Eastern Door Volume 4 Number 21

Volume 4 Number 21

June 23, 1995

New Membership Consultation Proposed
"Task Force" will poll the community's opinions on the membership issue
By: E.J. Diabo

This month's community meeting was uncharacteristically tame in comparison to the shouting matches that occurred during May's get together at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Kahnawake.

Approximately 70 people were in attendance to take part in discussions concerning land allotments, membership, and then an open floor forum where people where granted time to air their views on certain town issues and ask questions of the Council members.

The meeting got underway at 7:15 pm after opening remarks in Mohawk by Grand Chief, Joe Norton. The first item on the agenda was the publication of persons requesting land allotments. (See page 10)

The reading of the list went on without much incident even though Mikey Lazare, Wendy Lahache, Melanie Phillips, and Jamie Kirby were not present to stand up when called. However, the issue of absentees not sending a letter to inform the Council of proxy was raised by Marilyn Johnson. The question bounced around for a couple minutes before Chief Norton explained that procedure requires absentees to provide Council with a letter stating the reason for not attending and the name of the person who is to act as proxy. Although he was reluctant, Norton waived the rules for this one time.

Proposal On Membership

The next item on the agenda was the proposal to accept a procedure of community consultation to gather views and recommendations concerning the 'membership code', which might be used for future amendments to the law.

Chief Norton mad a brief statement on what the procedure was, why it was necessary, and what the outcome would hopefully be. He stressed the fact that many views and laws must be carefully considered, citing Traditional Law, Mohawk Law and the Indian Act's C-31 Law as examples. Norton then asked Cathy Rice, of the Alcohol Information Task Force, to explain in more detain how the process would work.

Ms. Rice explained that because of the many varied opinions surrounding the issues of membership, blood quantum, and the Mohawk Law, it is obvious that community discussion must take place to resolve the situation and hopefully come to a mutual understanding and agreement.

The procedure by which these discussions would take place must include thoughts from people in every corner of the community in an atmosphere where they will not feel threatened about speaking their minds, and their views will be valued. It was noted that public meetings are not the ideal situation for such consultations.

The proposal for the consultation procedure was to use the same criteria that the Alcohol Task Force used to gather information from the community on the "Intoxicant Law". This process involved a non-partisan panel speaking privately to various groups, small and large, representing a wide scope of political and religious beliefs. It could even involve speaking to individuals in their own homes if so desired. When the consultations are completed, the information acquired would be used to determine common opinions on the subject.

More Discussion On Membership

Discussions which took place following Cathy Rice's presentation dealt mainly with the 50 percent blood quantum law currently in place.

Carl 'Bo Curotte launched into a 25 minute speech on how measuring a person's "Indianess" by blood quantum was a racist procedure and left no room for how a person contributes to the community socially, culturally, economically, or otherwise. Curotte also mad light of how church records (used to determine family lineage) were may times inaccurate or "doctored", claiming that records of his own family list three different mothers.

Ida Goodleaf stood up and defended the 50 percent law stating that in 1979-80, it was the people of Kahnawake who chose to enact this method of measurement, not the Council. She also stressed that because Kahnawake's land base is dwindling, "We must continue to fight for what little we have left".

Cynthia Deer then mentioned that only 67 people were present and voted for the 50 percent barrier at the meeting in 1980.

Chief Norton then stood up and explained that before that vote in 1980, three years of community meetings took place, both formal and informal, and the 50 percent law was a community movement to stop people from from marrying non-Natives and bringing them to live in the Territory under the umbrella of laws stipulated in the Indian Act.

It was at this juncture that a younger member of the community, 22 year old Chris Deer, raised some interesting points.

Speaking for close to ten minutes, Mr. Deer asked some key questions of the Council table. "1) Can you explain what blood quantum is based on? 2) Will the Council give me a list to follow so I know who or who not to marry? and 3) What is the Mohawk Law based on?"

Mr. Deer's argument brought up the fact that the concept of race did not exist until 500 years ago when the Europeans arrived, and if blood quantum is the proper way to measure a person's ethnicity, why are percentages not used for other races of people. His point was to show that blood quantum is not based on traditions, but rather a system set up by non-Native governments.

Chief Norton closed this portion of the discussion by stating that the situation was not created by us (generation), but we are the ones who are left to deal with it. He said the 50 percent law was, at the time, a stop-gap measure and if it is unacceptable, no is the time to change it. Norton conceded that even his own Council is divided on the issue, however, in order to change it they must be directed by the community to do so.

Chief Norton then asked the floor for acceptance of the proposal to have the Task Force facilitate the consultations on membership and receive no resistance.

Open Discussion

Topics covered in the open discussion portion of the evening's agenda ranged from Mary Louis White's recommendation to ensure parents make their children knowledgeable about the affects of marrying non-Natives, to Carl 'Bo' Curotte's question of whether the Mohawk council was incorporated or not.

Council Chief, Leonard Bordeau, put a proposal on the floor to inform the community of same local entrepreneurs' request for a 25 lease of one acre of common land for use in a business venture.

The $1.4 million project to build an 18 lane, state-of-the-art bowling facility called "Arrow Head Lanes", is being spearheaded by Pete Lazare and Ronald Sky of Kahnawake. The pair have been working on the project for two years and have secured funding through personal investment, the Caisse Populaire Kahnawake, and the Kahnawake Economic Development Authority.

The one stumbling block that they have run to is the controversial issue of private use of public land.

Possible sites requested for the project include either the property east of the Sports Complex, which was designated for recreational purposes in 1984, the area of the 'blue buildings' on route 132, or the commercially zoned area east of the tunnel adjacent to the seaway.

It was felt by many Councilors and community members present, that a definite criteria for leasing public property must first be established, through consultations with the community, and then put in place before any decision could be made.

Chief Norton stated that land is the most valuable commodity the community has and is the reason most people come to public meetings. The shortage of land results in the need for laws such as the membership code. It is for this reason, he said, that the Council has the responsibility to ensure that the land is protected and terms are set as for how long land will be used.

Norton pointed out that there is also a bigger issue at stake, "According to the Government we have no right to membership or land". He emphasized the importance of regaining those rights and keeping control of land management. Therefore, it is necessary to review all land transactions in order to exercise Kahnawake's jurisdiction over such matters. Many people suggested that the issue be put on the agenda for future meetings.

Now that the subject has been introduced to the public, Lazare and Sky promised that a more in depth proposal would follow.

During the discussions on private use of public property, the issue of the St.Lawrence Seaway's land rights came up. Chief Billy Two Rivers explained that Council's position regarding lands adjacent to the seaway wall, belong to Kahnawake and the Seaway Authority may have access for maintenance of the canal, road and lights. The Seaway Authority position varies from owning 25 feet from the wall in the village area up to 300 feet in other areas.

The meeting adjourned at close to 10 PM but many people stayed to discuss the evening's topics in a more informal fashion.

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Get Ready Parents - School's Out For Summer
By: E.J.Diabo

In the words of the immortal poet and song composer, Alice Cooper, "School's out for the summer", and not a moments to soon as temperatures rose this week to above the 100 degree mark in Kahnawake.

Kahnawake's 790 students from Kateri, Karonhianonha, and Survival Schools listened to their final lecture and wrote their last test for the academic year 1994-95, as classes let out for summer vacation this past Tuesday, June 20.

Children will now turn their attention away from books and knowledge, and do what they do best - be kids and have fun. Expect to see kids swimming in back yard pools, fishing off the bridge at Tekakwitha Island, honing their lacrosse skills with friends, riding bicycles, climbing trees or just enjoying the simple pleasures that summer brings when you are in prime of youth.

Not everyone will be spending their hot summer days recklessly avoiding anything remotely like work however. The Kahnawake Education Center's Eddie Cross says summer becomes the busiest time of the year in his office.

"We are in full operation all summer long", said Cross, explaining that the ED-Center must review what has happened throughout the previous semesters and prepare for the coming academic year. Parents come to register brand new students to attend schools in Kahnawake, as well as the new post-secondary students who must register for high schools outside the Territory. It is also a time to interview potential new teachers who are looking to be hired on as educators within the community's school system.

The one drawback of summer vacation is for those who may have taken a bit of time off from their school work during the year, and must attend summer-school. The main summer-school centers are at Howard S. Billings in Chateauguay and Centennial Academy in Montreal's west end. Catholic school board students attend Loyola high school in Montreal West.

As life would have it, all good things must come to an end. The 1995-96 school year in Kahnawake begins August 31, with two days of orientation prior to labor day weekend, then full classes commence Tuesday, September 5, 1995.

Until then students, have a safe and healthy summer holiday, and grown-ups use extra caution, particularly while driving, as more kids will be on the roads.

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Bank Manager Summer Replacement
By: E.J. Diabo

The staff and management of the Caisse Populaire Kahnawake (CPK) regret to announce that Michael Rice will be stepping down from his post as Bank Manager on June 30, 1995.

Filling the vacant position at the Caisse will be Mrs. Chantal Boisseau. Mrs.Boisseau was chosen by the CPK's Board of Directors from the head office of the Desjardins Federation, the central cooperative, and will manage the Kahnawake bank on an interim basis.

Mrs. Boisseau is from the Montreal area and has been with Desjardins for 19 years. She brings with her over ten years experience in administrative duties and has worked with the Caisse Populaire Kahnawake on occasions in the past.

Michael Rice remembers working with Mrs. Boisseau for close to two months when the CPK first opened its doors in 1987. It was then that Mrs. Boisseau, along with another colleague from Desjardins, helped point the bank in the right direction during its infancy stage.

The Board of Directors of the Caisse Populaire Kahnawake would like to stress that Mrs. Boisseau has accepted the position for the summer months, while they actively seek a permanent replacement for Michael Rice, preferably from Kahnawake.

The Board of Directors hopes to announce a permanent successor to Mr. Rice in time for Labor Day 1995.

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Editorial

SQ stays in the news
By: Kenneth Deer - The Eastern Door

Hardly anyone in Mohawk Territory is surprised at the recent revelations that the SQ have planted evidence and beat false confessions out of criminals to gain convictions out of criminals to gain convictions. Mohawks have long complained about the unprofessional and abusive behavior of the provincial police force before and since 1990.

The list of examples is long. To note some of the more notable over the last twenty two years: the occupation of Kahnawake in 1973, the shooting of David Cross in 1979, the raids on Restigouche in 1981, the events of 1990 and all the incidents since that year. Our complaints about the SQ seem to have fallen on deaf ears. But now a judge has admonished them for planting false evidence and a man, now deceased, claims to have been forced to give false evidence in a murder trial.

Now there is an outcry calling for public inquiries and a clean-up of the police force. Strange that this outcry did not take place when Mohawks complained about being tortured with cigarette burns and physical beatings. It will be interesting to hear the results of the Police Ethics Committee's report on Ronald Cross's complaint of physical abuse. Or the Coroner's report on the role of the SQ in Corporal Lemay's death.

The Quebec government has to take responsibility for this fiasco. It has been protecting the SQ at every turn. Even after the very obvious poor handling of the so called Oka Crisis, the government refused to have a public inquiry into the actions of the SQ. Claude Ryan, the Public Security Minister after the crisis, stonewalled any attempt to have a public investigation.

Today nothing has changed. The current Minister of Public Security, Mr. Serge Menard, has concluded that this is all a plot by organized crime to discredit the SQ. If his statement is designed to alleviate any fears that the general public may have about the credibility of the SQ, his comment falls far short. The government should be taking a firm, assertive approach to protect the public not protect the SQ. If he is trying to protect the public confidence in the police, he assumes that the public has confidence in the SQ. This is a grand assumption. All he is reinforcing is the head-in-the-sand image the government has had over policing in Quebec.

One wonders what is keeping the government from acting on these disclosures? Is the government afraid to tackle the SQ? Is there a J.Edgar Hoover lurking in the background, blackmailing the powers-that-be to keep the SQ untouchable? If Mr. Menard is not in charge of public security, then who is?

Another Round For Membership

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake's announcement to strike a Task Force similar tot he Alcohol Information Task Force to gather views on membership in the community is an effort worth supporting.

The issues of membership, citizenship, blood quantum, inter-marriage, racism, Nationality and so on are a complex and divisive problem. So emotional are these issues that open public debate sometimes lead to harsh words and hurt feelings. By allowing small, informal gatherings, individuals may feel less intimidated in expressing their views. A small group of good listeners should be able to gather together all the points of views in the community and prepare a comprehensive report on these views. From there, the community can decide whether to keep its present course on membership or it may choose a different direction.

This community is clearly divided on membership. This division has cause major problems in families, organizations, institutions and the politics of this community. It now has spilled outside where other Aboriginal and non-Aboriginals have expressed their opinions.

Some community members who supported the Mohawk Law a few years ago now have changed their minds. Some others who were against this Law are now in support of it. A Tack Force may be the only way to get a clear picture of where everyone stands on this issue.

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