Kahnawake suspending political contact with Quebec; Grand chief demands 'substantive solution' on Bill 96
Kahnawake says it will suspend all political engagement with the Quebec government until it can provide a "substantive solution" regarding the controversial overhaul to the French language charter passed earlier this week.
"We're not going to continue to engage with Quebec on any political files moving forward," said the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community’s grand chief, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer.
Sky-Deer says she has requested a meeting with Quebec Premier Francois Legault. Until he -- or another high-level representative – agrees to talks, "we're not going to have any more engagement with Quebec at any level."
Prior to the law's passing, Indigenous leaders across the province pleaded with the government to provide a carve-out for their communities over concerns that the bill would create barriers to education and undermine reconciliation efforts.
Sky-Deer met with Quebec ministers earlier in May to discuss the bill. She said there were hopes at the time that lawmakers would understand their worries and confirm that Indigenous communities would be exempt.
"What we did hear is that they do want to help ensure protection of Indigenous languages," she said, adding that the ministers stopped short of committing to a carve-out.
"I did feel extremely disappointed with the outcome," she said, speaking of the law's passing, which came less than two weeks later.
"It just feels really dismissive -- arrogance, even, to some degree, to just continue forward and not hear our pleads, our concerns, our requests."
Community leaders have told media that they're especially worried that the bill will add to the barriers to education for Kahnawake's young people.
Kahnawake students generally study in English rather than French for historic reasons, and the bill creates extra requirements for English-speaking CEGEP students, namely that they take extra French classes.
But the community is also worried about how the bill will affect its health and social services, which it runs itself, as well as its police service, Mike Delisle, a member of the Mohawk Council of Chiefs, said Wednesday.
Another concern is access to the justice system, considering the bill's new and much more onerous requirements for English speakers in the court system, including having to immediately have certain documents translated into French, at their own expense, and forbids companies from pleading in languages other than French.
-- With files from CTV News' Kelly Greig and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.