Recognizes Grand Chief Gabriel Issued Criminal Badge, Pepper Spray The Quebec Police Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint filed by former Kanehsatake police officer Terry Cross against Terry Isaac concerning the Richard Walsh case. Walsh was hired in 1997 to do undercover work for the Kanesatake Mohawk Police even though he was never a sworn-in police officer. In the complaint Cross alleged that Isaac provided confidential police information to Walsh, who is a civilian, regarding himself and his brother Tracey. This, the complaint alleged, was done in contravention to the Code of Ethics of Quebec Police Officers. Under this code it is prhibited for police officers to hand over to a civilian CPIC/QPIC (Canadian Police Information Centre and Quebec Police Informatin Centre) statements from police information centres. [continues 641 words]
Drug Dealers Beware The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake is looking at bringing the Banishment Law back to the forefront. MCK Chief Lloyd Phillips said this movement was spurred by ongoing drug awareness meetings between the MCK, Kahnawake Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services, Peacekeepers and the Kahnawake Education system. Members of these organizations have been meeting monthly since October to look at ways to combat the drug problem in Kahnawake. The Banishment Law is one of the most important of the initiatives to come out of these meetings. [continues 596 words]
I'm writing this because of a conversation I had with some friends recently. The gist of the conversation was that we couldn't believe the extent of the drug problem in this community and how little some people think of this problem. The fact is there is a real problem in Kahnawake when it comes to drugs. As recently as ten years ago the biggest thing a high school student had to worry about was peer pressure to smoke marijuana. Now high school students have to worry about being pressured into snorting cocaine or smoking crack. [continues 581 words]
The RCMP put an end to a major criminal organization involved in smuggling and exporting marijuana to the United States through Akwesasne. The drug ring also sold cocaine to various places across Ontario. The two-year investigation culminated with the execution of search warrants across Quebec at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13. The Kanehsatake Mohawk Police, Akwesasne Mohawk Police and the Kahnawake Peacekeepers assisted the RCMP in the execution of warrants in Kanehsatake and Akwesasne. The RCMP has reason to believe that this smuggling ring has ties to the Hell's Angels biker gang. Because three of those arrested have close ties with gang members. [continues 549 words]
Two Kahnawakehro:non who were convicted on drug offenses will be doing their community service somewhat different than the norm. The Sate'shen:naien Program reached an agreement with both the Court of Kahnawake and the Longueuil Court on February 3. This agreement is to implement a rehabilitation program that will educate community members who are convicted on drug offenses. The participants have to serve 180 hours as a part of this program and KSCS can terminate it at any point in time if they feel the participants aren't trying or benefiting from it. [continues 329 words]
On December 15 the Peacekeepers will welcome a drug detector dog to their ranks. The dog will be handled by Peacekeeper Kelvin Phillips. Kahnawake will become the first Native community to have its own dog for the purpose of drug detection and prevention. Phillips is currently being trained at a Canada Customs training facility in Rigaud. The training began on October 10. The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake unanimously supported the project at their meeting on Friday, October 13. 'Speaking to the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association, we're the first in Canada; a First Nations [community] that has their own detector drug dog,' Chief Peacekeeper Mike Stalk said. 'There are Native communities that have dogs, but they are contracted by other policing agencies.' [continues 263 words]
The battle to rid Kahnawake of drugs has just heated up. Picking up where it left off last year, a group of community members has been setting up shop on the Old Malone Highway to bring awareness to the drug problem in Kahnawake. They have also posted a sign on a tree in the Knights of Columbus parking lot which reads, 'Up with hope, down with dope.' In response to this sign, a residence near Kane's Corner posted a sign of its own which says, 'Down with hope, Up with smoke.' There is also what appears to be a marijuana plant pictured on the sign. [continues 331 words]
Would you voluntarily submit yourself to random drug tests by your employer? Would you submit yourself to a random drug test to get a job in Kahnawake? These are the questions that the Executive Directors Committee is asking the employees of the organizations it represents. The EDC represents the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, Kahnawake Fire Brigade, Education Center, Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre, Kanien'keha:ka Raotitiohkwa Cultural Center, Step By Step and Mohawk Community Daycare, Kahnawake Youth Center and Kahnawake Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services [end]
The majority of Kahnawake's drug users 'burn' or as most people know it - smoke pot. Many people in Kahnawake may not realize, while others are only too aware, that teenagers in Kahnawake are trying, experimenting and using drugs in large numbers. Some people would like to believe that drug use in Kahnawake is not a large problem. They say it's worse in other places. That may be the case, but that does not change the fact that various types of drugs are in our community. [continues 469 words]
Residents Respond to Drug Issue Since the drug march held almost two weeks ago, there have been demonstrations held spontaneously throughout the community. These demonstrations have been organized by a core group of women made up of Wilma Lahache, Molly Sky and Selma Delisle. Last week there were two demonstrations held in front of and behind the home of Allan T. Diabo, a Kahnawake resident who was arrested on drug charges twice last year. Another one of these protests was held this past Tuesday at Noon in front of the home of Marc "Full Blast" Lahache. [continues 222 words]
Many Kahnawakero:non have become fed up with the drug problem in our community. To show their dissatisfaction with this situation, several hundred people marched from the tunnel to the Karonhianonhnha School down the Old Malone Highway. People began gathering at the tunnel around Noon and the march commenced at 1:00 p.m. with the added safety of a police escort. The drug epidemic in Kahnawake affects everyone, which is why people walked together regardless of political or religious beliefs or affiliation. Band Councillors and Peacekeepers walked side by side with some of their biggest detractors. After all, this is not an issue that affects only one part of Kahnawake; it affects everyone. [continues 77 words]
Following the march down the highway against drugs in our community a public meeting was held at the Karonhianonhnha School, coordinated by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. The MCK had a document prepared for the community made available at this meeting. The document stated that the MCK "Sacknowledges and supports the community's concerns over the drug problems facing our community, especially with its impact on our youth." There were four specific points, stated the document, that the MCK is working on to show to the community it supports what the community is doing [end]
