No Referendum to be held on Residency issue

08/12/2015

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to advise the community that it has decided against continuing with plans to hold a referendum to gauge community support for the principle of non-Native residency contained within the Kahnawà:ke Membership Law.

The decision was formally announced at last night’s Summer Community Meeting.

“We met as Chief & Council on this issue and came to the clear conclusion that a referendum wasn’t necessary,” said Membership Portfolio Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer. “The most recent independent and MCK-sponsored surveys showed clear support for the law. Last year we completed eighteen (18) meetings using the Community Decision Making Process in which no one proposed weakening or liberalizing the law. And last fall’s special meeting on Membership also indicated clear and strong support.’

“Holding a referendum is an expensive process and we feel it is an unnecessary to use it to prove a point,” she added. “The community is still firm in its position and the MCK will continue to support the law.”

The MCK wishes to advise Kahnawa’kehró:non that the remainder of the earlier-announced plan to address the on-going issues remains in place.