Chiefs visit Musqueam to discuss Lands issues

02/18/2014

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) would like to inform Kahnawa’kehró:non that Chiefs Clinton Phillips and Lloyd Phillips will be visiting Musqueam, British Columbia to discuss Lands issues with Leadership and Lands Management personnel.

The trip was organized to give the MCK an opportunity to get first-hand information on Musqueam’s plans to take the management of the Musqueam River Lands and Resources out from under the Indian Act. Musqueam is using the First Nations Lands Management Act to make its changes, something that Kahnawà:ke is not considering.

“There are some similarities to the work that we are doing,” said Clinton Phillips, who holds the Lands Portfolio for the MCK.  “While there are differences in how our respective communities currently operate in regard to lands, there is no doubt that this is a good opportunity see what has worked for them and where they are having difficulties.”

The trip is part of the Kahnawà:ke/Canada Relations (KCR) file, the forum created in 2012 for Kahnawà:ke and Canada to discuss certain subject matters with the goal of resolving these issues. The trip was recommended by Canada’s representatives and is being funded by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Two representatives from the MCK’s Lands Unit will also attend the three-day meetings, which begin today (Tuesday). The two chiefs are the MCK’s representatives on the KCR file.

Musqueam is located adjacent to and within the city limits of Vancouver.