Chiefs meeting with independent panel to discuss dumping of raw sewage

10/29/2015

The Mohawk Council of Kahnaw�:ke (MCK) wishes to advise the community that Chiefs Clinton Phillips and Christine Zachary-Deom will be in Montreal today to meet with an Experts Panel (independent scientific review) and Environment Canada to discuss the City of Montreal�s plan to dump raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River.

�Again we find ourselves in the position of protecting the environment and to defend the rights of our people,� said Chief Phillips, who is responsible for environmental issues on behalf of the MCK. �It is disturbing that the bodies conducting this scientific review failed to contact us in this important matter. Had we not sent a letter to Ottawa reminding them of their duty to consult, today�s opportunity would not have happened.�

�Nonetheless, today we�ll remind them that we cannot accept such blatant disregard for the environment,� he continued. �Community groups, individuals and the MCK have been very clear in our position.�

The MCK wishes to make it clear that today�s appearance by the two chiefs is not to be considered as �consultation� but, rather, as information sharing and the articulation of the MCK�s position on the matter. 

The meeting takes place at the offices of Environment Canada.