IN BRIEF

Baghdad in Nitaskinan?

An alarming scene of burned out and smouldering vehicles in the Atikamekw community of HauteMauricie near Trois-Rivières was vividly illustrated in an October 15 Facebook post of photos and videos.

“It’s Baghdad in the corner of Parent and Clova. We passed at least 10 burned vehicles, including one that was still smoking,” wrote the Facebook user.

The Council of the Atikamekw Nation issued a statement.

“At the request of the Sûreté du Québec and following a series of property crimes seen recently in Nitaskinan, we are asking for the public’s collaboration so that investigations can be carried out,” read the statement.

When asked for comment, the Council referred the Nation to the SQ. In the days following the apparent act of arson, however, a SQ spokesperson told the Nation that the case had been closed. None of the owners of the vehicles that were set ablaze had made complaints, he said, adding that most of the cars had been scrapped.

Indigenous clinic

An Indigenous culturally safe health clinic for has opened in Joliette.

Following Joyce Echaquan’s tragic death September 28, the region’s Indigenous population is demonstrating a heightened reluctance to seek medical help outside their communities, according Lanaudière Native Friendship Centre executive director Jennifer Brazeau.

“When we launched this idea, we even had pregnant women who wanted to know if they could have their babies here, because they didn’t want to go to the hospital,” lamented Brazeau.

Currently operating in a room at the Friendship Centre and only open two afternoons a month, the clinic, called Mirerimowin (meaning “feeling good”), opened October 27.

Investments in Eeyou

On October 20, Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Pierre Dufour, Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks and Minister Responsible for the AbitibiTémiscamingue Region and the Nord-du-Québec Region, announced $590,957 in funding for six projects in Eeyou Istchee under the Fonds d’appui au rayonnement des régions (FARR – Regional Outreach Fund).

The goals of the fund are to raise economic activity through the private sector and support Cree-owned businesses while fostegrin business partnerships within Eeyou Istchee.

The six projects receiving FARR funding are: Tourisme Eeyou Istchee for the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James regional map; development of a northern agriculture project and a study on a potential cultural centre in Chisasibi; a feasibility study on creating a UNESCO Global Geopark by the COTA; a study on an integrated plan for a regional communication network as well as the establishment of an Economic Development Fund both under the auspices of the CNG.

Strateco denied appeal

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed Strateco Resources’ application for leave to appeal on October 15, effectively ending a dispute that began 14 years ago. The ruling affirms a decision made by the Quebec Court of Appeal January 2020.

Prospecting at Strateco’s Matoush uranium project began in 2006 but when the company moved forward to start mining in 2013, Quebec’s environment ministry cited Cree “social acceptability” as one of the factors in its decision to refuse permission.

Subsequently, Strateco took the Quebec government to court seeking nearly $200 million in damages. The Cree of Eeyou Istchee acted as interveners in two court actions related to the quelled uranium project. Social activism led by Cree citizens and youth also helped in the fight.

“After a seven-year legal battle, the judgment that uranium mining cannot take place in our territory without social acceptability stands,” wrote CNG Executive Director Bill Namagoose.

School commissioner elections

The Nation would like to congratulate one of our own. Nation columnist Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash was elected School Commission of her home community of Waswanipi on October 27.

“I cried multiple times after finding out the results,” said LabrecqueSaganash. “I’m so grateful that my fellow community members are trusting me to represent them.”

Also elected as School Commissioners were Jasmine Namagoose in Eastmain and Minnie Loon Petawabano in Mistissini.

The CMEB Aims to

• Assist the Crees in accessing mineral exploration opportunities. • Facilitate the development of mineral exploration enterprises with Cree entrepreneurship. • Help encourage the Crees and Cree enterprises to benefit from Quebec’s regular funding programs as well as other provincial assistance allocated to mineral exploration activities. • • Act as the main intermediary between offers and demands of services made to Cree enterprises in matters relating to mineral exploration.

THE CREE MINERAL

EXPLORATION BOARD

21 Hilltop, P.O. Box 150 Wemindji, QC J0M 1L0 T: 819-978-0264 x327 cmeb.org