International Impact – Cree youth celebrate JBNQA anniversary at United Nations

Hamilton Spectator

21-05-2025

Cree youth delivered a powerful presentation to a capacity crowd at the recent United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. The side panel, coming on the 50th anniversary of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, highlighted their experience being born into the treaty and their aspirations for the next 50 years.
Moderated by Carol-Ann Tanoush with panelists Esquay Masty, Kevin-Joe Mianscum and Tanisha Bear, the April 22 event discussed how the JBNQA guided the Cree Nation's path to self-governance. From early negotiations to subsequent agreements, it has served as a foundation for protecting Cree rights.
'It was a really eye-opening experience,' said Bear, the youngest delegate at age 18. 'I kept thinking about how hard our previous leadership worked to give us these opportunities. It was such an honour to be there and carry on their legacy. It was very moving.'
The Cree Nation Government and Department of Justice planned to bring a youth delegation to the UN years ago but cancelled after a measles outbreak in the city. The idea was revived to commemorate the JBNQA's anniversary, with delegates selected based on their contributions to last November's treaty simulation exercise.
'It opens up your world to understand other communities around the world are experiencing similar things,' suggested Donald Nicholls, Cree director of justice and correctional services. 'They did an incredible job connecting with people, creating relationships and participating as much as they could at the UN.'
With experience at the UN dating back to the Permanent Forum's formation in 2000 while he was in law school, Nicholls helped lead a pre-trip planning session with background information about the UN and JBNQA. The Cree Nation Youth Council was instrumental in organizing both the treaty simulation and this UN delegation.
'We did preparation sessions to expect the unexpected,' explained CNYC projects coordinator Tania Richmond. 'How to be good network agents, to connect with other Indigenous peoples as a whole, advancing everyone. I gave them a few insights and guidelines, and they came up with an excellent presentation.'
Just as the JBNQA was achieved by small communities mobilizing to reach provincial and federal levels, Richmond asserted that the next stage is international cooperation. In that spirit of nation-to-nation building, delegates were taught how to work the room.
'If you're going to shape the future, you might as well be a stakeholder right now,' Richmond said. 'I went there 10 years ago, and it really shaped what I want to do in life. I'm looking forward to seeing how that will still be a part of them in 10 years.'
An agreement with the federal government helped fund a larger delegation of Cree youth, totalling 13. During the three days preceding the forum, the youth caucus were able to attend early meetings with Cree leadership.
'That's where you meet Indigenous people from other countries who have gone to the UN for years,' explained Nicholls.
For the main event, Quebec First Nations delegates joined a group from the Assembly of First Nations as they entered the UN auditorium. As attendees filled every seat, Cree speakers shared some background for introduction. With Earth Day marking 35 years since the Odeyak's epic arrival to New York in protest of the proposed Great Whale hydroelectric project, Deputy Grand Youth Chief Jordan Masty of Whapmagoostui exclaimed, 'To this day, my river still flows beside my community.'
'Our panel had a great outcome,' said Kevin-Joe Mianscum. 'People asked how we implemented this and got this far. They had a lot of questions about education, our rights.'
Focused on the JBNQA, the panelists described how leaders as young as themselves fought in court for their rights, sowing the seeds for services in education, healthcare and much more. They shared hopes for their grandchildren and vowed never to surrender their land, language or culture.
'The other groups were shocked to hear we have a CNYC with youth chiefs in every community,' noted Esquay Masty. 'Where they're from, youth are not sitting in positions of power. There needs to be more youth involvement at decision-making tables.'
Back at the main event that afternoon, Nicholls asked Waswanipi Youth Chief Sammy Blacksmith to make the Cree statement on behalf of a coalition for Indigenous rights. In response, the Tsilhqot'in First Nation in BC also asked their youth chief to deliver a speech. Bonding with this group over several days resulted in a planned cultural exchange later this year.
'We shared what the JBNQA has provided for us, and we see how vastly different they live,' said Masty. 'One youth broke down crying, so hurt there's a drug crisis in their community. They don't have the land-based healing or restorative justice programs that we have.'
After a week experiencing New York City, including a Mets baseball game, visits to see Cree artifacts in local museums and the unveiling of an UNDRIP-themed billboard in Times Square, the delegation travelled to Yale University in Connecticut on its final day. They delivered another presentation at the school of environment, which had collaborated with the CNG on protected areas files.
'That was one experience I didn't expect, and I was grateful to be able to do that,' Masty said. 'I came back a different person because of everything that we learned. People from all over the Cree Nation are going back to their communities, empowering other youth to come into these spaces as well.'