Voices

Make housing a priority in 2024

Youth everywhere in the country are in the trenches and will most likely continue to struggle in 2024. Canada is currently facing a housing crisis marked by soaring prices, limited affordability and growing homelessness. The situation is most pronounced in major cities where many of our youth have to relocate and where housing demand has outstripped supply, creating a substantial affordability gap. Younger generations find it challenging to become homeowners due to high down payment requirements and escalating mortgage costs and interest rates.

Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash

The white chicken of the North

The men all gathered in the evenings. The smoke from pipes lit after a fine supper filled the tiny room. No one had much to say. The black hard tobacco was satisfying to the palate after a lengthy meal of beow bangeek, or ptarmigan pancakes. The night before, smashed stomach and heart soup with smoked ptarmigan breasts dipped in bear grease came a close second for that belly ache, after a long day outdoors tending to the ptarmigan nets that scattered the willows surrounding Great Whale River.

Sonny Orr

Home businesses and social housing

Late night calls are something we expect here at the Nation, and recently, we received one about home businesses in social housing not being allowed. Besides being surprised by the news, we felt there was something wrong about this decision.

Will Nicholls

A New Year resolution for peace

I recall being at home as a boy in our small three-bedroom house in Attawapiskat in the 1980s. We were a huge family of nine children and two parents and at one point we lived with our Mooshoom James Kataquapit.

Xavier Kataquapit

Slipping into the new year

Wow, talk about being relaxed during the holidays, even when I didn’t want to be. I felt that I was in relaxation mode in overtime at a bad, low-scoring hockey game that that cost me plenty of moolah. On a higher note, it was the holidays for remembering, reminiscing and renewing old acquaintance and making new friends.

Sonny Orr

Hospital food

Recently I headed north to assist in my mother’s well-being. My brother Don had to be in meetings down south and wasn’t available. He usually takes care of the family these days, so I was glad to help.

Will Nicholls

I’m dreaming of a safe and happy holiday

Holiday season is here, and you can see much excitement during this festive time. Different religions and cultures celebrate this period, and some don’t at all. I grew up in the remote community of Attawapiskat and through colonization and the invasion by Christian missionaries my people for many years ended up becoming swept up in either the Catholic or Protestant religions depending on who was doing the invading. We all became part of this religion and managed also to incorporate some of our own original traditions and culture. However, most of our traditions and cultural practices were banned and considered evil by these new religions.

Xavier Kataquapit

Warm thoughts in winter

The holidays “slid” by rapidly. Those toboggan rides with the grandchildren took some getting used to, as I am pretty sure that climbing back up the hill wasn’t in my contract. After a few runs – the going down part taking a few seconds versus the endless return trip – it made me appreciate the strength it takes to do this all day.

Sonny Orr

The year that wasn’t

It’s a strange thing to look back on a year’s events as if a period of 365.25 days is a self-contained phenomenon. As if human history in each January-to-December trip around the sun wasn’t part of a longer continuum of related events and evolution. On the last point, however, it’s not hard to see that the past year showed unmistakable signs of devolution.

Lyle Stewart

Tis the season of cash registers

The sound of Christmas and holidays is everywhere, making me wish for things I can’t afford and for time off from the daily workload. But the bells keep chiming (or tolling) to lift my spirits higher than usual. I suspect it’s subliminal uplifting music drifting in and out of my subconsciousness that is driving me to work harder.

Sonny Orr

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