Update on Re-Opening of Kahnawake Business

06/02/2020

The Kahnawà:ke COVID-19 Task Force wishes to update the community on the status of the ‘Re-Opening of Kahnawà:ke Business’ that began yesterday.

While much planning went into the Re-Opening, the sheer number of clients/customers that came to the Territory caused an increased level of anxiety within the community.

The amount of traffic has dropped significantly from yesterday. However, many concerns remain.

“The pandemic is still here, will be here for at least the next year, and a great many Kahnawa’kehró:non are both fearful and frustrated,” said Commissioner of Public safety Lloyd Phillips. “The Re-Opening has brought a lot of these feelings to the surface and leadership – including the Task Force – must be sensitive to this reality. We all share these feelings and cannot ignore them.”

The Task Force is continuously monitoring and carefully evaluating the current situation and will compile and assess the first phase of the Re-Opening. This information will be shared with the community by the end of this week.

“Every measure has been taken to open safely, and to protect our elders and the at-risk population,” Phillips concluded. “Once we are able to assess the information we compile, we can make any changes we deem necessary to alleviate the community’s concerns.”