Traffic tension addressed with mayor

The mayor of Chateauguay said he’s invested in continuing to build a relationship between his community and Kahnawake that’s focused on respect and open communication, following a meeting held last week between him and Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chiefs.

The meeting primarily focused on rising tensions between the two communities related to traffic management, specifically with regards to the closure of the northbound Route 207 entry during weekday rush hour times.

“I find being able to talk not only interesting but very necessary to do. We’re neighbours who are always going to be neighbours, so we have to work together and communicate as much as possible,” said Éric Allard, who was recently elected by acclamation to a second term as mayor of Chateauguay.

MCK chief Iohahí:io Delisle, who was present at the meeting alongside MCK grand chief Cody Diabo and MCK chief Arnold Boyer, said that it’s crucial that both governments continue to keep lines of communication open.

“We do not want to escalate politically into something that’s going to create tension, which will definitely bring us back 20 years of relationship-building. This is my objective here, to maintain that relationship,” Delisle said.

Discourse has been heated online, with hundreds of comments from Chateauguay residents and Kahnawa’kehró:non debating the closure and the ongoing issue of traffic in the community. One post, for instance, saw a Chateauguay resident suggest they “shut the entrance” to Chateauguay in retaliation until the 207 closures are complete, which provoked outcry from community members.

“We need to try to avoid this systemic racism and grievances associated with unnecessary things like traffic,” Delisle said. “From my perspective, it’s hard for every single person to manage their time, and when their peace is interrupted, they become very emotional, including in our community.”

Kahnawa’kehró:non Tina McComber said that despite the backlash, the closure of the 207 during peak hours has been a good thing - but that Kahnawake’s roads are still dangerous.

“It’s a start, but more has to be done. The amount of traffic on the daily is way too much,” she said.

She said she’s stopped reading the comments on online posts about the issue, but that she feels it’s important that people in Chateauguay take time to learn the history of the community they live next to and consider the context of their statements.

“They really need education on Kanien’kehá:ka history, and to be reminded that the land that they’re occupying is actually ours, we’re not receiving funding from their tax dollars,” she said. “They should go on Google and enter ‘1990 the Oka Crisis’ and be reminded of what we went through and continue living through.”

Fellow community member Queenie McComber said that while tensions are high right now, she’s hopeful it won’t last forever, and that once the current major construction phase comes to an end in mid-December, things might change for the better.

“The work will get done, they just need to be patient and learn how to merge,” McComber said.

She added that many drivers have lost sight of why restrictions have been enacted in the first place - to keep community members safe.

“It’s closed to traffic for a reason, it’s for our children’s safety as well as our own too,” she said.

She said that recent closures for roadwork on Old Chateauguay Road have also complicated things, with changing detours through town resulting in drivers muddling through residential roads looking for shortcuts.

“Maybe carpooling or taking the train is a better approach,” she said. “Or another bridge.”

Allard told The Eastern Door that it’s always been his opinion that Chateauguay residents shouldn’t cut through the 207, and that he maintains his community should use Highways 130 and 132, adding that he sees no problem in closing the 207 during those hours.

He added that he wants to keep dialogues open and facilitate the building of positive relationships with MCK chiefs, even if traffic remains a hard to navigate issue for everybody.

“My main priority is to keep our relationship alive,” he said. “Most of the chiefs have my cell phone number and we’ll keep having discussions, it’s an open channel for sure.”

Delisle said that he and his fellow MCK chiefs explained in depth how Kahnawake’s governance works to Allard, and that they outlined preliminary structural plans for moving forward with traffic management in the community. “He wants nothing more than just to create peaceful solutions moving forward,” Delisle said.

“So that’s what we’re doing right now, we’re in conversations with the mayor to just try and create those more peaceful solutions so that nothing is politicized.”

The northbound Route 207 entry to Kahnawake continues to be closed to all traffic between 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on weekdays until further notice.

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