John Cutfeet
John Cutfeet has returned in a new position with Wildlands League as its Aboriginal Watershed Program Coordinator or Anishinini’ow Niipii’ow Anokiinakun in Oji Cree. John's focus is to be a resource to communities in Ontario's Far North on watershed protection and on resource proposals that may impact those watersheds. John is collaborating with the communities and tribal councils of four major rivers in the Far North of Ontario: Albany, Winisk, Attawapiskat and Severn including tributaries of Fawn and Pipestone. He provides assistance to First Nations communities by: increasing the awareness of watersheds and the need for proactive planning to protect them; visiting local communities including meeting with Elders; facilitating the inclusion of local and traditional knowledge into discussions; and by responding to requests for information, advice and assistance from communities. John does not oppose or support individual resource development projects. Instead, he provides communities with the best available information so that they can make the best informed decisions. John is fluent in both English and Cree.
Books (1)
Synopsis:
When the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug’s traditional territory was threatened by mining exploration in 2006, they followed their traditional duty to protect the land and asked the mining exploration company, Platinex, to leave. Platinex left — and then sued the remote First Nation for $10 billion. The ensuing legal dispute lasted two years and eventually resulted in the jailing of community leaders. Ariss argues that though this jailing was extraordinarily punitive and is indicative of continuing colonialism within the legal system, some aspects of the case demonstrate the potential of Canadian law to understand, include and reflect Aboriginal perspectives. Connecting scholarship in Aboriginal rights and Canadian law, traditional Aboriginal law, social change and community activism, Keeping the Land explores the twists and turns of this legal dispute in order to gain a deeper understanding of the law’s contributions to and detractions from the process of reconciliation.
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