November 12, 1998
Boréal Hebdo: French language radio for northern Quebeckers
JANE GEORGE
Nunatsiaq News
MONTREAL — If you're in Nunavut, you can listen to Boréal Hebdo in RealAudio on CBC's website or if you're in Nunavik, you can catch the program on the CBC radio every week.
But, no matter where you are, you'll want to understand French to get the most out of Boréal Hebdo.
Boréal Hebdo is the only French-language broadcast on CBC North, geared for native people and francophones in Quebec's North, from Ivujivik to Waskaganish.
Since October 1, the popular one-hour show has had a new host, Stéphane Boisjoly.
Boisjoly, who took over from Marie-Paule Rouleau, has more than 20 years experience in public and private media and a long-time interest in native affairs.
Boisjoly has Algonquin ancestors and has visited native communities across Canada.
He sees his new involvement in Boréal Hebdo as an important way of improving relations between natives and non-natives.
"We're at the crossroads," Boisjoly said. "If we want to settle our problems, it's important to have information."
Boisjoly intends to expand the breadth and range of subjects covered by the program, looking throughout North America and the circumpolar world for interesting reports.
Boréal Hebdo will continue to focus on current affairs, but the new host also plans to regularly feature traditional stories and legends from Quebec's First Nations on the broadcast.
Boisjoly added that he wouldn't hesitate to look at events 10 years ago or even 2,000 years ago if this long view could help his listeners understand what's happening today.
"One of the things that's important to me is for news to have a historical context," he said. "We can understand the present only when we have a good grasp on what happened in the past."
Last week's line-up for Boréal Hebdo included such diverse reports as a conference on violence for native women, a new version of the New Testament in Algonquin, and a report on how young Nunavimmiut are publishing their work on the Internet.
Boisjoly has never visited Nunavik, although he is planning a trip in the new year.
"It's important to know to whom I'm speaking," he said. "And I think it's pretentious to claim I'm speaking for people who live in a region that I don't know at all."
But, according to Boisjoly, being based in Montreal, home to many Inuit and Cree organizations, has many advantages.
"There are lots of people who go through Montreal. Sometimes I regret not being in the North, but, at the same time, if I was in Waswanipi [on Cree territory], it wouldn't help me if something was happening in Kuujjuaq because it's probably harder to get to Kuujjuaq from Waswanipi than from Montreal," said Boisjoly.
He wants to encourage listeners in Nunavik to call him, collect, at 514-597-4370, if they have an event to promote or a news item that they would like to hear more about.
Boréal Hebdo is broadcast on CBC stations throughout Nunavik, on Saturday at 6:10 in the evening, and, again, on Sunday at 7:10 in the evening.