Meet the Candidates

Matthew Mukash

For Grand Chief

Why are you the best candidate for Grand Chief?

I strongly believe in developing a common vision and common goals in all aspects of our governance to maintain a resilient and united Cree Nation. I saw the strength of Cree unity when the Cree Nation opposed the proposed Great Whale River Hydroelectric Project. I was one of the key players in this effort. It was an effort that put the Cree Nation on the international political map, and during this period, the wisdom of our Elders and the vibrant energy of the youth proved to be the greatest source of our strength. My personal involvement in this effort as leader, as well as my cultural background and the level of education that I was able to attain to date with success, gives me the confidence to lead the Cree Nation into a better tomorrow.

In your opinion, what is the single most important issue facing the Cree Nation today?

Disenfranchisement, or the feeling of helplessness, is one of the single most important issues facing the Cree Nation today. I have listened to many people during this campaign, as they spoke about the difficult challenges that exist in their respective communities: youth suicides, housing, threats to the environment, contamination from mining and forestry, inadequate resources in policing and social services, youth protection, increase of sport hunting, and the lack of control of what goes on in our homeland. To effectively address these issues, I feel that we need to ensure the development of a common vision that would establish a process of empowerment, so as to foster the involvement and meaningful participation of youth, women, men and Elders in the areas of concern.

If you could change one thing in the Cree Nation today, what would it be?

Many people that I have talked to in this campaign are concerned about the inaccessibility of the Cree leadership. Bringing the leadership home is one of my goals if I get elected. Within the first year of my term, I will seek a mandate from the Cree Nation move the Office of the Grand Chief closer to Cree homeland. Only in the Cree world does the leadership live outside of their homeland in which they were elected, and that must change to be more accessible to the people.

What are the three most important things you hope to accomplish in your term?

There are more than three things that I would like to accomplish in four years. But the three that most important ones to me are: the development of a comprehensive economic development plan for the future, the cleaning up of the Ouje-Bougoumou contamination site and the finalization and enactment of the Cree Constitution.

Once elected, I will secure a mandate from the Cree Nation to approach Harvard University, an institution that has been conducting strategic studies on economic development of Aboriginal communities in the United States and Canada for about 17 years, to do a similar study for the Crees. This kind of study is needed in order to fully pursue the economic potential that exists with our society and within our homeland. We need to promote what is called de facto sovereignty or the nation-building approach to socioeconomic development. To me, this is the most viable solution to promoting employment and economic growth over the long-term. Wind energy is one of the most important renewable resources to which we never up our rights, which will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the Cree Nation in the future. Imagine the possibilities in terms of employment, sustainable and sound economic growth!

With respect to the Ouje-Bougoumou contamination issue, I will seek a mandate to immediately begin negotiations with the parties involved – the Federal Government, Quebec and the mining companies. I will also seek a mandate that calls for a thorough investigation into the matter.

And finally, of course, the Cree Constitution must be finalized and adopted by the Cree people, a Constitution that is acceptable first to the Cree people, and one that is consistent with existing principles and international law. This will bring a sense of hope, ownership, pride and dignity to the Cree people.

What makes you proud to be Cree?

I am proud to be Cree for many reasons. I am proud of the fact that our language is still very strong and our culture still flourishing and vibrant, and that many of our people still actively pursue the traditional way of life on the land. All the achievements of the Cree Nation to date are the result of this fact. I am very proud to see educated Crees with degrees in law, engineering, medicine, social work and so forth. I am also very proud to see Cree institutions, entities and companies such as Air Creebec, Cree Construction Company and many others, surviving in a very competitive market. I am more proud to know that, within about 40 years or more, our Nation has grown and evolved in to what it is today – one the most powerful of indigenous nations in the world!