Category: Featured

Additional controlled dynamite blasting work at the Kahnawà:ke Multi-Purpose Building worksite is required, According to The Public Safety Division of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, the work will begin tomorrow, Wednesday, April 3^rd, between 8:30am and 10am. The work will be performed by Enterprises QMD Inc. and The National. A rock blast cover will be used to suppress debris and noise, a warning sound will be issued prior to blasting, and seismographs will be in place to monitor vibrations in neighboring buildings, in accordance with safety measures. Additionally fencing has been installed around the site. Community members are being asked to avoid the work zone.

Community consulting on the Greening & Design Project formerly known as ‘The Leisure Pathway Project.’ In Kahnawake is getting underway this month through May. Based on Phase 1 analysis and Working Group sessions in 2023, a new title was given to the project to appropriately reflect the ideas brought forward during consultations. Phase II is expected to warp up this fall with the presentation of two suggested design scenarios for the greenspace, based on community input. Presentations will be hosted to collect feedback during April and May. Maris Jacobs is a special projects coordinator with PlanIt Consulting:

“Right now we’re focusing on making sure that the community is aware that “Phase II” is coming. How they can participate which is by contacting us at PlanIt. we’re also doing private interviews if people want to do that, we can book privately for a group or a staff, for example, but we will be popping up around the community to collect opinions and having visuals to share instead of a survey that is planned.”

The Kahnawake Peacekeepers have revealed that they have been providing specialized support for victims of domestic violence for almost a year now. Constable Isabelle Nicholas has been serving as Domestic Violence Resource Officer since May, 2023. She is able to act as a liaison between victims and crown prosecutors, as well as help them navigate their way to various support services, including  Ionkwatahónhsate Victims Services. These organizations are in place to assist victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and provide legal representation for victims for little or no cost.

There is a Facebook page called ‘KMPK Domestic Violence Awareness’ with additional information. Kyle Zachary is the Public Relations Officer with the PKs:

“She can link you with them, she can provide support for domestic violence victims. Whether it’s just an encouraging word, she’ll even accompany a victim to a court  hearing, because it’s an intimidating thing to go back to face the person who did these things to you. So she has the resources, she has the availabilities to deal with these people and it has been a really positive experience for her and for the victims.”

The Waste Management Department has a slightly altered schedule during the long holiday weekend. There will be no cardboard drop off Friday and Monday. As well, recycling and compost will be suspended on Friday.  Recycling will resume Monday. The Transfer Depot will be closed Friday, but open on Saturday for regular hours, and then again Monday from 9am to 2 pm. Garbage pick-up is not affected.

The Capital Unit of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke will  rebuild the collapsed section of the Fort St-Louis Wall. The dismantling and rebuilding will begin on Monday, April 1^st, and is expected to take eight (8) to twelve (12) weeks to complete. Chris Stacey is the Executive Infrastructure Officer. He says they are rebuilding a 20-foot section and shoring up about 100 feet:

“We’re going to be repairing sections as monies come in; it’s quite expensive to repair this wall. We had received a grant from Parks Canada, so the money will be allocated to this first portion.”

Grants for $250 000 from the Federal government. The work will take place weekdays from 7am to 5:30pm. During work, several parking spots will be closed.

The Kahnawà:ke Legislative Commission says that the Regulation Respecting Requests for Eviction Orders under the Kahnawà:ke Residency Law was enacted on Monday. The final version of the Regulation under the Kahnawà:ke Residency Law is now published and can be found on the Community Decision-Making and Review Process website www.kahnawakemakingdecisions.com. Justice Commissioner Kevin Fleischer:

“Under the law, anyone residing on the territory, who is not entitled to reside, who is not a resident or who doesn’t have a valid permit, maybe subject to an eviction order issued by the Court of Kahnawake and if a request for an eviction order is issued, the problem we encountered was that we don’t have rules of procedure, of evidence of procedure and evidence at the court as to how the request will proceed. So the regulation is really rules of evidence and procedure at the court for how an eviction order will be issued.”

The Kahnawà:ke Legislative Commission also says that three Regulations under the Kahnawà:ke Justice Act were enacted on Monday as well. They include: Regulation Respecting the Institution and Management of the Administrative Tribunal; and Regulation Respecting the Rules of the Administrative Tribunal.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission came by the K1037 studios to discuss the recent termination of the royalty agreement of Magic Palace for EGD’s and the shut down of operations for the poker house. Frank Phillips, Chairperson of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was joined by Darryl Leclaire on Tetawathartha, the Party line Talk show. Leclaire on the timing of events:

“As part of our ongoing due diligence, there was a key-person application that we were already investigating. The timing had no effect on us, we were already at the end phase of our investigations in terms of whether or not that individual would be approved for key-person or not. It didn’t look good, let’s be honest, La Presse outs out an article on Tuesday and the next day it’s on our agenda, it had already been on our agenda to render a decision, but it doesn’t look good when the day after we do render that decision, but obviously it had been an accumulation of our due diligence, that didn’t take place in one day, that resulted in the decision to decline the key-person application.”

The operator was required to pay for the investigation. The revocation of license was decided upon on Friday March 22^nd through a hand delivered letter with the KGC compliance officer along with a Kahnawake Peacekeeper. The shutdown was effective Monday around 10 am.

The Châteauguay Police Service (SPC) conducted a search and proceeded to the arrest of Sandrine Allard Girardot, a 23-year-old from Châteauguay relating to offenses of incitement to hatred. Girardot appeared on March 28th at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield courthouse to face charges of public incitement to hatred and for having intentionally provoked hatred. She was released on recognizance with conditions to respect. SPC investigators began an investigation in February related to misdeeds of $5,000 and less, namely graffiti of a hateful nature and incitement to hatred. More than sixteen cases were opened in connection with these offenses. The Sûreté du Québec also contributed to the investigation with the expertise of a profiler for the analysis of behavior. The places targeted are places of worship, schools, businesses and other places clearly visible to the general public. The feeling of security of the citizens of Châteauguay was a major concern for the police service to put an end to these offenses. The information coming from of the public represent an important contribution to the initiation of police investigations.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake has approved the largest operating budget is history for the upcoming fiscal year which begins on Monday, April 1^st. Administrative Affairs Portfolio Lead Lindsay Leborgne on the noticeable difference in this years MCK annual budget:

“The biggest difference you will  see from last year, the current year we’re in, is that the budget for this year was $67 million dollars. The budget for April 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025, will be $100.1  million dollars. The main reason for that huge difference is that $25 million dollars will be going towards the ‘Multi-Purpose Building’ project.”

Highlights of this year’s budget include the new outdoor rink project, Kahnawà:ke Sports Complex upgrades and accessibility, the Creek Rehabilitation Project, and a surplus of $12.8 million dollars. Executive Director Onerahtokha Marquis on where all of the own source revenue will be coming from:

“Historically, the biggest items came from the EDG revenue, MOL. In the recent couple of years, the MOL dividend that comes to the MCK has been either significantly lower or non-existent, but ‘own-sourced’ revenue would include EDG’s, MOL dividends, KCG revenue, our interest revenue for our investments on excess cash, some of the lease payments that we receive at the KOC building as well as the housing rent. We’re using approximately  35% of our budget that is being funded by own source revenue. the rest is coming from the Federal government, Provincial government.”

Marquis saying that the operational surplus of 12.8 million dollars will be appropriated back into the operational reserves, money set aside for unexpected expense that might occur.

The Waste Management Department has a slightly altered schedule during the long holiday weekend. There will be no cardboard drop off Friday and Monday. As well, recycling and compost will be suspended on Friday and the Transfer Depot will be closed. The Transfer Depot will open on Saturday for regular hours, and then again Monday from 9am to 2 pm. Recycling will resume Monday. Garbage pick-up is not affected.