Ietsénhaienhs Jessica Lazare in Ottawa to make presentation to Standing Committee on Bill C-21

03/07/2023

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform the community that Ietsénhaienhs Jessica Lazare will be in Ottawa this afternoon to make a presentation in front of the federal government′s Standing Committee on Bill C-21 (the proposed federal legislation to make amendments to the Criminal Code, the Firearms Act, and other federal legislation in relation to gun control/firearms).   

She will reiterate the MCK′s position that "the legislation will have significant and unacceptable impacts on our people."

"We want to make it clear that an alignment is needed between the Canadian government drafting legislation and recognizing our inherent rights, which are ingrained in our roles and responsibilities as Onkwehón:we," Ietsénhaienhs Lazare stated.

In a letter addressed to Ron McKinnon (the Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety & National Security) and Marco Mendicino (Canada′s Minister of Public Safety), the MCK states, "the Bill will place unfair burdens on the shoulders of the Peacekeepers who safeguard our territory and will increase the potential for discriminatory and over-policing of our people off-territory."

"This bill is being considered to the detriment of our ability to exercise our rights to conduct a culturally rooted practice," Ietsénhaienhs Lazare added. "The realities of Indigenous people who travel for sustenance harvesting with their firearms are being overlooked due to lack of consultation."