MCK to ask for mandate on Wednesday to counter Canada S-2 legislation

09/23/2013

The Mohawk Council of Kahnaw�:ke (MCK) is reminding Kahnawa�kehr�:non that it is urging the community to give the Mandate on Wednesday evening to proceed with a Kahnaw�:ke law to counter Canada�s Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act (S-2).

The Kahnaw�:ke Legislative Coordinating Commission (KLCC) earlier accepted a request from the MCK to use the �Urgent Law-Making Process� of the Community Decision Making Process, due to a deadline of June 2014 imposed by the passage of S-2. If communities do not have their own laws in place when the law comes into force, S-2 will prevail.
 
As announced recently, the MCK is proposing using draft legislation from the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne as a �starting point� for a Kahnaw�:ke law.

�We can�t wait any longer to get started on this,� said Chief Clinton Phillips. �Either we create our own law or we will leave ourselves in the unacceptable position of having jurisdiction fall into Provincial hands. Once a mandate is given, we�ll roll up our collective sleeves and get to work.�

The Hearing will be held from 6pm to 8:30pm this Wednesday (25, Seskehk�:wa/September) at the Karonhian�nhnha School gymnasium.

�While this is the type of law that won�t affect the majority of Kahnawa�kehr�:non, this is a blatant example of the federal government off-loading its responsibilities to the provinces,� said Chief Phillips. �The fact that each province has its own laws will further complicate an already complex issue, and that�s something we cannot and will not accept.�