THE MOHAWK COUNCIL OF AKWESASNE NEWSLETTER VolumeONKWE’TA:KE 7 Issue 8 Kentenha / October 2018 IN THIS MCA & OPG CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY ISSUE: OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT SMART AKWESASNE UPDATE ROADWAY AND RECONSTRUCTION UPDATES SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS CANNABIS REGULATIONS On October 2, members of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne were excited to celebrate the 10-year NEW STAFF AT MCA anniversary of the settlement agreement between MCA and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), as well as the unveiling of the “Sowatise” John B. Thomas Memorial Auditorium at the St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre! COMPLIMENTS AND APPRECIATIONS We look forward to continuing our partnership! KAWEHNO:KE BY-ELECTION UPCOMING MCA MEETINGS & SPECIAL DATES: October 25, 2018 • MCA General Meeting - Tsi Snaihne Recreation Center: 6 p.m. COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS October 1-December 7, 2018 • Online voting for Tsi:karistisere/Dundee Settlement Agreement Referendum (MCR’S) December 8, 2018 • Polling Stations in the 3 districts for Tsi:karistisere/Dundee Settlement Agreement Referendum MOHAWK COUNCIL WAT’KWANONHWERA:TON/GREETINGS OF AKWESASNE 2018-2021 She:kon/Wat’kwanonhwera:ton, Grand Chief Abram Benedict The MCA Communications Team is proud to bring you a new issue of our print Kana:takon District newsletter, Onkwe’ta:ke. The name Onkwe’ta:ke means “For the people” and the Chief Theresa Jacobs newsletter is our way of reporting MCA news and information to those we are Chief Darryl Lazore Chief Julie Phillips-Jacobs serving…you, the people. MCA prides itself on transparency and accountability, Chief Tim Thompson and the news and reports in the pages to follow are MCA’s attempt to ensure you Kawehno:ke District receive informative and helpful news. Chief Carolyn Francis Chief Edward Roundpoint Chief Vince Thompson There is always a lot to learn about Council and the MCA departments, so we hope Tsi Snaihne District Chief April Adams-Phillips you find the newsletter both interesting and useful. We look forward to sharing our Chief Connie Lazore most valuable news with you in this format, and welcome you to provide feedback Chief Joe Lazore Chief Tobi Mitchell or suggestions by emailing our team at [email protected]. Administration Jordan Wapass Below are 5 THINGS we want you to know about MCA this month: Executive Director 1. Online Voting is underway for the largest and most significant land claim our Jay Benedict community has had the option to settle with Canada – the Tsikaristisere/Dundee Director, Technical Services claim. Voting means participating in our history. Vote now at: https://akwesasne. Joyce King simplyvoting.com/. Read more on Page 16. Director, 2. The Akwesasne Heating Assistance Program is now accepting applications. Each Justice Department qualifying household (including Akwesasne members in Cornwall) will receive $500 Charmaine Caldwell Director, toward their heating costs. See more on Page 7. Housing Department 3. MCA has developed the Akwesasne Interim Cannabis regulation to manage the Robyn Mitchell newly legalized recreational marijuana. See Page 4 for more information. Director, Community & Social Services 4. A by-election has been ordered for the Kawehno:ke District, to take place on Keith Leclaire Dec. 22, 2018 for one position. Read more on Page 10. Director, 5. New meeting dates have been scheduled to discuss the Kawehno:ke Natural Gas Department of Health Pipeline Expansion Project that being proposed to residents of Kawehno:ke. Be Donna Lahache Director, informed on the pros and cons. See Page 8 for more information. Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education Shawn Dulude Chief of Police, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service Kylee Tarbell A/Director, Tehotiiennawakon Page 2 ONKWE’TA:KE OCTOBER 2018 NEWS SMART AKWESASNE - MONTHLY UPDATE The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne with accessibility issues with our and give their input. recently welcomed consultants from placement on the border. Zu down from Saskatoon for a visit The Community Engagement Ses- with community members and staff. During the visit, Zu met with Com- sion had a great turnout. Everyone munity Health nurses to discuss the who attended was offered a ticket Zu is the digital products and ser- impact of diabetes and its effect to enter to win one of six prizes raf- vices firm that has been contracted on the community. They also met fled off. The prizes given away for to develop an app/web system ca- with representatives from Wholis- the first session were: two Fitbits, tered to Akwesasne for the Smart tic Health and Traditional Medicine an Apple Watch, Bose Earbuds, a Cities Challenge by Infrastructure to get a better understanding of $100 Farmboy gift card, and a $100 Canada. the traditions and culture of Akwe- SportChek gift card. sasne. A main goal of their visit was The goal for the app is to help Ak- to show them Akwesasne and the The next Community Engagement wesasronon with education, pre- challenges we face as a community. Session will be held on November vention and management of dia- 14, 2018 at the Kana:takon Recre- betes by lowering the rates within Zu also led a Design Thinking Work- ation Center. There will be even the community to be at or lower shop with MCA employees to brain- more prizes given away at this ses- than the Canadian average (0.5%; storm ideas of how the app could be sion. There will be booths set up 5.9/1000). beneficial to the community. These from various MCA programs. Come ideas were then turned into prelimi- out again for your chance to win a Other aspects to the Smart Akwe- nary sketches and presented at the prize and to help the community sasne proposal are the implemen- Community Engagement Session. develop an app that can be as ben- tation of greenhouses within the Community members were able to eficial as possible. community to grow fresh food for talk to Zu about the sketches, vote members, and electric cars to help on ideas they thought were good, SMART AKWESASNE WELCOMES NEW COORDINATOR Smart Akwesasne is proud to announce that Jillian Roundpoint has joined the team as the Smart Akwesasne Coordinator! Make sure that you say she:kon and welcome to Jillian at the next Community Engagement Session on November 14 in Kana:takon. OCTOBER 2018 ONKWE’TA:KE Page 3 NEWS MCA PASSES INTERIM CANNABIS REGULATION In preparation for the upcoming le- sures need to be in place at the time • Cannabis may only be transport- galization of recreational cannabis of legalization. ed to Tsi Snaihne and Kana:takon in Canada, the Mohawk Council of by watercraft, utilizing an approved Akwesasne has passed the Akwe- “The intent of the interim regula- route. sasne Interim Cannabis Regulation. tion is to protect the rights, inter- • Any person who wishes to pro- The regulations were passed on ests and welfare of the Mohawks duce, sell or distribute cannabis October 1 and officially went into of Akwesasne,” said Grand Chief must be licensed to do so by the effect on the date of Canada’s rec- Abram Benedict who is part of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. reational cannabis legalization - Cannabis Working Task Group. October 17. Cannabis will no longer “We are working to ensure that the The community is encouraged to be considered a drug under the Ak- legalization of recreational canna- review the full Akwesasne Interim wesasne Drug Law. bis is a smooth transition and that Cannabis Regulation and ensure our community members have that any cannabis-related activity is From February to April of 2018, the clear parameters they need to conducted in accordance with the MCA conducted a cannabis sur- navigate through the process of stipulations of these regulations. vey in order to gauge the level of legally buying, possessing, grow- support in the community for the ing or selling recreational cannabis The Akwesasne Interim Cannabis legalization of the possession of in Akwesasne.” Regulation can be found on our cannabis, commercial sale of can- website: www.akwesasne.ca nabis, and MCA’s regulation of can- The Akwesasne Interim Cannabis nabis and its industry. The survey Regulations apply to any person For more information on the Akwe- results were reported at the May in MCA’s jurisdiction whether they sasne Interim Cannabis Regulation 2018 MCA General Meeting and re- are a member of the Mohawks of please contact the Mohawk Gov- vealed a strong support for the le- Akwesasne or not. The regulation ernment Office at 613-575-2348. galization of cannabis as well as for includes rules for possess- MCA’s regulation of the production, ing cannabis, growing, distribution, sale and possession of selling or distributing can- recreational cannabis in Akwesasne. nabis, as well as guidance on the enforcement of MCA will work to develop a canna- the regulations. bis control law through the Akwe- sasne Legislative Enactment Regu- The regulation stipulate: lation process during the 2018-2021 • No person under 18 is term. MCA invites all members to permitted to possess can- get involved in the process. It will nabis. take time to develop a success- • Cannabis must be pur- ful community cannabis law. In the chased from a licensed dis- meantime, immediate interim mea- pensary. Page 4 ONKWE’TA:KE OCTOBER 2018 NEWS MCA CANNABIS LICENSING INFORMATION The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne possession or sale of cannabis will Section 7 of the regulation provides (MCA) recently passed the Akwe- continue to be prohibited in Akwe- an outline of the basic application sasne Interim Cannabis Regulation sasne. The provisions of the Akwe- and approval process. Please take (MCR 2018 #212), which will gov- sasne Interim Cannabis Regulation note that each applicant must sub- ern the possession, use, cultivation, will be enforced and violations can mit a business plan which includes sale, and distribution of cannabis in lead to prosecution under applica- a detailed description of the pro- Akwesasne when it came into force ble legislation.