Membership dominates winter community meeting
Membership dominates winter community meeting
Membership, no parking signs and bridge dominate community meeting
Jordan Standup
The Eastern Door
Over 70 Kahnawa’kehró:non showed up at the Winter Community Meeting at the Knights of Columbus on Tuesday for updated information on land allotment, justice and membership issue, however it was the open discussion that drew the most attention.
Mohawk Council Grand Chief Michael Delisle provided an update on the letters the MCK recently issued to 26 non-natives allegedly living on the territory without the right to do so.
Delisle said that of the 22 letters, 19 have been delivered to date, and all have been signed by the 12 Council Chiefs. A review on the status of four people is still underway.
“We’ve had about ten people respond or that have already left so far and several have contacted us to ask for more time,” he reported, adding that if there are people who choose not to leave, the MCK will consider hiring a bailiff.
“If there are people in opposition to this, they will have the opportunity to step forward when this comes back to the community,” he said, referring to when the Membership Law enters into the Community Decision Making Process.
“The majority of people that have approached Council have been in support of this,” he said. Delisle also said that these letters were just the first step of a long-term plan mapped out by the MCK.
“We’re going to continue meeting about this on a weekly basis. This issue is huge, and we’re trying to take it one step at a time.”
One community member asked why the MCK was still discussing this issue with the community when a decision was already reached on the matter years ago, specifically noting the 1981 Moratorium, the 1984 Mohawk Law on Membership and the 2004 Kahnawake Membership Law.
“Why do you have to ask the community again? You already had a mandate. I think this is a ploy to keep it dragging on,” the community member said.
Delisle said the issue is a concern in the community that the Council will continue to address, noting this is what the community asked for.
Another community member expressed concerns over the use of a bailiff in the event people refuse to leave.
“You said you weren’t following the Indian Act and that you were following Mohawk Law, but wouldn’t using a bailiff mean going to Quebec and bringing this to the outside?” they asked.
Delisle said that the MCK has not decided on whether or not a bailiff would be used, but there have been discussions. Another person asked why the names of the people being asked to leave the community have not yet been made public.
“We’re looking at secondary action right now and with that there is a possibility that the names will be released,” Delisle said.
Chief Rhonda Kirby added that another reason is because not all letters have been delivered.
“If people don’t comply, then we might have to make the names public,” Delisle said.
Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky Deer provided an update on the recent justice hearings, where the community gave a mandate to the Kahnawake Justice Commission to begin creating its justice system.
Sky Deer explained that a committee, which includes three community representatives, would take all the information collected during the six justice hearings and begin creating a draft document. This document would be brought back to the community for further review and discussion.
Discussions quickly turned from justice to several business owners seeking some of their own justice. Many owners of businesses along the Old Malone Highway said that since the No Parking signs went up last month, sales have dropped by 50 percent. Several owners have already lodged complaints to the Community Protection Unit.
Chief Martin Leborgne in response said he feels the CPU needs to arrange something with businesses on the highway to allow parking, even if it’s temporary. He also said that the CPU was given a directive from Council to look into it immediately and come up with a solution.
“It’s being addressed and that’s where it’s at right now,” Leborgne said.
Delisle added that he did not want to lay the blame on one specific department. “We gave direction as to what should be done and it was not done,” he said. “It needs to be revisited and it will be.”
One possible solution was to ask the Kahnawake Peacekeepers to temporarily stop issuing tickets in the interim. Other community members also voiced their displeasure and said they couldn’t understand the reasoning behind the new parking signs.
“If it’s for safety, then why are cars parking on the same side of the street as the fire hydrants. There has to be safety issues there?”
Another ongoing issue was brought to table again when someone from the floor asked members of the Mohawk Bridge Consortium working on the Mercier Bridge if the Consortium has signed a new fair wage agreement with the MCK. Delisle said that it has not happened yet.
The same person asked if the MCK has done anything to help the men who left the job last year over union concerns.
“In terms of getting them back on the job, nothing,” Delisle said, but affirmed that the MCK continuesto work on the bridge issue.
