Iroquois Caucus signs trade agreement

The six communities participating in the Iroquois Caucus - Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Akwesasne, Six Nations of the Grand River, Tyendinaga, and the Oneida Nation of the Thames - signed an agreement that will look to strengthen ties between the communities in the face of American economic pressures.

The agreement was signed at the latest General Assembly of the Caucus, taking place in Akwesasne from April 23-24.

This Trade and Commerce Protocol “seeks to revitalize traditional trade relationships and promote cooperation based on shared values of peace, power, and a good mind,” according to a press release from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) published following the signing.

MCK grand chief Cody Diabo said a very similar agreement had been signed in 2015 but had been left dormant and never put into action.

“There were calls to do a trade working group, but it just never took off the ground. That’s something that I’ve been pushing since becoming grand chief, and then when Trump got in, and all the tariff stuff happened, it was time to really look at how our communities can work together to weather the storm of unpredictability and make sure that we’re not impacted by outside governments,” said Diabo.

Part of the protocol is the formation of a “trade alliance,” where one member of each elected Council that is a part of the agreement will represent their own community in the assembly.

According to the third article of the agreement, this trade alliance will have the mandate of identifying trade opportunities, assets, and resources that will create an environment of open trade between the signatory communities that will be divided in an equitable way.

They also have the mandate to “promote and enhance the living conditions and rights of their people for the well-being of future generations,” according to the fourth article of the agreement.

Diabo said that these plans are in the theoretical stage at the moment, and the work is just beginning to put the agreement into action.

“This is the first step. We’re going to see where it takes us. We’re really committed to seeing this through this time,” said Diabo.

The goal is for this agreement to not just benefit the community in a broad sense, but also at the individual level.

For Diabo, that means reestablishing historic trade routes between the different communities, so individuals can access different markets and areas than just Kahnawake and the surrounding South Shore and on-island markets.

“That’s what I’m really hoping for. That is something that all of our community members can benefit from,” said Diabo.

The agreement also leaves the door open for the addition, or subtraction, of signatory members in the future.

Diabo said that while he cannot speak for the entire caucus, he is open to reaching agreements with nations outside of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in the future as part of this agreement, something he said Kahnawake is already working on with First Nations in Alberta and the Atikamekw Nation.

Of note, Victor Bonspille was the representative for Kanesatake at the Iroquois Caucus General Assembly and was the signatory for Kanesatake on the agreement.

According to a March 26 Mohawk Council of Kanesatake Ethics Commission ruling, Bonspille is no longer the grand chief of Kanesatake, which would mean he holds no political office.

Diabo said that Bonspille had been there for the crafting of the agreement prior to the ruling, and that he hoped that after the election of a new grand chief over the summer, Kanesatake would still be willing to be a part of the agreement.

“For me, Kanesatake is a part of this. Once their governance stuff is sorted out, they’re still part of it, and I hope they’re still willing to be a part of it, regardless of what happens,” said Diabo.

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