Task Force Keeps Eye on What is Best for Kahnawake
Written by Paul Graif on 14 April 2020
Arnold Lazare of the Covid-19 Task Force said their team is seeking balance now. Balance between what is coming from Quebec officials and the reality of life in Kahnawake.
“First we are hearing that everything is cancelled until the end of the August,” Lazare said. “But on the next hand we are hearing that they are going to reopen the schools and restart business. Balance is what we will work on.”
“We will be assessing that. What are the best interests of Kahnawake. The safety and security of people is paramount,” Commissioner of Public Safety Lloyd Phillips said.
They will be meeting as a Task Force tomorrow (Wednesday) and making those decisions on what is best for Kahnawake.
Lazare says Kahnawake is well positioned. “There is sufficient food, the community is doing very well. The directives from the task force are keeping the community safe,” he said.
Lazare says that the Task Force is focused on the numbers of low hospital rates, low intubation rates, and low death rates in the province. “Those are the numbers we need to worry about. We are not going to lift the regulations in a heartbeat,” he said. “As of now the directives are still being kept in place.” Thse numbers remain at zero in those categories for Kahnawake.
“We really ask for people to be patient. We need people to be patient. We will get through this. Nia:wen Kanawakero’non for keeping the community safe,” Lazare said.
10 more people were tested today bringing the number to 147 community members who have been tested at the Kahnawake site since it opened. That is still a low number considering the size of the population of the community, according to Lisa Westaway, the Executive Director Kateri Memorial Hospital Center (KMHC). “By not testing everyone who has the symptoms it is very difficult for us to extrapolate what is really happening in the community. It is not really a big enough sample size to allow us to make appropriate decisions,” Westaway said.
She is encouraging those who have any of the symptoms to call the KMHC for a test at 450-638-3930 Ext. 2296 or Ext. 2275 and go in for a test.
“It is not shameful to have Covid-19. This is a virus,” Westaway said. “It allows us to contain the virus, which we seem to have been able to do.”
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake voted on an MCK Executive Directive to extend the mandate of the Kahnawake Covid-19 Task Force for the next 30 days. It is extended based on the Kahnawake Emergency Preparedness Law.
Another MCK Executive Directive approved a budget of $500 000 for the Task Force to spend as they see fit for the community. The money came from the Emergency Measures Reserve which was established after the Ice Storm.
For the foreseeable future the Kahnawake only signs will be kept in place.
“Kahnawake is for residents only, and we have to see that through until this is over,” Phillips said.
Dr. Annick Gauthier will be taking questions and answering them on Friday’s Task Force briefing on Kahnawake 911 on Facebook live. You can send your questions to: Questions@MCK.ca
