The Justice Services Division of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke wishes to inform the community that a Special Community Meeting will be held to introduce the candidates being considered for appointment as Judges of the Court of Kahnawà:ke.
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: 4:30pm to 6pm
Location: New Community Justice Center
The purpose of the meeting is to allow the community to become acquainted with the judicial candidates and ask questions regarding their background, experience, judicial philosophy, and reasons for seeking appointment as a Judge of the Court of Kahnawà:ke.
Individuals on the Kahnawà:ke Kanien’kehá:ka Registry (KKR) will have the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with the candidates. Those not on the KKR are welcome to attend as observers. KKR verification will be conducted at the door.
Judicial Candidates:
Ms. Skawenniio Barnes of Kahnawà:ke is a corporate partner at a Connecticut law firm, where she negotiates and structures complex business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and private equity investments, and advises on corporate governance. She is admitted to practice law in New York and Connecticut and has been practicing law since 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University, a Master in Public Policy (M.P.P.) from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. As a teenager she took part in a grassroots effort to establish the first public library in Kahnawà:ke. She has since served on several boards of organizations focused on Indigenous leadership and education.
Me Sharon Sandiford is a Montréal-based lawyer whose principal areas of practice include criminal, penal, and administrative law. A member of the Barreau du Québec since 1999, she holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Civil Law, and Bachelor of Laws degrees from McGill University. Me Sandiford has extensive courtroom experience, has supervised law students, delivered presentations on a variety of legal topics, and serves on the advisory council of an institute dedicated to promoting equity within the criminal legal system.
This Special Community Meeting forms part of the process established under the Regulation Respecting the Selection and Appointment of Judges of the Court of Kahnawà:ke.
The Justice Services encourages community members to attend and participate in this important milestone in the continued development of Kahnawà:ke’s justice system.
For more information, please contact Kevin Fleischer, Commissioner of Justice, at 450-638-5647.
