McGill University says it needs to cut $45 million from its 2025-26 budget to eliminate operating deficits over the next three years. 

After all of Donald Trump’s bullshit — after threats of tariffs and annexation, after all of his pathetic insults to our country — a large majority of Conservatives still consider the United States a friend or ally.

This is hardly surprising given that nearly 50% of Canada’s Conservatives would have voted for Trump if they could.

These are the same people who want Canada to become the 51st state.

What exactly would Trump have to do for these Trump apologists and so-called patriots to finally lose respect for the guy who consistently insults our country?

A large majority of Canadians say they are proud to be Canadian. But at a certain point, it does make you wonder where so many Conservatives’ loyalties lie, given the way Trump treats his country’s strongest ally and trading partner.

His Canadian border narrative is false. And he treats his supporters like idiots.

Just 10% of Canadians — almost all of whom vote Conservative — want Canada to join the United States.

If you love our country, don’t side with these traitors.

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

The post When will Canada’s Conservatives finally stop making excuses for Donald Trump? appeared first on Cult MTL.

Brother Ali, Satisfied Soul (Travellers Media/Mello Music Group)

After a couple of quieter years dropping one-minute freestyles and one-off singles, to last year’s street-tape-style full-length Love & Service quickly followed by a surprise EP reunion with longtime collaborator Anthony Davis of Atmosphere, it can now be heard that former Rhymesayers artist Brother Ali had been carefully drafting his path toward Satisfied Soul. Longtime fans recognize Ali as a lyricist unafraid to re-evaluate perspectives and past experiences through the lens of maturity, even if it meant exposing his own flaws for an ego check with the audience. Facing hard truths and social imbalance with reason, faith, joy and impeccable bars, over 17 tracks featuring Ant in full service of the beat, Brother Ali gives it to ‘em once again with a satisfying project that is of hip hop, for hip hop and about hip hop. 8.5/10 Trial Track: “D.R.U.M.”

For more on Brother Ali, please visit his website.

For more Montreal music coverage, please visit the Music section.

The post Brother Ali, Satisfied Soul: REVIEW appeared first on Cult MTL.

The national trade association representing medical technology in Canada is asking the federal and provincial governments to exclude its industry from all retaliatory measures against the United States.

The popularity and surprising longevity of the John Wick franchise has had results that nearly everyone could have predicted: countless imitators and a shorthand position in the cultural discourse that has placed nearly every contemporary action movie in the unenviable position of being “John Wick but ‘X’.”

While the aesthetics of the Chad Stahelski-helmed series have made their way into some improbable corners, the list of movies that are actually direct descendants of John Wick is pretty short, and nearly all of them have had involvement from 87North, the stunt-forward production company founded by Stahelski and David Leitch. 

Vengeance coming from an unlikely vengeful spirit is not enough to compare your garden-variety action hero to John Wick. That action hero needs to exist in a complex underworld populated nearly exclusively by a hierarchy of mysteriously named assassins with a tightly codified set of skills. It was certainly true of Bob Odenkirk in Nobody and it’s true of Ke Huy Quan in Love Hurts, the latest 87North production to bring together overly tailored suits, blades hidden in a combat boot and people being flung across neon aquariums built directly into the wall.

Marvin Gable (Quan) is an aw-shucks suburban realtor who wears sweater vests, bikes to work and loves nothing more than to find upwardly mobile young professionals million-dollar homes nestled in a cul-de-sac. On Valentine’s Day, however, he receives a curious Valentine signifying that a woman from his past (Arianna DeBose, continuing her post-Oscar run as a conduit for robotic exposition) has resurfaced; Marvin has little time to deal with the implications of that before he’s assaulted by a duster-wearing bladesman known as The Raven (Mustapha Shakir) and subsequently chased, kicked, punched, stabbed and thrown around in various locales by a coterie of wise-cracking hitmen and goons. Cutesy-poo, asexual Marvin is not, as it turns out, all he seems — he’s a retired assassin, and the world he’s tried to leave behind has found him.

Love Hurts banks first and foremost on the audience’s goodwill towards Quan, whose triumphant return in Everything Everywhere All at Once represented perhaps one of the only purely wholesome comeback stories of recent years. The character of Marvin Gable isn’t far removed from the Quan we all rediscovered on the Oscar campaign trail, but we also learned that in his years away from acting, Quan worked behind the scenes in stunt coordinating, making his presence here less of an anomaly than it appears. Quan seems therefore perfectly suited for this particular role… and that appears to be the entire focus of Love Hurts.

Though it’s bookended by a couple of bravura action sequences, nearly half of Love Hurts’ anemic 83-minute runtime is devoted to endless exposition and world-building doled out haphazardly through every means necessary. Characters have long, static conversations about a backstory barely glimpsed. Voiceover narration then reiterates the same points that were just discussed as the internal monologue of a character, who continues to pontificate on the implications of what was just said. The familiar screenwriting idiom “show, don’t tell” is tased in the balls and hit with a shovel several times over — there’s absolutely nothing in here that’s inferred or suggested. The world depicted by Love Hurts isn’t particularly complex and wrapping our heads around its many implications isn’t particularly necessary to enjoying Quan getting thrown into a refrigerator, and yet it appears to be of critical concern to the filmmakers. 

Endless platitudes about freedom and love and going your own way are thrown about as the viewer patiently waits for someone to get kicked in the face. Though Love Hurts isn’t really about anything in the strictest sense, it seems all too eager to give weight to the proceedings and consequently lean on that weight at every opportunity. The tone proves to be wobbly at best, with earnest declarations of boundless love sandwiching sub-Tarantino bits of black humour where characters are brutally dispatched with a boba straw and tough-guy killers hug it out about their feelings. It’s not inconceivable that an action movie could also have interesting and smart things to say about the nature of love, but it’s rarely a given, and the simplistic, flop-sweat-drenched writing at the heart of Love Hurts ultimately tanks any chance it may have taken on that front.

The action scenes, on the other hand, are as effective as one would expect. Taking advantage of the fact that a realtor has a bunch of empty houses at his disposal, they’re clean and brutal and inventive, with Quan proving to be a compelling (if not exactly Hong Kong-level fearless) martial artist on-screen. He proves to be better served by the portions of the movie that lean into his loveable public persona. Flashbacks of him as the fearless killer of yore are less convincing, as is his ostensible chemistry with DeBose, once again saddled with a thankless role in some junk after the impressively junky one-two punch of Argylle and Kraven the Hunter. There are amusing supporting roles for Marshawn Lynch, Sean Astin and Lio Tipton, but so much of their screentime is spent shading in the unnecessary background that they soon melt into it.

It’s obvious that Love Hurts has fairly reasonable ambitions: it’s designed to give Ke Huy Quan a vehicle as an action hero, a bespoke ass-kicking addition to the resume meant to prevent him from being typecast as a put-upon beta husband in the wake of his Oscar win. With those modest goals in mind, Love Hurts succeeds; in doing nearly anything else that a movie of this type should do, it does not. It’s lumbering and awkward and frequently grinds to a halt to let its ham-fisted screenplay breathe; if its handful of action scenes work, it’s often out of a tremendous amount of goodwill that audiences bring to the movie rather than anything contained in the film itself. ■

Love Hurts opens in Montreal theatres on Friday, Feb. 7.

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

The post The writing is more bonkers than the action in Love Hurts, a John Wick-esque vehicle for Ke Huy Quan appeared first on Cult MTL.

The latest exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Heart On, is a landmark retrospective celebrating the radical art of Joyce Wieland (1930–1998), one of Canada’s most influential artists. Over 100 works spanning four decades are on display, including drawings, paintings, collages, films, textiles and prints. Exploring Wieland’s engagement with feminism, social justice and ecology, the exhibition highlights her innovative approach and lasting impact on contemporary art. Co-organized with the Art Gallery of Ontario, with key loans from the National Gallery of Canada and a special collaboration with Cinémathèque québécoise, Heart On reaffirms Wieland’s significance as a global figure in 20th century art and film.

Joyce Wieland – Heart On is at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1380 Sherbrooke W.) through May 4

For more on Montreal arts, please visit the Arts & Life section.

The post Heart On showcases the radical art of Canada’s Joyce Wieland at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts appeared first on Cult MTL.

The following is a capsule review of the Montreal restaurant Rôtisserie La Lune. To read the 2025 Montreal restaurant guide, please click here.

Rôtisserie La Lune

La Lune is what you get when the chef from Canada’s reigning best restaurant realizes his lifelong dream of opening a rotisserie chicken joint. Heading up the kitchen alongside Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Nöel is Mon Lapin chef de cuisine Charles-Eric Boutet. In the front of house, Vanya Filipovic is supported by Mon Lapin mainstay Alex Landry and a duo of newly acquired wine talents, Morgane Muszynski (ex-Denise) and Rosalie Forcherio (ex-owner of Paloma). Roast chicken, golden fries and luscious gravy are of course the stars of the menu, as is the exceptional wine list, but the desserts deserve special mention, too. With a stunning dining room designed by Zébulon Perron and an all-star cast, la Lune casts a shadow far larger than its humble inspiration. (391 St-Zotique)

For more on Rôtisserie La Lune 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: Rôtisserie La Lune appeared first on Cult MTL.

The Bell Centre is the first of two venues, hosting most of the world’s biggest hockey stars as they play for their country in a best-on-best tournament for the first time in nearly a decade.

The handsome poet exploded onto the literary scene at the end of the 19th century, at the age of 19, changing the content and structure of Quebec literature — leading it from conventionality into lyrical and experimental introspection. 

L’article The Record: Hot off the press for 128 years est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Residents of Sherbrooke had the opportunity to directly influence community funding on Feb. 8, 2025, during the eighth edition of the Fonds d’investissement citoyen, a participatory budgeting initiative spearheaded by Sherbrooke MNA Christine Labrie. Held at the Centre Multi Loisirs Sherbrooke, the event invited citizens to vote on 46 local projects, with a total of $100,000 in discretionary funds up for allocation.

“This is about giving power to the citizens,” Labrie explained on the scene. “Half of my discretionary budget is handed over to the public so they can decide which projects matter most.” She emphasized that while she retains the other half for year-round initiatives, the participatory format allows residents to engage directly in funding decisions.

Citizens voted preferentially, ranking the projects they wished to see funded. Labrie highlighted the educational aspect of the process, noting that it not only boosts awareness of local initiatives but also sheds light on the financial constraints many organizations face. “Unfortunately, we can’t fund them all,” she said. “But it’s an eye-opener for people to see just how many great projects exist in our community.”

One of the organizations seeking funding was the Club d’Arts Martiaux Historiques de Sherbrooke (CAMHS), a group dedicated to European martial arts. Representative Leeloo Marchese explained that their project focused on acquiring foam training swords to make the sport more accessible. “The goal is to make this practice open to as many people as possible,” he said. “Foam swords allow children, people with disabilities, and those with lower physical strength to safely engage in the discipline.”

Marchese described CAMS as a growing community built over the past decade, with particular momentum in the last two years. Beyond combat techniques, he emphasized that their training integrates historical education and self-discipline. “It’s about channeling energy,” he noted. “Many kids and adults have a lot of energy, sometimes even aggressive impulses, and this provides a structured way to direct that into something positive.”

Projects funded in previous editions of the Fonds d’investissement citoyen have ranged from social services and environmental initiatives to cultural and recreational programs. Labrie said that each year, new organizations participate alongside returning applicants, and the event consistently draws hundreds of voters. “This is an exercise in civic engagement,” she said. “It brings visibility to these projects and gets people involved in shaping their community.”

With voting continuing at Labrie’s constituency office over the following week, final allocations will soon be determined. While not every project will receive funding, Labrie is confident that the initiative helps strengthen Sherbrooke’s social fabric. “This process belongs to the citizens,” she said. “It’s their choices that will shape what gets funded and what grows in our community.”

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L’article Citizens decide funding for local projects in Sherbrooke est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

How Sherbrooke’s winter is pushing resources to the limit

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

As Sherbrooke grapples with the harsh winter of 2025, local organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness are feeling the strain. With temperatures dipping lower than last year’s mild season, shelters and day centres are seeing an increased demand for space, resources, and support. One of the frontline organizations, Ma Cabane, is struggling to accommodate the surge, with its director, Marc St-Louis, describing the situation as “chaotic” and “cacophonique.”

Overcrowding at Ma Cabane

Ma Cabane, a day centre designed to provide a safe, warm space for those at risk of homelessness, typically welcomes between 80 and 120 individuals daily. However, due to the extreme cold, visitors are staying longer than usual, leading to significant overcrowding.

“The comfort level at Ma Cabane is about 25 people at a time,” St-Louis explained. “But now, we’re seeing days where we have up to 50 people inside at once. It becomes really chaotic.”

Unlike previous years, when milder winter conditions allowed individuals to spend more time outdoors, this season’s bitter cold is forcing them to remain inside, exacerbating the strain on the centre’s limited resources.

The search for space: A difficult reality

While the need for a larger facility is evident, St-Louis admits that relocating Ma Cabane is nearly impossible due to zoning restrictions, budget limitations, and the necessity of remaining close to the community it serves.

“Ma Cabane can’t just be anywhere,” he said. “It has to be where people live. Even if a larger space were available, we’d have to be able to afford it.”

The uncertainty surrounding Sherbrooke’s new floodplain zoning regulations further complicates matters. “I don’t even know what’s going to happen with that,” he added.

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L’article Homeless in the cold est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The federal government is investing $287,639 in a new initiative aimed at improving the economic security of immigrant and racialized women in Estrie. The funding, announced by Sherbrooke MP and Minister of National Revenue Élisabeth Brière, will support a two-year project led by the Fédération des communautés culturelles de l’Estrie (FCCE).

“This project is essential for breaking down systemic barriers that prevent immigrant and racialized women from achieving financial independence and taking their place in the economic landscape,” Brière said at a press conference on Feb. 6. She emphasized that the funding will help reduce gender-based economic inequalities and create lasting change in the region.

The initiative, titled Sécurité économique et prospérité des femmes immigrantes: Vers l’égalité femmes-hommes, will focus on systemic change by working directly with local organizations in sectors such as education, career counselling, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and financial literacy. The project includes the formation of a committee to assess the needs of immigrant women, an analysis of how existing services meet those needs, and recommendations for improving accessibility and effectiveness.

Mariame Cissé, FCCE’s assistant director and head of its women’s committee, stressed at the conference the importance of collaborative efforts. “We want to ensure that the services available truly meet the needs of immigrant women,” she said. “This project will bring together key partners, including economic sector representatives, to develop concrete solutions.”

A key component of the initiative is the involvement of a gender-based analysis consultant to evaluate the impact of existing services and help develop adaptation strategies. The project will also undergo an external evaluation to measure its effectiveness in creating long-term structural change.

The FCCE has a long history of supporting immigrant women in Estrie. Cissé highlighted previous initiatives, including financial education programs, awareness campaigns, and advocacy efforts aimed at improving gender equality. “Our federation has worked for years to support the integration of immigrant women in our region, but sustainable change requires ongoing financial backing,” she said, thanking the federal government for its continued support.

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L’article Federal funding of 280K+ boosts economic security for immigrant women in Estrie est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) said police received a 911 call around 8:30 a.m. Saturday about a motorist who drove off the road and then ran away.

Montreal police say over $1 million worth of olive oil was stolen after a delivery involving two transport companies in the city never arrived at its destination in Ontario.

With the threat of U.S. tariffs looming at the beginning of March, Quebec government officials are looking for ways to diversify the province's economy, which has historically relied on American markets. What would that entail across different sectors?

A new project to build homes for the homeless out of old shipping containers in Gatineau, Que., is proving a success, advocates say.

The Liberal Party of Canada announced Saturday afternoon it will host two leadership debates — one in English and another in French — in Montreal at the end of February.

Canada's William Dandjinou continues to dominate at the 1,500-metre distance, picking up his fourth short track speed skating gold-medal victory in five races this season on the World Tour circuit.

Self-described cultural activist Joyce Wieland created art ranging from semi-abstract paintings to film as a way to express her feminist politics. Nearly 30 years after her death, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery of Ontario are presenting Joyce Wieland: Heart On, an exhibition bringing together some 100 works until May 4, 2025.

As the city grapples with growing homelessness and drug use issues, Montreal’s transit authority says it’s intervening in more than 70 cases every day on average of what it calls problematic behaviour or incivility, while overdose incidents are doubling every year.

A Montreal business owner, Firoz Patel, will spend another three and a half years in U.S. federal prison after being sentenced for laundering $43 million US worth of Bitcoin following an earlier conviction for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. 

Community members have been reacting with shock to news of a bullying incident that took place between children during a Winter Carnival event last Friday, with video of the event allegedly being circulated by those involved after it happened.

“I’ve been thinking about it since last Friday when I saw it, and I’m still not able to come to the proper terms to express how unfortunate this situation is,” said Roiahtate Horn, director of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK)’s Sports and Recreation Unit (SRU). 

The incident took place in the dressing room area of the Sports Complex during the Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC)’s Family Skating event, part of the organization’s Winter Carnival schedule. The Night Market and Family Dance were also taking place at the Sports Complex that evening.

Many have been left wondering how the incident could have been prevented and debating what should be done to address the actions of those involved.

According to a source close to the victim who has viewed the footage of what happened, there are two videos of the event, which show two girls attacking the victim, a boy.

The videos depict both verbal and physical violence against the victim, the source said and are graphic in nature.

“It was awful. I just opened my phone and saw the video and started crying, just shaking,” the source said. “I couldn’t process what I was seeing, I was just so mad. I wanted to run over to the arena in my pyjamas. It was extremely distressing.”

The Eastern Door is choosing to keep the source anonymous to preserve the privacy of the victim.

Kahnawake Peacekeepers spokesperson Kyle Zachary confirmed that the incident involved two girls and one boy, and that all those involved were under 12 years of age.

He said that the Peacekeepers were contacted the day after the event, and that they would be collaborating with KSCS to address the situation. 

The MCK and KSCS both made public announcements concerning the bullying. KYC executive director Kyle Zacharie said that KYC would not be following suit. 

“We’re not making any public statement about this because this is an isolated incident. You have to remember that we deal with youth and teenagers and the entire community all the time, and unfortunately bullying issues happen all the time within the community,” said Zacharie.

“The KYC has always had an open-door policy, and people are more than welcome to come in and talk, whether it’s with myself as the executive director or any of my program managers.”

Zacharie said KYC has reviewed its policies and procedures and will be including extra staff at the remaining Family Skating events, the last of which is on February 28. He also said that KYC has spoken with the SRU and arranged for them to shut the locker rooms, since participants only need to use the benches to put their skates on. 

Minors also need to be accompanied by adults when they come to the Sports Complex – something Horn said that the SRU is planning to underscore in its updated zero tolerance policy on bullying, currently in the approval process.

Until now, Horn said, things have typically been handled on a case-by-case basis, and that expectations are different depending on who is using the facilities.

He said that each sport has its own rules and regulations to follow, for example hockey abides by Hockey Quebec regulations, and lacrosse by Ontario Lacrosse Association regulations. 

Arena staff, which include the rink attendants that handle Zamboni, janitorial, and to an extent security duties, as well as the pro shop worker who supports the rink attendant, both play a role in keeping an eye on what’s going on at the arena, but it can be hard to monitor busy events by private renters, as was the case last Friday.

“It’s sort of the renter’s responsibility to ensure what’s happening in the dressing rooms as well. I’m not passing the buck by any means, but when it comes to an event like this where let’s say the Youth Center is, in theory, a private renter, they along with our arena staff should be watching what’s happening in the building, on the ice session, and in the changing rooms,” he said.

KSCS’s team leader of primary prevention, Kyla Jacobs, said that it’s essential the entire community play their own part in helping youth understand how harmful bullying can be.

“I think these are discussions that are really important for us to have as parents with our children. They really need to understand the impacts of their actions and the only true place that they’ll learn that is at home,” she said.

She said that this is not the first time a serious bullying incident has happened in Kahnawake, and it likely won’t be the last.

“It’s not a one-time discussion, it’s ongoing, and it’s important we remember that when things happen, they’re watching how we handle it,” she said.

That applies to parents, community members, and community organizations, Jacobs said.

“It’s really important for all of our organizations to address it,” she said. “We need these conversations to happen and to be able to follow up with families.”

The MCK also publicly denounced the incident, and MCK chief Jeremiah Johnson said he was disgusted when he was shown the video.

“We need to put money and effort into educating people, helping our youth understand that it’s up to them to go into the world and represent themselves, their parents, and their community when they’re in public.”

He said that bullying is not a political issue but a social one.

“It’s up to all organizations that can do something to do something about it,” he said. 

Zacharie also said community members should not publicize the video.

“Sharing the video is a form of cyberbullying in itself,” he said. “If we’re talking about anti-bullying and bullying prevention, not sharing the video or calling down the youth or their parents or anybody is a form of anti-bullying.”

Community member Timmy Norton said that he expects many local reactions to the incident are a result of people’s own experiences with bullying, having been thrown back to his own memories of being bullied when he heard the news.

“I was angry at first at the girls involved but I have to put that aside and hope that they learn from this and don’t repeat their actions again, they need to heal also,” he said.

“The impact is felt across the community especially for other kids, but unfortunately, we only hear when it’s this public. There is bullying going on I’m sure that we don’t see, bullying also occurs in workplaces.”

The anonymous source close to the victim said that despite the pain of the incident, it’s been meaningful to see the community response.

“I’m really glad to see a lot of the community stand up against the bullying and make sure that this hopefully doesn’t happen again,” she said. 

“As I assured him on Saturday, it’s not normal what happened, and a lot of people were upset, and he’s allowed to be upset too.”

[email protected]

Pink Shirt Day is not till later this month, but bullying is the topic on people’s minds this week after a violent incident at the Kahnawake Sports Complex involving young children, who recorded and shared it.

How could this happen? This is a question many are asking themselves. And the answers are complicated and multifaceted.

One thing’s for sure, the community’s youngest are like a mirror, and when something like this happens, the first question we should be asking is how the grown-ups have failed them.

This can be a complicated task. After all, thanks to the work of wellness professionals and mental health organizations in town, it’s news to no one that “hurt people hurt people,” and a recognition of the impacts of colonialism and intergenerational trauma are huge components to address for proper community healing.

There are other angles, too, of course. Some might blame the parents. Some might blame the local institutions or other adults involved in the community-wide task of raising the next generation.

Accountability is important, but the organization that was hosting that night’s event, the Kahnawake Youth Center, didn’t publish a public communication addressing what happened or sharing the steps it’ll be taking to combat bullying in the future. 

And why is a zero-tolerance policy on bullying at Sports and Recreation facilities in its final stages of development, as the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake wrote in its press release, and not already in place for years in a community that has long promoted Pink Shirt Day?

There are also societal factors that can feed bullying, of course, like the inescapability of social media, or even political discourse.

There are a million and one reasons something like this can happen, but the first thing anyone can and should do is look at themselves and ask what they are doing to stand up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves.

This question was on our minds this week when a community member we know well was attacked via a residency permit application shared on the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Facebook page. 

A couple weeks back, all the Council chiefs posed for Bell Let’s Talk, an initiative that is all about mental health. Yet here they are handing people a platform to bully a community member who is well known to have special needs – in fact, he has often written about these struggles in this very newspaper.

This particular application was from a community member through and through, someone who has fought for acceptance all his life.

He has been involved in The Eastern Door longer than any of us, and that includes the paper’s first and second owners. And his weekly contribution to The Eastern Door is just one of the ways he has always participated in community life.

This is someone who is known for playing villains in local productions, but who in reality is anything but. He is a thoughtful, kind person who deserves better.

Despite repeated requests from the editor/publisher of this newspaper for the MCK to think about the impacts of giving people free reign to ostracize their fellow community members, especially one with special needs, the vast majority of the comments were preserved alongside a meek reminder from the MCK to behave.

It wasn’t until more push came to shove from The Eastern Door that the Council decided to take out one of the most grotesque comments, one chock-full of lateral violence, ignorance, and racism (against an elder who is a first-language speaker, to boot).

Thankfully, most people defended this person, but one that comment was preserved for days amid repeated requests for the MCK to delete it. That comment outright said this person doesn’t belong in town, among other attacks, and it was left up for far too long.

Instead of considering a community member’s mental health and safety, the MCK submitted, once again, to its fear of antagonizing Kahnawake’s boot-em-out-first ask-questions-later contingent. Perhaps there is some like-mindedness at play. Perhaps they are just cowards with no heart.

Even if you agree with the residency law, no one has any right to spew hatred against anyone else, regardless of their background. The MCK failing to see this means Mr. Magoo is running the show. But even Mr. Magoo had more of a heart.

Thankfully, they finally did the right thing. But even how long it took and how many angles they had to take on it before deciding the comment was lateral violence shows that there is no place for a comments section for notices like these.

The person writing that awful comment presented their view as their “5 cents,” but we don’t think the hatefulness they expressed is worth two cents, as a more humble person might put it, or even a penny, let alone space on a community platform.

Think about it, telling someone whose roots are here, who has been open with their battles searching for belonging while being on the autism spectrum, who has dedicated themselves to being a part of community life, contributing to their community paper, acting in community plays, picking up the community’s trash year after year on Spring Cleanup day, volunteering at the blood drive – telling that person, and others like them, that they don’t belong here?

It’s hate and rejection that should have no place in Kahnawake.

People may present exclusion as a way of fighting colonialism, but it’s actually the opposite when people go out of their way to reject fellow Kanien’kehá:ka as “other.” At some point, there will be no one left.

But haters are going to hate, that’s no secret. What’s really objectionable is MCK trying to have it both ways.

Why are community members with hate on their fingertips given a platform to express scorn and rejection to people who have no other community but this one to call their own?

Why does the MCK even allow comments on posts like these, about an individual who has no authority, office, or power, but is simply seeking a permit affirming they have the right to be here.

And when these problems come to their attention, why isn’t Council brave enough to stand up and say enough is enough without being harangued to do so?

If people’s views don’t align with someone’s residency application, they are entitled to express their objection in the proper forum. But that forum should not be the MCK’s Facebook page, full stop.

Make no mistake, this is bullying through and through. It doesn’t take much empathy or compassion to see that.

And a future for Kahnawake free from bullying? Without real leadership with conviction and honour, who can shut out the drivel from the usual suspects and do what’s right, we’re far from that indeed.

TED Staff

First Nations communities looking to get into renewable energy can now seek investment through a new partnership between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).

Both the MCK and the Caisse, the largest institutional investor in Quebec, are ready to jointly invest in renewable energy projects in the province, all while providing the technical expertise needed to make them profitable. 

“We do know financing is always difficult for First Nations communities, so this is going to be an amazing opportunity for people who have very similar, if not exactly the same, visions and ideas about the environment and stewardship,” MCK grand chief Cody Diabo told The Eastern Door.

It was the prior Council table that reached out to the Caisse about the idea to co-invest in Indigenous-led renewable energy projects, he said, following the MCK becoming a co-owner of the Hertel-New York transmission line alongside Hydro Quebec last spring. 

The line, which is still under construction, will run underground from La Prairie through the Richelieu River into New York State, and is expected to deliver 1,250 megawatts of electricity to New York City. The MCK owns 10 percent of the project. 

“It was the very first time that any third party, let alone a First Nation community, had the opportunity to own a piece of Hydro Quebec infrastructure,” said Éric Doucet, a lawyer for the MCK overseeing its partnership with the Caisse.

Both he and Emmanuel Jaclot, the Caisse’s senior vice-president, were also there for the announcement of the partnership, made at a virtual press conference last week.

Ever since that agreement was signed the MCK has been hearing from First Nation communities looking to cash in on renewable energy, Doucet said, sparking the idea to launch a partnership with the Caisse.

“We saw an opportunity to help other Indigenous communities get what Kahnawake was able to get with Hertel, and to help with the access to financing,” Doucet said.

The new partnership aligns with goals Hydro Quebec has already set for itself through its 2035 action plan, he added, which prompted the creation of an economic reconciliation strategy with First Nation and Inuit communities in the province.

“We need to make sure the community impacted is happy with the project to start, because this is not a way to push a project down anybody’s throat,” said Jaclot, also the Caisse’s lead on infrastructure. “On the contrary, we want our project together to be the best in class in terms of consultation. Bringing all the stakeholders around the table will be the signature of this partnership.”

Hydro Quebec has already committed to investing upward of $110 billion into new renewable energy projects between now and 2035 to meet growing demands on its network. 

“The challenge for Quebec is we need a lot of energy. We’ve come to realize that we’re short energy over the last five, six years, and so there’s going to be a lot of renewable projects throughout the province,” Jaclot said. “For me, it’s critical that we bring First Nations to the table as co-owners and as investors in these projects.”

The renewable energy projects – whether they’re wind, solar or hydro – don’t strictly have to be with Hydro Quebec either, he said. Private energy providers like Energir could also be involved. 

There’s no set cap on how much the MCK and Caisse will be willing to jointly invest in the projects.

“We’re going to try and negotiate the best deal possible, get the maximum return possible and get the biggest share of the capital,” Jaclot said. 

The two partners will also be there to help communities find other investors, like banks, if need be, he said.

Diabo said some projects are already under their review, but no firm commitments have been made yet. Under their partnership with the Caisse, the MCK is also considering a possible co-investment into the coming modernization of the Beauharnois dam, built over 1911 and 1971. 

“On the political end, that’s what’s good for Kahnawake,” Diabo said. “But again, we have to have those conversations and see what’s viable in the long run.”

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Expect more development in the Lot 106 area over the next two years. 

Work is now underway to get a two-storey 16-plex built in the area. An architect has been hired and has since produced its first draft designs of what the structure could look like, Council chief Ryan Montour said. 

“We’re pushing as fast and as hard as we can. We need these units,” said Montour, the lead on housing. 

Each storey will have eight apartments, ranging in size from one to two-bedrooms each.

The same architect has also produced a draft design for another 16-plex Montour hopes to see in the village area, ideally near the hospital. It’s not yet certain where exactly it’ll be, as there are limitations in the number of lots up for grab in the area. One spot along River Road is currently being studied, he said. 

“The housing that’s geared towards elders and those with disabilities, we wanted a lot in the village,” Montour said. “If there’s enough space, we will take it.”

The hope is to have four separate buildings with four units each, he said. Like the building planned for the Lot 106 area, it’ll also be made up of one to two-bedroom apartments. 

Both 16-plexes will also be entirely accessible, he assured. Consultations are to come with Connecting Horizons, which represents those with special needs and disabilities in the community. 

“We’re trying to mix elders with community members,” Montour said.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) has $400,000 committed from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to pay toward their contract with the architect overseeing the two 16-plexes. That’s funding it previously received from the federal government last summer.

The MCK’s housing unit will need to apply for a loan with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to cover the construction costs involved, the unit told The Eastern Door. 

Since the final design from the architect still isn’t finished and a loan has yet to be approved, it’s still too early to say how much it would cost to build the two 16-plexes. 

Construction on the projects will begin sometime in 2026, ideally. The unit is also exploring adding another six-unit apartment building in the Lot 106 area too – but is still in the preliminary stages of planning for it. 

There are currently about 50 people on the unit’s waiting list for social housing. Most (30) have been on it for over two years now.

“We’re going to supply the demand, it’s that simple,” Montour said. “We’re looking at a great, bright future for housing.”

It’s the most vulnerable in the community that’ll be the first to move into any social housing once it’s ready, he said. That includes those at risk of homelessness, the elderly, large families, those with disabilities, and those currently living in homes of poor condition. 

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Nine additional officers will soon join the ranks of the Kahnawake Peacekeepers, following a boost in funding recently negotiated with Quebec and Canada.

Both governments provide funding to the force on an annual basis through a policing agreement. This fiscal year that agreement brought in roughly $6.2 million. An extra $2 million in stabilization funding however is now expected to be added to that amount, police chief Dwayne Zacharie said, bringing the projected total to roughly $8.2 million.

“The new approach the government has taken is to start to reconsider what the actual and true cost of First Nation policing is,” he said. “We don’t have a new policing agreement, but the one that we are in now is going to be amended, and there will be additional resources in the budget.”

The Peacekeepers will be able to expense that $2 million over the next fiscal year too, something it hasn’t previously been permitted to do, Zacharie said. That is once the updated policing agreement is signed and finalized in coming weeks. 

That shakes out to just over $1 million from the federal government, and just under $1 million from the province. 

“This will give us the ability to hire even more Peacekeepers and to properly staff the shifts as we wanted,” Zacharie said.

That extra funding could also make way for a renovation of their station, he said, to ensure it can house the additional officers. 

Council chief Ryan Montour said it’s evident both governments are trying to placate the community.

The Peacekeepers are among 22 First Nation and Inuit police forces in the province that have launched a human rights complaint alleging their underfunding constitutes discrimination. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has already agreed to hear the case.

Last November, a Supreme Court ruling also sided with a judgment out the Quebec Court of Appeal ruling both Canada and Quebec owed the community of Mashteuiatsh $1.6 million to make up for years of underfunding its police service. Canada has agreed to pay its part. Quebec, meanwhile, asked that the court overturn the ruling. 

“That, combined with our human rights complaint, is something that is waking up the federal government and provincial government. They’re worried about a massive lawsuit where it looks like they know they’re probably going to lose,” Montour said. “They’re trying to get out of it by appeasing us.”

The nine officers expected to be hired come in addition to eight recently selected to join a new Highway Patrol Unit anticipated to hit the ground by next year.

In all, it stands to bring the force from 36 officers up to 53, Zacharie said, that is if you exclude retirements or other departures. Two Peacekeepers have already announced they’ll be retiring soon, and many more are eligible, he said. 

“Having the resources is one thing. Being able to identify the people to fill those positions is another,” the police chief said. 

Of the eight selected to join the Highway Patrol Unit, the majority are locals, but it took months to secure the talent. Some had to be recruited from other Indigenous communities. 

“We have to live and work in the community that we’re responsible for providing services in, so it’s a very hard career path to take,” Zacharie said about the challenges that come with recruiting locally. 

“When you’re dealing with some of the hardest things you’ll ever deal with in your life, fatalities and stuff like that, these are people that you know.”

Three out of the eight hired are women. Two will head out as soon as next week for training at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. 

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Council chief David Diabo has some food for thought after returning from a recent emergency preparedness conference hosted in Ottawa by the Canadian Red Cross. 

He was there for its first day, on January 29, which had panel discussions set aside about the challenges First Nations face in particular when it comes to responding to emergencies and natural disasters. 

For communities like Kahnawake, that generally comes down to a lack of funding, the lead on emergency management said. 

“We are limited in funding and resources, equipment, and training,” said Diabo, who attended the conference alongside Melanie Morrison, who shares the portfolio with him. 

That’s why the relationship between Kahnawake’s first responders and public safety authorities, like the one for the St. Lawrence Seaway, is key. 

The extent to which Canada’s emergency preparedness ministry has grown in size over the years gives him hope First Nations will be better served in coming years, however. 

Asked whether he feels the community is ready for a major catastrophe like a train derailment, Diabo was upfront. No, it’s not.

“Our hazard spaces are really centered around those four modes of transportation,” he said – the railroads, highways, cargo ships, and airplanes that pass through the territory.

“That’s where all the hazardous materials pass,” Diabo said, mentioning the Mercier bridge and the cargo ships that run through the seaway. “If a ship hits the rocks and it rips a hole in the side, we don’t know what they’re carrying. If it’s nuclear waste, oil, or components of oil that could do a lot of damage to the waterway.” 

Just as recently as last summer a cargo ship got lodged in the Seaway for over 24 hours after a system malfunction. Luckily, it wasn’t carrying any hazardous materials or punctured when it ground to a halt. No one was injured either.

Commercial trains that run through the territory carry the same kinds of hazardous materials. 

“A chemical spill or an oil spill, with a train derailed and all of the tankers put on the side and ripped open, it would be a catastrophe,” Diabo said. 

He also worries about how fast some of the trains are travelling.  

“We have that big curve just by the (CP) tunnel, and it’s got a speed limit,” he said. “Some of the trains that go around that fence are well over that speed limit, and there’s houses just below it, so that’s a real risk right there.

Then there’s also the possibility of a plane crashing in the territory, which though unlikely, is possible given Kahnawake’s proximity to the Trudeau airport.

Regardless of how well equipped one government is over another, everyone is also struggling with how to best predict and respond to extreme weather events becoming more common because of climate change.

“Climate change is making the summers hotter, and the winters and colder. There are more wildfires, there’s more flooding, there’s more critical infrastructure damage,” Diabo said. “You never know what you’re going to need to be prepared for, or how much you need to be prepared.”

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An emergency homeless shelter has quietly opened in town. 

Though it’s been available to community members since late December, it’s yet to be occupied by anyone. That’s because it’s a last-resort option; since its opening Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS) has been able to refer those in need to surrounding shelters.

“We’re just doing this in order to have some form of response, because we don’t want a community member to contact us for help and we have nowhere to send them,” said Davis Montour, KSCS’s director of family services operations, who has taken the lead on getting the resource set up.

When a community member needs help finding an overnight shelter, whether it be a homeless shelter or one for domestic violence, their first step is to contact an intake worker through KSCS or the Kahnawake Peacekeepers. In recent months, however, neighbouring shelters have increasingly been maxed to capacity.

“That’s what created the demand to do something here in the community,” said Montour.

The shelter is housed in KSCS’s Hill Top building, across from the cross by Karonhianónhnha Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa, which it intends to one day transform into an assisted living facility. The space inside is limited due to unfinished renovations there, meaning right now it can only house up to two people per night. 

It’s because of the limited number of beds that KSCS has held off on publicly announcing its opening. There currently aren’t enough personnel available to run a facility full time, Montour said. 

In addition to that, the demand isn’t that dire, he said, even though there are now more homeless community members in the community than before.

Like elsewhere in the province, Kahnawake is also experiencing a rise in homelessness.

According to estimates compiled by KSCS and the social assistance team at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK), that includes 12 community members “at risk” of becoming homeless. That’s fewer than there were in early December, when there were 17. 

Those are only the compiled numbers. Some don’t reach out for help. 

“We have no real idea what the demand for accessing a shelter within the community is going to be,” Montour said.

In downtown Montreal, homelessness is an undeniable reality. In Kahnawake, it presents differently; some may live in cars or spend their nights in abandoned homes or sheds. Many move from home to home of family or friends. Panhandling is unheard of. 

“It’s a serious thing,” said Council chief Iohahiio Delisle, who worked alongside Montour to set up the resource. “Nobody really wants to really identify or acknowledge some people, but it is real, and we need to provide the services.”

The shelter by Karonhianónhnha is only a temporary solution, Delisle said. After March, KSCS will have to resume the renovations needed there to prepare for the opening of its assisted living facility.

A committee made up of KSCS and MCK staff and other Council chiefs, like Arnold Boyer and Jeremiah Johnson, are working to find a solution once the spring comes. 

“We’re always looking at the ways we provide services, but more importantly, trying to optimize our services by tailoring them to meet acute care needs, to meet emergency needs,” Delisle said. “We’re looking at it through the model of nobody left behind. Nobody’s disregarded.”

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The fourth edition of Kahnawake’s annual Seed Conference is coming to town this month, with a schedule chock-full of speakers in the process of being finalized.

“It’s to educate people,” said Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chief Stephen McComber, who has been co-organizing the event with Kahnawake Collective Impact (KCI).

McComber said that a range of speakers will be coming to the Knights of Columbus from February 21-23, with the conference operating on a drop-in basis, meaning no registration is required for participants.

This year, there will also be free breakfast and lunch for participants, catered by Messy Kitchen. KCI’s facilitator of food security, Takariwaienhne McComber, said she’s excited to see the conference grow – the first conference only had around 30 participants, whereas last year’s event had between 100 and 150 attendees.

“It’s a lot of passionate people all interested in the same thing, all coming to the same building,” Takariwaienhne said. “It’s so nice to see everybody talking and sharing, and elders share stories about gardening back in the old days and how everyone used to have a garden. It’s really great to hear all the stories.”

Speakers will include Janice Brant, a traditional seed keeper and grower from Tyendinaga, agricultural expert Heron Breen, who has worked at Fedco Seeds, a company that often donates seeds to Akwesasne, and Kanehsata’kehró:non Valerie Gabriel, who is a farmer and co-founder of Dearhouse Farms. 

There will also be representatives from companies that work on initiatives like modular greenhouses, as well as local organizations like the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO), and the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Program (KSDPP).

Gabriel, who founded Dearhouse Farms with Chuck Barnett, will be presenting on mushrooms and garlic. Her work began in Kanesatake, and now she operates in Kahnawake too, often working with students from the community.

She said she’s looking forward to sharing her love of farming with attendees at the conference, noting that garlic and mushrooms are both exciting crops to grow.

“I mean, I totally hated mushrooms as a child, but as you grow older you start to hear about the medicinal properties,” she said.

When Gabriel was a teen, she tried a mushroom that she thought was a piece of steak. From that day on she’s been passionate about spreading the good word on mushrooms, which is exactly what she plans to do at the conference.

“Mushrooms are such a beautiful specimen in the forest, they’re elderly and they carry so much knowledge and wisdom and healing properties,” she said. 

Gabriel added that she’s particularly excited to hear others speak.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to learn. Usually when you share stories, you also learn,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to being able to interact with people who are really interested in food from nature, whether it’s from the forest or the land.”

Takariwaienhne McComber said that KCI will be inviting participants to share their details after the conference to create a food security network going forward, with the goal of having meetings to discuss projects in the spring.

“I’m hoping a lot of people show up and that we get them interested and we get that energy so we can do more in the future,” Takariwaienhne said.

Stephen said that he’s also looking forward to engaging local youth with themes of farming and sustainability – most recently, his connections with the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in the United States has resulted in the organization donating a large quantity of seeds that he intends to donate to schools in the community.

“It’s all part of trying to encourage the youth to connect back to the land,” Stephen said. 

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The days might be getting longer, but that’s about the only sign of the cold snap letting up. Fortunately, as Kanehsata’kehró:non look out the window at the snow accumulating on their cars, they can comfort themselves with the knowledge they’ll soon be clearing it off for two weeks of winter fun.

Every year, Kanesatake Health Center (KHC) staff get to work crafting a schedule of events designed to help lift Kanehsata’kehró:non out of their seasonal doldrums, and 2025 is no exception.

“That’s the goal of it, is to keep everyone out of the winter blues. It can be hard times for people,” said Jadyn Nicholas, child and youth program coordinator at the Kanesatake Health Center, which organizes the annual Winter Carnival.

While on its face the festival might appear to be about sports and games, its true spirit is bringing people closer to one another during a difficult time of year.

“A lot of people do come together and get to see people they haven’t seen in a long time,” said Nicholas.

The slate of activities has something for all ages, kicking off with glow-in-the-dark volleyball for the 12-and-older set from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Ratihén:te High School.

One of the highlights of this year’s calendar is a live concert and luncheon for elders featuring the country music stylings of the River Mohawk Band out of Akwesasne. With the KHC even bringing in folks to teach line dancing at the event, elders can have a thought about what songs might get them moving most.

“We do a variety of songs. We do a few of our own, mostly a lot of covers,” said Roger Mitchell, the band’s singer and bassist. “It depends on the people that are there too. I ask for a lot of requests, ask people what songs they want to hear.”

They’ll be performing at Ratihén:te on February 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for community members 60 and up. Nicholas said the phone is already ringing off the hook with people enthusiastic to attend, which bodes well for a sharp performance.

“A key to a good show is to have a good crowd, just to try to get everybody involved,” said Mitchell. “Our main goal is to make sure they have a good time.”

For the community’s youngest, toddler fun bounce night is being held on February 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the high school for those aged zero to five.

“I’m trying to make sure there is stuff for all age groups, all the families, from ages zero to 99, just to make sure it is an inclusive event, and we can build on it as much as the community lets us next year,” said Nicholas.

With Valentine’s Day on a Friday this year, it was a perfect opportunity to host a Valentine’s Day dance, Nicholas said, with children grades one through six encouraged to “dress to impress” and head out to Rotiwennakéhte Elementary School from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The next day, February 15, community members are invited to come down to the new KHC farm, where Kahnawake equestrian Hannah Deer is bringing back last year’s popular sleigh ride event.

“We had tons of people come out for that last year, so that was a really big success. We want to keep doing that, plus it’s just something you don’t get all the time,” said Nicholas.

The sleigh ride will be held alongside snowsnake, which will be hosted by the cultural healing and wellness team.

Besides sports, there is also traditional paint night on February 13 and indoor movie night on February 21, where the classic animated film Ice Age will be shown.

Meanwhile, other athletic activities include ball hockey and family badminton the first week and glow-in-the-dark dodgeball and soccer the following one.

Volleyball has become a Kanesatake staple, while the KHC has been hosting regular recreational ball hockey, among other sports, to get youth ready to participate in the tournament coming up – around 15-20 young athletes have been coming out for that each week.

“It’s to keep that consistency and keep that positivity that there is in the community and not focus on so much of the negatives that we encounter daily, but to try to bring some positive ways to come together,” Nicholas said, adding the athletes are looking forward to winning medals and bragging rights.

A broomball tournament closes out the Winter Carnival on February 22, taking place at the sports complex in Two Mountains, so it can be played on indoor ice.

Finally, there are the photo contests, with this year’s themes being Valentine’s Day baking, snow and ice castles, and traditional crafts. 

“It could be something new, it could be something you’re working on. Just more or less to showcase the local artists,” Nicholas said.

Submissions open on February 9 and close at 4 p.m. on February 22.

A full schedule of events is posted to KHC’s Facebook page. Some activities require pre-registration.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The past few months have seen Ellen Katsi’tsakwas Gabriel and co-author Sean Carleton travel to a number of cities, sharing their book, When the Pine Needles Fall, with readers all over Turtle Island.

Now, the book is reaching even more people, having been longlisted for the 2025 Canada Reads list and shortlisted for the Wilson Institute Book Prize.

“I’m surprised by how well it’s been doing, I’m really honoured that people have enjoyed reading it,” said Gabriel.

“I’m quite pleased that people grab the book and take some notice of it.”

Canada Reads is a prestigious annual competition, with one book named annually that “the whole country should read this year.” When the Pine Needles Fall was named as one of 15 books on the longlist last month.

Despite not cinching a spot on the five-book shortlist announced at the end of January, the Canada Reads longlist still helps propel the book to a bigger audience.

“The Canada Reads longlist introduces the book to a mainstream audience that maybe is unfamiliar with Ellen’s story,” said Carleton, a settler-historian whose conversations with Gabriel about the Siege of Kanehsatake and beyond are recorded in the book.

“Our goal isn’t to win awards, our goal is to change the world, but nevertheless the recognition the book is receiving will help people connect with these really important lessons.”

The Wilson Institute Book Prize is given annually to a book that “best places Canadian history in a transnational context.”

Gabriel said that it’s particularly interesting to see the book shortlisted for a Canadian history prize.

“It’s kind of ironic, since there’s still no interest in teaching about the real history of Canada, the genocidal history of Canada, and how it continues to treat Indigenous people,” Gabriel said. 

“I think it’s really an accomplishment, I’m happy that it’s making the rounds and I’m hoping that it’ll spark some interest, especially among the youth, to understand the resistance.”

In its announcement of the shortlist, the Wilson Institute said that Gabriel and Carleton’s book is “more than just the memoir of an extraordinary individual,” which “offers an intimate look” into Gabriel’s life experiences.

“When the Pine Needles Fall offers insight into Indigenous language, history, and philosophy, reflections on our relationship with the land, and calls to action against both colonialism and capitalism as we face the climate crisis,” the Institute said. “Gabriel’s hopes for a decolonial future makes clear why protecting Indigenous homelands is vital not only for the survival of Indigenous peoples, but for all who live on this planet.”

Gabriel said that being longlisted and shortlisted means that more people will hear about her own journey with resistance and can use the book as a teaching tool to inform their paths with activism.

“We’re living in really dangerous times where fascism is really bold and not trying to hide or camouflage its intent,” she said. “It’s timely that it’s coming out the way it has, and it’s bringing out another generation that’s going to learn about our story and our history.”

Carleton said it’s particularly gratifying to make the Wilson Institute shortlist, because part of the book’s overall goal is to challenge colonial narratives by putting forward Gabriel’s own experiences.

“Now we have Ellen’s voice on the historical record and the historical community is not only learning from that but embracing that,” he said. “I think it’s a sign that things are going in the right direction, and that Indigenous people can control their own narratives about these big historical events.”

The winner of the Wilson Institute prize will be announced in the late spring. 

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When Robert Bonspiel was approached by the Canadian Paramedic Memorial Foundation to sit on its board – becoming its only Indigenous member – he didn’t hesitate.

After all, the idea to build the Canadian Paramedic Monument for fallen paramedics in the country’s capital struck a chord with him, not least for the opportunity to push for the inclusion of Indigenous first responders and Onkwehón:we languages.

But Bonspiel, the president of First Nations Paramedics, also knows firsthand the way paramedics put their lives on the line every day to serve people in their hour of greatest need.

“For me, it was hammered home years ago that we needed to do this,” he said.

It was Valentine’s Day 1997, a blizzardy, busy day on the job. After bringing in three or four patients to St. Eustache Hospital, sensing the stress of the hospital’s nurses, he shared a little dark humour to lighten the tension, joking he wouldn’t be coming back unless it was to receive treatment himself.

“I shouldn’t have said that, because ultimately I was the patient,” he said.

Driving the slippery roads back to the community, the crew encountered a bad crash involving five vehicles and an 18-wheeler on Route 640 in Two Mountains. They were first on the scene, so they mobilized to provide care. Bonspiel was tending to a person trapped in a car lodged beneath the mammoth truck. 

That’s when he was hit, a car sending him 250 feet.

“I was lucky because I escaped with my life,” Bonspiel said. “There are a lot of paramedics that don’t.”

He believes it’s important for the families of fallen paramedics to have a place to go, to pay their respects in the context of the sacrifice they made. Even the patients on scene might need somewhere to go, for their own sense of closure or appreciation.

“I think it’s incredibly important,” Bonspiel said. “People give their lives all the time in service of others. And while we’re not looking for it, we don’t need that tap on the back, it’s nice to know that the possibility exists that somebody can remember what we did for them, or what somebody did for them in the past.”

It’s also a place that can represent the goal of protecting the lives of paramedics, to compel people to ask how to eliminate instances like these, another part of Bonspiel’s enthusiasm to join the project.

“When they came to me and asked me, it meant so much,” he said.

The idea of the monument resonates with others in the field, too. Alexandre Lebeau, who serves with First Nations Paramedics, supports the effort to recognize medical first responders.

“There are monuments for police officers, there are monuments for firefighters, veterans, but for us, we’ve had nothing yet,” said Lebeau.

“It’s a job that is a bit less glamorous than a police officer or a firefighter. I’m really happy that we have a monument, that we’re recognized by a monument in Ottawa.”

For Bonspiel, who has frequently advocated for the expansion of access to paramedic services in First Nations, serving on the board is an opportunity to ensure the monument is inclusive and reflective of Indigenous communities and contributions.

One way he is doing this is through preaching the importance of including as many Indigenous languages as possible alongside the English and French.

“I told them if I’m going to be here, I don’t just want to be the Indigenous representative, I want to see some Indigenous representation incorporated into the monument as well. The other members were incredible in that they agreed right away and this was not an issue,” he said.

They started with small things, Bonspiel said, ensuring translations into Indigenous languages were included in the social media presence and in email signatures. They have included six Indigenous languages so far, he said, but this is only a start.

“We want people to get involved. We want to see our languages there because there have been paramedics, whether military or civilian, from all of our nations over the years, and they have to know they’re remembered and what they did is respected and will always be an important part of history,” he said.

He also hopes to collect small stories from Kanien’kehá:ka about their and their loved ones’ experiences receiving care from paramedics, especially but not only in Kanien’kéha, so people can see the difference first responders make in people’s lives. He invites people to reach out to share, he said.

“Everybody respects the work that’s being done by those paramedics, and rightfully so,” he said. “They come in at the worst possible moment in a person’s life and they bring with them a calmness and a professionalism and care that hopefully makes that person feel better in the moment.”

The monument will be built for both military and civilian paramedics on a site in Ottawa’s Commissioners Park, the foundation announced last month. The foundation is currently working to raise $5 million in donations to build the memorial.

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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC)’s Winter Carnival has always been on the lookout for ways to make their event better each year.

This year’s Winter Night Market, held last Friday on the grounds of the Kahnawake Sports Complex, is no exception.

Following a successful first edition last year, the KYC decided to combine it with a family dance this time – instead of having an elementary school dance at the same time, like last year – as part of its emphasis on inclusion for this year’s carnival.

“We’ve really tried to emphasis inclusion, because in some of the more active events that we did, they were 13+, and some of the adults in town are really competitive, so they play hard,” said Cheyanne McComber, community and family events coordinator for KYC. 

As such, lower intensity events like the night market, the puzzle competition, as well as rules for broomball and human foosball to have women and youth on the teams, made the carnival more accessible, according to McComber.

Although temperatures were double digits under freezing, especially after the sun had completely set, the night market was still bustling – including the family dance floor.

Younger kids and families danced with a polar bear and panda mascot, as well as K1037 Radio, as the radio station provided the tunes and a DJ.

On site, there were many booths of organizations in town letting people know about their future projects.

The Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) distributed its newsletter and let community members know they would be holding an environment community committee in the spring.

KEPO also had a game where, with plushies, you could try your hand at identifying birds that frequent the community, where you could win a KEPO shirt.

Other organizations with booths included Kahnawake Collective Impact, which gave hot beverages to market attendees, Kahnawake Tourism, and Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services.

There were also vendors from in and around the community selling wares ranging from traditional art to treats to satisfy your sweet tooth.

“I was at the first edition last year, and despite it being very cold, it was very busy. I met a lot of people, made some friends, and it was very good. I love the community, so I’m back again this year,” said Diana Murphy, owner of Sweet Dee’s, which specializes in making and selling freeze-dried candies as well as selling imported or unusual candies.

On the artistic side, the Snipe Clan Sisters’ beadwork booth featured earrings, purses, and ribbon skirts.

Another was Femade, a jewelry company owned by Paola Ramirez, who emigrated from Colombia to Canada. She designs jewelry which is then handmade in Colombia using techniques from the Wayuu, an Indigenous people in Colombia and Venezuela.

With the Carnival wrapping things up today (Friday), McComber said that it has been a very successful endeavour.

“I think having a lot of different indoor and outdoor events gave more options for everyone to find something they would like to do and participate in,” said McComber. 

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Some might think that the Super Bowl half-time show is taking place this Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans. But the real half-time show to be at was last weekend at the Knights of Columbus, where Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS) hosted its very own version of the event. 

“We had really, really energetic performances,” said Dawson Aronhiakons Horne, a prevention worker at KSCS who coordinated the show alongside fellow prevention worker Adrienne Zachary.

“We’re honestly so proud of it, we both worked really hard on it, and it’s been our passion project for the last two months, so we’re really happy with how it went.”

Well over 100 people showed up for the lip-sync-themed event, which was held as part of the Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC)’s Winter Carnival.

Following a theme of the Superbowl half-time show, each performer participated in one of three categories: lip-sync solo, lip-sync group performance, and live performance. First-place winners in each category took home $500 cash, and second and third place took home $100.

Tahatie Diabo opened the evening in the lip-sync solo category with his performance of Latin icon Selena’s live cover of Black Box’s “Everybody Everybody” – he took home first place in his category.

Diabo said that he watched Selena’s live performance on repeat leading up to the event.

“I copied every ‘woo,’ every ‘ah,’ and I put my own spin on it, my own flavour, I made it my own and I made it believable,” he said. 

“For me, just being able to go out there and jump around on stage and be confident in that moment was a win enough for me, so for me to actually win was a total bonus because it isn’t something that I ever expect.”

Diabo credits a lucky charm with helping him secure the victory – a microphone given to him a few years ago by his niece, Lyla Diabo.

“When I saw her afterwards, she was like, ‘Uncle, you used my microphone!’ she knew it right away,” he said. “Those are the moments that make it all worth it.”

Other lucky winners included Millie Jacobs who took second place in the solo category, as well as Valley White, Evey and Rory Hemlock, and Ivy and Willow Jackson, who took home first and second place in the group performance. In the live performance category, Tsokwiretsi Cross and Atonhwensine Paul took first place, Scout Marquis took second, and Rory Hemlock took third.

Zachary said that after months of planning, it was especially rewarding to see community members support KSCS’s efforts.

“I think it’s super awesome to see, because a lot of the performers were children and they can get really shy out there, but the audience was so encouraging, and people were being so supportive,” she said.

“There was a really big community connection going on.”

Door prizes were also given out throughout the evening, including karaoke machines, AirPods, and a Best Western gift card.

Though admission was free, the team collected more than $500 worth of donations, which they chose to give to the Iakwahwatsiratátie Language Nest. 

Catering was also provided by the Mohawk Wrestling Club, which sold pizza and other snacks to raise funds for more youth to take part in wrestling. They ended up raising nearly $1,000 for the team.

“It was amazing to see little kids running around and interacting with their grandparents and their parents. I think we as a community need to get back to more community-type events like this for the whole family,” said wrestling coach Peter Montour. 

He said that wrestlers are preparing for Nationals in Alberta later this year. 

“Plane flights get expensive fast, and the closer we get, the more expensive it all gets,” he said. “We’re trying to make some money now, that’s why we’re fundraising hard.”

Tahatie said the night was real demonstration of what makes Kahnawake what it is. 

“Look around, everybody, this is our community. We came out for each other, to see different kinds of performances, and to really cheer on our community,” he said.

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This year’s Chateauguay Valley Irish Heritage Association (CVIHA) Queen Selection and Celtic Celebration was a momentous affair, with more than 200 people in attendance to find out who would be the Queen and her court for their St. Patrick’s Day parade in March. 

Among the six who vied for a place in the parade was Kahnawa’kehró:non Kahentísa’s Alfred, who has been involved with the CVIHA for many years, including as a practitioner of Irish dance.

After presenting themselves to the judges and some deliberation, it was decided that Alfred would be a part of the court as one of the princesses this year.

“She stood up there and she shared who she was. She was confident. She knew about Irish culture. She talked about her connection to community, her history as an Irish dancer, and just how much it meant to her to represent us,” said Tiffany Dickie, CVIHA’s director of public relations. 

“I vividly remember her running for junior princess. It was really nice to see her come back as this confident young woman ready to represent the community in the association. It was very much a coming-of-age tale for her to be up there and to be so successful and to have been so confident in herself.”

Dickie, who herself did Irish dance for a long time, was one Alfred’s dance teachers when she was young, so she knows how much time she has spent involved in the community and representing it already.

“Seeing her go from that girl to who she is now, it’s just absolutely incredible. I’m so proud of her,” said Dickie.

Dickie said that being a part of the court is not about hierarchy, but about involvement with the community and representing it well.

“We try to make it so that it’s a very inclusive thing and it’s not a hierarchy. We just appreciate that people are willing to give up their time to be a part of this,” said Dickie.

For the 20th anniversary of Chateauguay’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, Dickie said that CVIHA is looking to get back to its roots.

That includes things like a return to formal dress at this year’s CVIHA Queen Selection and Celtic Celebration, but to her, it means more than that.

“When we talk about our roots, I don’t think we have roots without Indigenous culture,” said Dickie. 

As such, the association has made efforts to include Kahnawake in the festivities; organizations in Kahnawake will be taking part in the March 23 parade and grand chief Cody Diabo will be one of the parade judges.

“We’re just trying to diversify our membership, our representation, and our involvement with the communities around Chateauguay,” said Dickie.

While Alfred was not named princess because she is from Kahnawake, according to Dickie, her ability to represent herself and her culture made her stand out.

“She let her culture represent itself. I think she did a beautiful job of being herself on stage and representing Mohawk culture and Irish culture simultaneously in such a respectful way. I was blown away that someone her age was able to do something like that,” said Dickie.

Alfred will be joined in the parade by the queen, Olivia De Repentigny, and the other princess, Hailie Aube McKenna.

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Dancing is always medicine for those who enter the powwow arena, and that was particularly true at last weekend’s Seminole Powwow in Florida, where the floor was filled with red dresses, as Onkwehón:we from across Turtle Island joined together for a special dance to commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

Among several Kahnawa’kehró:non in attendance was Amanda Kanatenhawi James, who wore a red and black jingle dress designed by her auntie Carrie-Layne Marquis. The dress featured red jingles and ribbon printed with red handprints, as well as an embroidered patch reading “No More Stolen Sisters.”

She also donned a leather belt and knife sheath crafted by Buzzard Jacobs, the father of Karennisakhe Jacobs, who drowned in the St. Lawrence River in 2017. James and fellow Kahnawa’kehró:non Singing Wind Deer were able to give Karennisakhe’s name to Jingle Dancers dancing for MMIWG. They also gave Tiffany Morrison’s name to be read as part of the Red Dress Special – Morrison’s family have never had closure after her remains were found four years after her 2006 disappearance.

“It was a really, really heavy moment. It was really hard not to cry,” James said. “My dress was made in memory of those women, and it was nice to be able to give their names in the vigil ceremony and represent our home all the way down there in Florida.”

There was also a smoke dance special in memory of Dylan Isaacs, a Six Nations man who was shot and killed in Miami last year. Kahnawa’kehró:non Brooke Rice said it was healing to dance in his honour. 

“Our people have so much medicine when we come together, and there’s strength in our community,” she said. “It really uplifts the spirits of the family who lost their son, and it creates new memories.”

Karennisakhe was also Rice’s best friend.

“To hear her name was really heavy, just the emotions and thinking about how much injustice there is all across Turtle Island when it comes to murdered and missing Indigenous people,” Rice said. “It was heavy, but it was also beautiful to see how many people came to dance and be there for those people.”
Watching children at the powwow made Rice reflect on how much joy dancing brings.

“The younger kids get to dance without fear. I think it creates a lot of medicine and healing emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and that really ripples into our communities,” she said.

Some of those youth were from Kahnawake – Isabella Karonhia:a Cross, 10, and Laila Ken’niwa’kera:sa McComber, 14, travelled to the event with their mother, Corleigh Iorihwiioston Beauvais.

“I was nervous, but I met another fancy shawl dancer who helped me and made me feel comfortable,” said Cross. “My favourite part was dancing, because it brought me happiness.”
Laila said she enjoyed being able to dance with familiar faces from Kahnawake.

“It helped me feel like I wasn’t alone, and it was so great because everyone encouraged and supported us,” she said. 

She connected with dancers she knew from other stops on the powwow trail, as well as dancers that she follows online.

“I was so happy to watch them all dance in person,” she said.

Beauvais said that her daughters have been practicing constantly over the past several months, and their preparation was obvious on the day.

“Seeing their faces light up as they danced made this experience unforgettable. We are still very new to dancing and have so much more to learn. I’m just so proud of their dedication and how hard they’ve been working to prepare,” Beauvais said.

Watching the girls dance was also a highlight for Deer, who was one of four dancers alongside James, Owen Mayo, and Kwena Boivin, who were sponsored to travel to the powwow by Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS).

“They’ve been practicing endlessly,” said Deer. “It just was a great pleasure watching them get out there and do their thing, it was so beautiful.”

The powwow continued late into the night, with Deer hanging up her dancing shoes around 1 a.m.

“It was one of my dream powwows on my bucket list,” Deer said. “I was just so happy to get to go.”

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Waking up after an intense day of lacrosse is always accompanied by some aches and pains, but this weekend’s Founders Cup tournament in Pennsylvania left Team Kahnawake exhausted for days, after putting up a valiant effort that led them all the way to the championship game.

“It was just crazy, towards the end everyone was extremely tired,” said Darris Jones, who was part of the team. 

In just six hours, the boys played five games of lacrosse, joining the elite high school division, which is typically for players in their final two years of high school, with most players being in grade 12. Ever up for a challenge, Team Kahnawake’s players were grade 11s, adding an extra layer of difficulty.

The team ultimately lost out to the Superstars in the championship game – the only team that had beaten Kahnawake in the round-robin.

Coach Al Jones said that he purposely signed the team up for a challenging tournament, hoping to get them prepared for the season ahead.

“I wanted to test them, I really did. Some of them could possibly get called up to the Hunters this summer, so I wanted to see what they have and let themselves see what they have,” Al said. “If they’re going to compete at the next level, this is going to help.”

The boys kicked off their day bright and early around 7 a.m. with a triumphant 9-3 win over Penn Lacrosse. They stayed on the same field with barely a break before facing the Superstars, who beat Kahnawake 8-6 in a closely fought game. Kahnawake were spurred on by the defeat, serving up a 7-4 win against the NJ Sixers and a 6-4 win against the True MD Rage, earning them a spot in the final game. 

Despite giving it their all, Kahnawake was beat 9-4 by the Superstars in the final, finding themselves exhausted after so many hours on their feet. 

Jackson Norton played for Kahnawake, and said that he was glad the team made it to the very end.

“I didn’t want to drive all the way there just to not make it that far,” he said, adding that the team had to dig deep to find the energy and stamina to keep going.

Norton is one of many young Kahnawa’kehró:non eyeing the Hunters as a potential future team – he hopes that the more time he dedicates to games like this, the better equipped he’ll be to make it in the big leagues.

“These competitions throughout the winter are going to help out, because I’ll have my stick in my hands, I’ll be running, and I’ll be playing against high-level competition,” he said. “My main goal is definitely to make the Hunters.”

Along with Darris and Norton, Kahnawake’s roster included Leland Lahache, Teiokeraonhatie Horne, Arahkwenhawe Two Axe, Brycin Jones, Rowehrenhatie Jacobs, Keegan Kropp, and Randall John. 

Two other familiar names joined that list when Kahnawake found themselves even shorter on players later in the game – Tiohahes Morris and Shakohentinetha Phillips, who were both at the tournament with the East Coast Elite JV team.

The duo helped Kahnawake capture wins in the round robin leg of the tournament, after Al called them up to play with the team.

“I’m really impressed with them, they fought hard, they played really smart, and it just showed me that their IQ is really high to know how to adjust their game accordingly,” said Al.

The boys were able to relax after their intense day of lacrosse by heading to a National Lacrosse League (NLL) game, where the Rochester Knighthawks beat the Philadelphia Wings 15-12.

Darris said it was particularly special to have such a great day of lacrosse followed by time with his teammates, as he’s soon heading to school in Ontario after being drafted by the Whitby Warriors in the first round of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League draft earlier this month.

“It was really fun, because I don’t know the next time I’m going to get to play with them,” said Darris. “Going to play with Whitby is cool, I’m very excited, but it’s still going to feel weird because I’m leaving all of my teammates, all of these kids behind, for who knows how long. It’s not going to be the same.”

For Darris, seeing his team continue to fight to win was what helped him keep his energy up throughout the tournament.

“Everyone showed up happy, spirits were high, and that made us have fun and take on the challenge,” he said. “In our culture, lacrosse is our medicine game, and even though everyone was tired and maybe wanted to quit a bit, we kept going.”

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The covered rink project, the new multisport and multipurpose surface on the grounds of the Kahnawake Sports Complex, is pausing construction for the winter as the weather is making things prohibitively difficult in terms of time and cost.

“The last four years, we had mild winters. We were kind of hopeful that we would receive the same type of winter this year. Anytime we gamble against Mother Nature, she’s going to win every single time,” said Roiatate Horn, director of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK)’s Sports and Recreation Unit.

After a meeting with the funders, it was decided that the budget for the first phase would be extended to the end of June 2025, from the original due date of March of this year – and without needing additional funds.

“The funding terms stated that we needed to have the project delivered by March 31. After visiting the site, the funders stated that the fund was able to be pushed for an additional three months to ensure proper workmanship and all the stuff is done. We’re still working with the same budget that we have, we are solely receiving an extension in terms of timeline,” said Horn.

While they did get a three-month extension, Horn said that if spring comes with a quick thaw, the first phase of the project should not actually take until June to complete.

“Speaking with our contractors, roughly 70 to 85 percent of the work is done already,” said Horn, meaning that the first phase should be ready for lacrosse in the late spring and early summer.

In contrast to previous years, where Kahnawake did not receive a substantial amount of snowfall until mid-to-late January, the first significant accumulation this year was in early December, and apart from an important thaw during the holidays, the cold and the snow have remained.

“You’re going to get more juice out of the lemon if you’re working under the ideal temperature. For example, once the snow came in, productivity dropped. It’s not a knock on the contractors at all, because if we get snow overnight or during the day, we’re losing anywhere from two to three hours of work just for snow clearing, and we’re still paying the workers for that work,” said Horn.

He said that the snow and cold are very real impediments to the project on a technical level as well.

“It’s especially a factor for all that tedious testing that needs to be done with the pressure testing of the refrigeration pipes and then the testing of the concrete,” said Horn.

He said that the pipe pressure testing can be inaccurate in subzero temperatures, and that once the pipes are in place under the concrete, it is a very big inconvenience to go back and fix them if there’s an issue.

Speaking of concrete, while testing is a factor like for the pipes, the cost of heating up the concrete to allow for a good pour was not worth it for the Sports and Recreation Unit.

“When it comes to the added cost of heating a 200-foot by 85-foot slab of concrete, it’s something that we looked at in terms of budget, and it wasn’t ideal,” said Horn.

While there is short term pain with the delay, Horn said that long-term, it will be better for the project to wait for the weather to warm up.

“We want to make sure our deliverables are there for a lifetime. We don’t want to make something that’s going to break down in the next five,10 years, because we push through the weather,” said Horn. “We’re excited to deliver a product that the community has wanted for nearly two decades, and we’re making sure that we do it right.”

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Joey Two Rivers, who has partnered with FightQuest’s Peter Thomas to put on TNT boxing events – including this Saturday’s event in Mercier, their third – is in it first and foremost for his love of boxing.

“I love boxing. That’s my main thing. If there’s a big main event, I’m going to watch it, and that’s been the case going back 30 years at least,” said Two Rivers.

He first got the suggestion to have boxing events in town from Maxime Lepage, who runs the Action boxing club in Mercier. Joey’s nephew, Slade, was training there at the time to work on his striking as an MMA fighter.

“Max said, ‘How come you don’t do boxing in Kahnawake?’ The last time there was boxing was at the Marina almost 10 years ago with ‘Rocky’ Van Dommelen,” said Joey. 

He told Lepage that he knew Thomas through some business they had done together, and that he would get in contact with him.

“All of a sudden, it snowballed,” said Joey. The pair organized a successful event at the Knights of Columbus in May 2024 and would have done another one in Kahnawake in November, had it not been for the Knights building’s closure at the time.

“We kept a good relationship with Max, so we were able to hold the second one at the boxing club in Mercier,” said Joey. 

Joey also has a personal reason for these events to keep running, as his nephew Slade, who indirectly sparked the creation of the event series, took to boxing and has been on the card for both TNT events so far and will be in action on Saturday.

Slade, who is 15 years old, currently holds a 2-1 record. He lost his first ever fight – which according to Joey he decided to take part in the day of – before winning his next two, including his latest win in November coming by technical knockout.

“He’s progressed a lot, especially since he just started boxing two years ago,” said Joey. “He goes to train four times a week, he’s got private boxing classes, he cooks his own meals, for someone that is 15 years old, that’s a lot. He’s dedicated and keen to do well.” 

For his part, Slade said that preparation and getting better are what motivates him to keep training.

He works on his footwork and his techniques through intensive, repeated circuit training. 

As for Saturday? He’s hoping for a win, no matter how it comes.

“If the knockout comes, it comes. I’ve just got to get locked in,” said Slade.

Fourteen fights are currently on the card, including Slade taking on Derek Lapierre. Another boxer from Kahnawake, Kael King, is also on the card, and he will be facing off against Jonathan Robert.

Doors will open on Saturday at 3 p.m. and the event will start at 4 p.m. Tickets, which are $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12, are on sale at the club and will be available the day of the event.

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The Kahnawake Figure Skating Club (KFSC) is only participating in two external competitions this year, but they are making the most of it.

Three skaters from KFSC took part in the South-West Regionals in Valleyfield over the weekend – with it being the first-ever event for two of its skaters.

“Overall, it was a very good competition,” said Donna Meany Griffith, KFSC’s head coach.  “For Teioronhiathe:ton McComber and Ienonwine Printup, this was their first competition, so they were a little nervous but once they were on the ice, the nerves disappeared.”  

In figure skating events like this one, each skater is evaluated on numerous techniques, and once that is tabulated, they are given an overall medal evaluation.

McComber, KFSC’s youngest competitor in Valleyfield, received an overall evaluation of silver. She is in the CanSkate program, which helps beginning skaters learn in a supportive environment, and has six stages – or categories – that ascend in difficulty. McComber, for instance, competed in Stage 4, which includes spins and jumps.

Printup is in STAR Skate, which also has categories going from one to six. Printup is in STAR 1 and was evaluated silver as well.

The third skater, the one with the most experience by far, was Kaylani Delormier, who is in STAR 2 and has been doing figure skating for five years now.

Delormier received an evaluation of bronze and is hoping to do better at the Vaudreuil Invitational in early March.

“I tried my hardest,” said Delormier. “I just do the best I can, to the best of my abilities, because I can’t go beyond that.”

She said that some of her proudest moments in Valleyfield came when she was able to execute two specific moves, skill-intensive moves.

The first was the six spin.

“The six spin is something I was very proud of, because usually I fall down trying to come back up because I lean too far the back of my blade,” said Delormier, who did not fall doing it this time.

The second was a backspin, done by another competitor.

“When I saw her do that back spin, I was like, ‘Holy moly, I want to do it like that,’” said Delormier. “I can do a backspin, but not as good as her usually. But this time, I did!”

Although she is quite experienced at this point, the Regionals did have one first for Delormier, according to Griffith.

“This was the first competition that Kaylani skated to music doing her own solo. It was similar to what you see on television,” said Griffith.  “She was a little nervous, but once her music began this was her time to shine.”

“Due to the constant support of my friends and family, I was able to get through the fear of competing, and I did what I could do, and that’s all what matters,” said Delormier, for her part.

Kaylani’s grandparents, Laurie Delormier and Alan Beauvais, are usually in the stands to watch their granddaughter and cheer her and the club on. 

“She impressed me, she always does. I’ve been watching her over the years, I’m almost at every practice, and I see the improvement,” said Beauvais.

“Donna is a really good coach. We’re damn lucky to have her and the other coaches that we have. It makes a big difference.”

Griffith said that the focus for them now will be to iron out her program before the Vaudreuil Invitational to improve any little detail that could give her a better evaluation there.

As for the reason the club will only be participating in two external competitions this year, Griffith said that the pandemic is to blame.

“It has taken a while since the long COVID break for the club and skaters to prepare for competing again,” said Griffith. But, slowly and surely, they are getting back into the swing of things.

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The hospital ballfield by Kateri Memorial Hospital is usually the site of team sports when it’s 20 C, not -20 C.

And yet, on Wednesday, that’s exactly what happened as the Kahnawake Youth Center (KYC) held Organizational Soccer Baseball as part of this year’s Winter Carnival.

Originally, six teams had signed up for Wednesday afternoon’s tournament, but by the time the first pitch was rolled, only two teams were there to compete: Team KYC and Team Tewatohnhi’saktha.

“We changed some stuff on the fly to make it work,” said Cheyanne McComber, community and family events coordinator for KYC.

“Some of the teams dropped out because they could not get out of work, some told us that it was too cold, and some just did not come.”

Despite the mitigating circumstances, both teams still had a great time on the field. Teammates cheered each other on, both at the plate and in the field, and laughs and cheers definitely outweighed the complaints about the cold.

McComber, who played for team KYC, said she was indeed having a lot of fun, in spite of the cold.

Even though it has been a quite cold couple of weeks in town, she said that she, and others, have been greatly enjoying the outdoor events this year, including soccer baseball.

“Usually we lock ourselves indoors when it gets cold out, so it gets people to come outdoors for two weeks and get active,” said McComber.

The events, including soccer baseball, also served to bring community members together.

“The goal of the event is to get people to bond with people from town they might not see often that work in other organizations,” said McComber.

She was speaking from experience: Annie Marquis, Tewatohnhi’saktha’s communications generalist, helped organize the event and is someone McComber only rarely sees, even though they are friends.

“Usually, I only get to see her during the summer, when we play softball together,” said McComber.

Marquis said that during the planning stages of the Winter Carnival, she brought forward the idea of introducing soccer baseball, a game many have grown up playing with and, even if they have not, is easy to figure out.

For those not in the know, soccer baseball is exactly what it sounds like – you play with baseball rules, but instead of hitting a ball with a bat, you have to kick the ball.

The snow covering the field was kept in place, apart from a clearing of the basepaths to allow for easier running.

The snow was both a hinderance and a benefit, on both sides of the ball. For example, the thick, soft snow usually stopped the large, light ball dead in its tracks, meaning hits that did not stay in the air for very long stayed in the infield. But, also, inaccurate throws suffered from the same result, with anything off the mark softly landing in the middle of the diamond and staying there.

“It was different because you’re playing it in the snow, it was a lot more work,” said Marquis.

“While we were waiting to start, I was freezing, and I could not feel my feet, but once we started playing my body warmed up and I actually got really warm.”

More brazen defenders also took advantage of the snow to perform acrobatic catches, or dive towards the bases to get runners out.

Team KYC ended up coming out on top, winning 8-2 over Team Tewatohnhi’saktha.

The last day of the Winter Carnival is today, Friday, and will feature the famous Polar Plunge, happening at the youth center at 12:15 p.m. Money raised by the plungers will go towards the KYC’s travel and exchanges program.

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Quebec is planning a similar loan program for businesses as it did during the Covid pandemic in the event that United States President Donald Trump moves ahead with tariffs on Canadian goods in March. 

Véronique Buist asked Montrealers to submit photos of their most-liked places through social media. She embroidered the images on handmade paper and is showing her work at the Peter B. Yeomans Cultural Centre in Dorval, Que.

Canada's labour market added 76,000 jobs in January, beating economist expectations. In Quebec, the unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 5.4 per cent.

The party, which has been without an elected leader for more than two years, announced on X Friday morning that its electoral committee found it could not accept Coderre's leadership bid, though it did not say why.