Summerstown, ON, Jun 09, 2009 — The Seaway International Bridge near Massena reopened to limited traffic yesterday. But Mohawk protesters are still only allowing certain cars to travel from the city of Cornwall in Canada to Cornwall Island. All traffic from Canada to the United States remains suspended. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article

Summerstown, ON, Jun 03, 2009 — The international bridge between Massena and Cornwall, Ontario has been closed for more than two days now. And the stand-off between Akwesasne Mohawks and the Canadian government continues. The Mohawks are peacefully protesting Canada's new policy of arming their customs officers. The policy was to have taken effect on Monday. But the officers closed the border crossing on Cornwall Island the night before, saying they didn't feel safe. As David Sommerstein reports, neither side appears ready to budge.

Editor's note: NCPR encourages people of all points of view to post comments on our news stories. However, we require some civility in the discussion, and reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. We have exercised that right on many comments in this thread. If you want to be heard, please don't be abusive.  Go to full article

Summerstown, ON, Jun 02, 2009 — The bridge between Canada and the US that crosses Mohawk territory near Massena is closed again this morning. Akwesasne Mohawks are protesting Canada's plan to arm officers at the border crossing there. Canadian customs officers abandoned their posts late Sunday night after informal talks between the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Canadian Border Services Agency yielded no results. Martha Foley has more.

Editor's note: NCPR encourages people of all points of view to post comments on our news stories. However, we require some civility in the discussion, and reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. We have exercised that right on many comments in this thread. If you want to be heard, please don't be abusive.  Go to full article

Summerstown, ON, Jun 02, 2009 — The international bridge at Cornwall Island remains closed this morning as Mohawks protest the arming of Canadian customs officers. CBC TV reporter Amanda Pfeffer was on Cornwall Island yesterday where Mohawks are protesting the arming of Canadian customs officers. She spoke with David Sommerstein. We'll be following this story throughout the day - listen for an update during All Before Five.  Go to full article

Cornwall, ON, Jun 01, 2009 — The international bridge at Cornwall Island remains closed in both directions this afternoon as Mohawks protest the arming of Canadian customs officers. Canadian customs officers abandoned their posts late last night after informal talks between the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Canadian Border Services Agency yielded no results. Tribal spokesman Brandon White says the Mohawks are not blockading the bridge. He says it was the customs officers who closed the crossing. This confrontation has been brewing since Canada announced it would arm its border agents beginning today. CBC TV reporter Amanda Pfeffer was on Cornwall Island today. She spoke with David Sommerstein about what she saw and heard.  Go to full article

Cornwall, ON, Jun 01, 2009 — State police in Massena confirm that the international bridge at Cornwall Island is closed this morning. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article

Apr 23, 2009 — The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is hoping an 1851 letter it recently acquired will shed light on ownership of former tribal land. But right now the document raises more questions than answers. The tribe bought the letter from Gregory Caron of Hopkinton for $1000. Caron bought it at an auction for the same price. The letter is written in dense legalese. It makes a case for British settlers to pay the tribe years of back rent for using Barnhart and Baxter Islands in the St. Lawrence River. The Mohawks owned the islands until they were ceded to the United States (without Mohawk consent) after the war of 1812. Today, Barnhart Island is the home of the massive New York Power Authority hydropower dam across the St. Lawrence. Arnold Printup is the historic preservation officer for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. He spoke to David Sommerstein about the letter and its significance.  Go to full article

Apr 10, 2009 — Last week, the Center for Public Integrity released an exhaustive investigation on the confluence of illegal tobacco, drugs, and organized crime on the Mohawk reservations on the St. Lawrence River. Yesterday we spoke with the report's author.

Today, the Mohawks' side of things. Chiefs of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe near Massena say Canada and the United States are raising cigarette taxes without considering historic tribal rights to trade tobacco. Chief Jim Ransom says the author of the Center for Public Integrity report didn't even request an interview with tribal chiefs. The Mohawks have endured a reputation as smugglers even before tobacco companies worked with some natives to traffic untaxed cigarettes into Canada in the 1990s. This year's surprise hit film, Frozen River, has brought Akwesasne's reputation to the big screen and the nation. Chief Ransom told David Sommerstein he condemns the drug trafficking and crime that happens in Akwesasne. But he says the characterization ignores the history of oppression and environmental degradation brought on the Mohawks.  Go to full article

Mar 05, 2009 — The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe lashed out against Governor Paterson and the New York Power Authority Tuesday for sending low-cost hydropower to Long Island. The 9 megawatts was reserved for the Mohawks and their growing casino, which has been running on generators. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Jan 07, 2009 — A piece of news yesterday brings us the next installment of our new series, "Story 2.0". We're revisiting stories from the North Country Public Radio archive to see what's happened since. CITGO, the U.S. branch of the national oil company of Venezuela, is stopping shipments of free heating oil for poor families in America's cities. That word came yesterday from the non-profit organization that distributes the fuel. CITGO also donates free heating oil to native tribes, including the Akwesasne Mohawks. The company has given away $1.5 million in heating oil to Mohawk families. David Sommerstein was there in 2006 when CITGO began the program, sparking some geopolitical controversy.  Go to full article