Joe norton kahnawake

He passed away with his family at his side at approximately pm, the council said in a statement. Born Aug. He attended primary school in Kahnawake, where he played lacrosse, and later went to John Grant High School in Lachine.

Norton spent the early part of his career working on building projects in the northeastern U. First elected to the council in , he became Grand Chief two years later and went on to win 11 consecutive mandates. Norton gained prominence as a key Mohawk negotiator during the Oka Crisis — a day standoff between Quebec Mohawks and Canadian soldiers over the proposed expansion of a golf course in Oka.

Later, he negotiated agreements with the provincial government ensuring more power for Kahnawake on economic development, taxation and other topics. After retiring in , Norton took another run at politics in and was once again elected Grand Chief. Former Quebec native affairs minister Geoffrey Kelley — who worked as a political adviser for then-public security minister Claude Ryan near the end of the Oka Crisis — remembers Norton as a very determined, but fair, leader.

He was a man who gave almost his whole life to leadership in his community, and he made a great contribution to Kahnawake and to Indigenous rights and Indigenous causes right across Canada.

He was an extraordinary individual. Ross Montour, who served on the council with Norton, said his death had left the community reeling and stricken with grief. But Norton would be remembered, he added, as someone who stood tall for his community, displaying passion and vision. Norton also used his position as grand chief to push for Indigenous self-determination and champion unity among First Nations. The representatives of many nations attended his funeral, including a contingent from the Ghanaian Montreal Traditional Council who said they attended the funeral to honour the passing of a great chief.

Ghislain Picard , chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, described how Norton repeatedly supported Indigenous peoples of all backgrounds. Marc Miller, the federal minister responsible for Indigenous affairs, said he and Norton had recently discussed the lasting impacts of the Oka Crisis. Norton had convinced him that the implication of the Canadian Armed Forces — with whom many Mohawks have served — in such conflicts was wrong.

Many of those who knew Norton but could not make the funeral poured their memories and tributes onto a Facebook page set up to honour him. Indigenous groups, religious leaders, community members and dignitaries from around the world expressed their condolences. At the funeral, after a short video montage, a group of Mohawk veterans fired a rifle volley southward in a salute to the grand chief.

Story continues below advertisement. Related News. Sponsored content. Flyers More weekly flyers. Report an Error. As a statesman, he carried a vision in continually striving for the advancement of Indigenous governance. Prior to his political career, he spent several years as an ironworker. He will surely be welcomed to the Spirit World by those who walked Turtle Island before him. Visitation hours are as follows: Visiting hours are listed below: Monday 12 p.