Article content continued

Opponents have launched several appeals at Akwesasne community court in efforts to invalidate the referendum results. Only 28 per cent of eligible voters took part, and the vote would have been invalid had that number been less than 25. After the fact, some said they wouldn’t have voted at all had they known about the 25 per cent threshold.

The courthas already determined that at least one of the appeals can go to a hearing.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or

Meanwhile, the continued conflict has prompted the traditionalist faction to use community law to try to remove all 12 MCA members from office.

Petitioners need only obtain more signatures than the number of votes each chief got in the election. Even the most successful chief in the last election last summer only received 222 votes.

The tactic has already succeeded. Chief Dennis Chaussi was ousted last August after a man who had sued him in community court also started a petition. Chaussi was re-elected to his seat three months later, and has since become a vocal advocate of amending the election law to restrict the use of these petitions.

The raids on the controversial cannabis dispensaries, “licensed” by the traditionalist Indian Way Longhouse group, appears to have been the last straw.

But another traditional Mohawk longhouse, the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs, disagrees with Indian Way group.

“We have learned through recent media reports that the cannabis dispensaries that were in operation on (Cornwall Island) have misled people by making the claim that they are operating legally under the strength of the Kaianerakowa (Great Law of Peace),” Mohawk Nation Longhouse administrator Bute Hill wrote in a statement. “It is our position that without our approval, these individuals cease any further claims that they are conducting any business under such laws and agreements that remain sacred to us.

“We will not support people doing this.”

ALSO IN THE NEWS:

Akwesasne protesters torch cop car after pot shop raid

Tkachuk family gets creative in order to show support for both brothers in first NHL meeting

Four charged with drug offences in community policing project