A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
TERRITORY OF AKWESASNE – The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne met with representatives of the City of Cornwall informally on December 23, 2013 to discuss construction of the storage tanks being built on the Cornwall Harbor. The two met again on January 7, 2014 as the Cornwall Mayor Kilger gave a formal briefing to MCA on the City’s efforts to stop the tank’s construction.
The MCA and Cornwall share the same concern of not being consulted by the federal government for work being done on the waterfront. The tanks are being situated on lands that are included as part of the Mohawks of Akwesasne’s North Shore Claim that was filed with Canada in 2012.
Both are also concerned about the environmental hazard the tanks pose to our shared waterway. As a result, they hope that through their combined efforts that they will be able to protect the waterfront for recreational, tourism and other projects that will directly benefit our two communities.
Following today’s presentation, the MCA made the decision to pursue a judicial review with the Federal Court of Canada on the tank’s construction and to schedule more meetings with the City of Cornwall.
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On Tuesday January 14, Transport Canada heard concerns from Cornwall city and Akwesasne representatives, but no decision was taken on the status of the unwanted chemical tanks under construction on Cornwall’s waterfront.
The meeting included three representatives each from Transport Canada, the City of Cornwall, including Mayor Bob Kilger, and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, which has a land claim on the waterfront.
Another meeting is expected between Transport Canada, MP Guy Lauzon, Cornwall city and Akwesasne representatives, and Chuck Charlebois next week, possibly Jan. 24. The city stated that another meeting that included Trillium Distribution Cornwall would be held within two weeks.
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