Chiefs head to assembly

Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo used last week’s Assembly of First Nations (AFN) special chiefs’ assembly to challenge federal leaders to envision what a future relationship could look like between Kahnawake and Canada.

He also pushed for an official apology for the Oka Crisis at the assembly, where First Nations leaders from across the country gathered.

“It’s always good to network with other communities and build relationships,” said Diabo, who attended the AFN alongside MCK chiefs Jeffrey Diabo, Iohahí:io Delisle, and Ryan Montour, as well as representatives from the external government relations portfolio team and Council technicians.

Representatives from the federal government, including prime minister Justin Trudeau, were in attendance and addressed the AFN.

“I feel the same urgency as you do to move forward, because every day that goes by, there are more problems that we haven’t resolved and more issues that we need to keep working on,” Trudeau told the assembly.

Federal opposition party leaders were also in attendance, including New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Quebecois.

Those in attendance were invited to ask questions and speak directly to the leaders, and Cody took to the mic to invite Blanchet to Kahnawake. A clip of that moment has been shared widely on social media.

“It is still our land, our ancestors were there, and my ancestors were there when your ancestors arrived on boats,” Cody said.

“I welcome you to Kahnawake so we can have a conversation about what our relationship should be, and how your people can start packing up.”

Blanchet responded to Cody directly.

“In today’s reality, we are the immigrants. We came on lands where people were living in their own way,” he said.

“Nowadays, we have to search for a balance which will be respectful of everybody’s prerogative.”

Diabo also met with the federal minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations, Gary Anandasangaree. The return of Seigneury lands was briefly discussed, as well as the possibility of Canada issuing an official apology for their role in the Siege of Kanehsatake, also known as the Oka Crisis.

“If Canada wants to look at building up their relationship with us, then there needs to be a formal apology for sending the army to Kahnawake and on the Mohawk people during 1990,” said Cody. “He said it’s something that he will address, it’s definitely something that he would be supportive of, but it needs to come from the government as a whole and not just an individual in a meeting.”

Chiefs also discussed the recent decision made by the AFN to return to the negotiating table regarding Jordan’s Principle and long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services program, with First Nations Child and Family Caring Society executive director Cindy Blackstock leading the plenary discussion.

While in Ottawa, Cody also participated in the Iroquois Caucus General Assembly, where they discussed the role of the AFN in terms of governance.

“It’s our position that AFN are an advocacy group, but they’re entering into domains of rights holders, which has us concerned, and nobody speaks for Kahnawake,” Cody said.

Cody said that the Iroquois Caucus is working on updating protocols that exist between it and the AFN to ensure that role is clear.

“Essentially the Iroquois Caucus speaks for themselves, and we attend AFN basically to see what’s going on,” he said. “We may ask for changes to some resolutions or vote on them, but we try to stay out of it as much as possible.”

The next Iroquois Caucus meeting is in January, where chiefs will continue to discuss the topic going forward.

[email protected]