TIDBITS

WEEK OF JANUARY 22-27, 2010

Just a few items to inform the community of events that occurred this week.

The dam in our neighboring community of Fort Covington, NY was removed last summer. With the rain and the warm conditions, the ice jammed and flooded and caused damage to homes along the Salmon River in Fort Covington.

Having once resided on the Quebec side of the Salmon River, we used to take rides in the different seasons to watch the flow of the river. Spring time always had lots of ice and water to deal with. 

We used to find dead muskrats on the ice. One of our friends would jump out of his car and go after them. He used to skin them and save the fur. It was something to see the excitement in his eyes when he found one. He would have to get lots of rats to be able to sell or trade.

Some of our people reside in Fort Covington. They are also living on the banks of the Salmon River. The Salmon River flows into the mighty St. Lawrence River. Our community is separated in many areas by water. This summer when we had to boat across the St. Lawrence River to see our family members in other areas of Akwesasne, I remembered all of the good times that we had traveling by boat to visit our family, to do our shopping or to stop at a restaurant and enjoy the vistas.

The Fire Department in Akwesasne has assisted Fort Covington in their state of emergency. That is what Akwesasne is all about, we help each other in times of need.

At the Cornwall City Council meeting this week, a motion was brought forth to request that the new Public Safety Minister Toews get involved with the Canada Border Services Agency and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne stalemate.

Hopefully, some one will start getting serious about the situation. It is difficult to be always in limbo and not know what is going to happen next.

Lots of frustration occurs and we are not always understanding of each other and what conditions that we are living under. I have family members that have a fear of going to Cornwall, because they don't know what to expect when they get to CBSA. So if I want to see anyone, I have to go to them.

MP VIC TOEWS NEW PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTER

Prime Minster Stephen Harper has made a cabinet shuffle. The position of Minister of Public Safety has been given to MP Vic Toews.

The Manitoba Senior Cabinet Minister had been the Treasury Board President since 2007. He was the Justice Minister for 1 year prior to that position. He has been an MP for Provencher since 2000.

Media outlets were saying that the Prime Minister was not pleased with Van Loans handling of some issues with the RCMP.

There have been 10 cabinet shuffles today. MP Toews was swore in today as the Minister for Public Safety.

Hopefully this cabinet shuffle will be a help in resolving the current issue with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

During the past few days our community has been hit by more deaths. There have been two more deaths added to those of last week. I believe that everyone here has been affected by at least one death in their family.

From every corner of Akwesasne there has been at least one death reported since last week. We have just had a large condolence ceremony and we need to get through these deaths so that we can heal as a community again.

We have all been hurt by the events of the summer of 2009. Some more directly than others. Some may  have had a direct conflict with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and others have been indirectly affected.

We have traveled the waterways around Akwesasne by boat for the most part this past summer. Friendships were renewed as we traveled together and shared the experience of being on the water again. Food was shared, jokes were told, as well as stories about our adventures off of the island to shop, to visit family and friends in the other districts, or to attend medical appointments. It was fun to reconnect and to learn from each other.

Our culture prevailed as we again helped each other by keeping the motivation up and just being there when the times were tough. Sitting by the campfire, telling stories, singing and drumming. discussing politics on the local, national and international levels helped us get through the nights.

The early morning tobacco burning was important and we rejuvenated ourselves by thanking the creator for all things. We are but a tiny part of creation and we need to work together to maintain ourselves as a people.

Akwesasne let us not forget what the lessons were that each and everyone of us has learned through this long hot summer with the temporary closure of the port of entry at Kawennoke. Stay strong. We have gone through this for a reason. We need each other to complete our cycle of life and to lay a strong foundation for the future seven generations.

Family and friends have come to support each other during times of sorrow. Let us not forget each other during the good times. Let us work together so that we may remain strong and united in our struggles as Onkwehonwe in the year 2010.

NEWS

It is with great sadness that I am writing this article. During the past two days we have lost 2 young community members.

A young man was killed early Friday morning. He was a father of 2 young children and only 21 years old. He was just beginning his journey and he now has moved onto another cycle of life. He was hit by a young female driver who has been arrested for vehicular manslaughter. 

It created many hardships as the road to Kanatakon was closed for 6 hours. Children could not get to school, doctors could not get to the clinic. The community was virtually shut down for that time. There has to be alternatives for Kanatakon to be able to operate 24/7 and not to be held up. Services still need to be provided for everyone.

The other death was that of a baby. The baby was born with a birth defect and he passed on Thursday.

Young peoples deaths are hard to deal with and we need to learn from them. There is a reason that they were here even if it was for a short time.

Our condolences go to the families and friends that have been affected by these deaths.

On Thursday evening a number of us attended a condolence ceremony that was held in Snye. We had our tears wiped, our ears cleaned and our voices cleared so that we can deal with our personal grief and to help others deal with their grief.