Confederacy Council Report

SIX NATIONS – The first item on the agenda was a meeting requested by Justice Gethin Edwards, with delegates representing the Council.

Edwards is known as the judge who, in 2014, ruled that he would not compel the Brant Children’s Aid Society to force a young Six Nations girl to undergo chemotherapy for her acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Instead, the child chose traditional medicines, which the judge asserted was within her rights.

Marlene Doxtator, an Intake and Assessment Worker at Kiikeewanniikaan – Southwest Regional Healing Lodge, was present and told council that allowing children to be taken by Children’s Aid from their mothers isn’t what will help the children.

A final decision was then made that several Clanmothers would meet with Edwards in February.

An update regarding the draft media policy created by Lynda Powless was given. It was stated that the draft policy is not yet complete, but when it is done the policy will entail how journalists are to conduct themselves within the Longhouse during council meetings.

Kris Hill of the Haudenosaunee Trade Delegation requested three council representatives sit on the commission. It was decided that Gary Johnson and Bill Williams would sit upon the delegation with the third position to be addressed at another council meeting.

A letter drafted to the Governor General was presented for approval, which explained several points involving the relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Crown. The Council decided the letter would be sent.

Ohero:kon presented information on what they do to the council. The program offers youth the opportunity to reconnect with their culture, and experience several rites of passage in a positive way. The group extended an invitation to the Chiefs and Clanmothers to join them next week at the Everlasting Tree School, to teach youth about their duties within the confederacy and ceremony.

The final piece to be addressed before the sun started to set was the HDI report, by Hazel Hill.

The 10th Anniversary of the reclamation of Kanonhstaton is coming on February 28, 2016. There is a peaceful walk being planned from McClung Road to Kanonhstaton beginning with a sunrise ceremony.

Hill said HDI will transfer shares to the HCCC. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) shares were being held in trust by HDI following the Trust Agreements from November 2014.

The agreement sheet detailed that “Upon the transfer of its registered title, interest, rights and benefits in the shares to HCCC, HDI will not hold any title, interests, rights and benefits in the Shares and HCCC will become the sole registered and beneficial owner of the Shares.”

Hill explained the decision to transfer the shares was to give the Council the ability to have the financial resources to take care of the community. It was decided that the issue would be dealt with at another council meeting.

Hill said HDI has been corresponding with MTO to establish an “umbrella” type agreement, rather than project-by-project. HDI needed further direction from the Council on “whether to proceed with a monitoring agreement for the Cayuga Bridge, and then do a separate agreement for other projects or whether to continue with the broader agreement approach.”

This was met with several opinions spoken, but no direct decision was made.

Hill then wanted to proceed with another issue on the report, but was told it was much too late in the day. Onondaga Chief Arnold Jacobs performed the closing address, and the meeting closed.

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