Ohén:ton I:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo met with all of the mayors from the municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) de Roussillon this afternoon, at the MRC office in Saint-Constant. The gathering, which marks an important milestone in regional cooperation, focused on various issues, with a primary topic for Kahnawà:ke being the large-scale housing developments in surrounding communities, and the potential impacts on Kahnawa’kehró:non.
Going forward, the meeting is expected to encourage collaboration between the leaders in addressing the growing development pressures and their potential effects on the environment, local infrastructure, and surrounding populations. With increasing development in and around the Roussillon area, Diabo stressed the need to ensure that all voices are heard, particularly those of the Indigenous communities who share a deep connection to the land.
“It is vital that we establish an open dialogue with the municipalities of the MRC de Roussillon,” said Diabo. “We must raise awareness about how these projects impact traffic and quality of life for Kahnawa’kehró:non, and ensure that their duty to consult is met in a meaningful way. We also stressed the fact that these developments are taking place on Seigneury of Sault Saint Louis (SSSL) lands.”
This meeting aligns with the political priority of enhancing External Government Relations, asserting Kahnawà:ke’s sovereignty, and advancing our jurisdiction through ongoing work on this file. A follow-up meeting with the MRC mayors will be coordinated in the spring to educate and inform on the SSSL.
