Open Letter # 3

Dear so-called director,

I’m hurt. Really I am. I also feel insulted that you, individually and collectively as the so-called board of directors of the Health Center, haven’t deemed my two (2) previous OPEN LETTERS worthy of reply. Instead, you’ve sicced some lawyers on me with threats of a libel and defamation lawsuit. Rather bizarre because - first - you should have a decent reputation to damage. But that’s your problem. So is credibility.

I find it strange that you would spend so much time, effort and money trying to stop me from asking questions. For example: Why are you hiding from the membership? Why did you stop the election of community representatives to the board? Why are you preventing people at Kanehsatà:ke from controlling their own health programs? Why are you prepared to act illegally to prevent the Director of Social Services from assuming her seat? What do you think you’re doing? I’m asking because none of it makes any sense.

Instead of answering these simple questions though, you’ve done your best to pretend that nothing’s wrong - that you’ve done nothing wrong. You act as though you don’t have to explain anything to anyone. Worse, that you’re not accountable to anyone. There are words to describe your actions. I’ve put one of those words on the Facebook page: autocrat. Look it up. There are others, a lot less polite. People are using them.

If you believe you have good reasons for what you’ve done and what you plan to do, why not explain these to the membership (which is also the community)? This is not only reasonable but the right thing to do. Working in secrecy, threatening jobs if people discuss what’s going on, violating their civil rights, is ridiculous.

It reminds me of the Indian agent who acted as though (to paraphrase a former councillor) that it was “the ultimate authority”. It implies that the Indian agent/board/band council can act irresponsibly and doesn’t need to explain its actions or be accountable to anyone. At least, no one in Kanehsatà:ke.

People have seen what the band council has done to their children’s education. How money for programs is there one day, for counselling and therapy for their kids, but is gone without explanation the next day. Everyone knows that outside businesses contracted to service water systems in their homes - to ensure that their water is safe to drink - are refusing calls because the band council hasn’t paid its bills. People can see what’s going on?

KYOT. Daycare. Housing. Job training. The list goes on. People know their lives are affected every day by decisions made in secret. People apply for housing repairs but can’t get an answer by phone or letter for months and even years. Trainers for employment programs aren’t paid. People looking for answers are themselves asked why anyone would want to get job training anyway? After all, there aren’t any jobs at Kanehsatake! Now there’s a head-scratcher.

There’s less and less money to ensure health and safety in the community. But there’s cash to hire consultants and lawyers to make sure people stay in the dark, wrongdoing is covered up, and questions go nowhere. Even the kids in school know this wrong.

Here’s another question: If even those kids know better - why don’t you?

It’s time to stop hiding and answer some questions.

Regards: