounds too good to be true it usually isn’t phones, emails, texting and social media. In all cases, check it out rather than blindly paying for a scammer’s nice life. A simple phone call will usually clear things up. In West Vancouver recently, a scam victim and their partner a received a phone call from a person claiming to be a police officer investigating fraudulent activity on their debit card. They were soon convinced that their money was not safe at their bank, and transferred a half million dollars to what they believed was another bank. Only later did their growing suspicions lead them to contact police, who told them to immediately call their bank. But too late. This couple’s life savings were long gone. Beware of subscription traps. These offer a credit card with free or low-cost trials, for goods and/or services. You then find yourself locked into monthly payments that are next to impossible to stop. If it sounds too good to be true it usually isn’t. Identity theft involves inducing you to give out personal information that is then used to steal your identity. The personal information is used to take out loans and get credit cards in your name. You are left with the bills. Never give out personal information over the phone, in emails or in regular mail. Shred any personal information before putting it in the garbage.

CEO scams are becoming more common. This is when a realistic email is sent to a company employee with access to money. The email realistically request a money transfer to a third party in order to obtain a contract, complete a confidential transaction, or update a supplier’s payment information. Check with your boss or simply delete it. Business doesn’t work this way. Grandparents and parents are targeted by saying their children are in trouble and need money. It could be anything from car trouble, a fine they supposedly received while travelling outside the country, or because they need to get home. Expect the scammers to go into overdrive as the holidays approach. You might not be helping to feed a hungry child or other acts of kindness that we all feel during the holidays. Investigate who wants your money. A call to the police will usually clear things up. To report a scam, go to: www.rcmp-grc. gc.ca/en/new-cybercrime-and-fraud-reporting-system. Or www.antifraudcentre. ca (1-888-495-8501) and www.competitionbureau.gc.ca (1-800-348-5358). And if you could help me out by sending money so I can buy some expensive medicine to save my sick son’s life, I would really appreciate it. My email is…

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, 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 October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

CMCA AUDITED

Editorial News

Breaking the wall of silence

Research reveals a lack of information on forced sterilization of Indigenous women in Quebec by Ben Powless,

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

group of Indigenous researchers and women’s associations across Quebec are encouraging people to come forward to shed light on the long-hidden practice of forced sterilization. Quebec was the only province to refuse to participate in a federal investigation into the issue in 2018, but recent revelations on Radio-Canada’s Enquête program has made it impossible for the Legault government to deny the practice exists here. There are numerous reports of Indigenous women across Canada receiving tubal ligations after giving birth – making them permanently unable to bear more children – without their full and informed consent. The Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association (CWEIA) and the Cree Health Board are partners in a regional committee that began to research this practice last May. Testimonies will be collected until this winter by Louise Saganash in the inland communities and Janie Pachano in the coastal communities. “Some are forced to get sterilized, some are convinced out of fear,” said Pachano in a CWEIA informational video. “They are told you have too many children; if you do not agree to sterilization, your children will be taken away. Some women were not even informed that this procedure was done on them and the lasting results.” Pachano added that some women don’t even realize they have been sterilized until they wake from sedation after surgery or until further medical visits. In some cases, doctors have used inappropriate language, touching, or intimidation to force women to undergo a medically unnecessary procedure. Although imposed sterilization is a longstanding human rights abuse that has impacted countless women and men across the world, Karen Stote’s research in 2015 demonstrated that thousands of First Nations and Inuit women in Canada had been and are still being victimized. In fact, until the early 1970s, laws in Alberta and British Columbia required the forced sterilization of people considered

“mentally defective”, most often forced on Indigenous peoples and other minorities. These laws were connected to eugenics ideologies, which sought to repress the reproduction of races deemed undesirable. Suzy Basile teaches Indigenous women’s issues at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue and is spearheading the current study. While the federal government began looking into the forced sterilization of Indigenous women in 2019, Basile says that there is still “a glaring lack of relevant data on this topic in Quebec.” The university is collecting confidential testimonies along with the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC) and other partners. Following denial and inaction by the provincial government, these organizations launched an awareness and research campaign. “When we come out with our report, it will include recommendations for the different [medical] orders,” said FNQLHSSC executive director Marjolaine Siouï. “It’s traumatic – some didn’t even know it happened to them. We want to make sure that, in the future, women have the necessary support to file a complaint and they’re not rushed to make a decision.” The research project is highlighting reasons that forced sterilization may have been conducted and identifies specific physicians or regions associated with the practice. Researchers are making the testimonial process culturally safe for women who come forward while organizations provide psychosocial support. Former CWEIA chairperson Stella Masty Bearskin said the project also wants to hear from men who may have been victims as she has heard stories of residential schools sterilizing young boys. “We have women coming forward,” Siouï told the Nation. “Some family members come forward for someone. We can say the trend from the testimonies we have received resembles very closely the kind of circumstances reported from Indigenous women in other provinces.”

In some cases, doctors justify a sterilization by presuming the woman is unfit to be a parent. Similar paternalistic attitudes have resulted in birth alerts, an often-discriminatory practice in which newborns are apprehended because social workers feel the parent will put them at risk. “It’s still happening in Quebec,” said Siouï of the latter practice. “They don’t necessarily have that reflex to call in-community prevention services. The family, extended family or community services should come first to keep the child within its own environment.” Siouï hopes the report’s recommendations end this discrimination by creating awareness among medical professionals about diverse cultural realities and a woman’s right to choice. Sterilization can limit health risks in certain situations, but she said women need time to reflect on this decision with professional guidance. “Risks to your health need to be well explained,” Siouï said. “It’s not good if you’re being pressured because you don’t want to bring back someone because it will be costly to the system. We want to make sure any person has all the access to information so they can make a sound decision.” While she acknowledges many women feel scared to come forward, confronting this wall of silence is giving them a voice and promoting the healing process. Women may also choose to join one of the class action lawsuits across the country. “We’ve seen with residential schools, people kept that inside of them as a secret because it was shameful, hard and affected them so deeply,” asserted Siouï. “When we come forward, we’re helping other sisters to change what’s been done wrong for many years. You’re part of a movement to change things around you so those who follow us in our steps will feel safe.” If you or you know someone who underwent a forced sterilization, you can participate in this research by contacting Vincent Georgekish at CWEIA or visiting the website https://sterilisationsimposees. cssspnql.com/?lang=en

www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021 the Nation 5

Because municipal services are at the heart of our daily life

On Sunday, October 31 and Sunday, November 7, 2021, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., let’s vote!

Montreal Native Women’s Shelter cuts ties with Batshaw

Municipal elections 2021

To vote, you must:

Where to vote?

• Be entered on the list of electors. • Be 18 years of age or older on Election Day. • Have obtained Canadian citizenship no later than September 1, 2021. • Not be under curatorship nor have lost your electoral rights.

Pay particular attention to the notices sent by your municipality; they will inform you of where you need to go to vote. Do not hesitate to contact your returning officer for full details.

Meet one of the two sets of conditions below as of September 1, 2021: < If your domicile is located in the municipality, you must have been living in Québec for at least six months. < If your domicile is not located in the municipality, you must have been the owner of a building (cottage, apartment building, etc.) or have occupied a business establishment located in the territory of the municipality for at least 12 months and must have sent the municipality either an application for entry on the list of electors or a power of attorney, in writing and within the timeframes set forth.

What you need to bring to vote At the polling station, you must establish your identity by showing one of the following documents: • Your health insurance card • Your driver’s license • Your Canadian passport • Your Certificate of Indian Status • Your Canadian Forces identification card

1-888-ELECTION (1-888-353-2846) info@electionsquebec.qc.ca www.electionsmunicipales.quebec

6 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

he Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) has suspended its partnership with an advisory committee involved in improving the city’s youth protection services for Indigenous children after continued inaction to address systemic racism at Batshaw Youth and Family Centre.

Providing youth protection services for English-speaking Montrealers and a large segment of Inuit children flown in from Nunavik, critics say Batshaw has failed to act on recommendations made in numerous reports and public inquiries. The NWSM still hasn’t received a response to a letter sent in August to the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, the regional health authority that oversees Batshaw, which explained that systemic racism directed at Indigenous children and their families remains unaddressed. “After a while, you keep running into a wall, so we just pulled out,” said NWSM executive director Nakuset. “We kept going to the table with the higher-ups and everything we said seemed to go into a void.” Nakuset shared various instances of racist attitudes exhibited by Batshaw social workers. When an Inuk woman didn’t understand the language on one occasion, a social worker suggested, “Maybe she just drank too much alcohol and she’s braindead.” Another Indigenous woman who had smudged before her supervised visit was accused of smoking pot. Earlier this year, an investigation by the Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission found that Inuit children at the institution do not receive an adequate education and are sometimes discouraged from speaking Inuktitut. Sources involved with the agency say that investigations resulted in little change in how Indigenous families and children are treated. “A month ago, a mother was talking to her child in Inuktitut and the social worker told her not to do that,” Nakuset told the Nation. “We brought it up to the head of youth protection, but the [allegations] don’t show up in the meeting minutes. There’s no proof these conversations even happened.”

Youth centre racism by Patrick Quinn,

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Photo of Nakuset provided by Nakuset

While more than half the children in Canada’s foster-care systems are Indigenous, the numbers of Indigenous children at Batshaw are not accurately tracked. Inuit youth have reported significant isolation, with no one able to converse in their language. Although individual staff members have expressed empathy and a desire to understand northern realities, reports document a lack of relevant cultural training. Many Inuit children are deprived of schooling in one of their two languages, Inuktitut or English, according to one report on Batshaw. In the report, a teenager noted that, “Part of the reason I am in placement is that I wasn’t attending school. So, they send me here, and I am not allowed to go to school.” Instead, he receives tutoring. The Cree Health Board stated that Batshaw remains an important training partner, helping them deal with occasional situations to protect Cree youth at risk in Montreal before they’re sent back to youth protection services in Eeyou Istchee as quickly as possible. While the NWSM has proposed programs and provided tools like a cultural manual for non-Indigenous foster parents over the past decade, Batshaw has repeatedly resisted attempts for more meaningful collaboration. A request to form a clinical integration group composed of community organizations, experts and Batshaw representatives was denied in 2019. The NWSM remains committed to helping Indigenous children at Batshaw, including an agreement that refers pregnant women and new mothers to the

shelter’s services. However, Nakuset said that social workers sometimes arbitrarily prevent these referrals – she said only one of their staff is Indigenous. “Now they’re saying, ‘Please send us Indigenous people,’ because they know they can’t get anyone Indigenous there,” said Nakuset. “I knew a Mi’kmaq girl named Gina who worked there for three months and cried every single day. She was so mistreated as a staff member. The other guy I know burned out – they didn’t even let him on any Indigenous files.” This lack of Indigenous representation could be addressed in future legal action against the CIUSSS. Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for ResearchAction on Race Relations (CRARR), explained that Quebec public services are mandated to implement employment equity for Indigenous peoples and other visible minorities. “If there is systemic discrimination documented and failure to address those barriers, then certainly Batshaw could find itself in court,” Niemi told the Nation. “We’ll be asking for employment equity data and the measures taken to correct this serious underrepresentation. Ultimately, someone in management has to be accountable.” A potential lawsuit would require the filing of civil rights complaints, but one challenge could be to overcome distrust in the justice system among Indigenous people. CRARR has faced similar issues in previous cases involving racial profiling of the Black community by police. “The hardest part was convincing parents of Black youth that they should no longer accept to be silent,” shared

Niemi. “We have to work on that distrust and show that the system can be accessible and can work for Indigenous people. Policies have to be adopted; procedures have to be improved – that’s how we can bring about change.” The regional health authority called the partnership’s end “regrettable” and stated they are currently developing an action plan to implement recommendations from the Viens and Laurent commissions. After Nakuset urged the Quebec government to demand accountability from Batshaw on implementing these recommendations, Health and Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant said they had previously intervened on this issue. “If the situation persists, we will do what we have to in order to correct it,” said Carmant. Nakuset is hopeful the situation will improve when the NWSM opens its second-stage housing project in 12 to 14 months. It will include a Dr Julien Foundation for social pediatrics, open for anyone in the city having issues with youth protection. Meanwhile, Quebec is the only province to contest Bill C-92, a federal law transferring control of Indigenous youth protection from the provinces to Indigenous communities. Although some First Nations in the province have launched their own youth protection services following years of negotiations, others have been significantly delayed by the court battle.

www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021 the Nation 7

Department of Justice and Correctional Services

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ᐋᔥᑎᒥᒄ, ᐸᒋ ᒧᐧᐃᑎᓯᐧᐋᒄ ᐅᑎᐦ ᑎᐹᔅᑯᓂᒑᐅᑭᒥᒄ ᐧᐋᔅᑳᐦᐄᑲᓂᐦᒡ᙮ ᐊᑎᑎᐤ ᒫᒃ ᐧᐃᓂᑐᒋᔅᒑᔨᐦᑎᒥᓈ ᒑᐧᑳᓐ CAVAC ᐅᐦᒋ ᐊᓐ ᒑ ᐊᔨᒥᔨᓐ ᐊᓂᑎᐦ:

CREE CAVAC SERVICES (Crime Victims Assistance Centre) CAVAC or crime victims assistance centre, has been created to help victims overcome the physical, psychological and social consequences of a crime, and to advocate on their behalf to help them obtain compensation for the harm suffered. If you are a victim or witness to a crime, then there are three Cree CAVAC offices that have been established to serve you in the Cree Nation. POST-TRAUMA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION, to assess the needs of victims of crime INFORM INFORMATION ON THE RIGHTS CRIME VICTIMS HAVE AND THE REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO THEM, which encompasses the main stages of judicial process TECHNICAL SERVICES, to assist crime victims in filling out required forms REFERRING VICTIMS TO SPECIALIZED SERVICES, such as appropriate legal, medical, social and community resources capable of assisting victims as they attempt to deal with problems they face ACCOMPANYING CRIME VICTIMS, through their dealings with medical and community resources, and providing sustained support throughout je judicial process as the case proceeds Sexual Violence Prevention Our front-line services are free of charge 819-342-5296 and strictly confidential with you.

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

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Come and visit us at your local justice facility. For any CAVAC requests please contact: cavacinfo@cngov.ca

www.creejustice.ca

In Brief CWEIA announces new president The Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association (CWEIA) announced its new president who was elected on September 19. Charlotte Ottereyes Ratt will be the organization’s fifth president and will serve two two-year terms once she officially begins her duties on October 26. According to Vincent Georgekish, the CWEIA’s communications and events coordinator, Ottereyes Ratt is originally from Waswanipi but now lives in Wemindji. Georgekish describes her as a “pioneer” with the CWEIA, having been one of the first people to secure funding for the organization. Ottereyes Ratt began her involvement with the organization as a youth representative during the tenure of Doris Bobbish, and has been involved ever since. The CWEIA recently announced an expansion of its staff from three to eight, as it increased its funding and responsibilities alongside local women’s associations. The association has been involved in numerous events including the Outstanding Eeyou-Eenou Women Awards Gala, the Young Women’s Leadership Conference and Miss Eeyou Eenou Nation.

Systemic racism in Quebec Quebec coroner Géhane Kamel says the Quebec government should “acknowledge the existence of systemic racism within our institutions and make a commitment to help eliminate it.” This is part of the findings into the death

of Atikamekw mother Joyce Echaquan, who died in a Joliette hospital after filming incidents of racism involving the staff. “The racism and prejudice that Ms. Echaquan faced was certainly a contributing factor in her death,” the report concludes. “This was an accidental death.” The report says that Echaquan was admitted for a type of iron-deficient anemia and pain from an unknown cause, while medical staff suspected she was suffering from withdrawal from narcotics and cannabis. The report says that even though an evaluation of her condition shows the pain was unrelated to drug withdrawal, and there was no evidence Echaquan was dependent on drugs, medical staff continued to treat her as if she was, and “her pleas for help were not taken seriously. This label followed her throughout her stay, prejudicing the actions of the nursing staff until her death.” The report states Echaquan eventually succumbed to pulmonary edema from excess fluid in the lungs, which may have been made worse by the way she had been restrained to her hospital bed. She died on September 28, and the videos she took of her treatment by medical staff would later go viral, prompting outrage and calls for an inquiry into her death and the treatment

of Indigenous peoples in the medical system. The report made a number of recommendations for the Quebec healthcare system, including training in Indigenous culture for the local health board, increased opportunities for Indigenous people to undertake nursing and resident internships, and for all training in the province to include training in Indigenous patient care.

Walk of Fame recognizes youth Canada’s Walk of Fame, a national non-profit organization that highlights leaders across the country, is accepting nominations for its Community Hero Program, dedicated to “inspiring” young people under 30 who positively influence the lives of others.

The winner receives a $10,000 donation to the charity or cause of their choosing and will attend the Walk of Fame Awards Gala in Toronto December 4. “Since launching the Community Hero Program, we have seen extraordinary Canadians being nominated by their peers and we are proud to shine a light on these exceptional individuals,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame. The 2020 prize was awarded to Ottawa’s Aditi Sivakumar, a medical student, philanthropist and women’s rights advocate. She developed the My Empowerment Platform to try and tackle the effects of gender-based violence in Canada and around the world. Submissions are being accepted at CommunityHero. ca up until October 29 at 10pm.

In Brief

ᐅᕙᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᐳᖅ ᓄᓇᕕᒃ Nunavik Starts Here

ᐃᓂᓕᐅᕐᓃᑦ RESERVATIONS 1 800 361-2965

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www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021 the Nation 9

Features

Thank You!

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

10 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

Prayers and ceremonies honour residential school victims and survivors across Cree communities by Ben Powless, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | Photos provided by Donald Nicholls

rees gathered to mark the first annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30, which the federal government created this year to replace the informal Orange Shirt Day that had been held the same date to remember the tragedy and injustice of the residential school system. The Cree School Board (CSB) held events across the communities, including a special commemoration at its head office in Mistissini. There, Elder Kenny Blacksmith, a residential school survivor and former chairperson of the CSB, led the inaugural prayer. “I think I know the pain, the joy, the journey of what our children went through,” Blacksmith shared. “I am however one who made it home, even though I came home to an empty home. By the time I came home my parents were gone. It’s a solemn time for us to remember every child who didn’t make it, and to take joy in every child who did make it home. Let us pray and let us remember this time of history is painful and yet a history that we cannot forget.” In a prayer, Blacksmith continued, “We invest all of our hope and all of our belief that one day we will see a healed nation. First Nations and all nations, a healed nation of Canada.” Doreen Blackned and Harriet Brien, CSB staff who are also residential school survivors, then took part in lowering the three flags flying in front of the school board offices as Blacksmith played a traditional drum song. “I’m very glad were taking this time today to honour residential school survivors, their families, their commu-

www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021

the Nation 11

nities and recognize them for their strength and resiliency because that’s a gift they’ve given to all of us,” CSB Chair Sarah Pash said in a recorded statement. “Our Cree School Board and Eeyou Education are our response to the residential school experience.” With schools and education offices closed, children, parents and CSB employees then took part in a memorial and healing walk around the schools and communities. Bertie Wapachee, Chairperson for the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, shared his reflection on the Cree Health website: “My parents were forbidden to speak their mother tongue in and around these schools. They were taught our language and culture was of no use to the new civilized world. If they or their fellow students didn’t comply to the rules, they would pay for it physically or in other forms of punishment. Like many of their fellow survivors, their experience still haunts them in their memories. Wapachee said the health board will be working to develop new programs and services and accelerate the construction of the healing centre to address addiction and intergenerational trauma. “While others may have been lucky, many paid the price for being Indigenous, for being scared, for being innocent, for making small mistakes. Some survivors were victims of human experiments, stories so horrific they are hard to believe,” he added. “Let’s face it, these so-called schools were built to destroy the spirit of the Indigenous people in this country.”

12 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

“It’s a solemn time for us to remember every child who didn’t make it, and to truth reconcile take joy in every child who did” - Elder Kenny Blacksmith

The health board will be working to develop new programs and services and accelerate the construction of the healing centre to address addiction and intergenerational trauma

the Nation 13

CREE NATION GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Get tested, even if you’ve been vaccinated.

If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or you have COVID-like symptoms such as:

Fever

Cough

Loss of smell or taste

Follow self-isolation guidelines and get tested.

Let’s continue to protect ourselves.

Québec.ca/testCOVID19

Residential

Shirley Cheechoo uses film to help marginalized youth find their voice by Martin Siberok | Photos provided by the Weengushk Film Institute

hanging the lives of young people through the power of film has been Shirley Cheechoo’s vision since 2002, when she founded the Weengushk Film Institute on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. For the past 20 years, Cheechoo and the WFI have been instrumental in shaping the lives of over 300 youth – many of whom now work in the film and television industry. An artist, filmmaker and actor, Cheechoo realized that young people needed to tell their stories – and that film is the best way to share these stories. One of them premiered on Citytv on Truth and Reconciliation Day last month. Runs Through Their Blood: A Life Impacted – a collaborative work by WFI students Angela Kijadjiwan, Helen “DJ” Pyette and Izabelle Lagendoen – is an emotionally charged and deeply moving

documentary about intergenerational trauma. This 22-minute film pulls no punches as it addresses the impact of residential schools, the 60s Scoop and the foster-care system and the damage they have done to the Indigenous population of Canada. Cheechoo says the goal of the WFI is to help at risk or marginalized youth; to develop life and professional skills that they can use to function in the mainstream industry and society in general. “The school is there to provide a resource centre for young people who have dropped out of school, who are on welfare, who are looking for another career and who want to change their lives due to the use of alcohol and drugs. I want to provide them with skills so that they can survive in this world,” she explained.

16 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

“So many of our young people have fallen through the cracks. Nobody pays any attention to them, and they are looked at as hopeless people, but all they are doing is crying out for help. I want their voices to be heard. They have been silent for far too long. They need to express their feelings. They need to tell their stories. And we need to empower them.” Cheechoo’s concern for the voiceless comes from her own experience in residential school. Instead of seeing herself as a survivor, however, she calls herself as a “residential school warrior”. “I learned a lot from being in residential schools and spent many years trying to figure out how to heal myself,” she said. “I found that art helped me, and I want art to help heal others.”

school

warrior Having expressed herself through painting and theatre, Cheechoo found her best healing medium was through filmmaking. “You have to do so many things – read and write, direct and produce, work on a budget,” Cheechoo elaborated. “Students learn how to use a camera and how to edit, and most importantly how to work with others. During their time here, they are learning business, leadership and communication skills. When our students leave here, they have a resume and a portfolio of around eight short films, because they have worked together on everybody’s films.” A non-descript warehouse on a rural road in M’Chigeeng First Nation houses WFI’s film and television-training centre. Despite the

modest setting, the non-profit operation attracts 65 to 70 applicants from across Canada every year. Unfortunately, the WFI can only accommodate 10 students a year due to space limitations. As well, living space is at a premium in the community so housing students is a challenge. That’s why Cheechoo dreams of building a state-of-the-art facility in the shape of a turtle that she says will probably cost about $10 million. “It’s a big dream, for a big mind,” she laughed. “I want the new training centre to be shaped like a turtle as it represents the circle of life. But getting funding from the government is always hard. I am hoping someone out there will hear my interviews and say, ‘I want to help that lady out’.”

I want to provide them with skills so that they can survive in this world” - Shirley Cheechoo

www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021

the Nation 17

Politics

Catholic Church finally offers apology Documents show church used multiple strategies to avoid paying millions to residential school survivors by Ben Powless,

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

he Roman Catholic Church is responding to renewed criticisms after it was revealed that the church had managed to avoid many commitments to pay residential school survivors as part of the 2005 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). That agreement, in which the federal government offered a formal apology and compensation to residential school survivors, also obligated the Catholic Church to pay survivors $29 million and offer another $25 million as “in-kind” donations. However, a 2015 investigation by CBC and the Globe and Mail unearthed court documents that demonstrated how the church managed to reduce its payment to only $1.2 million. It was able to get out of fundraising obligations after only raising $4 million out of the pledged $25 million. The church said it had nonetheless donated $25 million in “in-kind” donations, which included addiction treatment and scholarships, but also questionable items such as Bible study groups and routine travel expenses to send clergy to remote communities. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and others are calling for a criminal investigation. Part of the concern is over the fact that the Catholic Church in Canada does not have one centralized body. Thus, the legal obligations from the IRSSA were against a corporation formed to represent the Catholic Church in the legal proceedings. That corporation was dissolved after 2015, which means no central Catholic entity remains that is responsible for reparations to residential school survivors. The Anglican, Presbyterian and United churches, also parties to the IRSSA, respected their financial obligations – but the Catholic Church ran most of Canada’s residential schools. All of this was settled behind the scenes in a 2015 court case, in which federal government officials alleged that the church had spent more than $6.4 million of the fund meant for

18 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

survivors on legal and administrative fees and other expenses. The documents were only unearthed in early October after CBC News and the Globe and Mail won a judicial order to expose the contents of that court case. A further Globe and Mail investigation revealed that the Catholic Church across Canada had combined assets of $4.1 billion, while receiving yearly donations of $886 million, making it the largest charity in the country. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, director of the University of British Columbia’s Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, told CBC News that the documents showed that the Catholic Church had betrayed survivors, but also that the federal government and courts allowed them to get away with it. “From the get-go, this was not something survivors sat in the room and agreed to. Survivors were outside of this,” she said. Turpel-Lafond noted that the Canadian government could re-open the court case. After calls to boycott Catholic mass, a petition to end the church’s tax-exempt status, calls by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the Catholic Church to take responsibility, and churches burned down after the unearthing of mass graveyards on the grounds of former residential schools, Catholic bishops from across the country finally issued a public apology to residential school survivors on September 24. “We, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week, take this opportunity to affirm to you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, that we acknowledge the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools,” the statement on behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) read. “Along with those Catholic entities which were directly involved in the operation of the schools, and which have already offered their own heartfelt apologies, we, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, express our profound remorse and apologize unequivocally.” The CCCB also pledged a renewed fundraising effort to raise $30 million over five years, encouraging local parishes

“We acknowledge the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools” - Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

to participate. They pledged that funding would be determined locally, in consultation with Indigenous communities in each region. Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said in a statement that she welcomed the apology. “However, I am disappointed that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops did not take the long overdue step of passing a motion/resolution to formally invite the Pope to Canada to offer his apology to First Nations and Indigenous survivors and intergenerational trauma survivors here on Turtle Island,” Archibald added. The CCCB told the Nation that the bishops recently committed to engage with the Pope on a potential visit to Canada and highlighted that a delegation of Indigenous leaders would be granted a papal audience from December 17-20 at the Vatican. “While we cannot speak for the Holy Father, we are confident in his understanding of the ongoing and historical

trauma caused by residential schools, as well as his commitment to playing a constructive role in the healing and reconciliation journey,” the CCCB said in a statement. The bishops’ organization said that it believed that the Catholic parties to the IRSSA had met their obligations, but that they recognized there was “widespread disappointment” with the fundraising campaign, and that they were confident their renewed fundraising pledge would be successful in “achieving its financial goal and in delivering meaningful contributions to Indigenous communities and residential school survivors.” The Pope had said in June that he was pained by the discovery of children’s remains at residential schools but did not offer an apology at the time, despite offering similar apologies for the church’s role in colonialism and sins committed in Bolivia against Indigenous communities there.

www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021

the Nation 19

Community

Keep on reading Summer literacy camps increased their activity as a step towards normalcy by Patrick Quinn,

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

he ninth summer of children’s literacy camps in Eeyou Istchee was celebrated as a return towards normalcy after a limited pandemic version last year. For four weeks in July, Frontier College organized summer learning opportunities for a total of 158 children in Whapmagoostui, Chisasibi, Wemindji, Waskaganish, Mistissini and Waswanipi. “This summer reflected the sense across the world, where things are slowly getting back to normal,” said program manager Mark Anto. “It was a step back to hopefully having full programming next year. This was kind of a transition year, a hybrid between the scaled-back 2020 model and what we would see next summer.” While the camps are normally run in all nine Cree communities, there was a last-minute rush in 2020 to establish at least basic activities in three centres. As planning for this year’s edition began in January before vaccinations began, there remained uncertainty about existing restrictions. “The challenge this summer was having enough counsellors to run these activities,” Anto told the Nation. “In some communities, we scaled back with a mix of online and in-person activities. It’s a testament to the flexibility of the model. What resources do we have,

Some photos of the limited capacity Literacy Camp

what can we do that’s best for the kids and how do we execute it?” Like last year, the summer camps relied entirely on local counsellors, who were provided a valuable opportunity to improve their teaching skills and self-confidence. Training for the 24 counsellors was once again held online, with the many returning staff enabling stability and knowledge of best practices. “It’s just navigating the variety of resources and working closely with the

20 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

learner to make sure they understand the material,” explained Anto. “If online work is done with the right support, it can be as effective as in-person work. Life throws you challenges – let’s find ways to make it better.” One focus of the camps is to ensure children get outside and stay active. Educators worry that too much time inside hinders development, so literacy camps feature games of alphabet dodgeball or tag in which kids must spell a word.

“A lot of kids coming to camp are five- or six-yearolds,” Anto shared. “You can’t get them to read six hours a day. They want to run around. Learning and literacy are embedded in all those physical and social activities.” While the camps are open to children up to 12, the majority were five-to-eight-year-olds. Activities were adapted according to the ability of participants, including individual and group readings. Older children would be encouraged to write in journals and had board game and trivia activities during the evening. “Our goal is to get the younger kids to read or be read to a minimum of 15 minutes a day, which all the studies recommend is enough to prevent summer learning loss,” said Anto. “Individual work, one-on-one as much as possible, is really important.” In partnership with the Cree School Board, camp organizers look at test scores and work with teachers to determine whether the children’s literacy is improving. Anecdotal feedback suggests that kids who attended camp are more eager to read and better maintain their reading ability over the summer. As educators better understand how the pandemic has impacted development, Anto hopes to focus learning initiatives on those elements that have been particularly affected. This is critical for children who are just learning to read but have fallen behind. “We’re trying to respond as an organization to the biggest impacts of the pandemic,” Anto said. “By Grade 3 it’s really important to have reading down – it’s difficult to catch up after that point. It’s going to be important to double down to help them if they’ve fallen behind. There are some tweaks we could do to address those gaps.” Next year’s programming will expand the involvement of community members, including through online contests aligned with themed weeks at camp. There were 54 guest speakers this summer, including former Youth Grand Chief Kaitlyn Hester-Moses and Theresa Georgekish, who gave a presentation on Cree language storytelling. Campers also participated in cultural festivals, including Wemindji’s birthday celebration and Old Factory visit, and Waswanipi Days. Frontier College distributed 1,764 free books, including several by Indigenous authors. “We’re very happy, honoured and grateful that both the Cree School Board and the communities have stuck with the project despite this incredible curveball that was thrown at all of us last year,” said Anto. “It’s a beautiful sign of resilience. Next summer we’ll be back to a full camp so parents can count on that programming for a month.” www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021

the Nation 21

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2021

Business Exchange Day Hôtel Forestel, Val-d'Or | December 7, 2021 The Secretariat’s team is pleased to present the 18th edition of its Business Exchange Day. This annual event is a real lever for economic development, allowing Indigenous and non-Indigenous to form strategic alliances and partnerships.

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nationnews.ca nationnews.ca

Puzzles Crossword

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.

PREVIOUS SOLUTION: S A L S A

E C L A T

C C H I A T R E A C C A F T O G R E C O E R A G E S H A C T U L O O M T U N A O P E N

T E D V A B L R E A N T C I A N R E P B A G

O L I V E S

V A S E

E M E R G C E A N R I T O N C E S K H F E A A L L L S O L A M

R E D

A S H R E I A N N T T E A E B S T O T O R A M I T G E R I I N G E

S P E C T A T O R

A U R A

P R O P

P E R M

T R E S

T O N E R

U N A R M

P E S T

24 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

1 2 3 4 5 ACROSS 1 Cut drastically, 14 as prices 6 In the thick of 17 10 Shrill barks 20 14 Ski trail 15 Walk the floor 23 24 16 Opposed to, 26 27 hillbilly-style 17 Thing taken for 30 31 granted 19 Guitar 37 38 accessory 42 43 20 SWAT operation 21 Intense cram 47 session 51 52 53 23 Ms. Spacek 25 Take back to the 55 lab 26 Extinguish, as a 61 fire 28 Garlicky sauce 64 30 "Ugly Betty" 67 actress Ortiz 31 Slightly wet 33 Type of drum 37 Drink garnish 67 "Anything ___?" 39 Thorny blooms 68 Flock members 41 Tickled pink 69 Mixer setting 42 Lofty space? 44 Entice DOWN 46 Sequel's sequel 1 Sail support 47 Young pig 2 Actress Kudrow 49 Giving off light 3 Helper 51 Winter warmer 4 Small apartment 54 Nashville NFLer 5 ___ and haw 55 Harry Potter 6 In a fitting way actress 7 Daily delivery 58 Indian royal 8 Marilyn Monroe, 61 Oration station e.g. 62 Nonstop talker 9 "Taxi Driver" 64 Main point actor 65 Campsite sight 10 America's Cup 66 Prove otherwise sport

by Margie E. Burke 6

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40 44

41 45

46 50

54 56

11 12 13 18 22 24 26 27 28 29 32 34 35 36 38

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40 Aid for a fracture 43 Scold, with "out" 45 King in a Steve Martin song 48 Prophetic shrine 50 Study nook 51 Type of fund 52 Contact, in a way 53 Not right 54 Hauls around 56 Sign of spring 57 "For Pete's ___!" 59 Enroll in 60 Gave the boot 63 Kind of tide

Weak links in the supply chain

Rez Notes

by Sonny Orr

waited in the dark in my office, the light flickering loudly. The stench was unbearable as both my panic and the hair on my arms rose in tandem. I realized that we needed a plumber and an electrician when the furnace fan finally ground to a halt, screeching oh-so-slowly in its final spin. So, I finally gave in and called maintenance. Minutes later, they show up in their dark coveralls and confirmed my own expert analysis: that something was wrong and possibly broken. Moments later, the men in dark coveralls left as quickly as they had arrived. I stood there puzzled: was everything okay? Would the pipes drip again? And did I mention the thermostat? Why were the lightbulbs on the new range over the stove looking like they were made for South Africa or Corsica? I was about to raise these valid questions when the two pairs of coveralls disappeared out the front door. Not to be deterred, I quickly slipped on my shoes and ran after them. But too late – they were already out the driveway and speeding down the road. There was something odd about those fix-it men. It bothered me for some time as I stood outside. Then I went back in to observe that the furnace was indeed purring smoothly. Meanwhile, the putrid perfume of human waste was already nearly gone. The glow of electric light warmed the heart reassuringly. Then it struck me: those dark coveralled men weren’t wearing bright florescent safety vests. Who did they work for,

I flip my own burgers in silence, thinking of this new reality and whether I would be stuck doing dishes again I wondered, and how did they fix everything in just a few minutes? The truth is out there I mused as a strangely highpitched tune jingled over my ear drums. My daily routine at the local mall would help calm the uneasy feelings trickling down my spine. So, I went to check my empty mailbox and buy a pop and bag of chips before heading back to work. My daily routines are onerous, I admit. When I finally finished them, covered in sweat, I wondered if I should cook something or fast food it. After a few quick questions and Facebook surveys I discovered that nothing is open because no businesses can attract employees anymore. Why can’t bosses hire taller workers, I wondered, the ones who can fill the empty top shelves or carry more boxes with their long arms? Then again, we are short staffed everywhere on the planet. Where are all those people who used to help fill our stomachs on wages that left them hungry? A nasty thought struck me – they are busy charging their phones and waiting for a like on the idea of looking for some

sort of job that pays money for as little effort as possible. One well-respected employer in the North used to complain about staff who argued that the boss kept telling them to do things all the time. Another employer now faces the need to hire new workers every few weeks. It’s driving him crazy wondering if he had already hired, fired, and/or rehired the same person. Employee ransomware is a new concept – recent hires who refuse to work unless it’s completely on their terms. The befuddled boss or business owner has no real choice but to fold and pay for less or just work harder themselves. Either way, there’s no way out and everyone loses in this type of work style. It’s a work ethic gone awry, I say. So I flip my own burgers in silence, thinking of this new reality and whether I would be stuck doing dishes again. Will there even be a shortage of workers in my domestic supply chain? Will I have to offer a higher allowance or a new game module as incentives for well-cleaned plates and bowls? At whatever level, it’s now tougher to be in management.

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www.nationnews.ca October 22, 2021

the Nation 25

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Under the Northern Sky

They came in the night

by Xavier Kataquapit

experienced a theft of an array of tools from the back of my truck a few weeks ago. I had left things in the truck overnight because I had planned to leave early the next morning. I do my best to be careful to put away valuable items in a safe place, but I was a little careless on that night. I discovered the robbery late the next day when I went to fetch some tools and noticed that they were not in the truck. I was confused as to why someone would want to rob me. I don’t have an incredibly expensive collection or fancy possessions, but it took a lot of time, effort and expense for me to gather all those tools and items over the years. The experience made me think of an important life lesson I learned earlier. It has to do with the realization that people do bad things because they feel that they no longer have a choice, that their lives no longer matter and that they feel that the only way to get ahead in this world is to take what they can. People end up in dire straits for many reasons. In extreme cases of addiction, one no longer cares what they do as their only focus is in getting enough material together to sell, get some cash and buy their next hit. I grew up in Attawapiskat First Nation on the James Bay coast and I witnessed the downfall of many lives due to addictions. My dad Marius worked as a general contractor building and renovating in the community in order to support our family. My brothers and I were apprentices of

I never really could put to words the lessons my parents taught me about why people do bad things many trades under the direction of our father. Back then, we kept a large supply of tools for our work, and it was a regular occurrence they would disappear. The saddest thefts we experienced were during cold winter nights when desperate people would steal firewood from our log pile. Dad would never go after these people though we often knew who they were. Instead, we would offer to help. Mom and dad had seen enough desperation in the remote North and knew that when people were left with next to nothing that they would resort to desperate actions. They understood how a family could end up with no wood for their stove during -40º temperatures. I never really could put to words the lessons my parents taught me about why people do bad things until I read a passage in Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Miserables: “If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.” Martin Luther King Jr. used this same quote to describe the reality of Black America during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He argued that crime was rampant in Black America because “the policy makers of the white society had caused the darkness.”

That’s why I hesitated when my partner and I decided to turn to the Ontario Provincial Police detachment in Kirkland Lake to report the theft. Soon after my call, several young police officers showed up to gather information on the theft. I was surprised at the respectful, kind and caring way these young officers showed us. Sadly, I think many of us have based our idea of policing on outdated realities and I was pleasantly surprised to see a new culture of young police officers at work. I have travelled to many parts of the world, and I have realized that a police force is only as good as the government in control of them. Happily, we live in a democracy where our police forces for the most part are held accountable to the public they serve. That is a big deal. As we develop as a democracy, one day we may have a country that is more equitable, better educated and well cared for. I see that hope in the young officers I met after the theft. We need to work to make our society as fair and progressive as we can so that our young police officers have fewer tragic issues to deal with and the reality of desperate people with no hope and suffering from addictions is diminished. That is what you call a win-win situation.

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26 the Nation October 22, 2021 www.nationnews.ca

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