Eastern Door Volume 4 Number 17

Volume 4 Number 17

May 26, 1995

French Press Lacks Integrity
Commentary by: Anita Heiss

The French Montreal dailies in the past week have given a fine exhibition of poorly written, truth bending, racist and culturally insensitive journalism as they reveled in the case surrounding "The Mohawk" Jason Gabriel.

The form of journalism witnessed only served to indoctrinate an easily influenced working-class population who's readership keeps these tabloids in business. Newspapers, journals, magazines and the like are the only educational tools for same, and papers such as the le Journal de Montreal, Le Devoir and Le Presse are poorly educating their students in the name of their "God", money. When will it stop?

When will the media, not only in Quebec, but the world over, assume some integrity, responsibility and accountability to the audience that keeps them alive? And when will the readers finally stand up and call these second-rate, sensationalist papers and their writers into question?

Time and time again, Natives, Aborigines, Mohawks or whatever label or category we are put into, are defined by race in the mainstream media desperate for sales. To identify someone simply by race, at any time is racist. To have a headline, caption or sentence identifying a profile as Mohawk or Aborigine, is racist.

Identity, like spirituality and sexuality is a personal thing, and not something that should be tacked on like a label.. Readers of Le Journal de Montreal didn't have and arrow pointing to Jason Gabriel saying "This heterosexual or homosexual or Jew" because it was not relevant. The fact that Jason Gabriel is Mohawk was not the issue either. It is another example of non-Native journalism failing to recognize that such pieces have profound impacts on entire communities and more so, the wider population.

Headlines including "A Wanted Mohawk" (Le Journal de Montreal, 19th May) with an arrow pointing to Jason Gabriel in the funeral procession, and an article heading "Two Amerindians Drowned" (by Guy Roy, Le Journal de Montreal, 12th May) served to highlight the true inexperience and lack of professionalism of these writers and papers. The issues at hand in these articles were: a man wanted by police and two men drowning. The issues had nothing to do with the fact that they were Mohawk.

In an article by Jean Maurice Duddin (Le Journal de Montreal, 24th May) he begins his opening paragraph with "The Mohawk Jason Gabriel...". How often do we read in the paper headlines or captions that refer to particular people as "the French" or the "French looking one"? I would easily say never, but will generously say rarely. But for Indigenous people here (and from experience in Australia), this common occurrence is past its expire date for inappropriateness and its offensiveness.

The Quebec Press Council was contacted this week in light of the "free reign" attitude taken by French media on the Kanesatake drownings, and particularly, Jason Gabriel, to identify what role they play in determining a quality level of journalism in this state.

Press Council General Secretary, Jean Paul Sabourin identified the three main roles of the Press Council as firstly, to promote freedom of the press, secondly to promote quality information and finally, to promote the public right to information.

He went on to say that one of the main responsibilities of the organization was to field complaints from the public aimed at the media, and from media aimed at other media. The complaints are adjudicated by a committee which is composed of people from the general public, media management and news people themselves.

The Press Council's power is a moral one, making all decisions of the Press Council public knowledge. It is however, up to the individual broadcasters and papers to decide whether they'll publish the decisions or not.

It would seem that until the media assumes some morals of their own, then incidents such as last week will continue to occur and the Press Council continue to exist.

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Is This Medication Covered?
By: Chuck Barnett

Recently, some Kahnawakero:non have experienced problems getting their prescriptions filled when they have had to visit a pharmacist off of the territory or out of the province. Some complain that the pharmacist may have refused to accept their status card and denied them access to prescription medicine free of charge. Unfortunately, such occurrences at pharmacies which are not regularly frequented by native customers, can be common. After receiving complaints from several Kahnawakero:non regarding this type of practice, the Eastern Door decided to speak with Keith Leclaire, Director of Auxiliary Services at the Kateri Memorial Hospital, in the hope that he might inform us as to why this may be happening outside the community, and what we can do to protect ourselves. Mr. Leclaire tells us that since 1945, Indian Health Services have been covered by the Department of Health and Welfare Canada. The services provided to Canada's Native population include all non-insured health services, which include eye/vision care, dental care, cost of prosthesis, cost of prescribed medication and transportation to the medical facility.

Every year an extensive list of all approved medications is drawn up by a board of medical professionals. The list is then distribute to all practicing pharmacists in the country. The pharmacist is thereby obligated to render all services and mediations, provided on the lists, providing that the customer is eligible and entitled to these drugs. The current list for 1995, contains approximately 12,000 different prescription drugs which are listed by the same type of code that you will find on the prescription issued by your doctor. One possible reason for the confusion is the fact that the Quebec Order of Pharmacists did not have a proper billing agreement in place, however as of February 27, 1995 the group signed into agreement with Health Canada to provide medication for all who need it. But first they must determine the person's eligibility, which can be done by providing 3 pieces of identification, on of which being the status card. As of February, the three types of eligibility have been consolidated into one class. Previously, they were divided into three groups; Military, Immigrant and Native.

Another problem is that some pharmacists attempt to impose a two dollar surcharge on medications purchased by native people. However this is a misunderstanding on the part of the pharmacist, under no circumstances should a native person pay this fee, which is normally imposed on non-native Canadians over the age of 65.

The purpose to this fee was part of an attempt to limit the amount of medication that Canadian senior citizens were consuming.

Should you have a problem in obtaining you prescription medicine from the pharmacist upon producing your status car, or you feel that you were not serviced properly, simply call Health Canada's Montreal Hotline at 282-1575.

Mr. Leclaire is quick to remind that "You are the customer, and if you do not feel that your rights are being honored, take your business to another pharmacy".

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Logs, Land Use and Legalities
By: Chuck Barnett

We first brought you the story concerning Alan "Fishy" Beauvais' request to the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake for the use of land, when reporting on the council's May 8th public meeting. Realizing that few people on hand that evening had had previous knowledge of the facts concerning Mr. Beauvais complaint, Chief Norton recommended that the issue be brought to the Eastern Door, so as to demystify the particulars behind the complaint. In the interest of clarifying Thai matter, The Eastern Door spoke with both parties.

In March, 1994, Mr. Beauvais met with the council with the intention of receiving authorization to use the commonly held land, designated SLS 14 (that land surrounding the "This is Indian Land" rock), for the purpose of operating a log home construction business. Soon after, Mr. Beauvais submitted a written request to council for use of the aforementioned land, and under the conditions at the time, was refused permission. Over the course of the year, the MCK drew up a draft version of a land agreement for Mr. Beauvais, which would allow him to use of the land for the purpose of operating his commercial business. Under this precedent setting agreement, Mr. Beauvais would agree to use the land for a term of five years and employ as many Kahnawakeronon as needed. Another stipulation of the draft document would be that Mr. Beauvais obtain liability insurance for his business for one million dollars in coverage. Upon receiving the draft agreement, Mr. Beauvais made notifications to the document, omitting the term, "Mohawk Council of Kahnawake" and replacing it with the phrase, "The People of Kahnawake as Keepers and Protectors of the Kanien'kehaka Territory of Kahnawake." The difference in the two documents being that in the original (Council) version, the MCK is recognized as the administrator of the lands on behalf of the community, while in Mr. Beauvais version, it is the people of Kahnawake, who are recognized as the administrators of the land.

Although Mr. Beauvais believes that the Council should hold the documents concerning the land use agreement, he maintains that it should be in the hands of the people to decide how and to whom land use permits should be allotted. Mr. Beauvais states, "After all, it's the council that works for the people, not the other way around."

By signing a land use agreement, such as the draft version set forth by the MCK, Mr. Beauvais would be setting a precedent which could open the way for other commercial businesses to operate on commonly held land. When asked by the Eastern Door, "What do you suspect might be a negative effect of signing into such an agreement such as that set forth by the council?" Mr. Beauvais replied, "I don't know, but I don't want to find out." A main concern of Mr. Beauvais is that should he accept the terms of the land use agreement, anyone else who might wish to use commonly held land would also have to submit to a similar agreement. However, since Mr. Beauvais refuses to accept the Council's version of the agreement, and the Council is unwilling to accept his version, Mr. Beauvais' claim to use of the land is not recognized by the Kahnawake Economic Development Authority. Therefore, his business, Mohawk Handcrafted Log Homes in unable to obtain insurance or receive the funding necessary in order to go into operation.

In speaking with Chief Joe Norton on the matter, he states that since the content of the two documents are similar, he is confident that there is a way that an agreement can be worked out so as to accommodate the needs of both parties, while recognizing that there must be an administrative body in place. Chief Norton goes further, to say, "If someone wishes to change something in this community with regards to the administration of land tenure ship, such as Mr. Beauvais is doing, then that person must appear before the community and propose that a separate administrative body be set up, but I am unsure as to how long that this process would take or what it would entail. I am confident, however, that it would take much longer than the system we already have in place. According to Chief Norton, "Although the Seaway Authority maintains that it has jurisdiction over the land in question, the Council asserts that this land falls under the jurisdiction of Kahnawake, otherwise, the Survival School, the radio station etc. would not be where they are today."

Meanwhile, Mr. Beauvais states that he is willing to negotiate the conditions of the agreement to include that, "The people of Kahnawake recognize the MCK as the administrators of the land." He concludes by saying, "I could turn around tomorrow and sign the agreement, but I'm trying to prove the point that the people hold the power."

I am certain that the people of Kahnawake have not heard the last of this matter.

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Editorial

To die Mohawk, is to die political
By: Kenneth Deer - The Eastern Door

When you are born Mohawk, you are born political" has become a Mohawk truism. So it must follow that when you die a Mohawk, you die political. Such was the fate of two young men from Kanesatake who were born Mohawk, lived through on of the most politically explosive events in our time, died and were buried in the Pines.

The expression of 'born political' refers to the fact that our very birth is a political statement if you bear in mind all the assaults on our existence. Through wars, disease, and legislation, we have managed to survive. Throughout our life, every time we exercise any one of our rights as Mohawks, we are making a political statement. Now even in death, we are making statements about the land that was taken from us.

The symbolism of this whole issue should not be lost. The community of Kanesatake is growing and will need more land. The current graveyard is full and new land is needed to bury the next generation of Mohawks. The graveyard is bordered by paved roads on the south and east. It can only be expanded north and west. It must be expanded on land that the town of Oka is claiming to be theirs. Kanesatake is claiming the same land. Five years after the crisis, the issue is still not settled.

The Mayor of Oka has offered land on the west side of the graveyard for expansion. That's fine, but maybe the Mohawks want the graveyard to grow in a different direction. And why not? The people of Kanesatake have an historic right to that land. Piecemeal offers from Mayor Oullette do not take into consideration the long-term aspirations of the Mohawks. Oullette's attitude seems arrogant and insensitive to the goals of the Mohawks and he seems to have other plans for the Pines that do not include the Mohawks.

Mr. David Cliche, special assistant to Premier Jacques Parizeau on Native Affairs, called the burial a 'provocation.' Now, if the family had buried the young men on a fairway or on the ninth green of the golf course, that would be a provocation. It was the Mohawks who showed great restraint by burying the two young men next to the current graveyard.

Mr. Menard, the Minister of Public Security, was asked if the police would stop the burial and arrest Jason Gabriel should he be at the funeral. Menard stated that "We are not going to send police after a hearse." He continued by saying that the SQ would apply the law using tact and diplomacy. One would conclude that Mr. Menard was making a political decision here. They knew that international attention would be focused on them if they went into the Pines with riot police to stop a burial. If that's the case, then the Mohawks of Kanesatake have made a point. We have been forced to use every opportunity we find to ensure the survival of our people. Every decision in our lives has become political, including where we bury our dead.

May the two young men rest long and peacefully where they are.

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