Oka supports Kanesatake security team

The Municipality of Oka announced that both the municipalities of Oka and Two Mountains and all the townships within them will adopt a resolution in support for funding for the Kanesatake Perimeter Security (KPS) at their next council meeting.

“It is important for our region to support the efforts of the Kanesatake community to

provide a safe living environment for its residents. By supporting the request to

renew funding for KPS, we are taking a step in the right direction,” said Oka mayor Patrick Hardy in the press release issued on March 25.

The decision to jointly support the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) caretaker council’s efforts to fund the KPS was made on March 23 by all elected officials of the Municipality of Two Mountains at a meeting of the Mayors’ Council.

Since last year, caretaker council member Brant Etienne said he and other members on council worked to get new funding for the KPS. Current funding ends this month on March 31, and so far, they have had no success towards getting funding from the federal government.

“Getting support from not just Oka, but neighbouring municipalities is really new and really encouraging for us,” said Etienne.

“This seems to be a genuine extending of the olive branch and everything to try and help us in what they recognize is something that is doing good work and needed here,” said Etienne.

The support comes as a breath of fresh air for relations between Kanesatake and neighbouring communities, said KPS coordinator Kane Montour.

“It signals real change, and goes to show that the KPS is working, and I feel like me and my team are largely responsible for all these things that are happening,” said Montour.

“All the good work that we’re doing in the community, for the community, it’s paying off, and it’s really nice to see.”

Earlier this month, the KPS participated in a joint training with the Oka fire department and First Nations Paramedics to improve their emergency response time. The three organizations regularly intervene in emergencies together in Kanesatake, along with the Surete du Quebec.

“Everything’s lining up between all the emergency services,” said Montour. “Everybody’s on the same page right now, and I think it’s something special.”

In the release, Hardy said the adoption of this resolution was meant to reaffirm the commitment of the municipalities to “their commitment to work together in a spirit of partnership and shared responsibility in order to ensure the safety and dignity of all residents in the region.”

[email protected]

Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter