Kanesatake Grand Chief defiant despite order to stand down from post

Former Mohawk Council of Kanesatake grand chief Serge Otsi Simon (left) is among those on council telling current Grand Chief Victor Bonspille (right) he needs to vacate his post after an ethics commission report. (John Woods/ The Canadian Press; Victor Bonspille/ Facebook)

The seven members of the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake are divided.

Five council chiefs from the community north of Montreal presented an ethics commission report last week ordering Grand Chief Victor Bonspille and his sister, council chief Valerie Bonspille, to stand down from their positions.

Victor is adamant that the report will not dissuade him from working as chief even if it’s from his home. The two packed their belongings up from their offices on Monday.

“We’re still going to continue our elected duties until we’re vote out in a general election,” said Victor, adding that he and his sister have been working from home for the past year.

Months before the MCK elections are set to take place in July, the five other council chiefs, including former grand chief Serge Otsi Simon (who was grand chief from 2011-2021), produced the report that alleges the two Bonspilles did not attend council meetings called by other chiefs and other misconduct allegations.

“One, they missed more than three council meetings within the mandate; they missed well over 100 now,” said Simon, who was elected back to council in 2023 after losing the grand chief election in 2021. “The other one was misconduct. Victor Bonspille have locked the band council a year-and-a-half ago and intimidated our staff to leaving the building.”

The Bonspilles do not accept the report.

“I already responded legally before the hearing even started that I don’t recognize this ethics commission, neither does my community,” said Victor. “It’s just another ploy that these five individuals have been using to removed me from my elected position when they know that the only way that I can be removed is by a vote of confidence by my members or probably through a federal court decision and neither one of those have happened. These guys are pretty much grasping at straws.”

Simon said that the committee, comprised of three lawyers from outside the community, was above board.

“They were thrown out of office by due process and council stands by that, and hopefully the community will understand that there are certain things that just can’t be tolerated when it comes to the elected,” said Simon.

Bonspille argues that meetings not called by the grand chief are invalid and he doesn’t need to attend them.

In addition, he said that a 2023 community meeting, attended by around 60 people, voted by a show of hands to remove the five council chiefs for non confidence.

“They refused to leave,” said Victor. “I don’t recognize them, neither does my community.”

Simon said the meeting in question was stacked against the five chiefs and the show of hands vote was not the proper way to remove elected officials.

“It stands to reason that you’re elected by secret ballot and a certain process and you should be removed by the same,” he said. “Not 40 people where half is your family.”

Both men dispute the respective votes against them, citing the community’s electoral code and other customs.

Simon’s own election win for council chief was disputed in 2023 and a federal court ruled in his favour in 2024, affirming his byelection win.

The four-year term for council ends July 31. Bonspille said he will be running for grand chief again.