Well, actually, we descendants of europeans are more eastern than you are! North America is West of Europe.
To be fair though, in comparison to Attawapiskat, what is the quality of the land that reserve is sitting on? Fertile? is it large? Is it near an urban area or other population centre? How is the regional economy outside the reserve surrounding it? Etc.
For instance, there is a diamond mine near Attawapiskat, but it's off reserve. Some in Attawapiskat would likely fear a certain assimilation with all us Southerners dominating the work environment.
If we look at Quebec's Bill 101, while I think it's extreme and don't necessarily support it, there is no denying that it did help get french-speakers into upper management positions in Montreal where before it was English-dominated.
Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that we made it law that the diamond mine had to adopt cree as its official language of administration by a specified time. Suddenly, the mine would have to start training Cree-speakers for the positions, or alternatively teach Cree to management. Either way it would create jobs for the cree either as teachers or as miners or mine administrators. This woudl help to bridge the gap at least somewhat between the culture preservation and skills. It worked in Quebec! Why not around Attawapiskat?
