"Confederacy says no to band's brewery and alcohol regulations"

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council says the Six Nations Elected Band Council's plan to open a brewery and imposed alcohol regulations here is a "danger" to the community.

The HCCC issued a statement against the manufacturing or retailing or sale of alcohol in the community after community members and clan mothers approached the chiefs council on the issue Saturday.

Since then the Confederacy notice has appeared on the Confederacy's Facebook page generating over 5,000 likes, shares and comments supporting the Confederacy position.

Secretary Leroy Hill told Confederacy at its meeting Saturday he had received an email from band planner Amy Lickers in November asking to be on the Confederacy agenda to discuss the proposed brewery and alcohol regulations.

But, he said he did not add her to the agenda.

"I didn't know if this was consultation and I spoke with some of the chiefs about how to handle it and they said to bring it up at council. What my fear was, was that the band would consider it as having consulted with the chiefs and then gone ahead with any plans. So I need direction on how you want to handle this."

Since then he said he received a request from Leanna Bomberry, a concerned community member and several of the clan mothers to discuss the issue of the band's alcohol regulations and brewery.

"I guess they (the band) are just about done with their information sessions now so I thought it would be good to let you know what the clanmothers found out."

Leanna Bomberry along with several clan mothers told council they had concerns.

"Band council is going to do this process where it doesn't matter how many show up. It's just the majority of whoever shows up. It doesn't matter how many are in the community," Bomberry told council.

"The clanmothers told them we don't vote so how are we going to get our voice heard and we thought we would do a petition," Bomberry said.

"We want to know what can we do to stop this. It's detrimental to our community, to our youth. I'm here as a community member but I have worked in social services for 20 years now. I've seen what it can do to families."

The band referendum will allow for the manufacturing, sale and distribution of alcohol.

Once passed the band plans to launch a brewery at the Oneida Business Park.

"You will be able to buy it in the stores. Our youth will be affected," Bomberry said.

She questioned the agreement with the main investor, a Kitchener brew master. "The agreement says even if we protest and shut the brewery down he still gets paid. What is that?"

She said "I told her (Amy Lickers) with the vote on January 17th, that doesn't give the traditional people enough time to get their voice heard. I am here as a concerned community member to ask what can we do."

She told council, "They have this in Kahnawake and the traditional people said they are sorry now that they let this slide in. You can buy alcohol anywhere, in stores, bars restaurants, the arena, anywhere."

Confederacy council issued a statement barring the manufacturing and sale of alcohol and drugs in the community.

Please be advised of the following:

At a duly convened council on January 3, 2015, the Hodiyanehsoh carefully considered the proposed Alcohol Law and Brewery at Six Nations Grand River Territory.

After careful reflection and consideration of the damaging effects that alcohol has had on our people and continues to have, the Hodiyanehsoh unanimously agreed that it would be in violation of our Creator given laws to support and encourage the use of Dega'higohade:nyohs, "Mindchangers" (Alcohol and Drugs).

As such, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council does not support the manufacturing or retailing of alcohol or drugs and are opposed to any effort to bring danger into our Territory.

Please govern yourselves accordingly.