Aboriginal Affairs Minister Valcourt�s comments irresponsible, insidious

05/15/2015

The Mohawk Council of Kahnaw�:ke (MCK) wishes to advise the public that it takes great offense to comments made by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada Minister Bernard Valcourt in regard to Kahnaw�:ke�s internal Membership issues.

In comments provided to Montreal�s Le Devoir newspaper on May 6th, Mr. Valcourt said that the rules governing Membership are �racist and unacceptable in this country.�

�It is difficult to articulate just how irresponsible and insidious his comments are,� said Grand Chief Michael Ahr�hron Delisle, Jr. in a statement (see attached document). �Because he is the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, most Canadians will assume that he is speaking from a position of intimate knowledge of Kahnaw�:ke. The truth is a whole different matter.�

�By wading into a situation that he knows very little of, he is giving Canadians a very skewed picture � one painted with the broad strokes of ignorance rather than one respecting the subtleties and intricacies that are demanded� of a man in his position, continued Grand Chief Delisle.