Latest news with #Kahnawa'kehró
Hamilton Spectator
01-08-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
New ultrasound services launched
A brand-new ultrasound machine will help ensure community members can receive the care they need at the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre (KMHC), eliminating the long wait times faced by those forced to get ultrasounds at nearby hospitals in the absence of services in town. The new machine was purchased for just under $140,000 using funds from the Kateri Memorial Foundation (KMF) and will allow for a range of ultrasound procedures to take place at the KMHC, including pelvic exams, which physicians have said is a priority in the community. The service, which is being officially offered from today, will not be able to be used for obstetric ultrasounds except for special cases in the first trimester when there are concerns about the pregnancy. 'Expanding services within Kahnawake has been a vision that we've kept before our eyes, and it's beautiful to see it realized,' said Dr. Rachel Eniojukan, director of professional services at KMHC. Ultrasounds will be administered by Gabrielle Koerber, who has been hired as KMHC's new diagnostic medical sonographer. As an autonomous technologist, Koerber is permitted to operate the ultrasound service without a radiologist present, but because KMHC does not have an on-site radiologist, she will be subject to certain requirements. Those requirements include quotas that must be met. Within a two-year time frame, Koerber must perform a minimum of 600 abdomen ultrasounds, 240 breast ultrasounds, and 240 vascular ultrasounds. If those numbers are not met, Koerber would lose her qualification, and the service would have to be halted. To meet those targets, ultrasound services will be offered to non-community members, however that will only be done after first clearing the backlog of community members waiting on ultrasound appointments - KMHC's executive director Valerie Diabo said that there's a backlog of at least 60 Kahnawa'kehró:non waiting for an ultrasound appointment at Anna Laberge Hospital alone. She added that KMHC also plans to collaborate with Kahnawake's sister communities and other Indigenous organizations to ensure that Indigenous clients get priority to use the ultrasound services. After those clients have been seen, the service could be opened to other non-locals on ultrasound waitlists at nearby hospitals. 'We know we have to fill in the gaps at some point, but our priority will always be Kahnawa'kehró:non, that is our number one priority to get ultrasounds done,' she said. Koerber will be supported by Brittney Giguere, who has been KMHC's medical imaging coordinator since September 2024. 'With the addition of the ultrasound, (our patients) aren't going to be waiting on waiting lists at Anna Laberge, they're not going to have to be put into an ambulance and transported, they can just come down and get their ultrasounds right away,' Giguere said. 'I think that's one of the most important things, continuing the care for our long-term care and short-term care patients, I think it's going to make a huge impact on treatment for these patients.' Koerber has a wealth of experience performing ultrasounds, having been trained at Queen's University and the Eastern Ontario School of X-Ray Technology alongside separate certifications. She's been working in diagnostic medical prevention since 2010 and has performed thousands of medical imaging procedures at a range of medical institutions. She said it's clear that the team has prepared well for the new service. 'You can see all the steps have been very carefully analyzed, very carefully completed to a very high level,' she said. 'I can truthfully say this is the nicest hospital I've ever been in, it's very well done.' She will be able to complete a range of surface ultrasounds including for any lumps, including on legs and arms, as well as vascular scans, liver scans, kidney scans, and more. The team has coordinated with Anna Laberge, and since that hospital manages pregnancy check-ups, it has been agreed that pregnancy ultrasounds will remain their responsibility, the exception being if there's an immediate concern with the pregnancy in the first 14 weeks. Similarly, patients in need of a breast ultrasound will be sent to Anna Laberge if it's their first time, but follow-up imaging can be undertaken with Koerber. Other scans that will need to be completed by a radiologist at another hospital include echocardiograms of the heart, joint and muscle scans, and other scans associated with pregnancies. Diabo emphasized that physicians at KMHC had given feedback to the administration that having pelvic ultrasounds on-site would make an immense difference to community members. Some community members have faced particularly long wait times for the services at outside hospitals, sometimes as long as two years. 'What we heard from our physicians is that there's a back wait of those critical ultrasounds that they need done as soon as they can,' she said. Community members will be referred to the ultrasound service by their KMHC doctor. 'We want to keep our community well,' Diabo said. 'That's our job, to take care of our own.' eve@ Eve Cable, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. 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Hamilton Spectator
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Kahnawake's cannabis moratorium ends with little progress
Though the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK)'s 45-day moratorium on retail cannabis sales lifts today, nothing is set to change in the community, with progress on the cannabis file and a decision about its future at a standstill without any Kahnawake Cannabis Control Board (KCCB) members. The MCK had implemented the moratorium on June 11, after tensions had grown in the community concerning the cannabis file. In late April, hundreds of Kahnawa'kehró:non organized a protest in town demanding that Council chiefs halt the process of issuing dispensary licenses, and by the end of June, the KCCB had no board members remaining, after board member Darlene Alfred and alternate board member Kary Robertson tendered their resignations alongside the departure of chairperson Tara Jacobs. Before the moratorium, the KCCB had been conducting consultations with community members who live close to proposed dispensary locations, paring down a list of potential dispensary owners who had applied for a license. The KCCB was planning to award three licenses, decided via a lottery system, following guidelines to ensure that dispensaries must not be located in close proximity to buildings such as schools. Many in the community continue to feel that opening dispensaries in Kahnawake could cause irreversible damage to the community, however regulated the industry might be. The issue brought together both the 207 Longhouse and the Mohawk Trail Longhouse, who have presented a united front in opposition to the plans. At the close of the moratorium period, the MCK released an open letter regarding the sale of cannabis in the community, also distributed by mail to community members. The letter thanks various groups, including the Longhouses, for engaging on the issue, and outlines a number of safeguards that are already in place for the proposed future of cannabis sale in Kahnawake. It outlines the requirements for dispensaries, including the geographical requirement to be at least 300 metres from residential areas, and outlines what measures would be taken to keep the industry regulated, such as prohibiting promotional advertising or enticements. It also details the vetting process and background checks that dispensary owners and their employees will be subject to and describes the intended positive financial effect that cannabis sales would have on the local economy. Joe Deom, a spokesperson for the Mohawk Nation at Kahnawake (207 Longhouse), said he remains unimpressed by the MCK's response. 'I don't think the community should stand for it,' he said. 'A large part of the community is totally against the sale of cannabis no matter how it is, no matter what form. The Longhouse hasn't changed our point of view either.' He said that there's been no meetings with the MCK during the moratorium, and said that while the letter describes the nuances of Council's cannabis legislation, it doesn't acknowledge the simple fact that a large proportion of the community doesn't want cannabis in Kahnawake. 'We've stated our position, and no means no, period,' he said. 'Our position hasn't changed.' MCK grand chief Cody Diabo said that he had hoped to get the open letter out 'a few weeks back,' but that there had been delays publishing the communication following the departure of some staff. 'We know it's kind of close coming out, but we didn't want to not post it, because there's information out there, and we wanted to just make people aware of what's been going on,' Diabo said. Diabo said that throughout the moratorium, he and other MCK chiefs had conducted engagements with community members to hear their thoughts about a regulated industry. 'The sentiments that we've heard are that it's either no to cannabis, or people are open to a community-owned (industry),' he said. 'We have to go back and engage the community, because currently there's no board members, so going forward not much can get moving until that's resolved.' He added that while there's no community meeting scheduled this month, he's looking at scheduling a special community meeting to discuss the issue at greater length. 'I would like to do a little bit more with info on our end that we can present to community members too, to say 'Okay, this is what we're hearing, if we were to move in this direction, this is what the cost would be, this is what we would have to look at,' and just see what the community has to say on it,' he said. He reiterated that nothing can progress without the KCCB. 'The board has to be there, so things are just on pause now,' he said. eve@ Eve Cable, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Commemorating 1990 in solidarity
During the Siege of Kanehsatake in 1990, Ellen Katsi'tsakwas Gabriel would speak at night with the men on the front lines after wrapping up the day's negotiations. One of the men, Richard Two-Axe - 'Boltpin' - had a saying. You can break one arrow very easily, but if you take a bunch of arrows, you cannot break them. 'That's what solidarity is,' said Gabriel, speaking to more than 200 people assembled at Place du Canada in Tiohtià:ke on July 11 to mark the 35th anniversary of the Siege. The commemoration was not merely a remembrance, but a call to action that highlighted the pivotal importance of solidarity. 'I really think that if we understand one another and have a relationship with one another, maybe we'll stop killing one another, and we can bring children up in a world that is safe for them,' said Gabriel. As such, the rally featured speeches not only from Kanehsata'kehró:non and Kahnawa'kehró:non, but also the Palestinian Youth Movement and other speakers who are not Indigenous to Turtle Island. The speakers, gathering at Place du Canada, also made clear that the fight against the government for the recognition of Kanien'kehá:ka rights and territory is not over. 'As oppressed people, we are stronger than our colonizer because we resist constantly, and it may not be shown evident on a daily basis, but it's in our hearts and our minds. It's that courage and strength and the resilience to be able to say 'throw what you want at me, my ancestors are walking with me. You cannot defeat my ancestors,'' said Gabriel. Despite the government's efforts to assimilate Onkwehón:we, Indigenous people are not ashamed of who they are, Gabriel said. 'We hold our heads high because we won, in a sense, simply because there was solidarity with all of you, with all of the people that you heard today,' she said. The rally also sought to highlight 16 calls to action directed at the governments of Canada and Quebec and to Canadian institutions and the public at large. Wanda Gabriel, one of the organizers of the rally along with Ellen, summarized a few of them to the crowd - for Canada to negotiate in good faith to return stolen homelands, to eliminate policies that violate and exclude rights to self-determination, and for institutions and the public to seek better education on the root causes and history behind the 1990 Kanehsatake and Kahnawake Siege. 'We are awake, but there has been a cost to the awakening. While the world remembers the barricades, we remember what it cost our community: mistrust, divisions, and wounds that have not healed. When the land is insecure, the people are insecure,' said Wanda. 'When governments profit from our exploitation, safety is impossible. The Kanehsatake Resistance was not just a standoff; it was a reckoning.' She went on to describe how Canada has not honoured the findings of commission reports since then that have identified root causes, already known to the Kanien'kehá:ka who had been fighting for their land and sovereignty, before directly addressing the young minds in the crowd. 'I want to say to our young people, you are not here just to listen,' said Wanda. 'You are here to pick up the work. You are the next barricade, but this time it won't be built with logs and tires, but with knowledge, unity, and courage.' Kahnawa'kehró:non Allison Deer attended the rally with guests of hers from Six Nations of the Grand River who were in town for the powwow. 'I thought the venue location (Canada Place) was appropriate as the challenge is still with the federal government. It was important to let the general population know that the disputed lands are still not in the possession of the people in Kanehsatake, and that more work needs to be done,' she said. 'My key takeaway is that our true strength lies in cultivating a thoughtful and open-minded approach by using a good mind - this is our way. Our resilience is rooted in peace, diplomacy, and unity.' Joe Deom, spokesperson for the Mohawk Nation at Kahnawake, spoke at the event to recall his experience of 1990. 'We had to deal with the Army and also the politicians from Quebec who were determined to annihilate us in Kahnawake and also in Kanehsatake,' said Deom. 'Throughout that whole summer, I tell people that I never had so much fun in my life. There were times when things got really serious, but we prevailed through all that.' However, he said, while the encroachment of the Oka Golf Club was halted, the larger land issues remain unresolved. 'I was asked several times today, what's the purpose of this commemoration?' he said. 'The men in Kahnawake, we have a small group that raise our flags near the bridge to remind the motorists that we're still here and we're still alive and kicking. That's what this is all about because a lot of you people today were not even born in 1990, or maybe you were very young, so you don't know the whole story behind what happened in 1990.' Others also spoke to share their stories. One was Kahentinetha Horn, who recalled how a member of the Canadian military stabbed her 14-year-old daughter, Waneek Horn-Miller, in the chest. She called for an investigation to finally take place. 'They sent in the Canadian Army to deal with us, and they keep saying and telling the world and everybody that we're citizens of Canada, and yet they sent their soldiers against us,' said Horn, reminding the crowd that this land belongs to its Indigenous peoples. 'We never gave it up,' she said. Another who spoke was Wendy Mayo, the wife of the late Richard Two-Axe, who died in 2003. Two-Axe, who grew up in New York, had been one of the Kanien'kehá:ka held captive in the Onen'to:kon Treatment Centre and transported to custody in Farnham. His thick New York accent made him a particular target, Mayo said, because the authorities were demanding on that basis that he confess a connection to the American Indian Movement (AIM). Mayo visited him with their three-year-old daughter every day until his release a month later. 'We were treated like we were killers, criminals,' she said. 'They escorted us to the bathroom almost with a gun on our back each time that we went there.' The summer had been a painful episode for the family, with the couple apart and scarcely able to communicate outside of the news media. Mayo's 15-year-old son, meanwhile, became a man overnight, she said. She recalled the incident on Tekakwitha Island, when the military landed. 'When the island happened, it happened so quick that my son came running. He said 'they're going to tear gas you.' I was holding (my daughter) in my arms, and when the first thing went off, all of a sudden we're at the water, and my daughter wasn't in my arms any longer,' she said. 'I swear to god, I thought I dropped her, and all the while it was my son that grabbed her and went running and put her under his hood because the tear gas was all over, and not to mention it was right beside a hospital.' It was in the final moments of the rally that Ellen recalled Two-Axe's saying, not long before inviting those assembled to take part in a round dance to the sound of the drum, which she described as the heartbeat of the people, performed by Spirit Wolf. 'That's what solidarity is,' said Ellen about the bunch of arrows. 'That's what that solidarity is about, and together we cannot be broken.' marcus@ Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! 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Hamilton Spectator
16-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Temperature rises on Kahnawake roadwork woes
A major Public Works project on Old Chateauguay Road has become a flashpoint in the push-and-pull between community safety fears and the need to facilitate the flow of visitors and locals, with Council and public safety officials left searching for solutions. 'It's definitely not easy. There are about five competing interests,' said Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo, mentioning Kahnawa'kehró:non worried about non-locals taking back roads, the need to complete ongoing work that requires detours, local businesses, tourism, and even those who aren't concerned. 'We're trying to balance all those different groups, and try to figure out is there a way we can figure out a middle ground on all of them, where nobody is truly happy but it's sort of the compromise at the end of the day to try to get as much even footing as possible.' The work, which involves replacing water and sewer lines while repaving and adding better drainage systems to the road, began in late April. While frustrations have mounted for weeks over the project because of an increase in non-local traffic on side streets, reports of Kahnawa'kehró:non confronting non-locals over security concerns culminated on Sunday with a confrontation that got physical when a non-local driver punched the arm of a local woman through his car window. That incident happened near the OCR and Old Malone Highway and involved several area residents who blocked the road. 'People have taken matters into their own hands, stopping non-locals that are using the OCR. Basically that's one of the main issues at this point,' said Jody Diabo, spokesperson for the Kahnawake Peacekeepers, adding that tensions were exacerbated over the weekend by an influx of vehicles going to a butcher shop on the OCR that offers halal meat, coinciding with Eid al-Adha. 'People shouldn't be taking matters into their own hands. They should call us and we can take care of it,' said Jody, who also noted the importance of following traffic rules. Cody and three other MCK chiefs spoke with leaders from the Kahnawake Peacekeepers, Public Safety, and Public Works on Sunday to try to hash out solutions, with the Council table following up with a discussion on Monday, but it still remains to be seen what measures may be taken. One tool that has been in effect already for many years is Peacekeepers' surveillance at the end of the OCR in the mornings to ensure drivers coming from Chateauguay have a legitimate need to access Kahnawake and are not simply trying to avoid highway traffic. According to Jody, this is business as usual for the Peacekeepers. 'We continue to do what we've been doing,' said Jody. However, at least one Kahnawa'kehró:non has reported being hassled at the entrypoint to the community in a way he has not experienced before. Jody said even Kahnawa'kehró:non need to stop when Peacekeepers are on site because of a need to verify who they are. While the focus is on navigating the construction-related closures on the OCR, the question calls to mind the oft-invoked debate around community check points, which some have called for as a solution to incursions of non-locals, while others dismiss the proposal as impractical and rife with potential negative side effects. 'I think that's definitely something really worth looking into. It's not something to easily just say 'oh we can't have it.' Obviously, I think small businesses are really key to any type of economy and growing as a community,' said Cody. 'I think we have to find a way how we can satisfy the public safety concerns but also allowing businesses still to thrive and function.' Even though there are not a lot of businesses on the OCR, checkpoints could still have a negative impact, he said. He also noted that Peacekeepers chief Dwayne Zacharie pointed out that Kahnawake has dozens of entrances in different areas of the community, more than there are Peacekeepers. 'It's a vast area to say you have to keep an eye on,' Cody said. He mentioned, as one possibility, that Zacharie had suggested a type of license plate sticker that could be distributed to community members to easily demonstrate that they are from Kahnawake. This sticker cannot be transferred to another plate without being destroyed. Besides that, officials are planning to install more signage, so that drivers will be warned of the constructions from much further away, hopefully deterring them from coming near. One potentially significant development is a request to Waze by MCK transport coordinator David Lahache that people not be led by the app down unsanctioned side streets. All the officials who spoke to The Eastern Door agreed that the prevalence of GPS apps is one reason for so much traffic being diverted on streets people shouldn't be on. Public Safety commissioner Lloyd Phillips acknowledged the construction work is an inconvenience and urged people to report concerns to the proper channels, such as the Peacekeepers, rather than getting involved personally. 'We don't want to have community members getting in any altercations with people from the outside,' he said. He acknowledged dangers stemming from more cars weaving through Kahnawake's residential areas, saying that measures will be aimed at mitigating these perils while aiming to avoid amplifying inconveniences. 'Obviously there's an increased risk of accidents. Primarily our concern is for the youth, or somebody having an accident with a pedestrian. Those are some of the worst-case scenarios and the biggest concerns, so we want to minimize the road as much as possible with enforcement and ensure the people who do need to use it are obeying the speed limits,' he said. Nevertheless, the project is an important one to accommodate, he noted. 'It's all in a way to ensure we minimize inconveniences and address any safety concerns from our community. It's not as simple as it sounds. As the grand chief said, we're trying to balance protecting our community as well as there's people that require use of that road.' Construction on the OCR is expected to continue until the end of November. marcus@ Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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Hamilton Spectator
06-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Fire safety gets big boost in Kahnawake
Experts sounded the alarm on fire safety at the Kahnawake Fire Brigade (KFB) on Wednesday, kicking off a campaign that will reach at least 16 Indigenous communities, ahead of a giveaway of hundreds of smoke alarms in town. 'Kahnawake by far is probably the tip of the sword when it comes to fire protection,' said interim KFB fire chief Wihse Stacey. 'Communities look up to us. It's not unusual to get calls from Cree communities, from communities out west. Generally, we tend to lead the way. Having Kidde on board when it comes to fire safety, it's huge.' Kidde, a century-old brand specializing in fire safety projects, has teamed up with the likes of the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and Firefighters Without Borders for its Cause for Alarm campaign, which will see 6,000 fire alarms donated to First Nations. 'We can't underscore how important this initiative is for this community and to all First Nations communities who struggle to maintain fire departments across the country,' said Mohawk Council of Kahnawake chief David Diabo, who attended to show Council's support for the initiative. He implored Kahnawa'kehró:non to sign up to receive a smoke detector, which will be distributed by the fire brigade pending an announcement on how they will be given out. 'It's so important because fire safety is all about being prepared, and everyone's at risk for fires in their homes, but some communities have higher rates of house fires,' said Ivanette Bonilla, chief communications and government relations officer for Kidde, who noted Indigenous communities suffer around 20 percent of fire-related deaths despite making up about five percent of the country's population. 'It's critically important that we reach these communities, not only with the alarms, but also with the education on how to keep the alarm,' she said, noting the importance of testing it monthly, changing it every 10 years, and of households having an evacuation plan, which is crucial when seconds count. The alarms provided by Kidde have 25 percent faster detection, Bonilla said, and are designed to avoid nuisance alarms that often prompt people to disable the devices. 'If you're cooking a hamburger at home, it won't trigger the alarm,' Bonilla said. A total of 504 alarms were donated to Kahnawake. Stacey presented the donation as an opportunity for community members to ensure early fire detection without having to dig into their own pockets. 'As a fire inspector, it's hard for me to go into these houses and tell them what to do, to tell them they have to spend money on fire safety,' said Stacey. 'How do I justify them spending money? They might be struggling to put food on the table but here I am walking in saying you have to buy this, you have to buy that.' The donation changes that equation, which is crucial considering the role the devices can play in the security of the community. 'Early detection saves lives, plain and simple,' he said, noting that anyone who has seen a video of a house fire on YouTube will know how fast fires can consume homes. Like Bonilla, Stacey urged community members to ensure their smoke alarms are functioning, with the fire brigade often seeing alarms installed that should have been out of commission long ago. 'That's actually one of the biggest problems that we face,' he said. 'If I walk into a house, there's a good chance I'm going to find one that could be 20 or even 30 years old. They have that funny yellow colour that looks like somebody's been smoking in there for years, and it's obvious to me without even having to look at it that it's long since expired, and that's the problem.' The last time the fire brigade distributed smoke detectors, there was a line up down the road before the giveaway even opened, he said, showing the level of interest and need in the community. Kahnawake elder Otsitsaken:ra Charlie Patton opened the event at the fire brigade, during which he recalled the Kahnawake of his childhood. 'I remember they had an old pumper truck that maybe started one day and didn't start the next day, and maybe it only ran because people pushed it up a hill,' he said. Oftentimes, he said, wells would go dry before a fire had been extinguished, and despite community members coming together, homes would be lost. 'Now look at where we are, the beautiful equipment that we have,' he said. 'This didn't just happen because somebody flicked a switch. It happened because people had foresight, people had a dream, people did the legwork and rolled up their sleeves and found ways to make the community better.' This is the context in which he put the smoke alarm donation. 'I'm sure it will save a lot of lives,' he said. marcus@ Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
