We’re prisoners on our own island
We’re prisoners on our own island
We’re prisoners on our own island
Akwesasne business owners on Cornwall Island seeing red as they take a financial hit as dispute with Canada Customs drags on
Richard Tardif and
Jordan Standup
The Eastern Door
From the United States Customs you can see Jocks’ Groceries, a nice convenient place known in Kawehnó:ke (Cornwall Island) as a friendly and warm place to stop and pick up a snack, a coffee, or catch up with neighbours.
These days you won’t see as many people as before – before the days of protests against arming border guards on Mohawk territory, random vehicle seizures and long waits on the Seaway Bridge to clear the Canadian border now located in Cornwall, Ontario.
“We see a lot more people who live here that do not go to Cornwall or the United States anymore,” said a worker at Jocks who prefers to remain anonymous. “Mostly, we don’t see any customers from Cornwall or the United States because of the border situation. Because of it we’ve lost a lot of business.”
It’s not fair
A staple on the island for 30 years, Jocks is at the crossroads - serving local residents, Americans from Massena and Akwesasne and Canadians from Cornwall, the grocer at one time was familiar with both the U.S. and Canadian border guards, regularly serving them lunch and supper on a daily basis - but on June 1 it all changed.
That was when the Canadian border was on the island. Now, with the border temporarily located across the St. Lawrence River in Cornwall on Canadian soil, the small grocer is facing hard economic times.
“We are trying to keep everything we carry because a lot of people do not like to go to Cornwall anymore with the hassle of the bridge,” the employee continued. “The grocer is not letting people go, but they work less hours.”
For some, a five day week has become a four day week, and the grocer at one time had supply orders between eight and $10,000 a month; that figure has been drastically reduced to $3,000 a month.
“It’s not fair, we’re prisoners on our own island,” said another employee at Jocks, who also wanted to remain anonymous. “Because of the way the borders are set up, the border guards know exactly where we go and for how long. It’s almost like we’re trapped.”
The dispute came to a boil on May 31st, 2009, when Akwesasne Mohawks peacefully protested the Canadian government’s decision to arm border agents at the Canadian Border Security Agency’s (CBSA) port of entry on the Mohawk Territory on Cornwall Island.
By midnight, the border guards were ordered by the CBSA to abandon the building, Canadian Customs was closed, and the north span of the bridge was closed for six weeks.
On July 13th the CBSA opened a “temporary” border post at the north end of the north span of the bridge in the city of Cornwall. Then the CBSA ordered Cornwall Island residents returning from the U.S. to go immediately to the Cornwall border, a three-mile trip, often slowed down by the long lines and waits up to three hours.
Once cleared by Canadian customs, residents then make the loop through Cornwall’s business district and head southbound back over the bridge.
“At times, at rush hours, we can see cars backed up past the old guard house all the way to Jocks,” said the Jocks’ employee. “These are people who work in the United States, or spent a day there, but have to report through Canada customs in Cornwall.”
Lay offs not uncommon
The economic backlash that has followed the eight month long dispute has also dampened the hopes of several business owners at the Peace Tree Mall also on Cornwall Island.
Many who talked to The Eastern Door did anonymously and off the record fearing that they would be targeted by the Canadian border guards when next they reported.
Lay offs are not uncommon and businesses have lost more than half of their long-time Cornwall customers.
“Local business is taking the brunt of the dispute,” said Brendan White, communications for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, “especially those who have businesses at the Peace Tree Trade Centre. It is a good place for start up businesses, and unfortunately it could very well be a death to businesses there.”
The owner of a once thriving business in the Centre said revenue has dropped by nearly 40 percent since June. This was due to a loss of clientele from Cornwall.
“It’s been tough, I’m the only person working here now,” one storeowner said, who at one time had three employees. “It’s just so slow.”
Despite the hard times, owners remained optimistic. They keep their fingers crossed for a rebound in the very near future.
Like employees at a neighbouring gas station that said they could go hours without seeing a single person pull up for gas.
“The problem is that damn bridge,” one employee said. “We get line ups as long as two and a half hours and no one wants to leave the line up to come and get gas or stop for something to eat because they risk waiting even longer.”
The Eastern Door also spoke with several businesses on the American side of Akwesasne, all of who were aware of the bridge problems, but not quite as familiar with the struggling businesses.
It may not get any easier.
In January, Justice Anne Mactavish rejected a request by Akwesasne to be exempt from reporting to the temporary port of entry at Cornwall, dampening any hope of change.
The MCA filed the request after more than 60 vehicles had been seized by CBSA officers for failure to report prior to returning to their homes on the island. The cost for each seized vehicle is $1000.
“At one point there was a two hour grace period before reporting, but that doesn’t exist anymore,” said White.
“All travelers are expected to report to the Cornwall border, and the third lane at the Cornwall Bridge is there for show, but you are still dealing with one lane before you get there.”
Business owners were hoping that the motion to be exempt, if it was granted, would have encouraged a return of their customers.
Cornwall’s future on hold
“We definitely wish that this was advancing,” said Cornwall Mayor Bob Kilger, who has been vocal about the negative effect the dispute is having on business in Cornwall.
“The greatest inconvenience comes to the residents of Cornwall Island because they have to come to Cornwall first and then return and this has become a burden,” he said.
Kilger told The Eastern Door that the reduction he is seeing comes largely from long-time customers on Cornwall Island. Nowhere is it evident than in the Brookedale Mall located at the foot of the Seaway Bridge. Managers have reported a 35 percent decrease in sales since last June, and attribute the decrease to fewer shoppers crossing the bridge from Cornwall Island.
“The dispute and its consequences has caused shopping and consumer patterns to negatively change, and not being at the table over the dispute we are feeling the frustration,” the Mayor said. “All we can do is urge both parties to come to the table.”
That may be easier said than done.
There have been no negotiations since the MCA walked out of an October 2009 meeting over legal representation, and neither the MCA or the federal government have indicated that negotiations will resume any time soon.
There is a slight ray of hope as the Conservative government shuffled its cabinet in January. Bounced from the position of Safety Minister is Peter Van Loan, the minister who was stubbornly holding fast to the conservative policy to arm all of Canada’s border guards. He is replaced by Victor Toews.
Kilger, who once served in the federal government is encouraged by the news, but says there will be a lag time before the new minister gets up to speed. In the meantime, the downward trend in sales in Cornwall continues, particularly in the food industry.
“Certainly if you are in the food business and you have to deliver food to the Island, it is difficult to gauge how long it would be before you returned,” said the Mayor.
That’s not all that concerns the mayor. The ongoing dispute has slowed down Cornwall’s future economic plans.
“It is slowing the redevelopment of the community through the replacement of the large bridge with a low level bridge and the subsequent water development adjacent with that area,” said Kilger.
“It is a point of frustration not with Akwesasne but with the federal government,” he added. “The issue is where will the customs be? If it doesn’t go back to Cornwall Island, then it may bring up more environmental studies, more time and further delays.”
The Seaway International Bridge Corporation (SIBC) confirmed that traffic on the bridge has seen a decrease.
In December, approximately 162,228 cars crossed there, down 13.3 percent from the 187,081 that crossed in December 2008. Truck crossings decreased 21.9 percent, from 6,448 in 2008 to 5,033 last year.
“Winter storms had some impact on the crossing volumes, but traffic on the bridge has been lower than normal since the summer, when protests closed the bridge for six weeks,” according to Wade N. Dorland, spokesman for the SIBC.
While the dispute continues with no signs of negotiations on the horizon, Cornwall and Cornwall Island are seeing red.
Back on Cornwall Island, people are on edge. After a short visit to the U.S., we crossed the U.S. border, and stopped in at Jocks and other businesses. We were told that we were being watched and timed by the CBSA, and we’d best report to Canada customs before we stayed on the Island too long. We eventually returned to Cornwall two hours later. Custom officers wished us a good day.
richardt@easterndoor.com
jordans@easterndoor.com
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 continued to work on the bridge issue.
Playing host to the world at Olympic Games
Steve Bonspiel
The Eastern Door
The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are certainly not shying away from promoting Aboriginal culture and the traditions of many nations across Canada, in fact they are setting a trend that will hopefully be emulated in future Olympic Games.
After playing a large part in the opening ceremonies and being displayed prominently on Team Canada’s hockey logos, the Four Host First Nations are putting on a show for everyone to see – and the whole world is watching.
One of the most impressive aspects of the games, where the average person can go to learn about traditional games and celebrations not usually on display to witness, is at the futuristic Aboriginal Pavilion and an impressive First Nations artist’s exhibition.
Centered on a 65-foot high, inflated multi-media sphere, the pavilion has showcased Inuit throat singers, traditional games, Native hip hop shows and maybe the most important instrument in every Aboriginal culture, the drum. Our songs, both old and new, have played a prominent role in a number of the demonstrations night after night before packed houses.
One Dene game, referred to as the stick game or hand game, had an enthralled audience of about 180 watching and learning about a traditional aspect of their culture that has been around for thousands of years.
The game is simple but full of laughs. You take an object, any object, and put it in one of your concealed hands under a blanket in front of you. Then you bring both hands up and dance to the beat of the drum.
On the other side is a ‘guesser’, trying to figure out which hand the object is in. If he is right, you are out, and you move to the back, behind your teammates, but if he is wrong he has to give you one of his small sticks to keep score.
When all sticks are given or taken, the game moves to the next phase, kind of like game, set, match in tennis. When all people on one side have been eliminated before the sticks are given or taken, then it’s game over.
It sounds rather rudimentary compared to Nintendo WII or Xbox 360, but the faces some of the participants make and the strong beat of the pulsating drum really captivated the audience.
And they were only demonstrating the simple version of the game, apparently there are tricks and other ways to add fun to the mix. It was a treat to watch.
After it was over, some of the participants, who came from the Yukon, northern Alberta and North West Territories, said that the game often results in a tremendous competitive spirit and sometimes, a fight.
The hand game is played at large gatherings, especially weddings, pitting community against community. It is a tradition that still lives today and is also played quite often at night in smaller get-togethers.
National Dene Chief Bill Erasmus was the emcee and he helped the audience to learn the game and to keep up with the fast-paced action.
They are ways to psyche out the other team, which could be from 10 to 20 men, including elaborate dances and facial expressions after a wrong guess, to leaving the drums on the ground and singing in unison if that side happens to be on a bit of a losing streak – in a way to hopefully change their luck and at the same time confuse their opponent.
The artist’s exhibition, just a block away, put on display so much that one visit just wasn’t enough to take it all in.
Some of the best Aboriginal painters, silversmiths, sculptures and pottery makers were all under one roof, showing off their talents from all over Indian Country.
Always an impressive display is an artist who can show you what they do firsthand, with an audience.
Jeff Monias, a Plains Cree based in Manitoba, took an empty canvas and transformed it throughout the day into a nocturnal nature scene with predatory wolves.
The ease with which he created the scenery and the animals while talking about his experiences as an artist was the highlight of the day.
Monias sells his pieces for $150 to $17,000 around the world. He has been to exhibitions all over Europe and North America, and maybe his biggest claim to fame is he has never had a sip of alcohol in his life.
Growing up traditionally ‘in the bush,’ he never needed it nor had a desire to try alcohol. He admitted to smoking marijuana a few times, but he had a bigger reason to quit.
“My parents protected the three youngest children from going to residential school,” said the 43-year-old, who has been painting since he was 15. “And they said if one of the kids did not abuse alcohol and made something from their life, they would be proud. So that’s what I think about; I paint for my family.”
Monias was approached by interested buyers while talking to The Eastern Door and said that he has not yet made it to Mohawk territory with his works, which focus mostly on nature, because by the time he reached Thunder Bay Ontario, everything was already sold out.
Birch bark biting, which is exactly what it sounds like, was one of the more interesting exhibits.
Cree artist Pat Bruderer, who lives in Chase, BC, first gets connected with the bark as the primary step of her process. Then she folds the bark, visualizes what the finished product will look like, and literally bites the bark to create whatever vision she has in her head.
Birch-bark biting is an ancient art once practiced by Aboriginal people from Labrador to the West Coast. Bruderer is only one of a rare breed that still practices this almost lost art.
Also on hand was the very impressive Corinne Hunt, who is the co-creator of the Olympic medals given out everyday at the Olympics. Her display, including full-sized metal skis and gorgeous jewelry with heavy inspiration from a long line of family artists and her Komoyue and Tlingit culture, were simply breathtaking.
She collaborated with others, including the Royal Canadian Mint and renowned industrial designer Omer Arbel, to create the medals for both the Olympics and the Paralympics based on two large master artworks.
The cool part is no two medals are the same. The orca motif was used for the creation of the Olympic medals and the raven for the Paralympics.
The exhibition also had a life-sized teepee on the exterior next to a large hand-carving exhibit. Live music on a small stage nestled amongst the artisans was contemporary with a nod to traditional values and rez life, a perfect blend for our people who are always fighting to keep our traditions, language and culture alive in the modern age.
