Guest Editorial

Here we are, another Tribal election. Another opportunity to straighten out another year’s misdeeds. To be clear, we are talking about Council. The Tribe, I am not worried about. The programs and services and with minor exception in the legal and finance departments, the Tribe pretty much runs itself as long as you can keep the greasy fingers of the lawyers and finance out of the way.

Over the last three or so years I grew tired of the campaign process. Tired of the predictability of the campaign process. Tired of the disappointment after the swearing in ceremony. The last few litters of geniuses that managed to Forrest Gump their way into office are an extension of the politics of the mid to late 70’s. Not a very productive time and one characterized by the “I’ll tell you what is good for you” philosophy of leadership. Apparently, like then, what is good for us today is a more firm co-dependent relationship with the Department of the Interior and its Bureau of Indian Affairs. We are as disempowered from our elected officials as we were in 1979. An era that saw the mobilization of state and federal forces against our efforts to exercise our jurisdiction and sovereignty over our territory.

The line up of Chief candidates is impressive if not for only their numbers. There are only two real candidates and they are both former elected officials. But between them only one consistently went to bat for the Tribal membership and all of Akwesasne. Only one knows intimately the history of State/Fed relations with our people and for about ten years managed the government-to-government relationship that now defines the political landscape with the U.S. And only one has the cultural and institutional memory that would play a major role in any diplomatic setting.

The winning candidate has five immediate issues to tackle, among other non-political responsibilities.

Truck Seizures – Since January there have been a half dozen NY State Police seizures of trucks carrying legal Mohawk manufactured tobacco products bound for out of state markets and other Native territories. The financial loss to the manufactures and ultimately the community is huge. NY State and St. Lawrence county are trying to kill our economic base with State tax laws as their weapon.

Thus far, the Tribal Council has been severely lacking in their response to this growing crisis. They either don’t know how to respond, they choose not to respond or they are using these incidences to winnow down tobacco manufacturing competition at Akwesasne. What ever the reason, it has terrible consequences.

Native Preference – Nothing illustrates the lack of enforcement and respect for the membership’s well being than the handing over of project oversight at the Mohawk Casino. The recent contracting with a non-native Kentucky based company Encompass over qualified Mohawk contracting companies.

It is not yet known how many qualified Mohawk workers have been impacted by the current administration’s denial to implement and adhere to Mohawk hiring preference policies. But, the monetary loss will be in the millions of dollars. Money that would have been spent in the community. Gaming in Indian country is meant to benefit Indian country, except in Akwesasne.

Tribal Licensing protection – The ability for a government to issue licenses and to regulate businesses at Akwesasne is paramount as it is a direct expression of what sovereignty is left the Mohawk people. When the Tribe issues a license they not only have the responsibility to enforce regulations over that business, the Tribe is also bound to protect those businesses. Be they tobacco manufacturers, retailers (no matter where they are located) or be they an automotive garage or race track.

Tribal Employee rights and Micro Managing – The administration of the Tribe, the rights of employees and the management of budgets, benefits and programs and services are the realm of the Administration. Don’t the Chiefs have enough to do already, do they really have the time to meddle in areas that are considered day-to-day operations? The Directors of programs and administration have much experience and should be left to do their jobs so the Chiefs can do theirs.

Need more Agricultural Expansion/Land Use Models – This is an area that only recently opened up for us. The Department of Agriculture, over the last couple years, have opened up many financial opportunities for working farms owned by Natives.

Since the late 1960’s to the late 1970’s marked a period of loss of the Mohawk family farm (including fishing). This was accelerated by the anti-pollution movement and the establishment of the various environmental departments that fought to protect us from the harms of PCB’s, fluoride contamination, mercury poisoning and more.

Much of our arid lands lay dormant, except for the scrub brush that is claiming much of our cleared lands. Little is being done to capitalize and implement a solid agricultural plan that would once again see our fields produce some of our own foods.

Much of the industry that was the cause of major environmental problems and with sophisticated techniques and technology much of the pollution has been identified, localized and in some cases minimized, our lands are much safer for food production than they have been in decades. Our lands are usable again, and so we should use them and restart a too long dormant tradition and industry that was food production.

Membership - The stripping of membership rights from those who happen to have valid reasons for living off the rez, because of employment, medical or educational reasons, needs to be reversed. Does one somehow become less Mohawk or less affected by tribal policies when living off the rez? Not one bit. Yet, they are denied heating assistance, the ability to run for office and now there is talk of denying non-resident Tribal members the right to vote. That is so out of bounds it borders on a human rights violation.

Good luck to the candidates and God save the rest of us.

Ray Cook