Public meeting sparks investigation

The Kahnawake Peacekeepers are investigating an incident at a public meeting last week, during which a Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chief was allegedly physically aggressive with two community members.

MCK chief Jeremiah Johnson took to Facebook to deny a narrative he said is circulating in the community that he assaulted a community member at the meeting, but he did not offer specific details of what occurred.

“Please know that I take my position and the trust the community has placed in me very seriously. I would never behave in such a way as is being rumoured,” wrote Johnson.

“I acted as is expected of me as a council member, which is laid out in my oath of office and terms of reference, but also as an Onkwehón:we man to help keep the peace and protect our community members.”

Multiple people spoke with The Eastern Door to share their version of events about the June 11 session, a Kahnawake Legislative Commission (KLC) community mandate meeting regarding changes to the Election Law.

The MCK published a public service announcement the next morning, June 12, urging respectful conduct at public meetings. On June 18, shortly before The Eastern Door’s deadline, the MCK sent a statement acknowledging that something took place.

“We can confirm that an unfortunate incident had occurred at the Golden Age Club. The MCK are in the process of reviewing public meeting requirements for the protection of our employees and all community members,” the statement reads.

The episode is just the latest example of community meetings becoming increasingly contentious, with discussions frequently being characterized as unproductive and sometimes spiraling into name-calling or worse. The meetings, often poorly attended, are viewed by many as ineffective at meaningfully involving the Kahnawake public in community decision-making.

The Eastern Door is not allowed to cover MCK-mandated community meetings, pending a media protocol that is nearly two years in the making, and thus was not present. Johnson declined to comment beyond the prepared statement he posted on social media.

Two of the others who were involved shared their side of the story with The Eastern Door. Both said they have provided statements to the Peacekeepers.

One individual was Myles McComber, who said he is the designated community meeting chair. The other spoke on the condition of their name not being used and will be referred to by the pseudonym Adam.

“This is community leadership. People in these positions have to be held to a higher standard,” said Adam.

According to him, the Peacekeepers were already on their way before the situation unravelled into a physical confrontation.

The alleged incident took place when, according to multiple accounts, McComber refused to yield the floor when he felt his questions and comments about the process were not answered.

“While he was persistent in seeking an answer to his question and refused to leave without one, I did not observe him engage in any physical aggression toward the organizers, staff, or any other attendee,” wrote Adam in the text he said he presented to the Peacekeepers as his witness statement.

According to both community members, when McComber continued speaking over protests, MCK representatives began to approach him, including, eventually, the council chief.

According to the two, McComber responded by backing away from the representatives.

“As they were coming towards me, I continued talking, but I switched it right there and then because I’m like ‘this ain’t going well,’” said McComber. “I said I’m the community meeting chair and I never treated anyone like this. What are you doing?”

McComber alleges that when the council chief caught up to him, he was grabbed, as though to force him out of the building.

“He had me by my left shoulder, and he started to, I wouldn’t say it’s a push, it’s like a grasp and hold and move type of thing,” said McComber.

Witnesses, including Adam, say at this point McComber appeared to be destabilized by the deteriorating situation.

That’s when both men say Adam intervened in the situation.

“You could see he was scared, frightened,” Adam said. “I looked around the room. I saw the people in the room, nobody’s doing anything.”

He first objected verbally, he said, asking for McComber to be let go, saying the physical intervention was unwarranted, while noting police were already on their way.

“Chief Johnson responded that it was his job. I replied that it was not his job to put his hands on anyone,” wrote Adam in his text.

McComber was then released, Adam said.

“At that point, I stepped between the two men in a non-confrontational manner with my hands raised in an effort to calm the situation and prevent any further escalation,” he said, at which point he was allegedly shoved.

“At no time did I threaten chief Jeremiah Johnson, attempt to strike him, or make any physical contact with him before he shoved me,” he wrote in his text.

He then helped escort McComber out of the building, where the Peacekeepers were arriving, McComber said.

Peacekeepers’ spokesperson Kyle Zachary confirmed to The Eastern Door that the file is under investigation.

“There was an incident involving several people,” Zachary said. “The file is still under investigation, so I don’t have any info to pass on at this time.”

At the time of writing, no arrests have been made in relation to the incident.

Adam wrote he decided to make his statement to the Peacekeepers because he believes the physical contact he alleged was directed toward him was unwarranted.

Johnson is emphatic that he did nothing wrong.

“A false narrative is circulating in the community that I assaulted a community member at a public hearing. It is being rumoured that I was unhappy with something that was said so I assaulted them,” wrote Johnson.

“I can assure you this could not be further from the truth. I was hoping not to have to address this publicly. But I am accountable to the community, and questions have been raised.”

McComber said he was upset to see this version of events, which he sees as contradictory to what he experienced.

“That’s crazy. I don’t know how he can deny it. People that are there, they see it,” he said. Witnesses have said as many as 20 people were present.

McComber said he is contemplating filing a complaint with the MCK with his allegations about the council chief’s behaviour, but that he is stuck on the need to explain what he thinks should be done to rectify the situation.

“I just wish it never happened. I’m actually blown away that it did happen,” he said.

“All I did was speak my mind. I made my voice open and made my positions clear and was hoping for an answer.”

The MCK’s public service announcement the following day said disrespectful conduct at public meetings will not be tolerated, which was reiterated in the statement sent to The Eastern Door.

“We wish to remind the community that disrespectful conduct during public meetings and discussions will not be tolerated, and MCK encourages all attending community members to approach these gatherings with mutual respect, patience, and a shared commitment to the well-being of the community,” the statement said.

The meeting was convened to select three community representatives to sit on the Technical Drafting Committee and discuss proposed amendments to the Kahnawake Election Law through the Community Decision-Making and Review Process.

According to a press release, the goals of the changes to the law are consistency with other Kahnawake laws, streamlining processes like the selection of the electoral officer, and other amendments relating to council composition, vacancies, and the structure of the election.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter