Aboriginal Affairs Minister Valcourt’s comments irresponsible, insidious

05/15/2015

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to advise the public that it takes great offense to comments made by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada Minister Bernard Valcourt in regard to Kahnawà:ke’s internal Membership issues.

In comments provided to Montreal’s Le Devoir newspaper on May 6th, Mr. Valcourt said that the rules governing Membership are “racist and unacceptable in this country.”

“It is difficult to articulate just how irresponsible and insidious his comments are,” said Grand Chief Michael Ahríhron Delisle, Jr. in a statement (see attached document). “Because he is the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, most Canadians will assume that he is speaking from a position of intimate knowledge of Kahnawà:ke. The truth is a whole different matter.”

“By wading into a situation that he knows very little of, he is giving Canadians a very skewed picture – one painted with the broad strokes of ignorance rather than one respecting the subtleties and intricacies that are demanded” of a man in his position, continued Grand Chief Delisle.