UPDATED – The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) is raising urgent concerns over Canada’s sweeping 15% budget reductions across federal departments, including Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).
Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo addressed media earlier today, stating that this decision represents more than flawed public policy, it constitutes a direct violation of human rights and constitutional guarantees – a sentiment that reflects a growing outcry across Indigenous communities regarding Bill C-5 and its broader implications.
“While provincial transfer payments are being shielded to safeguard essential services for everyday Canadians, these same protections are not extended to First Nations communities,” Diabo said. “Slashing federally funded services provided through ISC creates a dangerous disparity, amounting to racialized austerity and placing the burden of economic restraint squarely on Indigenous peoples already battling systemic underfunding.”
The Council emphasizes that the budget cuts jeopardize vital programs in health care, education, infrastructure, and community development, and undermine Canada’s commitment to truth, reconciliation, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In response to the legislation, the MCK is initiating steps to recover losses and safeguard the interests of our people. To start, the implementation of tolls on major highways is being explored.
Further, the MCK calls upon the federal government to:
- Reverse proposed budget cuts to ISC.
- Affirm its legal and moral obligations under treaty law and UNDRIP.
- Engage in meaningful dialogue with Indigenous leadership before implementing decisions that impact their communities.
To access the full statement from Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo, click here.
