One day looks like the next

by Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash

Flying back from a trip a year ago, we disembarked at the same time as passengers from a plane coming from Beijing. The crew and all passengers were wearing masks. I remember telling my friend how dystopian it looked, and we cracked some jokes about it.

At that time, the world knew very little about Covid-19. The country I visited had perhaps one reported case. I thought it would be like Ebola and that the outbreaks abroad would be contained quickly. The second scenario I had envisioned was similar to what happened during H1N1. I was in high school when it happened, but we were still allowed to go to class, and life remained relatively normal. They had set up a massive vaccination clinic in a mall, my school took us there to get our vaccine, and that was it.

The first few months of staying home last year were great. We had Tiger King, cute social media content about solidarity and everyone was baking bread. I was holding on to the thought that the vaccine would end the crisis quickly, just like with H1N1. But no. A year later, I’m still at home away from family members and wondering when this is all going to be under control. I sit at home watching the same stuff that allowed this pandemic to happen and I can’t do anything about it.

The most insulting part when you’re working in the healthcare system during a pandemic is seeing people constantly testing the limits of the system. Not too long ago, Air Canada paid influencers to travel to countries where the healthcare system is already saturated to show that it’s “safe”.

Then, when the Cree Board of Health and Social Services launched its vaccination campaign, many were saying that the vaccine just protects you and not your whole community. While it is true that the vaccine mostly prevents you from developing a severe form of Covid-19, the more people we vaccinate the fewer will end up in the care of the CBHSSJB. That means employees don’t have to work 12 hours a day and seven days a week. The massive outbreak we had in Eeyou Istchee pushed me to the edge of a burnout. Some countries will wait months if not weeks to get vaccines and here we are not meeting our vaccination rate goals.

I have been working unsustainably and this pandemic greatly affected my medical follow-ups. I work from home; health authorities constantly tell me to stay at home and I’m supposed to relax in the same house I’m working myself to the bone.

The only thing I can do right now is to practice self-compassion. You should too. We’re all struggling right now. The whole world is struggling. It’s normal to feel this way. But hang in there. I’m right there with you.

The only thing I can do right now is to practice self-compassion.

You should too.

Wehavebeenpresent since1939.Allmembers ofthelargeDeshaies' familyarebyyourside todayandwillalsobe forthebetterdaysto come.

Message on International Women’s Day 2021

This year, on March 8, we mark International Women’s Day with the theme, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” . The past year has been unprecedented in its challenges for all of us. When faced with the uncertainties of this past year, our communities and our families came together to help protect our loved ones and keep Eeyou Istchee safe and healthy. We can be proud of the strength and the resilience of the Cree Nation, including the important role of our Cree women, as we have deliberated and taken the bold steps needed to protect us. As the entire world has struggled to respond to the pandemic, the Cree Nation came together to show that our unity —our—our commitment to engage all of our people in this struggle —remains the source of our achievements —for our health initiatives, and indeed for all our major initiatives. We are thankful to all the Cree women who stood at the front lines as health care workers and caregivers, as community organizers and leaders, whose strength and determination were vital to the Cree Nation in our response to the pandemic. Nowhere has the role of Cree women —as keepers of our traditional medicines, as healers and as the backbone of our families —been more evident than in the way in which we have been able to address the COVID-19 pandemic and in the way in which we have kept our people safe. As we reflect on the theme of “achieving an equal future” in light of the pandemic, we commit to supporting our women and girls so they can stay safe and so they can achieve their full potential. By continuing to encourage our women, and by continuing to keep our communities safe and healthy, we have plenty to look forward to together.

ᐃ ᑎᒫᒑ ᐃᓐ ᐆ ᐅᑎ ᒥᓯ ᑖᔅᑭᒥᒡ ᐄᔅ ᑳᐅᒡ ᐅᒋᔑᑳᒧ ᐋᐤ 2021

ᐊᓅᐦᒡ ᐆ ᒫᐧᑳᒡ ᐧᐹᐳᐦᒡ , ᐅ ᒥᒋᓯᐤ ᐲᓯᒻ 8, ᐊᑯᑎᐦ ᑳ ᒋᐦᒋᓂᐧᐋᒋᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᒥᓯᐦᑖᔅᑭᒥᒡ ᐄᔅᐧᑳᐅᒡ ᐅᒋᓯᑳᒥᐧᐋᐤ ᐋᐅᒄ ᐆ ᐋ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᔮᔨᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ “ᐄᔅᐧᑳᐅᒡ ᐊᓃᑳᓂᔅᑭᐦᒡ: ᐊ ᐱᑯᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐋᑳ ᐱᐦᑳᓐ ᒑ ᒌ ᐃᑖᔨᒫᑭᓂᐧᐃᒡ ᑯᑎᑭᒡ ᐆ ᒫᐧᑳᒡ ᐋ ᐃᔑ ᓂᒋᔅᑭᒥᐦᒄ ᐊᔅᒌᐦᒡ ᔮᐦᔮᐦ ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓈᐧᐃᓐ COVID-19 ᑳ ᐃᑎᓯᓈᑖᒡ” ᙮ ᐅᑎᐦ ᐆ ᑳ ᐸᒋ ᐱᐳᐦᒡ ᓂᒧᐃ ᐅᐦᒋ ᒑᔅᑎᓈᑎᔅᑖᐤ ᐊᓐ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᓂᒋᔅᑭᒥᐦᒄ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᔅᒋᐋᔨᒥᐦᐄᑯᓈᓂᐤ ᒥᓯᐧᐋ ᐊᐦᑎᓯᔨᐦᒄ ᙮ ᓈᒋᔅᑮᒥᐦᒄ ᒫᒃ ᐋᑳ ᓈᔥᒡ ᐅᐦᒋ ᒋᔅᒑᔨᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᒑ ᐃᔑ ᑳᐳᔅᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᒫᓐ ᐆ ᑳ ᐸᒋ ᐱᐳᐦᒡ , ᐊᔅᑎᐦᑖᐧᐃᓂᐤ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᓂᑎᐦ ᐋᐹᔨᑯᑖᐅᓯᔨᐦᒄ ᒋᒋᒫᒨᑳᐳᓈᓂᐤ ᒑ ᒌ ᒥᓈᒋᐦᐃᑯᒡ ᐋ ᐧᐃᑭᓂᐧᐋᔨᒥᐦᒄ ᐊᓂᒌ ᑳᓵᒋᐦᐄᑯᐦᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐆ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐊᔥᒌ ᒑ ᒌ ᒥᓈᒋᐦᑖᔨᐦᒄ ᒥᔪᐱᒫᑎᐧᐃᓯᓂ ᐦᒡ ᐋ ᓂᔅᑖᒥᔅᑖᔨᐦᒄ ᙮ ᒋᑭ ᒋ ᒥᒥᐦᑖᑯᓯᓈᓂᐤ ᒋᒥᔅᑭᓯᐧᐃᓈᐦᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᓂᔮᔨᐤ ᐆ ᒋᔮᓂᐤ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐋ ᐃᑎᔅᑳᓈᓯᔨᐦᒄ ᐋ ᒌ ᓲᐦᒋᑳᐳᐧᐃᔅᑎᒥᐦᒃ ,ᓲᐦᒋᑳᐳᐧᐃᔅᑎᒥᐦᒃ , ᐊᔅᒡ ᒫᒃ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᔅᐱᐦ ᒋᔅᑎᒫᐅᓂᔨᒡ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐄᔅᐧᑳᐅᒡ ᐅᑎ ᐄᐦᑎᐧᐃᓂᐧᐋᐤ , ᐊᓂᔮᐦ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐊᔨᒥᔅᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᑐᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐋ ᐧᐃᒥᓈᒋᐦᐄᑯᐧᐃᔨᐦᒄ ᙮ ᐅᑎᐦ ᒫᒃ ᐆ ᒥᓯᐦᑖᔅᑭᒥᒡ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᑳᐳᔅᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐆ ᐋ ᐃᔑ ᐅᑎᐦᑎᑯᔨᐦᒄ , ᐅᒌ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐋ ᐃᑎᔅᑳᓈᓯᔨᐦᒄ ᒋᒋᒫᒨᑳᐳᓈᓂᐤ ᐊᓅᑯᐦᑖᔨᐦᒄ ᒋᐹᔨᑯᑖᐅᓯᐧᐃᓂᐤ - ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᔮᔨᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᒑ ᒌ ᐧᐃᒋᐦᐄᐧᐋᒡ ᒋᑎ ᐄᔨᔨᒥᓂᐅᒡ ᐅᑎᐦ ᐆ ᒫᐧᑳᒡ ᐋ ᐊᔨᒥᐦᐄᑯᔨᐦᒄ - ᐊᑯᑎᐦ ᓅᑯᐦᒡ ᐊᓐ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐱᑯᐦ ᐧᑖᓱᔨᐦᒄ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐱᑯᓵᔨᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᒥᔪᐱᒫᑎᐧᐃᓯᓂ ᐦᒡ ᒑ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᒋᐦᐄᐧᐋᒡ , ᑭᔮᐦ ᒫᒃ ᒥᓯᐧᐋ ᒑ ᒌ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᒋᐦᐄᐧᐋᐱᒡ ᓂᓈᐦᑭᐤ ᙮ ᒋᓂᔅᑯᒫᓂᐅᒡ ᒥᓯᐧᐋ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐄᔅᐧᑳᐅᒡ ᓂᔅᑖᒥᐦᒡ ᑳ ᓂᐳᐧᐃᒡ ᐊᓂᒌ ᒥᔪᐱᒫᑎᓯᐧᐃᓂ ᐦᒡ ᑳ ᐋᐱᑎᓯᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᓂᒌ ᑳ ᐋᐱᑎᓯᔅᑎᐧᐋᒡ ᑳ ᐋᐦᑯᓯᔨᒡ , ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᓂᒌ ᑳ ᐅᐧᐋᔨᐱᐦᑖᒡ ᐄᐦᑖᐧᐃᓂ ᐦᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᒫᒃ ᐊᓂᒌ ᑳ ᓂᑳᓂᔅᑭᐦᒡ , ᐅᒥᔅᑯᓯᐧᐃᓂᐧᐋᐤ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐅᓲᐦᒑᔨᒧᐧᐃᓂᐧᐋᐤ ᓈᔥᒡ ᐋ ᒋᐦᑳᓈᑯᓂᔨᒡ ᐅᑎ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐋ ᐃᑎᔅᑳᓈᓯᔨᒡ ᐅ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᑳᐳᔅᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐋ ᐃᔑ ᐅᑎᐦᑎᑯᔨᐦᒄ ᙮ ᓂᒧᐃ ᒥᓐ ᑎᑯᓂᒑ ᐊᔨᐦᒡ ᐅᔮᔨᐤ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᑳᐳᔅᑎᐦᒡ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᐄᔅᐧᑳᐅᒡ ᐧᐃᔨᐧᐋᐤ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᑭᓂᐧᐋᔨᐦᑎᐦᒡ ᐄᔨᔨᐤ ᓂᑐᐦᑯᔨᓂᔨᐤ , ᐋ ᒥᓂᐧᐋᒋᐦᐄᐧᐋᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐧᐃᔨᐧᐋᐤ ᐋᐧᐋᐅᑭᓂᐧᐃᒡ ᐊᓂᑎᐦ ᐅᐹᔨᑯᑖᐅᓯᐧᐃᓂᐧᐋᐦᒡ - ᓇ ᔥᒡ ᒋᐦᑳᓈᑯᓐ ᐊᓐ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᑳᐴᔅᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐆ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐅᑎᐦᒋᐱᔨᐦᑯᔨᐦᒄ ᔮᐦᔮᐧᐋᔅᐱᓈᐧᐃᓐ COVID-19 ᑭᔮᐦ ᒫᒃ ᐊᓂᔮᔨᐤ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᓈᑭᑎᐧᐋᔨᒥᐦᑯᒡ ᒋᑎ ᐄᔨᔨᒥᓂᐅᒡ ᙮ ᑳᓂᐧᐋᐱᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄᑳᓂᐧᐋᐱᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᒫᒃ ᐊᓐ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᒋᐦᒋᓂᐧᐋᒋᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ “ᐋ ᐱᑯᐦ ᐧᑖᓱᔨᐦᒄ ᐹᔨᑯᓂ ᐦᒡ ᒑ ᒌ ᐃᔑ ᑭᓂᐧᐋᐱᒥᑯᐧᐃᔨᐦᒄ ᐅᑖᐦ ᐃᔑ ᓂᔅᑖᒥᐦᒡ” ᐊᑭᓂᐧᐋᐱᐦᑖᑭᓂᐅᒡ ᐆ ᐋ ᐃᔑ ᐅᑎᐦᑎᑯᔨᐦᒄ , ᒋᐱᒋᔅᑎᓂᓱᓈᓂᐤ ᒑ ᒌ ᓯᑐᔅᑭᐅᐦᒄ ᒋᑏᔅᐧᑳᒥᓂᐅᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐄᐧᔅᑳᓯᓴᒡ ᒑ ᒌ ᒥᐧᔮᔨᒧᒡ ᒑ ᒌ ᑎᐱᑐᑎᐦᒡ ᒫᒃ ᐊᓂᔮᔨᐤ ᑳ ᐃᔑ ᐱᑯᓵᔨᐦᑎᒡ ᒑ ᒌ ᑐᑎᐦᒡ ᙮ ᐋᑳ ᐳᓂᔨᐦᒄ ᐋ ᐊᔨᐦᑭᒥᐦᑯᒡ ᒫᒃ ᒋᑎ ᐄᔅᐧᑳᒥᓂᐅᒡ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐃᔮᐱᒡ ᐋᑳ ᐳᓂᔨᐦᒄ ᐋ ᓈᑭᑎᐧᐋᔨᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᐊᔅᑎᐦᑖᐧᐃᓂᐤ ᒥᔪᐱᒫᑎᓯᐧᐃᓂ ᐦᒡ , ᓈᔥᒡ ᐃᔮᒻ ᐃᑖᔨᐦᑖᑯᓐ ᐊᔅᑯ ᒑ ᐹᐧᓵᔨᐦᑎᒥᐦᒄ ᐅᑖᐦ ᐃᔑ ᓂᔅᑖᒥᐦᒡ ᒫᒨ ᒋᔮᓂᐤ ᐊᐦᑎᓯᔨᐦᒄ ᙮ Dr. Abel Bosum Grand Chief/Chairperson Mandy Gull Deputy Grand Chief/Vice-Chairperson