REMINDER - Kahnawake Governance Project Team conducting needs assessment Public Kiosk tomorrow

05/16/2022

On behalf of the Kahnawà:ke Governance Project

The Kahnawà:ke Governance Project Team wishes to remind Kahnawa’kehró:non of more engagement sessions with the community on matters surrounding governance within Kahnawà:ke.

The Kahnawà:ke Governance Project was formed to work at arms-length from the MCK with the goal of helping the community discover a shared vision for a system of government based on traditional values and principles that serve the interests of all Kahnawa’kehró:non. Such a system would ensure that the voices of all are included in decision-making.

“We’re looking for how we will work together to collectively meet the challenges facing our community and govern ourselves in the future,” said Project Manager Gerald Taiaiake Alfred. “That solution is important to everyone but is especially important to our youth.”

Alfred, alongside Community Engagement Coordinator Linda Delormier, is conducting a needs assessment to prepare for an educational campaign in the community in the upcoming year. The needs assessment is helping to determine what information people need so that the community can have an informed and constructive discussion on the topic of Kahnawà:ke’s transition to traditional governance.

Kahnawa’kehró:non are invited to share their feedback, which will further help in developing the needs assessment. Questions, comments, and suggestions about the Kahnawà:ke Governance Project will be welcomed at a public information kiosk being held in the parking lot of the Kahnawà:ke Services Complex from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday, May 17th. An online survey is also available by clicking here until Thursday, May 26th at 11:59pm.

The transition to traditional governance is a long-standing goal of Kahnawa’kehró:non. In 1979, traditional governance was mandated by the community; in 1982, the MCK passed a resolution committing itself to this transition; and, in 2020, the MCK Governance Project identified that traditional governance was still a high priority for Kahnawa’kehró:non.