Category: Featured

A lane closure on the Mercier Bridge towards Montreal overnight Tuesday as crews replace lightbulbs. The closure begins at 9 pm until 5 am Wednesday morning. It will stretch from the Montreal side all the way to the Highway 20 ramps.

A Video has been circulating on social media of an extreme and violent bullying incident Friday night in Kahnawake that involved elementary school students.

The Kahnawake Peacekeepers are investigating the incident that allegedly involved grade 5 and 6 students and occurred inside a locker room at the sports complex.

“It was reported to us the next day, January 31,” Kyle Zachary, the Public Relations Officer with the PKs told K1037 News. “An assault had occurred. It had been captured on video. That video had been making the rounds throughout the community through social media and person to person. The file is under investigation. We’re looking at working with KSCS in terms of extrajudicial measures. These are young children, it might not necessarily  serve the public interest to charge them.”

Zachary says there were two alleged perpetrators and one victim.

Kateri School put out a public statement in response to the incident on Saturday. The school says it will address the matter this morning at a school assembly first thing Monday morning.

“We’re going to look into it and have a collaborative team approach and decide the next steps,” Kateri School Principal Kevin Gault told K1037 News. “There was an assembly planned already. I’m still going to do what was planned in the assembly. It’s going to be addressed but also I want to speak about the values that Kateri school has and that we are dedicated to providing a safe environment for all students and want to ensure students that they feel safe.”

Gault says the writing was already on the wall. He says there has been a recent increase in social media bullying that was brought to the school’s attention. It even prompted a message last week to parents and students on their Class Dojo on-line portal.

A significant gathering today in Tio’tia:ke, where Ohenton Í:rate ne Ratsisahiens Cody Diabo and Quebec Premier François Legault took part in a ceremony for the signing of a Declaration of Understanding and mutual respect. Premier Legault on this new strengthening of relationship:

“I want to personally thank Grand Chief Cody Diabo and his team for negotiating with us in good faith and for our mutual benefit. Today’s Memorandum of Understanding is for me, an historic step, it’s a step, so we’ll have other steps after but it’s a step that demonstrates the trust between Quebec and Kahnawa:ke.”

Diabo on the significance of the MOU:

“This statement of (Memorandum of) Understanding and mutual respect embodies our collective effort to establish a foundation for constructive dialogue, practical cooperation and a peaceful coexistence. It represents years of hard work and the willingness of both parties to address issues directly and respectfully.” 

Legault says this agreement will help get the 213 acres owed from the Autoroute 30 project and finally settle the Autoroute 30 land dispute, land the government promised to the community when the Autoroute was built. Legault saying he is quite sure they’ve found at least 180 acres and they’re working on locating the rest. Legault discussed a range of interest to Kahnawa:ke including the 132, the Mercier bridge file and the Northolt battery plant construction in the Monteregie. He says today’s MOU will help in all further discussions.

The intention is to lay the foundations for a constructive political relationship based on dialogue, committing to work together, respect each other’s unique perspectives and strive for improved mutual understanding. On hand were Ohenton Í:rate ne Ratsisahiens Cody Diabo, Ratsénhaienhs Jeffrey Diabo, from MCK’s Kahnawà:ke–Québec Relations, Quebec Premier François Legault and Ian Lafrenière, the Minister responsible for relations with First Nations and the Inuit.

The Indian Time Newspaper is no more after 41 years. It published its final edition in Akwesasne today. The paper was created in 1983 from community demands in the wake of internal troubles. But it has fallen on hard times in recent years due to a changing media landscape and financial concerns. Marjorie Skidders has been the editor at Indian Time for the last 12 years:

“We tried to keep upbeat and have a good, positive outlook on this and not to be bitter or angry or upset. I think in the production room, it was hard to finish up the last paper. We sent it off and it wasn’t that we were finishing it any later than normal, we were kind of like on time, but it was just a different sense in doing this, that this was our last paper.”

Kenneth Deer was the founder of the Eastern Door. He says papers like the Eastern Door, Iorì:wase and Indian Time are crucial for Indigenous people:

“Very disappointing to hear of the collapse of the Indian Time, it was a newspaper that has been around for a longtime. I think local media is very, very important, particularly in Indian country, we have to have our own media to make sure that we get the stories right, we can’t depend on mainstream media for the information that we get that concerns us.”

4 Kahnawakero:non were honoured last evening with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for their work in advancing Indigenous rights and culture. Quebec Lieutenant Governor Manon Jeanotte, who is Mi’kmaq, handed out the awards at Concordia University. Eastern Door Founder Kenneth Deer, as well as former Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs Kahsennenhawe Sky Deer were among the recipients:

“There’s been such a colonial past and all of these negative things that have happened to our people, but I’m trying to forge forward and see what kind of things we can change now as a result of what we’ve learned and what’s happened. This recognition comes to people right across the country and if they’re going to start to recognize the efforts of our people starting to make strides and be out there and visible and making impacts, whether it’s a colonial institution that’s recognizing it, the fact that our people are being recognized I think is something that should be acknowledged.”

Treena Wahsontiio Delormier was also awarded a medal. She is the Scientific Director at KSDPP and an associate professor in nutrition at McGill:

“It’s hard to toot our own horn because as Kanien’kehà:ka we are taught that humility is really respected. It was a recognition for the work that I do in research that addresses helath food security and nutrition, food systems and also the way I do my research which includes community through participatory research.”

Sedalia Fazio was also awarded a Medal last night:

“When I realized who it was that nominated me and what the process was before we were all selected, I was kind of proud, because this comes from the Montreal urban Indigenous community who I have been working with for 30 something years. So, it was bittersweet.”

Three significant developments in the delivery of Housing services has been announced by The Housing Unit of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), passed by consensus at the recent Council meeting. The MCK will finance the construction of the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation On-Reserve program Section 95 Project #9 through the CMHC Direct Lending Program – or another lender, if required – in the amount of $491,422 dollars. This translates into four to six new rental units that can be built. To meet current market price increases (in the cost of construction, inflation, and other factors), there will be an increase to the On-Reserve Loan Guarantee limit to $400,000 dollars, enabling individual access to needed financing in securing their homes from the ‘Caisse Populaire Kahnawake.’ A 5% down-payment and meeting specific criteria are still required by the ‘Caisse.’ The Council of Chiefs also approved authorizing the financial subcommittee of the Client Based Services Committee (CBSC) the ability to approve write-offs for mortgage accounts that are in good standing, following a reconciliation of accounts for elders and special cases. The decision will be based on criteria from the enforcement policy, which includes the ability to pay, financial impacts, and special situations. The total amount for possible write-offs will not exceed $500K. Housing Portfolio Lead Ratsénhaienhs Ryan Montour on the Housing Unit’s commitment to the community:

“The MCK is committed to improving the quality of life for our community members by ensuring that our people have access to affordable, safe, and sustainable housing, these new developments represent a significant step forward in securing the future of our people and are a reflection of our continued dedication to building a strong, self-sufficient community.”

Executive Operations Officer Alan-John Rice on needs addressed by the 3 decisions taken:

“By increasing the loan guarantee limit and providing affordable housing units, we are addressing the immediate needs of our community while laying the groundwork for long-term growth, our team remains focused on meeting the community’s housing needs and creating opportunities for homeownership, with financial solutions tailored to the unique needs of Kahnawa’kehró:non.”

A woman from Kahnawake had her SUV stolen while shopping last night at the Fairview Mall on the West Island. Wahienhawi Horn says she parked her 2023 Grey Honda CRV just 3 spots away from the entrance at about 5:30 pm. She says she had a VinLock tracking system and she contacted the company right away, and she hasn’t heard back:

“It was close to the door, so we didn’t think anything. We came out around 830 p.m., we didn’t see my car, we were pressing the buttons, I thought maybe we just didn’t remember where we had parked. Then my cousin noticed that where I had parked, there was all glass. Yeah, the car, my car was gone.”

A report was made with Mall security and Montreal Police. Horn says she is most upset that 2 of her daughter’s expensive hockey sticks were in the car. She has contacted her insurance company.