Funding hopes dimming for security force

Efforts to find new funding from the federal government for the Kanesatake Perimeter Security (KPS) team before their current program ends on March 31 have been so far unsuccessful, The Pines Reporter has confirmed.

The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) will attempt to reallocate some internal funding to extend the KPS services, said caretaker council member Brant Etienne. So far, the federal government has not communicated with the caretaker council of any intention to renew or point to new funding, he said.

“In one form or another, we’re all committed to making sure that the essential service of KPS continues to be available for the community,” said Etienne, referring to the MCK.

“It’s scary because we don’t know what’s going to happen, what the future looks like,” said Kane Montour, KPS coordinator.

Indigenous Services Canada spokesperson Jennifer Cooper confirmed no decisions have been made regarding funding.

“Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is working with Indigenous partners to assess community needs and available resources as part of future funding considerations,” said Cooper. “Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) maintains consistent engagement with community representatives and federal partners and continues to discuss community priorities and program transitions.”

The lack of reliable funding for the KPS threatens to decrease or eliminate what many consider to be an essential service, in an event that has prompted uncertainty and worry among many Kanehsata’kehró:non over community security.

“They’re a crucial part of our community now, and it’s really bothersome to know that they cannot find funding,” said community member Karonhienhawe Nicholas. Both her children were helped by the KPS, with the security team intervening in a car accident that hospitalized Nicholas’ daughter, and when her son was found by the KPS in the woods after he went missing.

“They’ve helped my family out, and even if they didn’t help my family out or myself out, I still would appreciate them, because I see what they do,” said Nicholas.

In 2020, an emergency response unit was inaugurated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which later was renamed and became the KPS. Security services under the KPS for the community have expanded over time to encompass intervention in medical emergencies, fires, hundreds of car accidents, reports of suspicious activity, crimes, and helping to support elders and disabled members of the community.

The current funding set to expire for the KPS was under the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Program, a five-year program under Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) that began in 2021.

Since 2023, the MCK has searched for alternative funding sources, said Etienne. Last year, Etienne said he was advised by ISC to reach out in February 2026, the month before the fiscal year ends in March, to find out whether the Pathways Program would be renewed.

The caretaker council learned at the end of February the program would finish, said Etienne.

“It’s an unfortunate structuring, and it leaves us in the crunch like this,” said Etienne.

Attempts to communicate with federal ministers have gone unheard, he said.

“We have yet to hear back from the federal government,” said Etienne. “We’ve attempted to reach out to the ministers (Gary Anandasangaree of Public Safety Canada and Mandy Gull-Masty of ISC) directly, to the deputy minister, to various other employees that we’ve worked with throughout the years in public security and crickets, literal crickets.”

Both caretaker council member Serge Otsi Simon and Etienne said ISC informed the caretaker council they should seek funding from Public Safety Canada.

But when The Pines Reporter sought comment from Public Safety Canada, a spokesperson sent in response: “We understand that you have been in touch with Indigenous Services Canada on this matter. We defer to their response.”

Public Safety Canada did not respond to an inquiry asking for clarification on whether the department is participating in discussions involving funding for the KPS.

The Surete du Quebec (SQ), the Iroquois Caucus, and mayor of Oka Patrick Hardy have written letters in support of the KPS receiving additional funding from the federal government.

“What I’ve heard across the board, and this is unanimous, is there seems to be a great synergy between all organizations,” said Patrick Hardy, referring to the Oka fire department, the SQ, paramedic teams, and the KPS.

“This collaboration is absolutely precious for us to be able to operate and collaborate and just be good neighbours,” said Hardy.
Last week, the Oka fire department, First Nations Paramedics (FNP) and the KPS received joint training to improve the speed and quality of their teamwork.

President of FNP Robert Bonspiel said the KPS has supported paramedics in many emergency medical calls in the territory. He is troubled by what funding woes will mean for the safety of the community, especially since there is limited policing surveillance by the SQ in Kanesatake and many in the community feel uncomfortable calling the SQ for help.

“I’m very worried at this point, with no active negotiations with the government with regards to policing services in our community, what that is actually going to mean, what’s going to fill that void?” said Bonspiel.

According to Etienne, the upcoming vacuum in services has given rise to local cannabis businesses mobilizing their own security forces. Cannabis shops represent most businesses in Kanesatake, with more than 50 operating on the Kanesatake territory.

Security teams at these local businesses have been offering jobs to KPS members recently as the end of funding approaches, said Montour.

Etienne is adamant the cannabis stores will not provide adequate community security services for Kanesatake. He alleges many of the stores have ties to organized crime, and community members could face danger if the security teams at the cannabis businesses become emboldened.

“They’re not liable to anybody except for the owner hiring them. So it’s not like the KPS where the KPS is responsible for the well-being of the people,” said Etienne. “These store militias, goon squads, are only liable to the owner.”

These allegations are “fearmongering,” according to Robert Gabriel, owner of High Times.

“As far as Brant (Etienne) and Serge Simon goes with the trying to scare the government into ‘we’re going to be overrun by organized crime,’ that story has been going on for 20, 30 years. Every new council that comes in, is ‘organized crime, this and that.’ Well, we’re no different than any other community. We have our problems, but on the overall, we are nowhere close to places like Laval, Montreal.”

The security team hired by his private business does not intervene in first responders’ emergencies like the KPS does, said Gabriel.

“I’ll be very clear about this,” said Gabriel, about the private security team at his store, “they’re hired by the stores to patrol the community, to protect the community and the stores. Now, obviously they’re not cops, so if there’s some kind of incident that goes on where a community member feels they need police assistance, well, call the SQ.”

Montour said he has an understanding with some of the different security teams in the community, and while they are not partners, the other security teams do patrol outside the 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. timeframe covered by the KPS.

“It could definitely be bad,” said Montour of the cannabis business security team’s growing influence in the community. “Anything can happen.”

But Montour said he wants to maintain good relations with those working on security in the community, even those tied to cannabis businesses.

“I’m over here on KPS, and I’m just trying to work with everybody as best as I can do,” said Montour.

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Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter