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
Out: Nitsénhaienhs Arnold Boyer (Vacation), Iohahí:io Delisle (Wellness)
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: Taiawentetie Hemlock (Executive Assistant to the Kahnawa’kehró:non Ratitsénhaienhs)
Housekeeping
- Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen by Cody Diabo
- Cheque Signers: Executive Officers identified
- Public Relations Items: Ratsénhaienhs Report — Stephen McComber confirmed / Press Scrum / community meeting agenda
- Minutes for approval – November 24 & December 1, 2025 — Approved
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative Annual Conference in May 5-7, 2026 –– Stephen McComber and Melanie Morrison to follow up
- (1) Travel Request – Paul Rice to attend Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention in San Diego, California from March 30 – April 2 — Approved
- Confidential letter for review – Paul Rice to follow up
- Jeremiah Johnson: Wednesday: Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), Terrapure working group, and community meetings; Thursday: External Government Relations (EGR) Portfolio meeting; Friday: Legislative working group, Kahnawà:ke Legislative Services (KLS), Office of the Council of Chiefs (OCC) & Executive Office (EO) discussion
- Iohahí:io Delisle: Wednesday: Community Prevention Action Group (CPAG) meeting, Kahnawà:ke-Quebec Relations (KGR), ASFCP, and community meetings; Thursday: EGR Portfolio, meeting with media software approach; Friday: Meeting with leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec Éric Duhaime
- Paul Rice: Tuesday: Alcoholic Beverages Control Board meeting; Wednesday: Strategics review, 2027 Budget review, Travel to Toronto for Canadian Council of Indigenous Business (CCIB) event, Major Projects Office special chiefs assembly (virtual), meeting with real estate asset manager, Gaming Nations meeting; Thursday: Canada bank infrastructure, Banking real estate project, and CCIB procurement opportunities, CCIB speaking engagement in Toronto; Friday: Wellness
- Melanie Morrison: Tuesday: Wampum belt rematriation trip Ottawa; Wednesday- Friday: Responsible Resources Leadership forum
- Ryan Montour: Tuesday: Housing Reconciliation; Wednesday: CPAG, ASFCP, community meetings; Thursday: EGR, and Kahnawà:ke Justice Coordination meeting; Friday: Sustainable Development Growcer meeting, Press Scrum
- Jeffrey Diabo: Wednesday: KQR, and community meetings; Thursday: EGR, and Community member meetings; Friday: Meeting with leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec Éric Duhaime
- David Diabo: Wednesday: ASFCP, Terrapure working group, and community meetings; Thursday: EGR Portfolio, and Seigneury of Sault St. Louis Land Grievance (SSSL) internal meetings; Friday: Sustainable Developer grocer, Jay-Treaty Border Alliance (JTBA), and community complaint meetings, Press Scrum
- Stephen McComber: Tuesday: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Board meeting; Wednesday: CPAG, First Nations Technical Institute, and Agriculture meetings; Friday: Sustainable Development Growcer meeting and Press Scrum
- Ross Montour: Tuesday: Wampum belt rematriation trip Ottawa; Wednesday: Internal meetings, Major Projects Office special chiefs assembly; Thursday: EGR Portfolio
- Tonya Perron: Wednesday: Complaints policy, Governance Portfolio, and community meetings; Thursday: Justice Commission meeting; Friday: Relationship framework, and KLS, OCC, & EO discussion
- Cody Diabo: Wednesday: Strategic review, community member meetings, Terrapure working group, Governance Portfolio, community member meeting, Mayor of Montreal meeting attendance; Thursday: EGR Portfolio, 2027 Budget review, SSSL internal, community member meeting; Friday: MCK/Mohawk Council of Akwesasne meeting, Canadian Border Services Agency, Meeting with leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec Éric Duhaime, and Bill 1 meetings; Sunday: Gerald Alfred Governance project podcast
Agenda Items
Directive Memo: Incoming Letter for Discussion
Decision Type: Presence of Portfolio Chief: Iohahí:io Delisle
The table has been forwarded a letter from the Saint Francis Xavier Mission Church committee regarding a request to remove the Kateri Tekakwitha statue from Kateri school, by the Kahnawake Combined Schools Committee. The MCK will follow up by sending a letter to the Kahnawake Combined Schools Committee, emphasizing the necessity for community involvement and consultation in this decision. This issue will also be raised at the Community Meeting as a topic for further community discussion — Approved by consensus
Gaming Association Development Budget
Presence of Portfolio Chief: Paul Rice
Request for approval of the Gaming Association Development Budget of $50,000 to be added to the OCC. These financials will support the creation of the Association and its structure/operations — Approved by consensus
Mohawk Council Executive Directive (MCED): Coast Guard Updated Agreement
Presence of: Robyn Montour (Director of Public Safety), Jesse Jacobs (Emergency Management Officer), Suzanne Jackson (MCK Legal Counsel), Alan John Rice (Executive Operations Officer), Portfolio Chief: Ryan Montour
Council has advised that several changes need to be made to the Coast Guard Funding Agreement before it can be signed. The wording was changed to reflect an agreement that was recently signed between MCK and Transport Canada. This agreement will help Public Safety with Emergency preparedness, planning, and various response activities along our water ways — Approved by consensus
MCED: Hertel Discussion
Presence of: Kyle Delisle (Executive Financial Officer), Keisha Goodleaf (Director of Revenue and Business Development Unit), Brandon McComber (Business Analyst), Eric Doucet (MCK Legal Counsel), Portfolio Chief: Paul Rice
This item is Confidential & Client Attorney Privilege
Executive Office Updates
Presence of: Dawn Marquis-Deere (Interim-Executive Director)
Dawn Marquis-Deere provided updates on Executive Director Committee, annual budget, Information Governance in Kahnawà:ke, Tolls, Blue Collar Park project, Inflationary Benefit, QPP, Environment cleanup, Out of Offices
Ratitsénhaienhs Updates
Jeremiah Johnson provided updates on Office of the Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke Registry (OKKR), MCK Friday, Residency Law hearing, Terrapure working group
Paul Rice provided updates on Executive Director Committee meeting, QPP, Alcoholic Beverages Control Board, McCord Museum discussions, Fiber infrastructure
David Diabo provided updates on 207 Lands, incoming Land Harvesting virtual event, Iroquois Caucus, Harvest Summit
Cody Diabo provided updates on Iroquois Caucus, JTBA
Adjournment
Meeting closed at 4:07pm by Cody Diabo
