Kahnawake Mohawks went to the polls on July 2 and the results were a big surprise to many observers.
Kahnawake voted down a project to build a $154-million casino, but at the same time re-elected the casino’s biggest supporter, Joe Norton, as Grand Chief. The vote on the casino was very close with 724 people voting against and 627 for. Joe Norton easily dominated the race for Grand Chief taking 916 votes, against Don Martin (201 votes), Kahn-Tineta Horn (153) and Frank Jacobs (84).
“I am very upset,” said one casino supporter in a La Presse article. “I thought it would be a real benefit for Kahnawake.” He blamed retired Mohawks for voting in a bloc against the casino. “The retired people don’t work any more. They don’t know any more what it means to be unemployed.”
Eastern Door editor Kenneth Deer was surprised that the casino was voted down. “If the casino project is dead, Kahnawake will have to find another way of improving its economy.” Deer said many Kahnawake residents were unhappy with Chief Norton’s style of governing, which some feel isn’t open enough. All three of Chief Norton’s opponents in the election for chief were running on platforms that called for a more traditionalist approach to government.
