The City of Montreal has implemented a new financial aid program for small, independent music venues, theatres and other performance spaces that are “facing economic and operational challenges that threaten their sustainability,” as Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante explained.

There are approximately 60 venues in the city with the audience capacity to qualify for this program, which is intended for spaces with fewer than 1,000 seats and that host a minimum of 35 shows per year. The city is investing a total of $855,757, to be distributed through the PME, as part of its Nightlife Policy. Individual venues can receive $40,000, while groups of eligible venues can apply for $100,000.

Alia Hassan-Cournol, a member of the city’s executive committee, explained that the program (which opens in March) will allow venues to consolidate business plans, increase attendance, diversify programming, improve marketing and promote the pooling of inter-venue resources.

This news follows the controversial closure of la Tulipe last fall following years of noise complaints from a neighbouring building, subsequent fines and a Quebec court order to silence the music venue’s sound system.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

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Quebec is still digging out from record-breaking back-to-back storms, with schools in some parts of the province closed. Most schools in Montreal, however, are open despite the abundance of snow and many sidewalks not being cleared.

Streaming guide JustWatch has revealed the top 10 TV shows streaming in Canada. Topping the charts is black comedy drama series The White Lotus — starring Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan and Walton Goggins, among others — which is streaming in Canada via Crave.

“A group of travellers arrive at a luxurious resort in Thailand. Among them are longtime friends reuniting for a girls’ trip, an older man accompanied by his much younger girlfriend, and a wealthy family. As their stories intertwine, unexpected revelations and mysterious events unfold, transforming their getaway into an unforgettable experience.”

In second and third place are Paradise (Disney+) and Severance (Apple TV+).

For previous updates on the most popular movies and TV shows streaming in Canada right now, please click here.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit our Film & TV section.

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Last December, the Quebec government announced plans to investigate an alleged toxic climate at Montreal’s Vanier and Dawson colleges in connection with the latest Israel-Hamas war. A teachers’ union is denouncing how the province is conducting that investigation.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Quebec’s long-term care system is facing a funding crisis that could force the closure of 1,200 beds in private subsidized CHSLDs, exacerbating an already strained healthcare network. Annick Lavoie, Director General of the Association des établissements privés conventionnés (AEPC), warns that without immediate government action, seniors will bear the brunt of the financial shortfall.

Lavoie explained in an interview that the issue stems from years of inadequate budget indexation for essential goods such as food and cleaning supplies. “Over the past five years, our budget for essentials like food and cleaning supplies has fallen behind by about 12 per cent,” she said. While funding for direct healthcare services remains stable, facilities are struggling to maintain day-to-day operational standards.

The impact is already being felt in CHSLDs, where cleaning protocols and food quality have been affected. “During COVID-19, we cleaned three times a day,” Lavoie noted. “Now, we may only be able to do it once because we simply don’t have the budget for the supplies and manpower.”

Food services are another area being compromised. With the rising cost of fresh produce, some homes may have to turn to canned alternatives. “Instead of fresh vegetables and fruit, we may have to rely on canned goods,” Lavoie said. “It’s unfortunate because fresh food is more nutritious and tastes better.”

According to a press release signed by Lavoie and AEPC board president Stéphane Roy, the financial instability is the result of a long-standing underfunding issue. The organization has been urging the Quebec government to revise its funding model for years, warning that failure to act will lead to serious consequences for both seniors and the broader healthcare system. The AEPC argues that private subsidized CHSLDs provide the same services as public facilities, employing unionized staff under identical conditions, yet they are being left to struggle financially.

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L’article Quebec’s private long-term care homes risk closing 1,200 beds est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

Congregation to continue services

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Trinity United Church in Cookshire has been sold to Espace culturel Cookshire-Eaton, a non-profit organization founded by local businessman and philanthropist Gilles Denis. The sale ensures the historic church, built in 1863, will remain a community landmark and continue to host both religious services and cultural events.

Don Parsons, one of the church’s trustees, confirmed the sale and emphasized that it was a necessary step for the aging congregation. “We’ve been talking about it for a while, and we got permission from the United Church of Canada to sell it, if we had the opportunity,” he said.

Denis, who has supported the church for decades, first became involved in 1998 when Trinity United received $63,000 in restoration funds from the Quebec government. “We had to spend about $100,000 in total on repairs, including fixing the steeple and putting on a new roof,” Parsons explained. Denis played a key role in the restoration efforts, helping the church secure additional funding and suggesting fundraising initiatives, such as concerts. Over the years, his commitment to preserving the church remained strong, culminating in his recent offer to purchase the property.

The sale is a financial relief for the church community, which has struggled to maintain the building. In 2020, an oil spill required a costly cleanup, and ongoing repairs—including work on the bell tower and interior staircase—presented an additional burden. “We’re an older congregation. Our youngest member is around 65, and it’s getting harder to maintain the church,” Parsons said.

Denis’s offer was within the range recommended by real estate evaluations. The United Church of Canada initially suggested seeking a slightly higher price, but after negotiations, an agreement was reached. The transaction, facilitated as a private sale by real estate agent Terri Goodsell, is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

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L’article Cookshire’s Trinity United Church sold to local cultural organization est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

With cars, driveways and sidewalks buried, people tried to clear the snow as best they could. The city says the cleanup is expected to take about eight days.

L’article Brome County News, February 18, 2025 est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

Montreal’s international airport officials say delays should be expected Monday as diverted flights are expected after a plane crash in Toronto.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has issued a statement about the impending snow removal operation in the wake of the “historic” 74 cm of snow that the city has received since last Thursday. According to Plante, this is Montreal’s biggest snowfall in such a short period since the 1950s.

The city continues to recommend working from home and limiting travel (if possible), and has suspended garbage pickup for one week to facilitate the ongoing snow removal operation.

Plante thanked city workers for their efforts to clear snow so far, and reassured the public that the situation is being dealt with.

“I realize that this is not easy for many people. I know that the daily lives of many citizens have been turned upside down. Please know that our snow removal teams are on the ground and working tirelessly to restore traffic and fluidity on our streets. I want to reassure you: we are doing everything in our power to deal with this exceptional situation.”

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

The post Montreal has received a ‘historic’ 74 cm of snow since last Thursday appeared first on Cult MTL.

The city says the sheer volume of snow has stalled snow-clearing efforts and garbage pickup. Here’s what you need to know.

BermudAir has announced that they will be launching nonstop flights from Montreal to Bermuda this summer.

Flights between Montreal and Bermuda will take place year-round on Thursdays and Sundays starting June 12, with a choice of Business or Economy class travel. Holidays packages are being offered by BermudAir Holidays.

BermudAir founder and CEO Adam Scott commented on the news in a press release.

“We are proud to expand our Canadian footprint with the introduction of nonstop flights from Montreal. This new route offers Quebecers an effortless gateway to reach Bermuda’s unmatched hospitality, rich heritage and breathtaking natural beauty.”

For more on the direct flight from Montreal to Bermuda, please visit the BermudAir website.

For our latest in travel, please visit the News section.

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The back-to-back major snow dumps in Quebec have made life difficult for commuters. But for avid skiers and winter sports enthusiasts, the heavy snowfall was great news.

The following is a capsule review of the Montreal restaurant La Spada. To read the 2025 Montreal Restaurant Guide, please click here.

La Spada

Located smack dab on the exhilarating route that is Notre-Dame W., La Spada has welcomed not only its Saint-Henri neighbours but friends outside the city to its Italian dining experience, care of chef Steve Marcone. The portions are sizeable, which feels right. Classic Roman dishes (carbonara, suppli, etc.) are served alongside a series of elevated cocktails (I tried my first Pomodoro Martini there — a delight). Just don’t stay too late. My friends live upstairs. (3580 Notre-Dame W.)

For more on La Spada and to make a reservation, please visit their website.

For more on the food and drink scene in Montreal, please visit the Food & Drink section.

The post Montreal Restaurant Guide: La Spada appeared first on Cult MTL.

Montreal's Réseau express métropolitain, better known as the REM, has stopped in both directions.

Many schools across Quebec have called off classes as crews continue to clear out snow during blizzard conditions.

A Montreal rabbi is speaking out after she found antisemitic vandalism at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, a synagogue in Westmount.

Considering that he has written, produced, directed, voiced, acted and even had starring roles in more high-profile TV shows and films than even his biggest fans could possibly remember, it’s a testament to David Cross’s artistic integrity that he is still best known for stand-up. 

The Brooklyn-dwelling talent is not only one of the most enduring comedians of any generation, but also one of the most consistently hilarious. 

By the time Cross brings his new stand-up show, The End of the Beginning of the End, to Montreal at Théâtre Beanfield on March 6, he’ll have added another role to his lengthy resumé. In early February, he made his Broadway debut as a member of the rotating cast of All In: Comedy About Love by novelist and SNL writing alum Simon Rich. 

We spoke to David Cross by phone last month to discuss the new show, his stop on Broadway and his approach to podcasting, and asked for tips on how to stay sanely informed in 2025. 

Darcy MacDonald: First, please tell me about the Broadway show.

David Cross: It’s a limited-run show with a rotating cast of four people performing humour-based pieces by Simon Rich. We’re all up on stage and we all interact with each other. But it’s not like a stage thing with blackouts and different characters and upstage, downstage stuff and all that. There’s nothing really “Broadway” about it, but it is on Broadway.

DM: Even though it’s not a huge Broadway spectacle, this is your first time on Broadway. Was this something you ever aspired to do?

David Cross: I mean, in the background, sure. It wasn’t something that I thought about every day or every week or every month. But if it occurred, that’d be cool. Why not? So in that sense, it’s pretty cool. Get to check that one off the list, you know?

DM: Closer and closer to that EGOT every single day.

David Cross: Ah, yeah! Then I can retire happily, and do a Chase Capital One ad. 

DM: I just checked out your podcast, Senses Working Overtime. It strikes me that we live in such an age of noise that I didn’t even know you were doing one. 

David Cross: I mean, I didn’t even know I had a podcast until halfway through.

DM: Oh, good. What a relief. But it looks like you’re having a good time.

David Cross: I am! I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t. I mean, it’s not important to me. There’s nothing about it that is particularly…oh, I don’t know, worthwhile. But I do think it’s fun just to have funny, sometimes interesting, sometimes edifying conversations with various people.

And that was the intent, really. To have a lighthearted — although sometimes it does get serious — entertaining hour of conversation with guests that (an audience) might not necessarily be aware of. But it’s just a podcast. It’s not anything you need to listen to.

DM: By the same token, that’s kind of why I like a good podcast. With everything going on in the world, how do you keep your mind clear?

David Cross: I don’t ever want to keep my mind totally clear. I want to be informed. And I don’t want to filter out all the garbage. 

I don’t really ever watch, you know, mainstream media, because it’s a filtered corporate view of the news.

A great example of that, which I was reading about this morning (showed) screenshots of like, nine different headlines about how Trump offered a quote “buyout”  to the federal employees that he fired.

So somebody was writing about how this is not a buyout, and explained what a buyout is in regular business language. And it’s not severance pay. And if you’re required to work, then it’s called something else. But, you know, they put out “buyout” and everybody went, “It’s a buyout!”

So people look at it and go, “Well, that’s not so bad. He’s giving them eight months’ salary to stay at home!” And that’s not what (federal employees) are asking for or want. So it’s not a buyout.

And that’s one tiny example of a million examples. So I don’t really look to (corporate media) for my news.

I try to keep it to about four sources as opposed to 12, which I used to (have) when I was more of a news junkie. And I’m not on social media. I haven’t been for a long time. And so that helps.

I do maybe about an hour of due diligence in the morning and read up on things. And I make sure my sources are trustworthy. And then I go about my day, you know?

DM: So where do you get your news?

David Cross: I have a couple of sources. Jedd Legum’s Popular Information and Talking Points Memo are two. Also, The Intercept, and Heather Cox Richardson. And they all sublink to other things, too. I subscribe to Ken Klippenstein’s Substack. Those are the main ones. For information about what’s happening in the trans community, I’ll log on to Erin in the Morning.

DM: Do you consider yourself a student of American history?

David Cross: No, not really. Only in contextual terms. But I would argue that you probably know more about American history than Americans, because you weren’t educated in an American school.

Here, you learn when you’re a kid that George Washington could not tell a lie. He chopped down the cherry tree. 

Or that Abraham Lincoln walked a mile or five miles to return a penny that he was overpaid or something. You have all these myths and that’s just when you’re a kid. Then it continues on and you’re just a sucker for life.

DM: What can fans look forward to at The End of the Beginning of the End?

David Cross: I’ve been doing it since September. Oddly, and it’s just a coincidence, but it’s less political than usual, although that may change now that Trump’s in office. 

There’s one long, like 30-minute anecdotal story that takes up a chunk of time. Every bit of it is true and it’s a very fun story to tell about an awkward situation I found myself in. And it has nothing to do with politics. So that’s a big chunk of the set.

And then there’s all kinds of other stuff. You know, I talk about slavery and fun stuff like that. Abortion — got some real rib-ticklers there! And a lot of other silly, goofy shit. It’s been great so far. I do it because I love to do it. I’m looking forward to getting up there, and I love Montreal.

DM: Do you have a favourite Montreal memory?

David Cross: I’ll tell you what, it was the very first time I ever went there. I would have been in my mid to late 20s, I guess. It was, I believe, my first time outside of the U.S. I played at Jimbo’s, a comedy club that was this tiny little upstairs. 

It was the fucking best. It sat maybe 70 people. I did really well there at a time when I wasn’t doing that well everywhere. Jim (Skomorowski), the owner, was awesome. He really took care of the comedians. It was a great experience.

Then, surrounding that, was being in this foreign country and a very foreign city, at least for an American. So my fondest and most specific memory is going to — and I don’t know if I’m pronouncing this correctly — Foufounes Electriques. I was blown away by that place. Like, ‘This is the coolest bar I’ve ever been in! There’s secret rooms and there’s mosh pits!’ I just was in heaven. I had just been walking around and found this place.

And then to cap off an already great evening, having never even heard of it, I had my first poutine. I went fucking nuts. It was very memorable. 

Since then, I’ve been back a million times, but that first experience was pretty special. To go have a killer set in a different country, then discover this bar that’s just the best thing ever. And then to have poutine for the first time. It was just a magical night for a person like me. ■

David Cross’s The End of the Beginning of the End comes to Théâtre Beanfield (2490 Notre-Dame W.) on Thursday, March 6, 8 p.m., $59–$70

For more Montreal comedy coverage, please visit the Comedy section.

The post David Cross on corporate news, American myths and Montreal memories appeared first on Cult MTL.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Lennoxville Borough Councillor Guillaume Lirette-Gélinas says progress is steady on key citizen concerns following the latest Citizen Assembly held on Feb. 12. The meeting, attended by seven residents in person, covered transportation, traffic safety, and participatory budgeting, with discussions centring on both ongoing initiatives and new proposals. While three individuals registered to attend via Zoom, none ultimately joined the session.

Among the key follow-ups, Lirette-Gélinas reported in a Feb. 15 interview that efforts to reduce speed limits in residential areas are moving forward. “I brought the file to the commission of security at town hall,” he said. The city is now working on a proposal to lobby the provincial government for more authority to lower speed limits to 30 km/h in residential areas. Meanwhile, a city-supported citizen campaign encouraging drivers to observe a 40 km/h limit is showing promising results. “The average reduction so far is five kilometres per hour,” Lirette-Gélinas noted. He also confirmed that Mitchell Street traffic remains a concern, with the assembly requesting a new evaluation and potential speed bump installations. While some residents are advocating for this measure, others, including a community member who attended the meeting, pointed out that speed bumps could complicate snow removal.

Public transportation was another major topic, with Lirette-Gélinas detailing a pilot project in collaboration with local Councillor Laure Letarte-Lavoie, adapting a model from Saint-Élie for Lennoxville. If approved, the 2026 project would introduce on-demand transit with small buses operating during peak hours. “This would serve isolated areas like Huntingville and Viewpoint, but also Oxford Crescent, where seniors lost a key bus stop,” he said. The assembly is still debating whether the service should operate with fixed stops or direct-to-door pickup. While some participants expressed support for the latter, others raised concerns about its feasibility and potential cost.

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L’article Citizen engagement at the heart of latest Lennoxville assembly est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

A snowmobiler was killed in a crash in Quebec's Charlevoix region, northeast of Quebec City, Saturday.

Environment Canada has just issued a blizzard warning for Montreal, with quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions due to rapidly accumulating snow.

Montrealers are being advised to limit their outdoor activities.

“Blizzard warnings are issued when widespread reduced visibilities of 400 metres or less are expected for at least 4 hours. Protect yourself from wind, cold and disorientation by staying sheltered, indoors or in your vehicle.”

For the latest weather updates, please visit the Weather Network.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

The post Blizzard warning issued for Montreal: “Limit outdoor activities” appeared first on Cult MTL.

About 40 cm of snow are expected to fall on Montreal by Monday morning, according to Environment Canada.

Heavy snowfall pummelled parts of Ontario and Quebec on Sunday in the second severe storm of the week. Meanwhile, people in parts of Western Canada experienced extreme cold for a third day. And, another storm rolled into the Maritimes, bringing heavy snow and icy conditions that were expected to last into Monday.

Montreal’s MainLine Theatre, one of only three English theatres left on the island, is closing and its organizers are searching for a new venue.

Tthe return of real winter weather has been a boon for ice fishers, who are able to explore frozen waterways that have been off limits in recent years — even as they wonder how long it will last.

Demonstrators gathered in Montreal Saturday to protest Amazon's decision to shutter its seven warehouses in Quebec and lay off workers, including at what was Canada's only unionized Amazon facility.

Quebec's Laurie St-Georges set a Scotties Tournament of Hearts record for the most stolen ends in a game with seven in an 8-2 win over Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes on Saturday in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for all of southern and central Quebec. The warning is also in effect in the upper Mauricie and Saguenay—Lac Saint-Jean areas, the Gaspé Peninsula, and the North Shore east of Quebec City.

An 18-year-old man died on Saturday in an apartment building fire in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, in the Laurentians, provincial police announced.

Despite the Gaza ceasefire, students say there is still division on campus as protests and vandalism continue to be seen on university grounds.

A year ago, then Gatineau mayor France Bélisle abruptly resigned, citing a hostile political climate. This week she has spoken out, offering more details of her complaints about municipal politics in Quebec. 

A group set up to shed light on the abuse faced by children at a residential school in Six Nations has been left with no options to fund its continued operations, after the federal government said it will no longer provide financial support to the organization.

The Survivor’s Secretariat was established in 2021 to investigate what happened at the Mohawk Institute, the longest operating residential school in Canada. Around 15,000 children are believed to have gone through the Mohawk Institute between 1828 and 1970 – including at least 37 children from Kahnawake and three from Kanesatake.

The group has in the past been supported by the Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund, provided by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), but had faced radio silence on the status of their funding applications in recent months.

The Secretariat say that it’s been borderline impossible to make contact with the federal government concerning funding matters since spring 2024, and the organization’s activities had already been impacted by the lack of funding, having been forced to release four staff in the last six months and pause all but one contract with external providers who assist in the research.

Secretariat lead Laura Arndt said that all came to a worst-case conclusion on January 22 at 12:16 a.m. when she received an email with a letter from CIRNAC that was dated December 20, 2024, more than a month earlier.

That five-page letter, according to Arndt, stated that the Secretariat would be receiving $0 from Canada, and that according to their records, the group had a $4.2 million surplus – something that Arndt said is particularly insulting as the group faces the reality that they will be unable to continue their operations due to a lack of money.

“I read the letter probably a dozen times between 12:16 a.m. and four o’clock in the morning,” Arndt said. 

Part of the $4.2 million surplus that Canada claims is due to CIRNAC retroactively disallowing expenses, including activities the Secretariat organized for events like National Indigenous Peoples Day.

“They said we can’t use the fund, and it talked about curriculum activities and payments in advance, but they didn’t explain what any of it was,” Arndt said. “Our letter back to them was, ‘Okay, we don’t understand how you came to this amount can you please provide a detailed accounting of what was disallowed so that we can respond to it?’ And we’ve heard nothing since.”

Some of that $4.2 million comes from an almost $2.5 million carryover that the Secretariat was already aware of, which they had expected to receive in the spring of last year to fund their work on a commemoration wall, as well as data sovereignty work on archives. Arndt said they instead received it in December, too late to fund the groundwork, which ultimately had to be paused. That money was therefore used to cover the organization’s operational costs, already in the red due to a lack of funding. 

Now, Arndt said CIRNAC wants the Secretariat to fund itself with $4.2 million that they say they don’t have.

“If we did things in such violation of protocols or agreements, something so egregious and so bad that there’s $1.7 million expenditures, don’t you think somebody should have been in touch before now?” Arndt said. 

Arndt said that CIRNAC is disallowing expenses retroactively, going back to 2021 when the Secretariat was first started, even though the group has submitted audited financial reports annually. She feels that CIRNAC raising issues with expenses so far after they were submitted is in part to do with what she perceives as a lack of stability within the department.

“I’m at, I think, 31 government officials who’ve touched our file in three years. Every time I turn around, the people we were dealing with were being replaced because they were leaving the job, and we were being consistent on our side,” Arndt said. “I think part of what Canada really needs to think about is how has their oversight and management of this program created the situation we’re in right now?”

CIRNAC did not respond to The Eastern Door’s request for comment on the issues raised by Arndt in time for deadline but did state in a previous request from January 29 that all requests are assessed based on the criteria provided to communities and organizations.

Without funding, the Secretariat will be forced to shutter its doors, putting an end to the work that they’ve done to reveal the truth of what happened at the Mohawk Institute.

The news has hit board members, who are all survivors of the Institute, particularly hard.

“Being with the Survivor’s Secretariat, being this close with other survivors and sharing what we have has given me the strength to live through the trauma, because I never talked about this for 63 years,” said Diane Hill, who is from Six Nations and had just turned seven when she was taken to the Institute. 

“I was pummelled by an adult my first night because I was crying for my mom. Every day there was a nightmare.”

Fellow board member Roberta Hill, also a survivor of the school from Six Nations, said that the government’s reluctance to fund projects like the Survivor’s Secretariat is a way to sweep the truth of Canada’s history under the rug. 

“It’s a cover-up by the government. They don’t want to have to explain what Canada was doing,” said Roberta, who was six when she went to the Institute.

“They knew what was going on. Don’t tell me that they don’t know where we were as kids.”

Cutting funding will make it immeasurably harder to uncover the truth about the Mohawk Institute, and further traumatize survivors, their families and communities of those who didn’t make it home.

“You’re breaking promises to people that you abused and tried to wipe off the planet,” Arndt said. “And you’re breaking them again, even when you said you would never do this to them again.”

Despite facing closure, those involved in the organization say they’re determined to push back against CIRNAC, and to continue investigating the Institute.

“They look at us today as these old people, we were little innocent kids when this was happening, but we’re here today to say we’re not going away, we’re asking for answers, and we want the truth to be told,” Roberta said. 

“I’m not giving up. I haven’t got all my answers as to what was done, and we deserve it. They owe it to us.”

 [email protected]

The latest Mohawk Council of Kahnawake communications move? Let’s just say it has something in common with 200 cubic metres of raw sewage.

Just last week we had to fight for days to try to protect an ordinary community member from a barrage of mean-spirited comments just for submitting a residency application, which for some reason was allowed to become an MCK Facebook page free-for-all.

The way it went down made things plenty clear: when it comes to sticking up for a hard-working community member with special needs, moderating scornful comments takes the utmost of measured consideration – that is, it stays up until someone takes the time spell it out for them: l-a-t-e-r-a-l v-i-o-l-e-n-c-e.

With all the talk from the MCK the past couple of years about lateral violence directed at chiefs – people who signed up for the job and who wield power – their ear should be better attuned when bullying is directed at someone else.

Make no mistake, bullying is never acceptable, but the MCK needs to do better when punching down happens on their watch.

Instead, they’ve shown they are most concerned about the community’s treatment of themselves.

In one recent instance, a couple harsh comments directed at a chief was promptly deleted. Yet they are hesitant to protect an ordinary, innocent community member?

It’s hypocrisy, pure and simple.

Here’s a case in point – what happens when their own press release gets negative feedback, in this case for a Council decision of community importance for which the MCK should be accountable?

That’s right, a communique issued last Friday informing the community of an intention to dump 200 cubic metres of untreated sewage into the St. Lawrence River was quickly withdrawn, but not before community members piled on with their thoughts on the plan. Was it because of all the negativity the MCK received on the post?

It certainly seems like it, because it felt like a bait and switch when things got too hot.

We did notice one difference between the original press release and the one posted hours later: The original said “The MCK has submitted a request for a permit from Environment and Climate Change Canada,” but this paragraph is nowhere to be found in the updated version.

Was this removed because it’s not true? Was it removed because it shows who MCK believes calls the shots? Was it because they did submit a permit but didn’t need to, making them look incompetent?

According to Public Works, MCK isn’t requesting but rather notifying the federal government of its plans, with Council claiming jurisdiction over the waters. So why wasn’t the community notified in the re-post? Is it because they’re not willing to put their money where their mouth is if the government says no?

Whatever the reason, what we know for sure is that the post was deleted and reposted hours later with a blank slate of comments, and the community didn’t get an explanation why.

Speaking of hypocrisy, wasn’t the MCK one of the most outspoken groups when Montreal decided to dump sewage in 2015, even if that was two billion gallons of the dirty stuff? Now Council are the ones who are saying we’re dumping this, environmental harms be damned.

The bottom line is if you’re going to take a stand and say dumping untreated sewage harms the environment and isn’t acceptable, you need to explain clearly what is going to be done and why, and whether there are any alternatives, and an evaluation of the harms – that’s a start.

Instead, what the community got was an MCK chief appearing in the comments to say he didn’t even know about a plan to dump sewage and that he’s going to look into it, only to later clarify that it was discussed at Council, but that he doesn’t know if he was there and might be drawing a blank. He’s also one of the chiefs on the environment portfolio.

Really? At least he didn’t delete his comments.

Well, the story keeps changing. Now we’re told Public Works won’t necessarily dump the sewage, but rather they’re doing a needed operation in which sewage dumping will likely be required in at least some quantity, but maybe not.

Was this the case all along? Who knows. But MCK grand chief Cody Diabo hopped on Facebook to give the definitive account: that the press release was rushed and lacked information.

He said the dumping of that quantity of sewage would be a worst-case scenario but that the work could be done quickly enough to avert the need to divert sewage into the river.

The grand chief says a media blitz is coming, but not till the PR department can tend to the lands summit because it’s stretching the department thin.

While it’s good to get some apparent clarity, the grand chief’s personal Facebook page isn’t the right venue to get the facts straight on an important issue to concerned community members. 

After all, we saw what that was like when he chose to go on a crusade against The Eastern Door for reporting on a public (yet somehow secret?) community meeting last year. Community members didn’t think it was appropriate, and they let the MCK know it.

Meanwhile, his previous post on the subject says the volume of dumped sewage could be reduced, but doesn’t say anything about preventing it altogether.

And what will the environmental impact of this event be? In the grand chief’s words, the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office “agreed that this isn’t the best thing to do,” meaning there would be some kind of environmental impact, even if it’s the best time of year to mitigate it. But that’s not very specific.

Meanwhile, as far as anyone following official channels knows, that sewage is getting flushed lock, stock, and barrel into the river, because that’s what the only official press release about it still says at the time of writing this editorial.

Council needs to be transparent and accountable, and that means being clear and open to valid criticism, while acknowledging it needs to hold itself to a higher standard. That starts with using official channels, implementing clear social media policies designed to shield community members from lateral violence, and taking the time to explain why when a post is deleted – and certainly not to delete it for a flimsy reason.

It means taking responsibility for making Kahnawake a better place – in our books, that starts with saying enough is enough when it comes to bullying, while welcoming critiques from the community it is responsible for representing.

TED Staff

Workers at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) say they have no other option than to undertake a sewage operation that could potentially require the dumping of up to 200 cubic metres of untreated sewage into the St. Lawrence River. 

The operation needs to take place because of large quantities of foreign objects causing blockages in the town system, which has slowed down the sewage treatment process, said MCK’s director of Public Works, Martin Morris.

“There is no other way. We have to bypass the pit so that it goes straight into the river. It’s not something we want to do ever, but we’re truly trying to minimize the risks,” said Morris.

“It’s not pumping correctly. It’s basically like a clogged drain,” said Morris. 

Right now, sewage flows into the plant and passes through a number of filters, ultimately ending up in a tank, or pit, that cleans the sewage – known as “effluent” – to ensure that no solids or contaminants are sent out into the river. 

Over the years, that tank has become clogged with materials that shouldn’t be there, like mop heads, sanitary products, diapers, and wet wipes. Even the type labelled “flushable” are prone to clogging the system, Morris said. 

The issue was noticed in the fall, and the plant, which is over 20 years old, has never had to complete this kind of maintenance before.

The solution will mean that Public Works has to disconnect the flow of sewage from the blocked tank and use vacuum trucks to take out the debris, a process that will be completed by a company called Sanivac, who will take the contaminants out of Kahnawake.

While the tank is disconnected, the sewage will continue to flow through a screen system that removes the bulk of solid waste, but will not be treated to remove all pollutants and bacteria.

It’s anticipated that this process will take around three to four hours, during which time that waste could flow directly into the St. Lawrence River. It’s possible, however, that if the community uses less water during that period, which is anticipated to occur on February 26, the sewage could be contained within the town’s network, staying in the sewage pipes instead of flowing out to the river.

The town’s pump stations, where sewage is gathered, will be drawn before the stoppage, which should allow as much sewage as possible to be held instead of travelling to the treatment plant where the work is taking place.

“Not having to let anything out would be best-case scenario, and it’s a strong possibility. We’re hoping residents will be very prudent with their water usage,” he said. 

Bigger sewage plants often have two tanks that treat sewage, giving them a backup when one needs to be taken offline for maintenance. Morris said that without that option, there’s really nothing else that can be done.

Still, community member Joy-Marie Canadian said that she wishes there were more creative ways for Kahnawake and beyond to deal with problems like this.

“In the year 2025 I think that our community can deal with disposing of raw sewage in a more ethical way as opposed to dumping it into our Seaway,” she said. 

“Are we no better than Montreal whenever they dump their raw sewage into our Seaway?”

Like many others reacting to MCK’s announcement of the operation on Facebook last week, Canadian was reminded of the uproar in 2015, when Montreal disposed of over two billion gallons (around 8 million cubic metres) of raw sewage in the St Lawrence River to repair its own sewage system.

Back then, the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) and community members had been involved in advocating against the dump. Patrick Ragaz, KEPO’s general manager of field science, said that though no amount of sewage entering waterways is ideal, this discharge would cause less damage. 

“The river is quite resilient, and in the grand scale of things, it’s a fairly small amount,” he said.

KEPO was consulted about the work, and helped identify mitigation efforts once it became clear that the sewage diversion was necessary.

Those include completing the work in winter, when fish are generally less active, as well as ensuring the sewage being released is screened so no large garbage is entering the river.

To ensure that everything happens by the book, KEPO will also have staff monitoring the process during the work. 

“As long as those pump stations don’t fill up all the way and need to be pumped, we can hold a lot of sewage until the work is done,” Ragaz said. “200 cubic metres is a worst-case estimate, and hopefully with these measures, we can get it quite a bit lower than that.”

After initial community upset, the MCK removed its press release, replacing it with a near identical one later that day. The only difference was the removal of the sentence “The MCK has submitted a request for a permit from Environment and Climate Change Canada.” 

Morris said that line was an error, because according to him, MCK does not have to apply for a permit. 

“This is our land, our water, we’re going to notify them of what we’re doing, so that was a miscommunication on my part,” he said. “Normally, (a permit is required), yes, but not in Kahnawake’s instance, because we decide if we’re going to do it or not, we notify them.”

MCK chief Arnold Boyer said that he wasn’t sure the details of the removal of the Environment Canada phrase, but added that the plant is very old, and updating the machinery there is something that is in the Capital Plan for the next three to four years, costing “in the neighbourhood of 30 or $40 million.”

“Every few years there’s a couple of extra houses being added onto the system,” he said. “I’m not sure if 25 years ago the system was designed to pick up today’s level of output.”

He said that plans are only in the preliminary stages for a new plant.

“It’s on target to be replaced. Everybody knows at the table that this is at the end of its life cycle, and it has to be planned,” he said.

Environment and Climate Change Canada did not respond to The Eastern Door’s request for comment by deadline.

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Chaos continues to strike communities across Turtle Island handling Jordan’s Principle applications, after Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) announced procedural changes to the program this week that could mean a narrowing of eligibility criteria and increased documentation requirements for requests.

“At this stage, we’re not really sure what the full impact of all of this is going to be,” said Derek Montour, who sits as chairperson of Onkwata’karitáhtshera, the agency tasked with submitting Jordan’s Principle claims in Kahnawake.

“It’s obviously concerning. We have all the same concerns that community members have of what the implications are going to be.”

Montour said that his initial reaction was “shock” to receive the email from ISC outlining changes to the program, which came on Monday this week.

Certain types of requests will no longer be approved unless deemed necessary under “substantive equality” – a term that refers to giving extra supports when needed, in this case so that Indigenous children have equal chance to thrive as non-Indigenous children.

ISC clarified that requests for home construction and renovations, competitive and elite sports and international travel, non-medical supports, and school-related requests that do not specifically address a child’s health, social, or educational needs would no longer be approved unless it’s determined necessary under substantive equality.

All claims that have not yet been processed will be subject to this criteria.

“Any claim that’s waiting, they’re likely going to respond back to us saying you need additional documentation for this,” Montour said. “We want to give all parents a heads up that if you have a claim outstanding, you should now look at what your claim is for and start asking what additional documents you might need to justify the claim.”

Onkwata’karitáhtshera put out a press release on the topic this week, which was shared on the Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS) Facebook page. 

While many expressed outrage that Jordan’s Principle had been used to fund support for things like home construction and renovations, international travel, and elite sports, a spokesperson for the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society said that the government has yet to provide evidence that Jordan’s Principle funds have been abused or misused. 

The Caring Society has continued to pursue Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) cases against Canada regarding Jordan’s Principle.

“I’ve seen even from my desk plenty of requests related to home renovations towards ensuring that a house is accessible for a child in a wheelchair, or mold remediation in the house,” said Brittany Matthews, director of reconciliation and policy at the Caring Society.

“I would welcome any evidence from Canada, if they could point to that misuse, because I’m yet to see it, but what I have seen is Jordan’s Principle being life-changing for many, many kids.”

According to ISC, the changes are being made to “expedite decision-making and address the increased demand” faced by Jordan’s Principle offices.

They report a 367 percent increase between the 2021-22 year and the 2023-2024 year, with almost three million requests approved in the latter period.

Eric Head, a spokesperson for ISC, told The Eastern Door via email that the changes are intended to address the wide range of requests the office has been receiving.

“Since 2016, the range of types of requests has expanded from being primarily requests related to health and education supports, to now include broader social supports. This has also led to increases in overall requests,” he said. 

“The updated procedures, providing greater clarity and consistency regarding eligible services and required documentation, will ensure requests align with the initiative’s original intent and assist in addressing the backlog.”

The program is named after Jordan River Anderson, who passed away at the age of five in Manitoba, having never lived in his home community of Norway House Cree Nation, while provincial and federal governments disputed who should pay for his at-home care.

Jordan’s Principle was created to ensure that no other First Nations child experiences discrimination.

Community member Alana Katsi’tsaienhne Thomas has used Jordan’s Principle in the past to help with supports for her children with special needs, including to pay for a private psychologist that diagnosed her son with autism, and for a support aid in school.

“If we wouldn’t have gone that way, we would have been waiting a long time to get him assessed,” Thomas said. 

Thomas said that the list of supports not covered shouldn’t cause problems, if they are to prevent genuine misuse of funds.

“I read the obstacles, and I don’t see anything bad with them,” she said. “It’s there to help aid us parents who need help with our children, especially with children that have special needs.”

A recent CHRT ruling from the end of January included affidavits from Dr. Valerie Gideon, associate deputy minister of ISC, who said that requests have included laptops, printers, trampolines and playgrounds, and recreational activities, such as movie passes and museum tickets.

Those were approved through the back-to-basics approach, which in-part presumed substantive equality – i.e. applicants don’t have to “prove” that substantive equality applies in a request.

Matthews said that applying these new procedures to requests that are already pending will make things harder for kids.

“Applying this retroactively I think amounts to shifting goalposts, and that’s unfair to the kids,” said Matthews. 

According to a report submitted to the CHRT on January 17, Canada has around 129,000 backlogged cases currently.

Community members can reach out to Onkwata’karitáhtshera – though Montour said that the office will be busy with the flood of questions.

“We know that many have been patient for many months now to try and get an answer, but the reality is that this is beyond our control,” he said.

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Two decision makers have been selected to run Kahnawake’s long-awaited Administrative Tribunal. They are Brandon Montour, a local, and Aubrey Charette, a lawyer from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation currently based in Ottawa.

Montour is currently pursuing a doctorate at the law faculty at the University of Toronto and holds a law degree from McGill University. He spent three years working as a researcher at Justice Services, which operates of out the Court of Kahnawake, where he contributed to the creation of the tribunal he’ll now sit on as a decision maker.

“He was involved in some of the early work on the administrative tribunal, and in that way, it’s almost like he’s coming back full circle,” said Kevin Fleisher, commissioner of Justice Services.

He’s also sat on numerous decision-making boards in town, Fleisher said, serving previously as the chair of the Kahnawake Cannabis Control Board, for instance.

“He’s always been very interested in our justice system, and I think it’s great that one of our own community members will be sitting on and supporting the tribunal,” he said. “Anybody sitting on the tribunal needs to approach cases in an impartial, unbiased manner, and with an openness to the ideas and arguments that are made. And I think Brandon has that ability.”

What made Charette stand out meanwhile was her many years serving as legal counsel for the decision makers that sit on the Specific Claims Tribunal in Ottawa. It aims to resolve historic grievances between First Nations and Canada relating to treaties, legislation, and the management of First Nations’ land and finances, among other types of grievances.

She spent over five years there, before going on to found her own law practice in 2017 in Ottawa. The Oxford University graduate, like Montour, holds a law degree from McGill, and is also a member of the New York State Bar Association.

“Our paths have crossed professionally in the past. I knew who she was, and I was pleased that she had applied,” Fleisher said. “I think she brings with her a very, very strong professional and academic background.”

“She’s done a lot of work with First Nations, which I think is good because she’s familiar with a lot of the challenges faced by different First Nations,” he added. “Having worked with the Specific Claims Tribunal, she has a familiarity with how tribunals can be run and the decision-making process.”

The administrative tribunal will have the power to review decisions coming out of other decision-making bodies in town. That could include requests to review rejected requests for alcohol licenses, for instance, decisions made concerning land allotments, requests to be added to Kahnawake Kanien’kehá:ka Registry (KKR), or the granting of residency permits.

Several laws and regulations already refer to the administrative tribunal as a means for redress for those looking to appeal any decision that didn’t go in their favour. A community review board, expected to be dissolved soon, has been dealing with those requests in the interim.

Fleisher had initially hoped for the administrative tribunal to be up and running by this past fall, but that’ll first have to wait on the onboarding and training of the new appointees.

He said much of their job can be done remotely, with exceptions for certain hearings that must be held at the tribunal.

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Consultations over how to best make use of over 500 acres of land straddling Highway 30 officially kicked off at a “Lands Summit” hosted this week at the Knights of Columbus. 

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) officially gained title over the six separate parcels of land over 2017 and 2018 – land returned to it by Canada following an agreement it negotiated with Quebec back in 2007 in exchange for the construction of Highway 30. 

Neil McComber has been hired to lead the consultations. The Council table didn’t tell him what they want or don’t want to see on the lands, he said. No unit at the MCK led him either.

“When I was contracted, I asked these questions, if there’s already designations, if there’s already decisions made, and I was told no, that they want to hear from the community first before making any decisions,” he said Tuesday while at the summit. “We’re here to ask people what they want without restricting them in any way, without leading them in any way.”

The consultation process is expected to last until the spring. Booths will be hosted around to solicit survey responses. Afterwards, a final report with recommendations will be made public, McComber said. 

Of the six parcels of land, one sits in what was previously Chateauguay. The roughly 34-acre piece of land sits just by the rail line near Ile St. Bernard. 

The five other parcels straddle Highway 30, from the Chateauguay border to Highway 132 on the east side.

Consultation only just recently began because the MCK first had to study the quality and archeological value of the lands. An ecosystem inventory study of the parcels, for instance, only wrapped up as recently as last year.

Printed-out maps of the parcels were made available to community members at the summit. Each noted the designation of each parcel, whether it could be used for agricultural or residential use, for instance. 

Each also had space for attendees to draw what they’d like to see there, with a section set aside for them to leave notes too. 

Doug Lahache said he hopes to see two of the parcels east of Route 207 turned into farmland. He and a few other community members already have formed a committee in the hope of creating a communal garden everyone can benefit from.

“As a society, we were planters and gatherers and hunters. We have zero land base as a community for planting. This is, in our mind, a perfect opportunity to start exercising our rights and our culture and planting and being able to feed our own people,” said Lahache, who’s now retired. 

A nation is only as strong as it’s able to feed itself, he said. 

“Historically, the Iroquois people had a food bank of seven years,” he said. “And now we don’t even know if it’s one month or two months’ worth of food that’d we have, if something were to happen.”

What he doesn’t want to see the land used for is anything that’s not aligned with his traditional values.

“I wouldn’t like to see big infrastructure put up,” he said. “Building a factory or anything else, a casino … it brings in money, but at the end of the day, you can’t eat money.”

A remaining 211 acres of land is still owed to Kahnawake in exchange for the construction of Highway 30. Quebec has already offered up a parcel, but the MCK is still in the process of determining whether it’s worth accepting. Soil testing it wants to see carried out there can only happen in the spring.

The lands summit didn’t only revolve around the returned lands along Highway 30. 

While there, attendees were also able to weigh in on restoration and visioning projects currently underway by the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO). Staff from Sports and Recreation were also there to answer questions about its recently launched recreation plan, which will largely revolve around the design of a new Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC) building.

Booths were also set up to educate community members about the longstanding Seigneury of Sault St. Louis land grievance, and the services offered by the MCK Lands Unit. 

The summit ran over the course of two days. The first, on Tuesday, was aimed at youth and elders in town, with the second more geared toward the general public.

“(They’re) our knowledge keepers, who hold connections to the past. They are our teachers, advisors, and storytellers,” said Veronica Leborgne, the director of the Lands Unit, as she welcomed those in attendance that day. “Our youth also carry the important responsibility of being future stewards of the land.”

A 71-page report detailing the quality of the six parcels of land, and the studies carried out on them, is publicly available. Those interested in reading a copy can contact Leborgne at 450-638-8244. 

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The Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) wants to do more to engage with community members from all walks of life. With that it’ll soon be forming an advisory group to ensure it has a better grasp on what issues the community wants to see prioritized.

“By having this community committee, we hope to attract expertise from a number of different fields who can help us make regulations or laws that actually make sense, and that will be helpful and productive and beneficial,” said Benjamin Green-Stacey, KEPO’s director. “We want to include those different voices that we’re not necessarily hearing from on a regular basis right now.”

A call-out for participants is expected to go out soon, with the deadline to be set sometime this March. The hope is to have it up and running by April, Green-Stacey said.

Many advisory groups formed through the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) ask that candidates be listed on its membership registry. That’s excluded those who stand by the community’s traditional government. This committee will be different, with representatives from the two Longhouses in town encouraged to join too, Green-Stacey said.  

“We want to make sure that everybody is on the same page, and that we’re being collaborative, and that everybody’s voice is being heard, and that we can all collectively work toward the same ends,” he said. 

The advisory group will also lead the creation of an environmental protection visioning statement, Green-Stacey said, while also providing input on environmental legislation the office hopes to see come to fruition. 

There’s yet to be a dedicated environmental protection law passed in the community. The office is also pushing for similar law that’ll target the St. Lawrence River. The laws have yet to be drafted – but a framework noting the priorities laid out in each has been submitted to Kahnawake’s legislative commission. 

“There’s a lot of new things happening in the community, new types of businesses, new risks to our community, and we have to be able to protect our lands, protect our people,” said Council chief Jeremiah Johnson, also the lead on legislation. 

A dedicated environment protection law could create a mechanism to fine people over certain types of infractions, like illegal dumping, for instance. 

“We need to have the enforcement ability to fine people and to hold them to account,” Johnson said. “We have to have the enforcement ability here in the community to protect ourselves. Like I said, we’re being exploited, and if we don’t have the protections in place, then we’re just going to continue to be exploited.”

An environment law could also lay out how the community or KEPO should be consulted over development in the territory. 

“We need to make sure that people can do the things that they need to do, housing and business wise, while not destroying critical habitats for endangered species, migratory species, or culturally-significant species,” Green-Stacey said. 

“There’s lots of things that people have been frustrated about, and that is the result of ad hoc processes, because there is no legislation in place to make sure that people are doing things in a consistent and proper manner,” he added, saying that extends to MCK-led projects too.

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Last Friday in Lachute, Kyle Atkwiroton Canatonquin provided his new Kanesatake address to the clerk behind the counter at the SAAQ (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec) in a transaction he thought would be routine. But he got back a bewildering answer: “Do you mean Oka?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “I meant Kanesatake.”

So she asked for his postal code. He gave her the same one used throughout the territory: J0N 1E0.

“That’s Oka,” she said. Even though Canatonquin’s new address is part of what every government recognizes as Kanesatake territory, the SAAQ didn’t see it that way. In fact, Kanesatake was not listed in the system at all.

“Wow,” Canatonquin said, growing angry as the implications dawned on him. “The government just wiped us off the map.”

The clerk’s response only made him madder.

“It looks that way,” she chuckled.

The recognition of Kanesatake Mohawk Territory is no joke, of course. On the contrary, this is a community that has fought and resisted the erosion of its territory from a colonial force hungry to consume it – Oka is part of Kanesatake’s unceded lands, and not the other way around.

This is why, in part, it has so incensed community members this week as more and more Kanehsata’kehró:non report similar problems dealing with everything from government entities to Amazon, leaving them searching for answers and demanding action.

Reached by The Eastern Door, the SAAQ insisted it is committed to fair treatment of its clients, including Indigenous people. The country’s postal service is the source for the address data, according to SAAQ spokesperson Geneviève Perron.

“In this case, the postal code J0N 1E0 is associated with the city of Oka by Canada Post. The corporation cannot change it,” said Perron.

Maybe Amazon uses the same database – the company said it would look into the situation, but did not provide answers to The Eastern Door by deadline. 

Whatever the reason, Kanesatake is not a valid destination for the online retailer, with the system forcing customers to accept their address to be rewritten as belonging to Oka.

This has not always been the case, said Karonhienhawe Nicholas, who was even required recently to change the Kanien’kéha name of her street, Ahsennenhson, to the French version, Rang du Milieu. Instead, she cancelled the order altogether.

“I’m sorry, but no. Enough of the government ignoring and allowing the degradation of our existence and our territory. It’s enough,” said Nicholas.

She hates shopping in stores – crowds wear on her – but it’s a small sacrifice to draw what she sees as a line in the sand. When she told her children the family won’t be ordering anything online until this gets resolved, they agreed with her.

“We’re like an extinct people, extinct community. It’s just unheard of. It’s disgusting and it’s uncalled for. It’s against our human rights, I think,” she said.

“I want Kanesatake acknowledged. My great grandfather didn’t work his ass off and fight hard in 1903 just so his great grandchildren can see it go extinct.”

She is traditional rather than political, she said, but she wants to see the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) step up and intervene in the situation. She even believes Kahnawake should get involved in speaking up for the sanctity of Kanesatake’s territory.

“People, we have to fight,” she said. “This is a right thing to fight for.”

Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) grand chief Victor Bonspille announced on Facebook that he will be meeting with “the minister” next week, an apparent reference to Quebec Indigenous affairs minister Ian Lafrenière. “Our discussions will be putting action an end to this down right (sic) injustice,” Bonspille wrote.

According to Lafrenière’s office, the two politicians had a discussion over the weekend and will be meeting soon.

“The Canada Post issue was raised, and we will be looking into it with Canada Post and the federal government. We have just been informed of this by the grand chief, and further verifications will follow,” said Maxime Tardif, a spokesperson for the minister.

Meanwhile, the Council majority has taken another route, taking the issue to the federal ministry responsible for Canada Post, Public Services and Procurement Canada.

However, despite all signs pointing to the Canada Post database being responsible, the crown corporation’s response to a media inquiry from The Eastern Door does not clarify why community members have noticed a recent change.

“We understand the concerns raised by these residents, however, we can confirm that there haven’t been any changes made to our database,” said Valérie Chartrand, spokesperson for Canada Post. “Some organizations do use Canada Post’s address data, while others don’t, or update their systems later on.”

She said that Canada Post systems include the community or city name of the post office that deals with that area’s mail.

“In this instance, the post office in Oka processes and delivers mail to many communities in that region, which is why the Oka city name is assigned to these mailing addresses,” said Chartrand.

According to the Oka post office, the location delivers mail only to Oka and Kanesatake.

“A change to the mailing place name of a resident’s mailing address can be submitted to Canada Post by the responsible municipal or band council,” said Chartrand. “Canada Post will then work with the council to determine next steps.”

Chartrand later clarified this would then apply to all the community’s addresses.

MCK chief Brant Etienne said Council is still waiting to hear back from the ministry responsible for Canada Post but that they are confident they can have the issue resolved.

“We went straight to the source instead of just shooting blindly out. We’re still waiting to hear back from them but we’re confident we can have that changed,” Etienne said.

“We’re informing them that quite frankly Kanesatake is not a part of the municipality. Due to the Governance Act, it is officially recognized as land set aside for the Mohawks of Kanesatake. This has been ratified by the House of Commons, by the Senate, and by the Crown. As a crown corporation, we feel they are obliged to abide by this designation and to reinstate Kanesatake as a valid designation for delivery.”

MCK chief Serge Otsi Simon echoed the sentiment, saying the band council will pursue the issue if it isn’t fixed.

“If we really need to flex our political muscle, then we will,” he said.

Public Services and Procurement Canada pointed The Eastern Door directly to Canada Post for a response on this issue.

In the meantime, complaints continue to mount.

Kanehsata’kehró:non John Harding also noticed a recent change when trying to make an order on Amazon. Like Nicholas, he chose to cancel it instead.

“It brings memories of pre-1990, when they were trying to erase us from existence. It angered me,” he said, noting it seems Kanesatake is being deleted by the provincial and federal government.

Harding doesn’t trust the MCK to confront the issue, characterizing it as preoccupied with infighting. He is hopeful media attention could help.

“Obviously, something has changed, a change that could have a far greater impact than we can even imagine at this point,” said Harding. “I’d like to get to the bottom of this fundamental change to our existence that happened. Who deleted us? Why did they delete us? How do we resolve this? Obviously we still exist. And finally, how do we ensure this doesn’t happen to us again?”

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Anti-bullying is always an important message for schools to promote, and at Ratihén:te High School, it’s the students who take the lead come Pink Shirt Day.

It’s fitting – no pun intended. Taking place the last Wednesday of every February, Pink Shirt Day was created by students in Nova Scotia back in 2007 who were protesting the treatment of a peer who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.

Now local students carry on the tradition of leadership, not just recognizing the day, but designing and making the shirts for the student body as part of their media class, usually selling overflow to community members.

“Every year, it’s basically always student-led,” said teacher Lizane Montreuil, who coordinates student fundraisers for grad celebrations. Credit for overseeing the Pink Shirt Day project goes to media teacher Christine Lefebvre, she noted.

This year’s design was created by student Ehsako:wa Bonspille, featuring a tree and the words Kanehsatake and Skén:nen, Kanien’kéha for peace.

This time, rather than just relying on extras, the students made 40 shirts for the express purpose of selling them to the community. It’s all part of their grad fundraising efforts, Montreuil said.

Rather than in past years, when students raised money to help pay for a prom, this year the class – five boys and one girl – voted to take their celebration in a different direction. They are looking at possibilities like a grad trip – one that could include hunting or fishing, perhaps – or a grad dinner, with the possibility of both, if they raise enough funds.

The class also weren’t interested in running the Indian taco fundraiser, which has been a big hit in past years. Expanding the Pink Shirt Day sales was one way to raise money that better aligned with their interests, Montreuil said.

“They’re a really artistic group, so they really love to design and in their own way showing their art, so it’s a big thing for them.”

The students got a big boost, however, when Kanesatake Health Center (KHC) put in an order for 100 shirts.

“They were super happy that KHC made that order and supported their fundraiser,” said Montreuil.

“All day today they were printing the vinyl and the decal of it, because the shirts haven’t come yet.”

To the KHC, it was an opportunity to step up for local youth by supporting their anti-bullying effort.

“This collaboration not only reinforces our commitment to fostering a safe and respectful community, but also empowers our youth by directly supporting their efforts to create positive change,” said KHC executive director Teiawenhniseráhte Tomlinson. 

“By wearing these shirts, KHC staff and community members stand in solidarity against bullying and promote kindness, inclusion, and respect for all.”

The message is one that resonates with the students, said Montreuil. They have sometimes spoken about feeling targeted when leaving the territory for athletic activities.

“Being from an Indigenous culture living on the territory, they have firsthand experience, the impact of what bullying can do,” said Montreuil.

Pink Shirt Day is always well-received by the community, as well, with the extra shirts quickly selling out. This was the case again this year, with the initial run of 40 shirts nearly scooped up at the time of writing.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tewehshon Nelson’s English name is Patience, and that’s exactly what paid off for the goaltender and her Benjamin A squad at the Montreal North Ringette Tournament over the weekend.

The group had notched just two wins alongside 10 losses and two ties heading into the tournament, but that didn’t deter them heading into the tough competition.

“We had a lot to work with at the beginning of the year, and the girls have been slowly progressing,” said Jeffrey Nelson, Tewehshon’s father and the coach of the team, the Blainville Cavaliers.

Jeffrey noted the Benjamin C team he coached last year, with several of the same players, flourished over their season before winning the same tournament with an epic comeback, fuelled by three goals in a minute and a half.

Now the team has put in a repeat performance with another nail-biting finale.

“To be able to do it again, it was just remarkable, just because we were the underdogs,” he said. “I think it makes it a little sweeter.”

The team dropped just one game in the round robin, falling 3-1 to the highly ranked Gatineau Vortex. “They’re very, very tough,” said Nelson.

But the Cavaliers got their chance for revenge in the gold medal match on February 9.

The Cavaliers trailed 1-0 for most of the game after the Vortex scored in the first period, but the team kept fighting.

“It was just a great game, a goaltending battle between the two goalies,” said Nelson.

With just 41 seconds left in the game, the Cavaliers managed to sneak one into the back of the net to tie the game up at one.

“We just kind of demoralized them. They were shocked,” said Jeffrey.

The Vortex managed to get themselves into penalty trouble, heading into overtime with two players in the box. The Cavaliers seized on the opportunity to score a 2-1 victory and take the gold.

“I was very happy and surprised,” said Tewehshon.

“It felt good. I think for everyone else it boosted everything.”

Despite her team’s offensive struggles, Tewehshon has been holding it down in the net, even sparing for the Junior AA team for the past month after that squad’s second goalie got injured.

“It means a lot,” Tewehshon said of the opportunity. “I was thinking I wouldn’t get to higher levels in the first place until my dad showed me that I could.”

Between the two ringette squads and the Ratihén:te High School volleyball team, it’s been busy to say the least. But it’s all been worthwhile – her dad can see the difference the higher-level competition is making for Tewehshon.

“The practices alone are just making her almost unbeatable, it’s crazy,” he said, adding that the Junior AA team is developing her to join next year.

In the meantime, he was thrilled as a coach and a father to see Tewehshon get to experience gold medal success at the Montreal North tournament.

“She was so happy because she’s been the backbone of the team,” he said. “She’s an incredible goaltender. It’s unbelievable what she does every game for the team. And the team has been getting better and better slowly, and everything just kind of came together. 

“I know she was ecstatic.”

The Benjamin A Blainville Cavaliers still have a handful of games left in the season, while Provincials are coming up in March before another tournament in April.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Joseph Tekaroniake “Dega” Lazare loved the metal band Korn. It was fitting, then, that Lazare chose to go out in style, decked head to toe in Korn merch at his wake, per his own wishes. 

“He had their socks, shoes, the track pants, the shirt, the t-shirt, everything,” said Lazare’s auntie, Sharon Lazare Goodleaf. She said that her nephew, a life-long fan of the band, had told the group he was sick.

“They said, when you’re gone, we want you to be comfortable. So he didn’t wear our traditional outfit or his suit or anything, he wore what the band sent him.” 

Described by many as the life of the party and the brightest energy in the room, Lazare passed away at the age of 40 last month after deciding to stop dialysis. He was surrounded by his family and friends when he passed – only a small portion of the countless people in Kahnawake who loved him. 

Lazare was known by everyone in Kahnawake as a jokester, a reputation that his cousin, John Dee Delormier, said has been true since he could first walk and talk. “You’re talking extremely funny from a very, very young age, maybe three or four years old and being able to make an entire group of adults laugh,” Delormier said. When Lazare was with his beloved older brother Nicky, the two were known for being a comedy duo. 

“It was better than any SNL skit I’ve ever seen,” said Delormier. “The hardest I’ve ever laughed was with Dega and Nicky.” Lazare loved to make people laugh, and most often he liked to do that on the big screen, working on countless movies and TV shows throughout the years, including on his own successful animated show, By the Rapids. It ran on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) from 2008 to 2012, featuring many of his family and friends. 

“He was successful, which was incredible, and on top of that, he took us along for the ride,” Deere said. “We always said it as kids, ‘Whoever makes it first brings the rest of us along with them,’ and he stayed true to that pact. Because he wanted to. He didn’t have to.” 

From a young age, Lazare had a natural flair for filmmaking and theatre. His best friend, Brady Cross, met him when they were in grade school, and the two attended summer drama camp together. 

“He was always the natural scene-stealer, I was just happy I got to pair up and hang out with him throughout the day camp sessions,” Cross said. Lazare got his hands on an old camera from a family member and started filming stunt movies and skits in his backyard, which would be rounded off with a barbeque meal courtesy of Lazare’s mother, Esther Sky. 

“Those early days in the backyard were some of my favourite memories,” said Cross, who added that the filmmaking community hopes to hold some kind of event to honour him in the next year, with ideas being floated of setting up an award for young filmmakers. 

“I can honestly say I would not have become interested and built my own career in multimedia and videography if not for those early days in Dega’s backyard.”

Dega’s filmmaking landed him in places like Utah for the renowned Sundance Film Festival, and Toronto, but despite his work getting him recognized on an international level, Dega never forgot his roots. His auntie, Robin Sky, said his filmmaking was always about his community. 

“He wanted to pour open his heart for a better way to express himself in his love for his family and community,” she said. “I’m so proud of his vulnerability to push the limits. He definitely made an impact, and I’ll miss him dearly.” 

His cousin Caira Karihwenháwi Nicholas said she always looked up to Dega immensely, listening as he made up characters and stories to regale the family, captured in countless videos and voice notes he sent them. 

“I’m so grateful that he left behind so many videos and recordings for us to treasure,” she said. “Our late grandmother Velma Goodleaf would’ve sung him the song ‘Unforgettable’ by Nat King Cole when he was little and she was alive, and it’s just the perfect way to describe him, truly unforgettable.” 

Dega handled every situation with gentleness and respect, said Neil McComber, who worked with him at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) public relations unit. 

“He very deeply cared about his community, his family, and the work he was doing, and he was so, so funny, but he didn’t just tell jokes all day,” McComber said. 

One memory that stands out was when Dega made a video tribute to the late MCK grand chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton when he died. 

“He stayed up all night. He put in all this extra effort to make sure that video was the best it could be,” McComber said. “And it was serious, and it was exceptional.” 

Before his death, Dega planned everything, including his funeral, his wake, and his will. He wanted to make things as painless as possible for his family, which Goodleaf said was classically Dega. 

“He wanted to protect everybody, so nobody had to worry, we just had to live out his wishes, and we did,” said Goodleaf, who said she’s reassured thinking about Dega being reunited with friends and family in the Sky World. “I’m sure he’s up there bugging them,” she joked. “I hope he’s up there having a damn good time.” 

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The Kahnawake Governance project is continuing to move ahead in its next phase, as organizers seek to draft a document putting forth a collaboratively constructed plan to transition to traditional governance in the community.

“We’re not just getting people together to throw stories around or share perspectives,” said project lead Gerald Taiaiake Alfred. “We’re actually putting our energies towards the work of developing this proposal.”

Part of the journey of working towards drafting a roadmap to restructuring governance in Kahnawake includes considering past attempts and discussions on the topic.

“From 1992 up until today there’ve been people that have put their minds to this question. We have these documents that are a result of people’s efforts in thinking through this problem in the past, and that includes Longhouse people, people employed by the Council, and individuals in the community who have thought about this,” Alfred said.

“We want to work our way through those ideas and see what makes sense for today, if there’s anything we can learn from them and bring forward and start putting some ideas on paper and circulating that in the community.”

Last June, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) approved the Kahnawake Governance Project’s charter to transition to traditional government, in effect committing to accept the project’s recommendations.

Part of those recommendations included the MCK taking concrete measures to transition towards being an administrative body as opposed to a political entity and the unification of the Longhouses.

“Council has made their declaration that they’re willing to work and follow the direction of the community in terms of getting out of the Indian Act and implementing traditional government, but they can’t do that on their own,” Alfred said. “They have made it clear that they want to follow the direction of the people via the governance project, so that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Ideas from community members will be essential to formulating a plan.

“If there’s anything that can be used to advance us towards this goal of being unified under the Kaianere’kó:wa (Great Law of Peace), they’ll be considered and built into it,” Alfred said. 

“If you have a great idea, or if you disagree with somebody, come and express that in a respectful way and hopefully convince us.”

Eventually, the community will be presented with the proposal for returning to traditional governance.

“The community as a whole, through its various forums, will have to accept it or not,” Alfred said. “The Longhouses will go through their process, the elected Council will go through its process. In the end nothing happens without the consensus of the community as it pertains to traditional government.”

Part of the project also includes providing knowledge-sharing opportunities – the first of this year’s events is a presentation from Ahkwesahsró:non Ieieia’taiéri Charlotte Logan, who will be speaking at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, about the history of oral tradition. The talk will take place at the Golden Age Club, and a meal featuring traditional foods will be provided to those who RSVP at [email protected]. 

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To close out this year’s Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC) Winter Carnival, the 28th annual Polar Plunge saw 19 brave souls get dunked into ice cold water, and not just for the entertainment of onlookers and those who tuned into the many Facebook livestreams – although the entertainment was certainly not lacking.

Indeed, each of the plungers had filled out a pledge sheet and collected donations for KYC’s Travel and Exchange program.

“I think it’s a perfect way to end the Winter Carnival, and it was really fun,” said Karlijn Kronenberg, community and family events coordinator for KYC, who co-organized the Carnival with Cheyanne McComber.

Kronenberg’s participation on Friday was not her only time taking the plunge, which took place last Friday. 

In 2021, as an intern at KYC, she took the plunge for the first time.

“I was very nervous back then, because I had no idea what to expect, and it was very cold that day. This year, I kind of knew what to do. I was still very nervous because it’s super cold again, and not being from Canada, these types of winters are not what I’m used to,” said Kronenberg, who was born in the Netherlands.

Along with Kronenberg were a half dozen or so other plungers from KYC, who, according to KYC executive director and polar plunge emcee Kyle Zacharie, had started working for the organization in the last year and were plunging as a rite of passage.

“Seeing the people around me doing it for the first time was even more fun,” said Kronenberg. “They asked me how it was, and my opinion about it. I was just like, ‘I don’t want to lie to you, it’s cold, but it feels very rewarding.’”

Rewarding is also what Kronenberg would call her first Winter Carnival as a co-planner. Although it was more work than she’d imagined prior to starting, she said she felt very satisfied with the last two weeks’ proceedings.

“I definitely got to see a lot of different sides of the event, and especially how much preparation goes into it. We start months in advance, and coming out of university, that’s something that I have to get used to,” said Kronenberg. “But that sense of community in Kahnawake, but also especially in the KYC, is so precious, and I’m just so happy to be back.”

As announced by Zacharie prior to the start of the festivities, the participants raised over $9,000 for the program, which will be sending 28 teens and chaperones to Scandinavia – with stops in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Estonia.

The plunger who raised the most money was Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chief Jeffrey Diabo, who brought in more than $4,600 for the program.

“I started with my own money, because it’s for the kids. I put in $1,000 and then I challenged others to meet it or beat it,” said Diabo.

He said a number of other chiefs did contribute funds: Iohahiio Delisle contributed the most, with a $2,000 donation, and Jeremiah Johnson, David Diabo, and grand chief Cody Diabo also pledged money; Ryan Montour also added a sum collected around the MCK office to the pledge.

“Every bit counts, because it’s for the kids,” said Diabo. “I’m grateful for them for supporting me and for participating in this, because ultimately, the kids are going to benefit.”

Diabo called his first polar plunge an exhilarating experience, although not one he would necessarily like to relive. 

“When you go in the water, you get that little bit of a shock, but it was alright. It wasn’t as bad as people thought it was going to be. The more you think about things in a negative way, the worse it is,” said Diabo.

He said that he was quite happy with how much participation there was in the plunge and how much money was raised and hoped that even more kids from the community would be able to participate in programs like KYC’s Travel and Exchange.

“Personally, I would like to see them reach out to some of the less fortunate kids in the town who may not even participate at the youth centre for whatever reason, and give them an opportunity to get outside the community and really see what the world is like, even if it’s just through travel, because it’s a good experience,” said Diabo. 

“I myself lived and/or worked in 13 different states over the course of about 12 or 14 years. I got to see a lot. I got to experience a lot. It gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation when I came home. I think that’s very important.” 

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A community member has joined in denouncing the expected construction of an electric car battery plant before Quebec Superior Court – the first ever to do so since the Mohawk Could of Kahnawake (MCK) launched its lawsuit against Northvolt, the Swedish company involved, over a year ago.

“That’s our traditional territory,” said Eric “Dirt” McComber, who spoke to The Eastern Door as he fried up perch in his tent at the greenspace at the foot of the Mercier Bridge. “The Richelieu River, it goes into the St. Lawrence. Even though that’s on the eastern end of our territory, that’s still our traditional territories.”

Wetlands and woods have already been cleared at the site of the future battery plant that’ll rely on water from the river.

It’ll be located between Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville, but when it’ll be in operation still remains uncertain. A decline in the demand for electric car batteries, especially since the election of Donald Trump, coupled with its parent company filing for bankruptcy protection last year, has led some to doubt it’ll come to fruition. Quebec ministers have assured it will.

The lawsuit filed by the MCK in January of last year also targets the federal and provincial governments. Both failed in their duty to consult the community over the project, the band council is alleging. Each level of government has since maintained otherwise in their defenses to the court.

McComber has fished on the St. Lawrence for the last five decades, and so he’s seen just how much it’s changed over the years. 

The period of time it’s frozen each winter declines each year. Cormorants that can eat twice their bodyweight in fish each day are a common sight now. There are more invasive species like zebra mussels. Local plant life is no longer as healthy as it was when he was a boy.

The “Big River” has the capacity to heal itself in spite of all the industrialization that’s disrupted it over the decades, McComber said. The Richelieu’s ecosystem, meanwhile, is fragile. 

The eventual factory will pump millions of litres of water each day from the river, while also discharging recycled water back into it. That’ll change the temperature of the river, McComber emphasized in his sworn statement to the court, creating a domino effect on all the plants and animals there, some of which may not survive.

“There’s going to be environmental events happening immediately,” McComber told The Eastern Door. “They’re going to do this project – the project is going to affect the whole system.”

Quebec’s defense largely revolves around its assertion that the Kanien’kehá:ka hold no title to the land where the factory will be built.

It also rationalized its environmental ministry’s decision to authorize the destruction of wetlands there over the band council’s failure to prove its community members practice protected “ancestral activities” there, such as hunting and fishing. Its failure to meaningfully consult the MCK before that authorization is what prompted it to launch its lawsuit.

McComber said it doesn’t make any difference how often Kahnawa’kehró:non go out to fish on the Richelieu River, because they have the right to if they want.

“That land is our inherent traditional land for hunting, trapping and gathering,” he said.

McComber hasn’t fished there in recent years, but his brother still does often, at the mouth of the river.

“I’m not in Russia. I go anywhere I want, anytime I want,” he said. “Nobody fishes it. How do they know? They don’t know nothing, the government.”

Though the band council had long held off on communicating with Quebec’s environmental ministry over the project, it’s since decided to agree to consultations. Preliminary discussions over how those consultations should proceed began earlier this fall.

Court proceedings are still ongoing, with the most recent happening on January 20. The Eastern Door is still waiting to learn when the next one will be scheduled.

Ross Montour, the Council chief that’s taken the lead on overseeing the lawsuit, declined to share comments for this article. 

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