Meeting at Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke
In: Ratitsénhaienhs Chairperson Cody Diabo (Stepped out for meeting from 11am – 1pm), Paul Rice, Melanie Morrison, Iohahí:io Delisle, Ryan Montour, Stephen McComber, Arnold Boyer, Jeremiah Johnson, Tonya Perron, David Diabo, Jeffrey Diabo (attended remotely)
Out: Ratsénhaienhs Ross Montour (Special Leave)
Also Present: Jaime-Lynn Deere (Council Meeting Administrator), Abbey Diabo (Director of the Office of the Council of Chiefs), Onerahtókha Marquis (Executive Director), Gene Diabo (Public Relations); and for Housekeeping only: Tyanna Kirby and Sarah Delisle (Executive Assistants)
Housekeeping
- Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen by Cody Diabo
- Cheque Signers: Cody Diabo and Melanie Morrison
- Minutes for Approval – March 17 & June 9, 16, 2025 (Approved) March 31 & April 7 and 14, 2025 (Deferred)
- Public Relations Items: Ratitsénhaienhs Report (Stephen McComber) and MCK Friday (Jeffrey Diabo)
- Travel Request: Tonya Perron and Melanie Morrison – Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Geneva, Switzerland – Approved
- Invitation: Kiuna Graduation Ceremony – Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo and Jeffrey Diabo Saturday, August 16 in Odanak – Accepted
- Invitation: Verdun Symphonique avec l’om prend l’air – Ratsénhaienhs Stephen McComber – Declined
- Invitation: In-person visit & presentation for Museum at Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center – Ietsénhaienhs Melanie Morrison, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 – Accepted
- Invitation: Tsuut’ina Annual Celebrations – Calgary, Alberta – Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo and Paul Rice – Accepted
- (2) Land Allotments – Approved by Consensus
- Paul Rice: Wednesday: Update meeting with Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission Chairperson (AM), Wellness (PM); Thursday: Multi-Purpose Building (MPB) Finance and Technical Subcommittee meeting; Friday: Tourism Strategic Plan, and Executive Director Performance Appraisal meeting; Monday, July 14: Tewatohnhi’saktha Board meeting (Evening); Tuesday, July 15: Commercial Developer, Economic Development/Agriculture introduction, and Real Estate Developer meetings; Wednesday, July 16: MPB Capital Campaign Bi-Weekly Meeting; July 17 and 18: Wellness
- Jeremiah Johnson: Thursday: Kahnawà:ke Legislative Services working group; Friday: Wellness
- Melanie Morrison: Tuesday: Museum presentation at Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa (KOR) Language & Cultural Center, KOR Board meeting; Wednesday: Akwesasne meeting on Conservation; Thursday: Language and Culture Network; July 10-19: Attending United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in Geneva, Switzerland
- Ryan Montour: Wednesday: Akwesasne meeting on Conservation; Thursday: Cannabis Engagement meeting; Friday: Kahnawà:ke/Canada Relations Internal Working Group, and Housing Reconciliation meetings.
- David Diabo: Wednesday: Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) re- Ile Ste Bernard, Kahnawà:ke Rights and Research (KRR) – Firelight Project Consultation and Accommodation Protocol, and Telecommunications Working Group meetings; Thursday: Webinar for Fourth National Access and Functional Needs Symposium, and a Jay Treaty Border Alliance Safety and Security Technical Table meeting; Friday: Onkwehón:we Project; Tuesday, July 15: Food Safety, Security, & Agriculture introductory meeting
- Jeffrey Diabo: MELCCFP re- Ile Ste Bernard meeting; Thursday: Meeting with Jacques Ramsey (newly elected Member of Parliament for La Prairie—Atateken), Meeting re-Tobacco; Friday: K1037 Tetewathá:ren Talkshow; Next week: Tentative meeting with Ian Lafreniere and Geoff Kelly
- Iohahí:io Delisle: Thursday: Meeting with Jacques Ramsey (newly elected Member of Parliament for La Prairie—Atateken)
- Stephen McComber: Friday: Tourism meeting
- Arnold Boyer: Wednesday: Telecommunications Working Group meeting; Thursday: Quebec Bill 106 discussion, and Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services Community Wellness Plan meeting; Friday: Wellness; July 14–18: Vacation
- Tonya Perron: Tuesday and Wednesday: Vacation; Thursday: Meeting with Justice Services re: application and privacy waiver review for Judges to the Court of Kahnawà:ke, Governance Advisory Team meeting; July 10-19: Attending United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in Geneva, Switzerland
- Cody Diabo: Monday: Meeting with the Mayor of Montreal; Wednesday: MELCCFP re- Ile Ste Bernard meeting; Thursday: Meeting with Jacques Ramsey (newly elected Member of Parliament for La Prairie—Atateken) Cannabis Engagement meeting, Assembly of First Nations Virtual Forum on the Amended Bill C-5, and Safety & Security Jay Treaty Border Alliance meeting; Friday: Tourisme Monteregie partnership/agreement discussion – Bill C-5 Engagement Discussion, and ‘Still Ours’ campaign update meeting, and Executive Director Performance Appraisal meeting
Executive updates
Presence of Onerahtókha Marquis (Executive Director). Onerahtókha Marquis updated on: Executive Directors Committee; Housing; Tioweró:ton; Fuel Spill; and Financial Operations.
Mohawk Council Executive Directive: Signing Authority to Housing Portfolio Chief – CMHC RRAP Program
Presence of Areti Malliarou (Director of Housing), Alan John Rice (Executive Operations Officer). Portfolio Lead: Ratsénhaienhs Ryan Montour. Request to authorize the Housing Portfolio Lead to sign the On-Reserve Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) Terms and Conditions and the RRAP Declaration Form with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for the RRAP Program.Passed by consensus
Mohawk Council Executive Directive: Approval and Designation of Lot 1280
Presence of Areti Malliarou (Director of Housing), Alan John Rice (Executive Operations Officer). Portfolio Lead: Ratitsénhaienhs Ryan Montour. Request for approval of the use of Lot 1280 for the construction of 14 new housing units.Passed by consensus
Record of Decision: Request for ‘Approval-In-Principle’ of Additional Funding for the Community Justice Center
Presence of Kevin Fleischer (Commissioner of Justice), Theresa Delisle (General Manager of Justice Services), Shotehra Rice (Justice Development Technician), Kanento Patton (Director of Asset Management), and Shakohahiiostha McComber (Capital). Portfolio Leads: Nitsénhaienhs Tonya Perron and Ryan Montour. Request for approval-in-principle up to $500,000.00 to enable Justice Services to finalize agreements and cover any shortfalls in funding for a new Community Justice Center building. Approved
Mohawk Council Executive Directive: Rescindment of KCCB Board Members’ Appointments (2)
Presence of Brandon McComber (OCC Project Technician), Portfolio Lead: Ietsénhaienhs Tonya Perron. Request to rescind MCED #84/2023-2024 appointing Ms. Darlene Alfred as a Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Board (KCCB) member, and MCED# 71/2024-2025 appointing Kary Robertson as a KCCB Alternate Board Member, thereby removing them from those positions.Passed by consensus
Record of Decision: North Creek Restoration Project Contract Award
Presence of Timothy Law (General Manager of Environment Protection) and Patrick Ragaz (General Manager of Field Science, KEPO).Portfolio Lead: Ratsénhaienhs Jeremiah Johnson. Request to move forward with the North Creek Restoration Project between August 1 and November 15, 2025.Approved by consensus
Record of Decision: Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Vegetation Management
Presence of: Robyn Montour (Director of Public Safety), Lloyd Phillips (Commissioner of Public Safety), Suzanne Jackson (MCK Legal Counsel), Patrick Ragaz (General Manager of Field Science, KEPO). Portfolio Lead: Ratsénhaienhs Jeremiah Johnson. Request to authorize CPKC to conduct its annual vegetation management program. Passed. Nine (9) for, Two (2) against (Jeremiah Johnson, Jeffrey Diabo), One (1) not in attendance
Ratitsénhaienhs Updates
Iohahí:io Delisle updated on the Alcohol Beverages Control Board.
Paul Rice updated on the Gaming issues, Tewatohnhi’saktha funding agreement, Investment opportunities, Multi-Purpose Building Capital Campaign, Real Estate opportunities, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City meeting.
David Diabo updated on Lands, Kahnawà:ke Labor Office, and the Harvest Summit.
Stephen McComber reported honorariums he received for conducting various ceremonial openings (proceeds to be donated) and meetings re- Fort Chambly.
Adjournment
Closing by Cody Diabo. Meeting adjourned at 4:15pm
