MCK pleased with Minister Wilkinson decision

07/20/2021

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform the community that it acknowledges the decision of Minister Jonathon Wilkinson (Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada) to approve the MCK′s request that a Regional Impact Assessment of the St. Lawrence River take place (view the decision here). The MCK made this request on July 29, 2020. The decision was made on July 15, 2021.

The MCK Consultation Committee identified the need for this study to address data gaps and lack of understanding of cumulative effects that Kanien’kehá:ka have suffered because of decades of industrial development and activity along the St. Lawrence River, including the imposition of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The importance of carrying out this assessment for the MCK and other Indigenous governments was clearly demonstrated during the engagement that took place over the past year, notably, to properly assess impacts to rights stemming from future projects and to implement Indigenous stewardship rights and responsibilities for the St. Lawrence River. 

This impact assessment is a tool that can serve to advance reconciliation. 

"The MCK wishes to thank all of the stakeholders that participated in the review of our request, including the strong support we received from other Indigenous governments," said Ratsénhaienhs Ross Montour, Indigenous Rights and Research portfolio lead. "We also look forward to ongoing participation in the development of the Terms of Reference for the study and the development of the provisions on how the results of the study will be applied to future decision making and initiatives."