K1037

Category: Featured

  • Stephen McComber Wins MCK By-Election

    Stephen Angus McComber captured Saturday’s by-election for one seat at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake table. Running in his second straight by-election, McComber doubled the amount of votes he received a month ago. He was elected with 161 votes, ahead of Bobbi Dee Deere who received 108 votes in her favour. It was also her second attempt at achieving Council Chief status. Deere failed to receive a sufficient amount of votes in the 2018 General Election.

    According to Electoral Officer Angus Montour, there were no spoiled ballots among the 269 votes cast.

    McComber is expected to be sworn in first thing at the Monday morning MCK weekly meeting. He will stay on until the next General Election which is scheduled for the summer of 2024.

    (Corrected from earlier version when we erroneously stated that Deere only received 101 votes)

  • Mercier Bridge Corridor Weekend Closures

    Another weekend, another Mercier Bridge Corridor closure is planned. The 138 will be closed between the Clement exit and the VSP Interchange. That closure is scheduled to start tonight at 10 pm and last until Saturday at 7 am. As well, come Sunday, there will overnight ramp closures with the 138 east up-ramp (from Chateauguay towards Montreal) shutting completely between 10pm and midnight on Sunday night, with the 138 west down-ramp (towards Chateauguay) closing at 11:59 pm Sunday until 4:00am Monday morning.

  • Funeral Arrangements For Dr. Jones Announced

    The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake extending its condolences to the family and friends of Dr Suzanne Jones who passed away on Wednesday. The funeral arrangements for Dr Jones have been announced. Her family will receive relatives and friends at the Centre funéraire Côte-des-Neiges in Montreal at 4525 Ch. de la Côte-des-Neiges on Saturday and Sunday, December 10th and 11th. The funeral will be held on Sunday, December 11th at 5:00 p.m. A book of condolences is available for community members to sign at the main entrance to the Kateri Memorial Hospital Center (KMHC) during business hours.

  • Dr. Suzanne Jones Has Passed Away

    Dr. Suzanne Jones, a mainstay in Kahnàwake at the Kateri Memorial Hospital Center for 35 years passed away last night after an illness. She was surrounded by family and loved ones. Valerie Diabo is the Director of Nursing and Community care at the KMHC. She worked with Dr. Jones for almost 15 years:

    “Doctor Jones was a best friend to a lot of people at Kateri and the community. She was there for you when you needed her, she was a rock for many people and she was so dedicated to this community. She was everybody’s best friend in this community.”

    Former Council Chief Clinton Phillips worked at the KMHC for 30 years:

    “It’s absolutely devastating, I mean, Doctor Jones gave 110% to Kahnàwake. She was here countless hours everyday and into the evening. I remember when Doctor Jones was pregnant with some of her children and continued to work probably until the very last minute she possibly could. She really did a lot for this community in health care. It’s a tremendous loss to everybody.”

    Wendy-Skye-Delaronde worked alongside Dr. Jones. She’s in disbelief at the loss:

    “I was really shocked and I’m very sad about her passing. She was a true medical professional, health care professional. There were many times that I had issues with children that I needed someone to see them, she never refused and she was busy, she was totally busy. I can picture her in the hall, with people, everyone coming at her, “Doctor Jones, Doctor Jones,” and she made time for everybody, she would turn in a circle and respond to everybody who was around her.”

    Jones officially retired from the KMHC in June of 2021. In tribute, starting tomorrow in the main lobby at the outpatient clinic of the KMHC, a book of condolences will be made available for anyone wanting to sign and pay their respects.

  • Groundbreaking in NY for Kahnawake-Hydro Power Line

    Ohénton ĺ:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, is at an historic groundbreaking ceremony in upstate New York for the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) transmission line which will deliver 1,250 Megawatts of low-cost renewable and clean Hydro electric power directly into New York City. The ceremony is being held in Whitehall, NY which is the main junction point for the line which will bring power to Astoria in Queens. It is expected to be up and running by Spring 2026.

    “We’ve always looked at ourselves as leaders within First Nations communities and this is definitely something that I think sets the bar for other First Nations communities in terms of becoming partners with, you know this is a Crown Corporation in the province,” Sky Deer told K1037 News. “I know there’s definitely some, I’ll say envy on behalf of other First Nations. But I said ‘Look this is the start of something,’ and if we could help to facilitate better relations with specifically Hydro Quebec in the future with our brother and sister communities then we would like to be a part of that.”

    Whitehall is just east of Lake George, NY. NY Governor Kathy Hochul and Hydro Quebec CEO Sophie Brochu are on hand for the ceremony.

    Announced in May of 2021, a partnership between the MCK and Hydro-Québec will see the construction and joint ownership of the Hertel Line. This 58 kilometre, 400-kv underground transmission line will run from the Hertel Substation in La Prairie, Québec to the U.S. Border, where it will connect to the CHPE via a new underground and underwater line between Champlain and Astoria, NY.

  • QNW to Gather at the National Assembly

    The Quebec Native Women are planning a gathering at Quebec’s National Assembly and are asking the public for support.  The gathering will occur near to the Quebec Legislature to denounce the existence of racism and systemic discrimination against Indigenous Peoples in the province and more particularly, Native Women. The purpose of the gathering is to urge the Government of Quebec to recognize the existence of racism and systemic discrimination and to adopt the Joyce’s Principle.

    The planned event is schedule for: Saturday, December 3rd, at 3:00pm near the ‘Tourny Fountain’ in Quebec City.

  • Community Meeting Postponed

    A special Community Meeting on Gaming that was scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30th, to discuss all things gaming with special guests in attendance, has been postponed. The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) saying that circumstances beyond their control lead to the decision to postpone, with an alternate date being planned, to be released to the community once it is confirmed.

    The special Community Meeting was set to cover land Allotments, general Gaming updates, and the Electronic Gaming Devices Pilot Project with presentations will be made by Playground Poker and Magic Palace, followed by a question-and-answer session.

  • The MCK Files a Court Challenge Against iGaming

    In April 2022, iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), launched iGaming allowing private third-party operators to offer online gaming to residents of Ontario. In response, The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) has filed a Notice of Application with the Ontario Superior Court challenging iGaming Ontario and the Attorney General of Ontario. The iGaming sites offer all forms of online gaming, including casino, poker and sports wagering. The private operators are registered with the AGCO and retain 80% of the gross profits generated by their sites. Ontario’s iGaming attempts to replicate the third-party licensing model on which Kahnawà:ke has built its business and it’s successes with online gaming, all on the strength of its inherent Indigenous jurisdiction. Mike Delisle is on the gaming portfolio on the MCK saying this is step 1:

    “We are open to continued dialogue and what I mean by that, is real sustainable dialogue with people who can make change and look for the accommodations that we have been seeking for the better part of almost 4 years, short of that, the motion at the court, the Superior Court of Ontario, will proceed forward.”

    Ontario’s iGaming scheme will undermine the industry that Kahnawà:ke has built over the past 25 years and will significantly damage Kahnawà:ke’s economy. The MCK has made numerous attempts to discuss Ontario’s iGaming scheme with Ontario officials and with Canada’s Justice Minister David Lametti. However, neither has been prepared to engage in meaningful discussions with the MCK to reconcile and accommodate Kahnawà:ke’s unique interests in the gaming industry:

    “We’ve been involved for 25 years, we have our own law and gaming commission which is world renowned, signed MOU’s across this globe with other jurisdictions, the only place that it’s not recognized is here in our own backyard: the Province of Quebec and across Canada. I’m proud to say that we’ve been able to generate tens of millions of dollars in the online gaming as an operator and historically over the past 20 years plus. over $100 million dollars and countless jobs throughout the community to ensure that our jurisdiction is recognized.”

    Ontario’s iGaming threatens to undermine Kahnàwake’s economy as it prevents all other gaming regulators, including Mohawk Online and gaming operators licensed by the KGC, from carrying out gaming activities in Ontario unless they are also registered with the AGCO.

  • 138 Scheduled Ramp Closures: Cancelled

    Maintenance work that would have required alternating closures of the R-138 east up-ramp & R-138 west down-ramp tomorrow Saturday into early Sunday morning has been cancelled by Transports Quebec.

  • Another One Million Dollar Donation For Multi-Purpose Building

    Kahnawà:ke’s Magic Palace announced a $1,000,000 financial pledge to the soon-to-be-constructed Cultural Arts Center in the community.

    Lisa Phillips, who is the Director of the Kanien’keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), says they are up to $23 million raised  towards the goal of $32 million.

    “It definitely does for sure, Phillips told K1037 News. “We’re thrilled. You know, I mean this is three community businesses that have taken on the roles of being the lead donators for this project. So yeah, definitely.”

    The ground has been cleared for the site which will house the KORLCC, Kahnawà:ke Tourism, The Turtle Island Theatre Company and a Museum.

    Stan Myiow is the Owner of Magic Palace and Mirella’s restaurant. He says this donation is very personal for him.

    “Both my daughters went to Mohawk Immersion,” Myiow said. “All my grandchildren go to Mohawk Immersion. My kid’s mother is a Mohawk teacher. So this means a real lot to my family. The Mohawk language is the most important thing in our community that we could lose, and we don’t want to see that happen.”

    Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke.

    “I’m just happy that another community organization stepped forward to contribute to this ambitious capital campaign,” Sky-Deer said. “We know this project, like we said, is probably one of the biggest in our lifetime—for most of us, to see a project of this magnitude and this cost. But at the end of the day, you know language and culture are at the forefront of our minds. The revitalization efforts, so just really inspired that another million dollars, we’re inching closer to our objective. And I just want to say hats off to Magic Palace.”