Taking the reins

George Pachano appointed CEO of Cree Development Corporation

by Ben Powless, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Cree Development Corporation (also known as the James Bay Native Development Corporation) has appointed George E. Pachano as its Chief Executive Officer.

Starting in September 2018, Pachano served as Director General of Whapmagoostui First Nation, and previously worked for eight years as the Capital Projects Manager for Chisasibi. He also spent 10 years with the Cree Construction and Development Company.

“I am honoured to become the new CEO of the CDC/SODAB and participate in the development of my nation,” Pachano said in a statement. “I have always been a believer in the fact that projects happening on the territory should be Cree-led, hiring local workers as much as possible.”

CDC Chairperson Katherine Moses noted that development must be reconciled with the need to protect the land and wildlife. “Mr. Pachano has the experience and community perspective needed to empower the Eeyou Istchee communities through sustainable development,” she said.

Pachano has earned degrees and certificates in Project Management, Business Administration and Human Resources Management from Algonquin College, McGill University and Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology, according to his LinkedIn.

Pachano was appointed in December and began working in January, but the position was only announced by the CDC in February. Davey Bobbish had served as the organization’s president until September 2022, when he was tapped to take over as CNG Executive Director.

Toronto School Board makes Indigenous Voices course mandatory for students

by Patrick Quinn Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Education advocates are hopeful that an initiative from Canada’s largest school board to establish a compulsory course focused on Indigenous writers for all secondary students will send a strong message across the country.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) voted 18 to 3 on February 1 to replace its mandatory Grade 11 English course with one titled “Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices”. While the course is already offered in 29 TDSB schools, it will gradually be implemented in a “culturally responsive and trauma-informed” way in all its 110 institutions.

“I think this will send a ripple effect across Canada,” said Indigenous student trustee Isaiah Shafqat, who is the driving force behind the initiative. “Now that every student who graduates from the TDSB will have an understanding of Indigenous history, reality and culture, I would expect to see a bigger commitment to truth and reconciliation from the younger generation.”

Shafqat, a two-spirit Mi’kmaq and Loon clan student at Kâpapâmahchakwêw Wandering Spirit School, began planning this motion about two years ago. After speaking with Elders, Indigenous students, community members and TDSB staff, they determined the time was right to push for change.

“Education is the starting point for a lot of critical and transformative change,” Shafqat told the Nation. “When we are uplifting Indigenous voices, we are sharing the truth and our lived experiences. There has been an overwhelming amount of support.”

While there has been backlash over eliminating literary classics by William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, Shafqat emphasized the school board is simply dedicating one of 30 high school courses to Indigenous themes. Developed by Ontario’s Education Ministry as an alternative English course, it explores a range of Indigenous literary, oral, media and cultural texts.

The reading list includes Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water and Tanya Talaga’s Seven Fallen Feathers. Talaga said the course signifies an “incredibly needed change”, adding