Meeting at Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke
In: Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo (Chairperson), Jeremiah Johnson, Paul Rice, Melanie Morrison, Ryan Montour, Jeffrey Diabo, David Diabo, Stephen McComber, Ross Montour, Tonya Perron, and Arnold Boyer
Also Present: Jaime-Lynn Deere (Council Meeting Administrator), Abbey Diabo (Director of the Office of the Council of Chiefs), Lloyd Phillips (Chief Political Advisor), Tehosterihens Deer (Public Relations Specialist, Political), Dawn Marquis-Deere (Executive Administrative Officer/Interim Executive Director), and for Housekeeping only: Sarah Delisle, Tyanna Kirby, and Taiawentetie Hemlock (Executive Assistants to the Kahnawa’kehró:non Ratitsénhaienhs)
Housekeeping
- Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen by Ryan Montour
- Public Relations Items: Ratitsénhaienhs Report — Ross Montour, community meeting agenda, press scrum
- Quebec Native Women invitation: Unveiling of the Missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls (MMIWG2S+), and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) people mapping project on March 31, 2026, in Quebec City –- Melanie Morrison to attend
- (2) Travel Requests – Melanie Morrison requests to attend MMIWG2S+ event on May 4-6 in Ottawa & Jeffrey Diabo requests to attend First Nations Education Council Special General Assembly on April 21-22 in Wendake Quebec — Both approved
- Incoming Letter for the Council of Chiefs — Reviewed and will be followed up by the Executive Assistant
- (3) Land Allotments – All three allotments presented and approved
- Band Transfer Request (OKKR) – Kiera Beauvais — Federal Transfer from Waswanipi First Nation to Kahnawà:ke — Band Transfer Request approval
- Jeremiah Johnson: Wednesday-Thursday: Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: External Government Relations (EGR) Portfolio; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and Community meeting
- Paul Rice: Monday: Real estate investment project meeting; Tuesday: Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) Annual budget press conference; Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: Relationship framework, EGR Portfolio, and Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission chairperson meetings; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Melanie Morrison: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Ryan Montour: Wednesday-Thursday; Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Land windmill update, and Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: Animal control kiosk, EGR Portfolio, Land fund update; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Jeffrey Diabo: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: EGR Portfolio; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- David Diabo: Wednesday-Thursday: Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: EGR Portfolio, Land fund update; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Stephen McComber: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil Friday: EGR Portfolio; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Ross Montour: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: EGR Portfolio, OCC strategist internal, Land fund update, and confidential meetings; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Tonya Perron: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: Relationship framework, and Justice working group meetings; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Arnold Boyer: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: EGR Portfolio, and various meetings with community members; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
- Cody Diabo: Wednesday-Thursday; Communityship training at Château Vaudreuil; Friday: EGR Portfolio, Members of the business coalition, and OCC meetings; Saturday: Pre-community meeting discussion, and community meeting
Agenda Items:
Record of Discussion (ROD): Fiscal Year (FY)2027 Budget Approval
Presence of Nikola Mirkovic (Director of Finance), Kyle Delisle (Executive Financial Officer), Bear Lazare (Finance Manager), Stone Jacobs (Financial Analyst), Alan John Rice (Executive Operations Officer) and Portfolio Lead: Paul Rice
Request to approve the FY2025-2026 10 Month Review, and FY2026-2027 Budget — Approved by consensus
Mohawk Council Executive Directive (MCED): Cannabis Dispensary Licenses
Presence of Suzanne Jackson (Legal Counsel), and Portfolio Leads: Tonya Perron & Jeremiah Johnson
Council of Chiefs discuss change to public policy of support of private cannabis retail within the territory, which previously made decisions to limit the maximum number of dispensary licences to 3. MCED seeks to amend the public policy on the number of dispensary licences to be issued to zero
Approved by consensus
Confidential Item
Presence of Veronica Leborgne (Director of Lands), Steven Diabo (Land Management Technician), Chris Stacey (Executive Infrastructure Officer), and Portfolio Lead: David Diabo
This item is confidential
MCED: Appropriated Reserve Policy
Presence of: Nikola Mirkovic (Director of Finance), Victor Amedu (Finance), and Portfolio Lead: Paul Rice
Request to approve the Appropriated Reserve Policy (ARP) and to authorize the Director of Finance to implement and enforce the policy effective March 31, 2026.
ROD Land Fund Update
Presence of Veronica Leborgne (Director of Lands Unit), Chris Stacey (Executive Infrastructure Officer) and Portfolio Lead: David Diabo
This item is confidential
Executive Office Updates
Presence of: Dawn Marquis-Deere (Interim-Executive Director)
Deferred
Ratitsénhaienhs Updates
Jeremiah Johnson provided updates on Social Supports Legislation Portfolio team meeting, Housing, Accessibility Policy, Kahnawà:ke Youth Centre, Sports and Recreation
Paul Rice provided updates on First Peoples Gaming Association group, Investment Revenue Committee, Business Walk, Economic Development Advisory committee, Real estate investment project, and MCK Friday
Adjournment
Meeting closed by Cody Diabo at 3:30pm
