Meeting at Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke
In: Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo (Chairperson) (Arrived 9:39am), 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), Tehosterihens Deer (Public Relations Specialist, Political), Dawn Marquis-Deere (Executive Administrative Officer/Interim Executive Director), and for Housekeeping only: Iris Montour (General Manager of Kanien’keha:ka Rights & Research ), Olivia Diabo (Office of the Council of Chiefs Coordinator), Patrick Zachary (OCC strategist), Tyanna Kirby (Executive Assistant to Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs), and and Taiawentetie Hemlock (Executive Assistant to the Kahnawa’kehró:non Ratitsénhaienhs)
Housekeeping
- Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen recited by Ryan Montour
- Out of Offices: Melanie Morrison May 28 (Flex); Ryan Montour on May 26 (AM only) and June 2 (Travel to Ottawa for Kahnawà:ke-Canada Relations [KCR] Main Table discussions); Cody Diabo and Jeffrey Diabo May 27-28 (Travel to Tiohtià:ke for the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador [AFNQL] Chiefs Assembly); Arnold Boyer and Ross Montour (virtual) on May 27 (Travel to Tiohtià:ke for the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador [AFNQL] Chiefs Assembly); Paul Rice and David Diabo on June 1st (Participation in the Kateri Memorial Foundation (KMF)’s golf tournament); David Diabo in June (Toronto symposium visit); Stephen McComber on May 29 (Travel to Mohawk Valley New York)
- Public Relations Items: Ratitsénhaienhs Report — Jeffrey Diabo confirmed; Press scrum confirmed; MCK Friday Jeffrey Diabo confirmed
- Minute Approval – April 13 & 20, 2026 — Approved without any requested changes
- Change of Command ceremony for Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Donnacona ceremony invitation scheduled for Thursday, June 18, at 7:00pm — Ryan Montour, Jeffrey Diabo, and David Diabo to attend
- Native American Economic Development Conference scheduled for June 16-17, 2026, at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, CA –– Invitation declined
- Going Motivate, Inspire, Lead, Empower, and Succeed (M.I.L.E.S) Empowerment Tour inquiry about visiting Kahnawà:ke in June or July — Jeremiah Johnson to send to the Kahnawà:ke Education Center (KEC)
- (3) Travel Request – Ryan Montour requests to visit Ottawa on June 2, 2026 for KCR Main Table meeting with estimated cost of $745.42; Tonya Perron requests to visit Geneva Switzerland from July 13-17, 2026 for the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN EMPRI) 2026 conference with a cost of $5,882.81; Melanie Morrison requests to visit Geneva Switzerland from July 13-17, 2026 for UN EMPRI 2026 conference with a cost of $5,882.81 — All three travel requests approved
- Incoming letter from a community member — Letter received from concerned community member about zoning and a response will be sent from the Table
Tuesday: All-day strategic discussions
- Jeremiah Johnson: Wednesday: Information Governance and Artificial Intelligence (AI), MCK and Health Canada, and Community Meeting; Thursday: External Government Relations (EGR) Portfolio, and Kahnawà:ke Legislative Services (KLS) Working Group; Friday: Regulatory Boards & Commissions and Labor, and monthly press scrum
- Paul Rice: Wednesday: Real Estate Investment, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Regulatory Boards & Commissions and Labor, Gaming Stakeholder engagement, and EGR Portfolio meetings; Friday: Relationship framework Working Group and Kahnawà:ke Business Coalition meetings, and bi-weekly Gaming Working Group (GWG) project discussions
- Melanie Morrison: Monday: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa board meeting; Wednesday: Microsoft CoPilot course, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Flex; Friday: Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges (JCCBI) Incorporated, and monthly press scrum
- Ryan Montour: Wednesday: Community Meeting; Thursday: Kahnawà:ke Search and Rescue training; Friday: Kahnawà:ke Business Coalition meeting, and wellness
- Jeffrey Diabo: Tuesday: AFNQL virtual meetings; Wednesday: AFNQL, and Community Meeting; Thursday: AFNQL in-person meetings; Friday: Ratitsénhaienhs Report, and K103.7FM MCK Friday
- David Diabo: Wednesday: Kahnawà:ke Labor Office Technical Development Committee Employment code, Information Governance and AI, Pre-Tioweró:ton Community meeting agenda discussion, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Participation in online courses of ‘Basic Emergency Management to Professional Emergency Management’ and ‘Holistic Emergency Preparedness and Response Adventure Smart project’; Friday: Monthly press scrum, and HWY 30 Working Group meetings
- Stephen McComber: Wednesday: Community Preparedness Action Group, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Kahnawà:ke Collective Impact; Friday: Wellness
- Ross Montour: Wednesday: St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation discussions, AFNQL in-person meetings (virtual), internal discussions with OCC staff, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Terrapure Working Group, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Transport Canada project, Sorel-Tracey Port expansion environmental habitat for fish species project, EGR Portfolio, and Onkwehón:we project internal meetings; Friday: Monthly press scrum, Sorel-Tracey Port expansion environmental habitat for fish species project, and preparations for Seigneury of Sault St. Louis Land (SSSL) meetings in Ottawa
- Tonya Perron: Wednesday: Information Governance and AI, Justice Working Group, meetings with Health Canada, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Regulatory Boards & Commissions and Labor, KLS Working Group, Justice Commission meeting, and Donations Policy Working Group meetings; Friday: Relationship Framework Working Group, monthly press scrum, and Governance Portfolio team meetings
- Arnold Boyer: Tuesday: AFNQL virtual meetings; Wednesday: St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation discussions, AFNQL in-person meetings, and Community Meeting; Thursday: Terrapure Working Group, and EGR Portfolio meetings; Friday: JCCBI bi weekly discussions, monthly press scrum, and Route 207 project cost discussion
- Cody Diabo: Wednesday: AFNQL in-person meetings, and Community Meeting; Thursday: AFNQL in-person meetings; Friday: Relationship Framework Working Group, External Terrapure Working Group meeting, (tentative) monthly press scrum, preparations for SSSL meetings in Ottawa, and Governance Portfolio team meeting
Agenda Items:
Child and Family Services Discussion
Presence of: Derek Montour (Executive Director of Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services) (KSCS), Trina C. Diabo (OCC General Manager), William Lahache (OCC Strategist), Tonia Jacobs (OCC Strategist), Jenny Toh (OCC Strategist), Georgia McLeod (OCC Strategist), Kahonwentha Stacey (OCC Strategist), Gregory Robertson-Ryan (OCC Strategist), Iris Montour (General Manager of Kanien’keha:ka Rights & Research ), and Portfolio leads: Tonya Perron and Arnold Boyer
PowerPoint presentation given to the table from the Executive Director of KSCS Derek Montour regarding Child and Family Services in relation to the MCK Health Portfolio file. Discussions led to a request from KSCS for Ratitsénhaienhs to participate in committee discussions with AFN.
Mohawk Council Executive Directive (MCED): Transfer of Supervision – Kahnawà:ke Legislative Services to Executive Office
Presence of: Chris Bush (OCC), Jenny Toh (OCC Strategist), Gregory Robertson-Ryan (OCC Strategist), Trisha Delormier (MCK Legal Counsel), Suzanne Jackson (MCK Legal Counsel), and Portfolio leads: Tonya Perron and Jeremiah Johnson
Request to approve Transfer of Administrative Supervision over Kahnawà:ke Legislative Services (KLS) from OCC to the Executive Office (EO). The transfer will result in the OCC no longer holding administrative oversight responsibilities for KLS, including associated coordination related to finance, HR, and operational support — Passed by Consensus
MCED: Request for approval of Real Estate Investment Opportunity
Presence of: Kyle Delisle (Executive Financial Officer), Keisha Goodleaf (Director of Revenue and Business Finance Unit), Brandon McComber (Business Analyst of the Business & Revenue Generation Unit), Eric Doucet (MCK Legal Counsel), and Portfolio lead: Ryan Montour
This item is Client Attorney Privileged and confidential
Executive Office Updates
Presence of: Dawn Marquis-Deere (Interim-Executive Director), and Trina C. Diabo (OCC General Manager), William Lahache (OCC Strategist), and Gregory Robertson-Ryan (OCC Strategist)
Dawn Marquis-Deere provided updates on out of offices, Summer hour survey, the Executive Directors Committee, Shadow AI presentations, QPP matters, and First Nations Education Council
Kanien’ké:ha Class for Ratitsénhaienhs during lunch hour
Ratitsénhaienhs Updates
Jeremiah Johnson provided updates on Playground Facility Tour
Paul Rice provided updates on First Peoples Gaming Association and discussions with various Indigenous leaders, Audit report discussions, Real Estate projects, Special Gaming Working Group Community Meeting
Ryan Montour provided updates on May Kahnawà:ke Stop initiative, and Client Based Services sub-committee meetings
Ross Montour provided updates on Environment Law discussions
Arnold Boyer provided updates on Turtle Bay Elders Lodge visit, Elders renovation concerns, KSCS Board meetings, JCCBI Orange Shirt Day banner on the Mercier Bridge, road work development, and discussions with Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility
Adjournment
Meeting closed at 4:05pm by Cody Diabo
