Recap for March 8 Membership Law Hearing -Adoption section completed

3/09/2016

The Kahnawà:ke Legislative Coordinating Commission would like to inform the community that full consensus was reached on the final clause of Section 14 (‘Adoption’) at last evening’s Hearing on proposed amendments to the Kahnawà:ke Membership Law.

Over twenty community members participated in the meeting, which was the ninth in this First Hearing phase of the Community Decision Making Process.

While the agenda was lengthy, only the final clause (14.7) of the section on ‘Adopted Children’ was actually completed. The clause (which dates from the original enactment of the law) was accepted with a proviso added for clarity (in bold):

“A child who has no Kanien’keháka or Onkwehonwe lineage adopted by a Kanien’keháka of Kahnawà:ke parent(s) after the enactment of this law on November 10, 2003 is not eligible to be recognized as a Kanien’keháka of Kahnawà:ke or be an Approved Kahnawà:ke Resident and, therefore, the parent(s) who chose to contravene this clause (the law) will have their recognition (as a Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke) suspended and not be eligible to reside in the territory of Kahnawà:ke.”

This portion of the meeting took up over half of the two-and-a-half hours allotted. The remainder was spent discussing the Definition of ‘Kanien’keháka of Kahnawà:ke.’ While there was partial consensus, time ran out before a full and final consensus could be declared for all three parts of the Definition.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 22 Enniskó:wa/March 2016 and will continue from the point last night’s meeting ended.