By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Kahnawake Justice Commission (KJC) is issuing a callout for applications for three judges to serve on the Court of Kahnawake. Kevin Fleischer, Commissioner of Justice with Kahnawake Justice Services, described the initiative as “groundbreaking,” noting it is a first not only for Kahnawake, but potentially for Canada. “To have unilaterally appointed judges by a First Nations community hearing things like criminal law, I believe, may be unprecedented throughout all of Turtle Island,” Fleischer said. The callout marks a shift away from Kahnawake’s previous judicial system, which relied on Justices of the Peace (JP) appointed federally under Section 107 of the Indian Act, toward a fully community-run judiciary. “They will be true, homegrown Kahnawake-appointed judges,” Fleischer said. While Kahnawake had already been…
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