Bonspille slams council to Iroquois Caucus

Former grand chief Victor Bonspille sent an email to the Iroquois Caucus earlier this month to express his view that the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake caretaker council cannot represent Kanesatake at political events and asked the Caucus to communicate with him regarding community matters.

Bonspille referred to himself as the incumbent grand chief in the email obtained by The Pines Reporter, while Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) caretaker council member Brant Etienne said Bonspille’s email could infringe upon the rights of Kanehsata’kehró:non and undermine community business.

In the May 6 email addressed to members of the Iroquois Caucus, Bonspille criticized the participation of Etienne and Simon at Caucus meetings in February 2026, stating the caretaker council members have “no authority to speak on behalf of Kanesatake.”

Bonspille said in an interview this includes discussion on security matters with other government entities, which was the main issue the caretaker council brought before the Caucus in February.

In the email, Bonspille also refers to himself as the “Incumbent Grand Chief of Kanesatake.” While Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “incumbent” as “one that occupies a particular position or place,” Bonspille said he does not believe he is currently the grand chief of Kanesatake.

Instead, he believes that as the former elected grand chief, he continues to hold responsibility to the community and should receive communications from the Caucus.

“I feel that I have been a valuable voice and respectful participant as a Chief or Grand Chief, and rightfully deserving member of the Iroquois Caucus. It would have been appreciated if a member of the Caucus (Grand Chiefs), initiated and reached out to me personally, on the matter. In fact, on any issue within Kanesatake. although, not one of you did so,” reads the email.

Bonspille wrote to the Iroquois Caucus that the caretaker council “have been and continue to be non-transparent, unaccountable, ethically, and morally lacking, and continue to falsely represent themselves as elected Chiefs to the community of Kanesatake and other governmental sectors, including, the Iroquois Caucus.”

Also, Bonspille said in the email that he was “illegally removed” as grand chief last year.

Etienne said the caretaker council responded to the Iroquois Caucus regarding certain allegations in the letter, including to inform the Caucus that Bonspille was removed as grand chief after a ruling by an MCK Ethics Commission.

Etienne said Bonspille’s email could have infringed on the rights of Kanehsata’kehró:non by undermining the work that the caretaker council has done to advance community business with the Caucus.

“There actually is work being done for the benefit of the community, and especially regarding the protection of our legal rights,” said Etienne, referring to the caretaker council’s work with the Caucus.

“If he’s doing this stuff for his own aggrandizement, he’s actually having a negative impact on the legal and Aboriginal rights of the Mohawks of Kanesatake,” said Etienne.

At the Iroquois Caucus meetings in February, Etienne and Simon secured support from the Caucus in their efforts to obtain funding for the Kanesatake Perimeter Security (KPS) team to cover security costs past the scheduled end of a five-year fund in March.

Members of the Iroquois Caucus drafted a joint letter in support of the KPS receiving funding, which Council has used multiple times, including for a two-year fund which Council hopes will be approved soon.

In the email, Bonspille mentioned Etienne and Simon’s request for support for KPS funding in February, while reminding the Iroquois Caucus of Simon’s past disregard for the Caucus.

Simon acknowledged his past position and said he will continue to work with the Caucus.

Simon and Etienne both believe Bonspille’s email will not hurt their relations with the Caucus.
“I don’t see any consequences coming out of it,” said Simon, referring to the letter.

In an interview, Bonspille said he does not think his letter would jeopardize efforts made by the MCK to obtain funding for the KPS.

He said he hopes his email will spur government entities to acknowledge that Kanesatake is without governance and give the opportunity for the community to meet with Kanesatake leaders later, while adding he is not asking the Iroquois Caucus to stop meeting with the caretaker council.

“I just hope that you know that they, the Caucus and all other governments, realize that we have no governance, and that we don’t have anybody there to represent us, and that they at least give the respect to my community that they know that we will be back at the table,” said Bonspille.

“They should give us the opportunity to get our house in order until we make our return.”

According to a Federal Court judgment in October, the caretaker council is empowered to exercise an administrative mandate until the fate of the suspended election can be settled.

Bonspille also hopes the Iroquois Caucus will speak with him regarding community issues.

Etienne alleges the email is full of slander against himself and Simon, and that the caretaker council will not respond to Bonspille directly.

“I’ve learned through trying to deal with the abuse and trauma we’ve suffered under his watch this term, that he’s a narcissist,” said Etienne, referring to Bonspille.

“If you’re familiar with it, it’s called DARVO’ a lot of times they’ll try to deny they’re doing anything, then go to attack, and then try to switch conversation to things like they’re the actual victims.”

Bonspille told The Pines Reporter he plans to assert to the federal judge in the ongoing court case that the caretaker council has overstepped the boundary imposed by Federal Court Judge Phuong T.V. Ngo last year.

“I do find that it should be Justice Ngo who made the judgment that for the caretaker position, I think she should be informed, or any other court that we get put in front of, they should be informed of their actions or inactions, of what they have been doing here, and how they’ve been misrepresenting the community,” said Bonspille, of the caretaker council.

Members of the caretaker council have long maintained their work to obtain security funding falls under providing essential services and the continuation of in-progress projects, tasks included in the caretaker council mandate imposed by Judge Phuong T.V. Ngo.

Bonspille said he did receive a reply from the Iroquois Caucus, but did not want to speak on it.

The Iroquois Caucus did not respond to a request for comment.

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Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter