Eastern Door Volume 8 Number 4

Volume 8 Number 4

February 19, 1999

MCK to Provide Internet Service
20 New Jobs To Be Posted
By: Greg Horn

In an exclusive Eastern Door press conference held on Wednesday, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) announced plans to develop a computer-based business in Kahnawake. The new venture will provide approximately 20 jobs for Kahnawake:ronon in the growing field of Internet technology.

A little over one month ago, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) acquired the old Ononhkwa building on Route 138. Many in Kahnawake wondered what the MCK was going to do with the building and rumors began to circulate. Some stories had the building pegged as the new Peacekeeper station, others had the Court of Kahnawake relocating there, while yet another rumor had it being turned into a mini-casino.

However, none of those stories are true. The new business will be called Mohawk Internet Technologies, or MIT. Kahnawake is getting into the very fast growing market of Internet service providers.

"There is no financial risk on behalf of the community," states MCK Chief Lloyd Phillips. "Our partners, who are the experts in the industry are taking the financial burden, because they feel that this is something that is ready to explode and be a very profitable industry."

The MCK's partner for this business is the Tobin Group based out of Montreal.
"Even though it's a partnership," expresses MCK Chief Michael Delisle. "It's Mohawk controlled and Mohawk owned."

Within the next few weeks the MCK will be posting approximately 20 jobs for MIT to be filled exclusively by Kahnawakero:non, with $10-$15 per hour starting salary. The jobs will range from receptionist, security, data entry and accountants, to name a few. The MCK will be working closely with KJETA to fill these jobs.

"This will provide jobs, jobs, jobs," states MCK Public Relations Officer Timmy Norton.
According to Chief Delisle, Kahnawake will be the first Native community to get involved in this business.

Chief Phillips added that this is an important point because there are other Native Communities that are looking to jump into this business, and for Kahnawake to be the first in this field is important, because the possibilities are endless.

A major element of the internet industry is to host web sites for companies. Preliminary research has shown that a large number of non-Native businesses would be willing to move their web sites to a Kahnawake based Internet provider to take advantage of MIT's cutting edge technology and Kahnawake's tax status.

MIT will be providing competitive prices for its services, which will be lower because they will be tax free.

The industry is expected to expand even more in the near future with the growing popularity of Web TV. Once Web TV takes hold 95 percent of all households can have access to the Internet. Presently, the only people with Internet access are those with computers.

"There will be concerns of pornography and hate literature," states Chief Delisle. "Our partners have already looked into the software and the hardware necessary to be able to screen the applicants for web space, there will be absolutely no way that anything like that will be provided through Mohawk Internet Technologies."

Renovations will be required for the Ononhkwa building and should begin next week. If all goes according to plan people should be able to surf the 'net by mid-April.

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Community Meeting on Membership
By: Greg Horn

The Elders of Kahnawake held a community meeting on the proposed Membership Code on Tuesday, February 16, with the purpose of getting community involvement and input on the latest draft of the Membership Code. Approximately 200 people were in attendance.

The meeting was opened by "Baba" John Curotte with the Ohento Karihwatekhwa. Paul Deer then introduced the guest chairman of the meeting, Lawrence Francis of Akwesasne.

Francis informed those present of the ground rules in place for this and subsequent meetings. The guidelines for meetings are that they are to start at 7:00 p.m. and should end by 10:00 p.m., everyone present should be respectful towards each other, all meetings should be held in both Mohawk and English, and finally, there should be at least two subsequent meetings, but more can be scheduled if required.

The elders emphasized the underlying theme of the Membership Code is the Great Law. This is why the title of the Membership Code is Entsitehwaha'a:rahne, which means "we will get back to our original path."

They firmly believe it is important for the people of Kahnawake to know the Mohawk language. Many of the elders feel that Mohawk people should have the same passion for their language that the Quebecois have.

The elders also stressed that the current edition of the Membership Code is still in draft form. They stated that the community will have the final say as to how and when the code will be passed. This meeting, and all subsequent meetings, will give the community an opportunity to voice their questions and concerns about all aspects of the Membership Code.

The original plan was to have each section of the Code read and discussed by those present. However, after reading the statement and declaration, numerous questions were brought up and the meeting got off track.

People were given an opportunity to voice their opinions regarding the sections read, and their concerns about the entire membership issue.

Several community members felt some issues in this section were meant to be dealt with by the individuals elected to Council, and others felt they should not be dealt with in the Membership Code.

The section that deals with long-term land leases to non-Natives was of concern to many of those present. They felt the band councillors are elected to deal with this kind of concern and it was not a Membership issue.

Another point raised was that not all the elders in Kahnawake participated in the discussions, and the Code should state that it was developed by a committee of elders.

One community member questioned the legitimacy of the process claiming that the elders were commissioned by, and therefore controlled by the Mohawk Council. An elder responded by saying he would not have participated in the process if it was controlled be the MCK.

One person was of the opinion that the Kaianarehko:wa should not be used in any way, shape or form in the Membership Code and questioned how the Membership Code would lead us back to the Great Law. This point was taken under advisement and the meeting continued.

Most present felt the meeting was successful because it gave people a chance to express their opinions and concerns.

The next meeting on the Membership Code will be held in three weeks time.

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Land claims issue dragging its heels
By: Dan Rosenburg

Through no fault of Kahnawake's Intergovernmental Relations Team, negotiations with the federal government for Sault St. Louis land claims have been slow going. So far it's been one delay after another.

"The legal documents have all been turned over to the government's legal people," says Stuart Phillips, who modestly describes himself as "low man on the IRT totem pole."

The dossier is being negotiated on behalf of the MCK by a team led by Frank Vieni, once a high-ranking official with the Federal Indian Affairs department. When Vieni retired, he jumped to the other side of the fence in 1994, first as a consultant, and then as a negotiator for the MCK.

"Frank saw that the problem of Sault St. Louis was a thorn in everybody's side so he approached the Council and they said yes," says Phillips, who two weeks later was recruited by then-Councilor Billy Two Rivers to join the negotiating team.

"Frank asked me a bunch of questions," Phillips recalled, "When I finished answering them, he said 'You know more history than I do' and he hired me on the spot."

With Vieni's contacts and Phillips' inherent knowledge of Sault St. Louis history and geography, they seemed like a perfect tandem. "But if it weren't for Frank, we wouldn't be where we are today," lauds Phillips.

And where, exactly, are they today?

"We had six meetings with the federal representatives and I believe we convinced them that we have valid claims," says Phillips. "All the documents were handed in to the federal government early last fall and they said they'd get back to us." The IRT and MCK are still waiting.

"Frank is checking with a few of his former federal colleagues to discuss details, but the meeting always gets postponed," Phillips reports. "Things were supposed to happen last December but didn't. Then they put it back to late January and nothing happened. Now it's February and we're still hoping. We're playing a waiting game. I guess it will come eventually."

Phillips says the outcome is "vital to our (Kahnawake's) future." Although the boundary line between Kahnawake and Chateauguay is clearly defined on the map, Phillips contends it was never accurately delineated just where the border is situated between Laprairie and Kahnawake.

In addition, he points out that when Jesuit priests claimed Indian land from the Natives back in the 17th and 18th centuries, only one signature was obtained instead of the mandatory two. "The Intendant signed but the Governor never gave his okay," Phillips says. "That means the Jesuits got the land illegally."

The Kahnawake land claims date back to 1680 when the reserve obtained its first land grant and when the Chateauguay River was called "Riviere du Loup" (Wolf River). "The name was later changed when someone discovered there was another Riviere du Loup north of Quebec City," Phillips explains.

"On the other side was Riviere des Tortues (Turtle River)," Phillips recalls. "Medicine people were represented in our folklore as the bear, which also means land. It's more than a small coincidence that the three Mohawk clans are the wolf, the turtle and the bear."

The land claims touch such municipalities as St-Constant, Ste-Catherine, St-Mathieu, Delson, Candiac, St-Philippe and, to an extent, Chateauguay. Naturally, Kahnawake is not seeking to drive those inhabitants off the land but monetary compensation is being sought.

While Vieni has other IRT duties, Phillips is sticking exclusively to the land claims issue.
"Since I'm retired, I do this in my spare time," Phillips says. "It keeps my mind busy and helps me stay young."

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LaSalle Mayor sees crisis "paranoia" subsiding
By: Dan Rosenburg 04a.mayer.gif (23047 bytes)

For LaSalle Mayor Michel Leduc, the paranoia related to the Oka Crisis of 1990 is over as far as he personally is concerned.

"I'm cured," he said, "But it may take awhile for others. We can't change attitudes overnight. A lot of paranoia developed then, and it takes time to go away. The after-effects of the Crisis don't just disappear with the flip of a finger."

Leduc recalls that relations between LaSalle and Kahnawake in 1990 "were not funny. The event that took place when LaSalle citizens blocked the Mercier Bridge, leading to a stone-throwing episode, did not present too nice an image for us, especially when TV footage of that event was shown Canada-wide."

According to Leduc, an outgrowth of this ugly incident occurred early in 1991 "when bullets landed on our side of the river. One was retrieved in a car and another in the basement of a house. That was the most important problem I had to deal with at the time."

So Leduc took action. He filed a writ of mandamus, forcing Public Security Minister Claude Ryan to intervene in the matter. "It was a special type of legal procedure that was very uncommon," Leduc remembers. "Mr. Ryan didn't like what I did, but our citizens were up in arms - in the figurative sense of the word - and I had to do something. We had to ask three judges before one finally accepted (to file the writ).

"The writ gave the Public Security Minister discretionary powers on the manner in which the law is applied," Leduc recollects. "As a politician, I was telling my citizens that I had gone as far as I could go legally."

However, Leduc says he had far better success with another of his brainstorms. That comparatively innocent-looking measure was simply called "breakfast."

Breakfast at Tiffany's? you ask. Not quite. Breakfast at Pacini's is more like it.
"I invited Kahnawake Grand Chief Joe Norton to breakfast to discuss the gunshot problem," Leduc recounts, "and he accepted. He was not exactly Mr. Smiley, mind you, so this will not be remembered as the social event of the year.

"We had breakfast while I outlined my problem," Leduc relived the February 1991 encounter. "I told him it was impossible for me not to do something about this and, I can assure you, there were no happy faces at the table. It was a short meeting because Mr. Smiley doesn't chat a lot.

"Although he seemed to have what we francophones call 'a wooden tongue' at first, the conversation became friendlier as time went on. When we left the restaurant, I had a strong feeling our discussions had done some good. As a result, the stray bullets stopped flying almost immediately."

The Mayor believes he learned a valuable lesson from this experience. "I decided that if I ever have problems with Mohawks from Kahnawake in future, I will go directly to him. I would either telephone him or meet him in person."

There have been no major bones of contention since, "but whenever our paths cross, we wave to each other," Leduc says.

Since then, Leduc says he has become a frequent unofficial visitor to Kahnawake. "I own a summer home in Valleyfield and I travel back and forth using the OCR," he admits. "I find this natural and I never considered it dangerous.

"When I come back from Valleyfield Monday morning to go to work in LaSalle, I always take the OCR and I wave at the watchman (Siki Two Rivers) as I go by. I even buy raffle tickets for his church."

Apparently, someone forgot to inform the Mayor that "Mr. Smiley" does not want the OCR being used as a shortcut to the Mercier Bridge.

Leduc was born in Chateauguay in 1941. "My mother told me I was delivered by an Indian doctor named Dr. Williams," he recalls. "My godmother was a Metis and her mother was born in White River with Native characteristics.

"Therefore I've never been prejudiced (against Natives); just the opposite," Leduc said. "But in 1990 I started from scratch. Bad feelings built up inside of me, but I think that was normal. These sentiments disappeared quickly after the (Crisis) problems were over."

Leduc is well aware of the fact that many Mohawks are currently living in LaSalle. "In addition, a lot of people from Kahnawake come here to shop or to be entertained," he points out, "partly because LaSalle is the closest city to the reserve from the island of Montreal. We've had no problems with these Natives in the past and I hope there will be no problems in the future.

"So far it's taken us nearly 10 years to get rid of the paranoia," Leduc summed up, "and something like that takes a long time. But the sooner, the better!"

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Williams off to Houston to work for NASA
By: Greg Horn 01a.spacegirl.jpg (13103 bytes)

Tara Williams, 24, of Chateauguay is going to Houston, Texas, to work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Williams has been offered a job as a biomedical engineer with Wyle Laboratories, based in Houston, which is a subcontractor for NASA.

Williams' grandfather was Dr. Kenneth (Igniatius) Karoniaktatie Williams of Kahnawake. Dr. Williams had received his M.D. from the University of Montreal in the 1920's. After receiving his medical degree his family had a party to celebrate this momentous occasion. The very next day the Indian Agent told him he had to leave Kahnawake and that he was no longer Mohawk. The reason for this was that according to Indian Act policies at the time, no Native person was allowed to be a professional. As soon as Dr. Williams got his medical degree, he was no longer entitled to rights as a Native.

Over the years, though, Dr. Williams worked in Kahnawake and had delivered many babies in the community. He retired from the Kateri Hospital in 1975 at the age of 73. Then on February 10, 1976, Dr. Williams passed away.

Now, his granddaughter Tara is following in his footsteps. The tale of how Tara received the job in Houston is actually quite interesting. If ever there was an instance of being in the right place at the right time, this is one.

Tara was on a trip to Moscow with her best friend late last year. While in Moscow, she met some people with the Russian Space Agency and NASA, who were working on components to the International Space Station. She then began asking if there were any positions available for a biologist at NASA. This is because Tara had received a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Montreal in 1997 and had not been working in her field. Once she got back from Moscow, she began e-mailing the people that she had met on her trip to see what type of job opportunities were available. She then sent them a copy of her resume by e-mail, so they could see what her qualifications were. Obviously the response was positive.

"I did a phone interview in December," stated the ecstatic Williams. "They then called me down for a real interview on January 26. I got back from Houston on January 28 and on the 29th they called and made me a job offer."

Williams starts her new job on Monday, February 22 and left for Houston yesterday. She will be a Biomedical Engineer for Wyle Laboratories, which is a subcontractor for NASA.

Just what is a Biomedical Engineer, one might ask? One of her duties will require her to be in direct contact with the Shuttle and the astronauts. Her job will be to monitor and make sure that the health of the astronauts is not in danger. For each flight of the Space Shuttle a team is assigned to monitor the crew.

She will not be assigned to any flights within the next year though. Williams will be receiving training for her new job over the next 12 months.

Williams says she is extremely excited about her move south and the opportunity to work in her chosen field.

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Baby Tehosteriens was literally in a hurry
By: Dan Rosenburg baby_Tehosteriens.jpg (18607 bytes)

Do you believe in miracles?

Chellie Goodleaf and Wes Deer of Kahnawake had an excellent reason for naming their premature baby boy Tehosteriens.

"His name means 'He's in a hurry' in Mohawk," explains his mother. The baby was in a rush, all right. Due to first see the light on Jan. 9 past, he surfaced three minutes before midnight last Sept. 25 instead. He weighed three ounces shy of two pounds.

This puts Tehosteriens in a unique situation. "His birth certificate reads Sept. 25 but his medical records say Jan. 9," explains his mother. "His development starts on the due date. Usually the mother carries a child for 38 weeks, but I only carried my son for 24 weeks and five days. So he's five months old with a 'corrected age' of five weeks. Ten years ago he would have died because we didn't have the medicine and technology to keep him alive.

"Also, 10 years ago it was 50-50 that if he had survived, he'd have had learning disabilities or mental handicaps. It seems that only a small percentage didn't have any. Now the odds are better. But my husband and I said we'd take him any way we could get him."

Goodleaf says that when she registers her son for school "I'll have to explain his background. They'll have to test him to see if he's ready. At the beginning he'll be four months behind. Then he'll catch up."

Goodleaf also has a 12-year-old daughter named Jeci who attends seventh grade at the Kahnawake Survival School. "She was an only child for 12 years so she had a hard time with this at first," Goodleaf reports. "But as soon as she saw her brother, she was okay."
As one might expect, childbirth was not exactly a smooth procedure for Goodleaf this time around. "I spent one week at the Anna Laberge Hospital in Chateauguay for hemorrhaging and contractions," she recalls. "They sent me home on a Thursday night. The following night I started contractions three to four minutes apart."

When the contractions went down to one minute, a couple of friends drove her back to the Chateauguay hospital. "There they had to give me two injections. One was to lessen the contractions to five minutes apart and the other was to help the baby's lungs function so he'd have an easier time breathing."

After that Goodleaf was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital by ambulance, accompanied by a nurse. "But my water broke when we hit some bumps on the Mercier Bridge," she reports. "So the nurse started to get ready for the delivery. She held my legs to delay his arrival. But the ambulance driver didn't quite make it to the hospital on time. The baby's head popped out before we got there.

"Then, as the ambulance pulled into the parking lot and the doors were opened, the baby's whole body popped out. They bundled him up on my chest and hustled us upstairs.

"I remember 30 people running in and out of my room," Goodleaf recalls. "It was wild and crazy. Nobody knew we were coming, so they weren't prepared. The baby wasn't breathing for the first few minutes so CPR was needed to revive him. Was it scary? Well, it wasn't funny then, but we can laugh about it now."

Goodleaf says her husband was with her the whole time and "it was terrifying for both of us. Even the nurse who delivered him cried when she left. A doctor who was on his way home dressed in a suit and tie was grabbed off the elevator and had to scrub up. But the baby was already born when he arrived."

According to Quebec law, a nurse cannot officially deliver a baby. "As a result, the doctor wanted to receive credit for it," Goodleaf recollects. "He argued about it but finally gave in and the nurse got full recognition."
The baby spent 122 days in the neo-natal intensive care unit because of a heart murmur common in premature cases. When his weight dropped to one pound, he underwent heart surgery at the Montreal Children's Hospital.

"As a result, his progress turned completely around and he became a totally different baby," reports the proud mom. "He passed all brain ultra sounds and chest x-rays for respiratory problems. Everything turned out perfectly. Even the hospital staff kept reminding us how lucky we are that there were no complications.

"We brought him home with caffeine to stimulate him because he sometimes goes into a deep sleep where he seems to stop breathing," Goodleaf says. "We hook him up to the caffeine while he's asleep. We've been told that forgetting to breathe is a sign of some premature babies, but most outgrow it."

The baby's progress is being monitored by computer once a month for the next six months. To protect him from the common cold, he's being given a monthly Synagis vaccination at $100 a shot. The medication was just FDA-approved last June. "Now he just has to grow and control his breathing," says his mother.

Of course, Tehosteriens' parents and sister aren't his only beaming relatives these days. Also pleased as punch are his grandparents, Wanda and Walter Deer, and Merrick and Marina Goodleaf.

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