UPDATE – Link Added to Residency Notice to the Community of Kahnawake

06/11/2020

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to advise the public that it has issued a Notice regarding the upcoming finalization of Kahnawà:ke Residency Law Regulations and actions related to the Law. Click here to view the Notice.

The Regulations pursuant to this Law were posted on the Kahnawà:ke Legislative Coordinating Commission website (www.kahnawakemakingdecisions.com) for a 30-day feedback period, which ended on May 8, 2020. Once the Regulations have been finalized and a Compliance Officer is hired, community members will be enabled to file complaints regarding individuals who are deemed to be in violation of the Kahnawà:ke Residency Law. Additional information regarding this process will be coming from Ietsénhaienhs Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer and the Office of the Kahnawà:ke Kanien’kehá:ka Registry during the next several weeks.

“The MCK has received – and continues to receive – numerous complaints from community members regarding individuals who are residing in the Territory without the permission by the People to do so,” said Ietsénhaienhs Sky-Deer. “We are now at the point where we will have the ability to take proper action on this matter.”

According to the Notice,

“There are many people who believe that the MCK and, by extension, the Community of Kahnawà:ke LOST after the most recent court challenge. However, that is not the case. What the judge did say is that the Provincial Courts have no jurisdiction to decide who can be a Recognized Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke, or who can reside on our Territory – and that these are matters which need to be decided by Kahnawà:ke. We then went to the People and asked for a mandate to separate all matters pertaining to Residency out of the former 2003 Membership Law. On June 17, 2019 the KAHNAWÀ:KE RESIDENCY LAW was enacted after 2 years of engagement and direction from the People of Kahnawà:ke.”

“This Community is comprised of tight-knit families and we all look out for each other and the best interests of Kahnawà:ke. If you grew up here, you have known about our cultural/ communal rules since childhood. Over time we had to evolve with the courts and various challenges so we’ve had to put them into LAW so that we could have due process and enforcement. Therefore, if you are not a Recognized Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke, an Approved Kahnawà:ke Resident or if you don’t possess a permit giving you permission to reside here, then you can and will be subject to our internal processes and could face fines and/or legal eviction.

For those persons allowing individuals to reside here in spite of our Laws, we direct you to the Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke Law. There is a section called “REVOCATION OF ENTITLEMENTS” and under section 13 “RESPONSIBILITIES.” 

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For information regarding the Kahnawà:ke Residency Law, please contact:

Alan John Rice
Manager, Office of the Kahnawà:ke Kanien’kehá:ka Registry
(450) 638-0500

Kahsennnenhawe Sky-Deer
Ietsénhaienhs, Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke
(450) 632-7500