Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke challenges Carney’s remarks on Canada’s history
Posted January 29, 2026 9:49 pm.
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, pushing back against recent comments they say downplay the role Indigenous peoples played in the creation of Canada.
The letter follows Carney’s Jan. 22 speech in Quebec City, where he pointed to the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham as the beginning of a partnership between the French and British. The remarks were made in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Canada exists because of the United States.
In its letter, the council argues that framing Canada’s history around French and British relations overlooks the foundational role of First Nations, particularly the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk), whose alliances, treaties and military support helped secure the country’s survival.
The council says First Nations were central to major conflicts that shaped Canada, including the War of 1812 and several key battles that halted American expansion. It also emphasized that treaties established nation-to-nation relationships based on mutual responsibility and peaceful coexistence, not subservience.
While acknowledging that Carney has recognized Canada was built on dispossession and broken treaties, the council is calling for concrete action, including restoring treaty relationships and respecting the processes outlined in the Royal Proclamation for acquiring Indigenous lands.
The Mohawk Council also reiterated its opposition to the federal Building Canada Act, its ongoing land claim on Montreal’s South Shore, and Ottawa’s plan to sell so-called unused Crown land, arguing the government remains indebted to Indigenous communities.
The letter says the message is not rooted in the past, but in the present, stressing that the Kanien’kehá:ka remain a living nation that will continue to advocate for its rights.
Carney’s speech has also faced criticism from some Quebec politicians, who accuse the prime minister of oversimplifying the historical significance of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham for francophones.
