Nov 12, 2007 — North Country Public Radio has been looking at the impact of massive hydro drams on the Cree Indians of northern Quebec. But construction of those dams is only the latest collision between the Cree and the outside world. In the course of a single lifetime, the Cree peopple have made a remarkable -- and sometimes painful -- transition. They've moved from a traditional, nomadic lifestyle to full engagement with modern culture and technology. Until the 1970s, native children in Canada were forcibly removed from their villages and their families. They were placed in residential boarding schools, where they were punished for speaking their native languages or practicing their people's religions. Thousands of children were physically and sexually abused. Thomas Jolly made this journey and has come full circle. He grew up in the bush, moved south to live in Canada's cities, and then returned to the remote Cree community of Nemaska. Jolly, who works now as an economic development planner, told his story to Brian Mann.  Go to full article

Nov 08, 2007 — Beginning today, North Country Public Radio will air a series of special reports about a part of the world that feels very remote: the Cree Indian territory in northern Canada.

Back in the 1990s, New York's then-governor, Mario Cuomo, canceled a $15 billion deal to buy hydroelectric power from Quebec. That move effectively killed a project that would have built a network of dams and reservoirs along the Great Whale River, near James Bay. That was a victory for the Cree and for their allies in the environmental community. But now Hydro-Quebec is moving forward with a new project that will uproot and rechannel another northern river. Supporters say it's an engineering feat that rivals the Trans-Alaska pipeline, one that will supply cheap, carbon-free electricity to consumers in New York state and Vermont. As Brian Mann reports, the Rupert River is sacred to the Cree who live nearby.  Go to full article

Apr 10, 2007 — A pro-environment group wants a say in the future of a hydro-electric project proposed for Indian Lake in Hamilton County. The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks says it hopes to win "formal party status" from the Federal agency reviewing the project. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Mar 12, 2004 — North Country businesses will soon have a new option for buying electricity. A St. Lawrence County couple is starting an Energy Services Company, or ESCO, that will buy and sell power on long-term contracts. As David Sommerstein reports, the ESCO hopes to boost the local economy, support renewables like wind and hydro, and promote energy efficiency.  Go to full article