It was established as a means to peacefully resolve the conflict caused by outside governments interfering with our rightful authority to exercise jurisdiction within our territory. The people demanded that negotiations take place at the highest levels of the Federal Government to confirm our territorial and economic jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction means having power, authority and control over a specific territory or territories.
The conflict started more than 120 years ago when the Government of Canada began exercising jurisdiction over our territory, people and affairs without our consent. During the mid-1800's the Government of Canada began passing various pieces of legislation giving them the legal power and authority to control our affairs. The most well-known of these is the 1876 Indian Act. The CKR operates through a Framework Agreement signed by Grand Chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton, on behalf of the Mohawks of Kahnawake and the Minister of Indian Affairs, on behalf of the Government of Canada. Each party has appointed a negotiator who is responsible for arranging and conducting negotiating sessions, the parties are equals at the table and agree to work co-operatively towards developing a renewed relationship.