The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform the community that an Open Letter has been sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney in response to remarks made during his January 22 Building Canada Together speech, delivered in reference to President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
In his address, Mr. Carney stated that “Canada doesn’t ‘live because of the United States’— Canada thrives because we are Canadian” and painted an historical picture of Canada as a society solely built by the French and British. In doing so, he failed to acknowledge the historically foundational and ongoing contributable roles of the Kanien’kehá:ka.
Mr. Carney’s framing not only overlooks Indigenous history — it erases the very people whose lands, diplomacy, and sacrifices enabled Canada’s existence. The MCK views these comments as a troubling reminder that Canada still struggles to recognize the full truth of its origins.
“We remind once again, that Canada actually exists today because of the Covenant Chain of Friendship, which has been and always will be a living Nation-to-Nation framework and unextinguished treaty relationship,” said Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo. “Though the Haudenosaunee and other Nations were mentioned briefly, this doesn’t excuse Mr. Carney disregarding true history. In the spirit of constructive dialogue and mutual understanding, the MCK extends an open invitation to Mr. Carney to meet with Kahnawà:ke leadership to ‘polish the chain’ and discuss our shared history and the ongoing issues that continue to impact our people.”
The MCK would also like to thank the continued collaborative support of knowledge holder and historian Gerald Taiaiake Alfred, whose expertise helped ensure the historical truth and lived experience of the Kanien’kehá:ka.
Read the Open Letter by clicking here.
