Steven Bonspille facts for kids

Steven Bonspille is a respected leader from the Kanesatake community, which is a Mohawk territory located northwest of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He served as the Grand Chief of Kanesatake from 2005 to 2008. A Grand Chief is like the main leader or mayor of the community, chosen to represent and guide its people.

Steven Bonspille's Path to Leadership

Steven Bonspille is known as a "traditionalist." This means he believes in following the long-standing customs and ways of his community. He was first elected to the chiefs' council in 2001.

Changes in Kanesatake's Government

The Kanesatake community changed how they chose their leaders in 1991. This happened after a big event called the Oka Crisis, which was a disagreement over land. Before 1991, chiefs were chosen by "clan mothers." Clan mothers are important women in the community who traditionally had a big role in selecting leaders. This older system was based on a "matrilineal" way of life. In a matrilineal system, children belong to their mother's family group, or clan, and get their status from her.

Disagreements in Leadership

In the early 2000s, Steven Bonspille became a key figure in a period of disagreement within the Kanesatake government. He and two other traditionalist chiefs, Pearl Bonspille and John Harding, disagreed with the Grand Chief at the time, James Gabriel. James Gabriel had been elected three times, serving from 1996 to 2004. Bonspille and the other traditionalists saw Gabriel as a "modernist," meaning he favored newer ways of doing things.

Journalists have noted that there were some differences among people in the community. For example, John Harding's mother was Mohawk, so he belonged to her clan under the traditional system. James Gabriel had a Mohawk father but his mother was not Mohawk.

Key Issues and Community Safety

One of the main concerns for the traditionalists was James Gabriel's efforts to change rules about certain goods being sold in the community. More importantly, they disagreed with his decision to hire private security groups. These groups were brought in to help keep the community safe in January 2004. However, many community members protested, and the security officers were confined to the police station. That night, there were serious disagreements and damage in the community. Many people faced consequences for their actions. Grand Chief Gabriel left the community for his safety after his house and car were damaged. For a time, traditionalists helped create a community safety group.

Becoming Grand Chief

In 2005, Steven Bonspille ran against James Gabriel in the election for Grand Chief and won. Six new people were also elected to the chiefs' council. These new council members were supporters of James Gabriel. After finishing his term as Grand Chief in 2008, Steven Bonspille and his family moved to the nearby town of Oka, Quebec.