Eastern Door Volume 7 Number 16

Volume 7 Number 16

May 15, 1998

Cage Combat to get green light
Discussions with Quebec close to agreement on rules
By: Kenneth Deer

Negotiations between Kahnawake's Athletic Commission and the government of Quebec are close to reaching an understanding whereby the Freestyle Fighting event sponsored by International Fighting Championships (IFC) can go ahead very soon.

The event, called Cage Combat, has been rescheduled for Saturday night, May 30.

Alwyn Morris of the Athletic Commission said that discussions with Quebec were very positive. "We wanted to avoid any confrontation like we had in 1996 over Extreme Fighting. Quebec at first was resisting Freestyle Fighting because they thought it was the same kind of event as Extreme Fighting and we had to convince them of the difference. After much discussion, Quebec was becoming less resistant to this event and they began the process of interpretation of the rules to accommodate Freestyle Fighting." said Morris.

Any changes to Quebec's interpretation of the rules on prize fighting has to be okayed by the Quebec Cabinet and the Cabinet has been meeting this week to consider these changes as one item on their agenda.

"We still have one small detail to the rules that has to be worked out. It could be a very simple matter of interpretation between French and English or a little typographical error but we are very close to an understanding. We still have to go through our own process of approval here in Kahnawake after this arrangement is completed," said Morris.

Once Quebec becomes comfortable with the interpretation of the rules, it will not interfere with the staging of Cage Combat in Kahnawake. However, as a side effect, it also means that other similar fights could be staged anywhere in Quebec. This means that the IFC no longer has a monopoly on Freestyle Fighting events in Quebec. Other promoters could arrange fights at the Molson Center, for instance.

The IFC, on the other hand, has all the contacts in the sport and has the best fighters signed to them. There is only a limited number of fighters of this calibre available for these kinds of fights.

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Bail hearing for Lazare and Jacobs
By: Kenneth Deer

Watio Lazare and Brian Jacobs have just completed four days of hearings in an attempt to gain bail. The prosecution presented its evidence and arguments as to why bail should not be granted and the defence argues for their release.

Because of a press ban, The Eastern Door cannot report on the proceeding in the court room. However, it has been reported in the Journal de Montreal that Chief Peacekeeper Warren Lahache was subpoenaed by the defense to appear on Tuesday morning and was not present when called. The judge, Kevin Downs, was not happy with Lahache's absence and issued another order for Lahache to appear.

Lahache did finally appear later in the week.

Lazare and Jacobs are facing charges in violation of Canada's Excise Laws and dealing with stolen goods.

Among the charges are possession of stolen shipments of wine and spirits stolen from both La Compagnie Papineau Transport and Cast Terminal Inc. and La Societe des Alcools du Quebec valued at over $5,000; canned goods from La Compagnie Andre Roger et Axxocies valued at over $5,000; cases of cigarettes stolen from Air Transat; more cigarettes stolen from Zita Transport; Kamic boots stolen from Gilles Godin Transport; Sanelli knives stolen from Passaipina Transport and Sagetra and nine John Deere lawn tractors.

At press time the judge had not given a decision and will probably wait until next week.

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Editorial

Where is the Mohawk Nation?
This editorial was first printed on February 23, 1996. It raises issues that are still unresolved among the Mohawk people.
By: Kenneth Deer, The Eastern Door

While Quebec nationalists espouse Quebec separation and independence, and Canadian nationalists are simultaneously calling for unity and partition, where is the Mohawk Nation in all this?

We are not talking about individuals of groups who make statements about a Mohawk Nation; nor are we talking about individual communities that are Mohawk by population. We have all heard the position of the Mohawk Nation's right to nationhood: its constitution, land base, population, treaties, etc. What we are asking is: Where is the government of the Mohawk Nation that the Great Law describes?

Why is it that elected councils are making statements based on tradition? Where are the traditional leaders who should be making these statements? Where are they?

There was a time when this community could count on the people from the Longhouse for direction and strength. If not from our own community, then from others. They were always there to remind everyone of the power of our Nation, the philosophy of our Great Law, the use of reason instead of force, and consensus over voting. Today, there is not that sense of cohesion among the traditional people in our Nation. There is division and animosity among the Longhouse people and it is affecting our response to the events outside our communities.

In a meeting that took place in Belleville, Ontario, on January 13 and 14, (1996) all the elected councils from the Mohawk communities met to discuss the rebuilding of the Mohawk Nation. The question comes down to one thing: Who is responsible for this work?

Where are the condoled Mohawk Chiefs who make up the Mohawk Nations Council in the Confederacy? Where is the Great Law practiced and who should the elected councils be talking to for consultation on the Great Law?

What becomes extremely evident is that the Longhouse people in the Mohawk Nation are extremely divided over the interpretation and application of the Great Law. This has led, for all intents and purposes, to a civil war inside the Nation. This war has resulted in multiple Longhouses in some of our communities and deep scars in the Nation.

With the real threat of Quebec separation, Canadian self-government policies and a hard line governor of New York, a strong Mohawk Nation is needed now more than ever. There cannot be stronger reasons for radical change to the present situation. The time for the Longhouse people to resolve their differences is now, tomorrow may be too late.

Unity will not come easy because the wounds are deep. The status quo cannot remain. Real change must take place and the mechanism is there in the Great Law. The Peacemaker was sent to us when it was our darkest time. We should remember why he was sent and how he united the people. Its time for the Longhouse people to be called on their rhetoric.

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Comics

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