The people of Akwesasne have spoken out about their feelings towards border services officers returning to Mohawk territory, with or without guns.
The results of a two-question plebiscite conducted door-to-door and over the phone shows the majority of residents polled, 75%, want the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to return to work on Cornwall Island - an Akwesasne Mohawk territory on Canada's side of the border - but 59% of those polled say they don't want the officers working on their land while carrying guns.
The results of the plebiscite were released to the community on Wednesday, said Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Mike Mitchell.
In a letter to residents, Mitchell said those who participated in the plebiscite provided important insight into the mind of the community on border issues through written comments.
"There is a consistent recommendation from membership to enter into professional mediation with the CBSA to address underlying issues surrounding our community's concern over the arming of customs officers on Kawehnoke (Cornwall Island)," wrote Mitchell.
Mitchell told the Standard-Freeholder he "hope(s) to find some way to mediate" the dispute with CBSA.
Since early negotiations yielded little progress, the leaders of Akwesasne First Nation have been saying third-party mediation is the best course of action to find a resolution, but the CBSA has yet to agree to that approach.
Mitchell said there has been hesitance on both sides to negotiate further before a hearing before the Federal Court of Canada in early December.
Other suggestions from polled residents include hiring more First Nations officers, the provision of cultural sensitivity training and creating a community liaison position in the CBSA, all of which had been earlier suggestions from the Akwesasne leadership.
The CBSA recently announced it was going to create a community liaison officer position to help relations with Akwesasne, but Mitchell said the two parties have yet to discuss what the border agency proposes as requirements for the position.
Undermining any willingness of Akwesasne leaders and the CBSA to negotiate is the Customs and Excise Union's stance that the border services officers once stationed on Cornwall Island refuse to return under any circumstances.
For almost seven months now, Akwesasne residents have publicly protested the move to arm local border officers.
At the beginning of the protest in May, many residents said they would prefer the port of entry be permanently relocated off Mohawk land, an option 25% of those polled chose in the plebiscite.
Some residents have been complaining for years that the officers mistreated them, often assuming they are cigarette smugglers.
Residents who accuse border officers of abusive behaviour fear giving them guns while on duty will only increase their abusive behaviour, yet 41% of the residents who want the CBSA back on Mohawk land (about 468 members) say the officers should be allowed to carry firearms.
The plebiscite polled more than 1,500 people out of a population of more than 12,000.
The plebiscite polled three times as many residents as a survey conducted on the same subject in June.
The CBSA ordered its officers to close the Akwesasne port of entry into Canada on May 31 amidst allegations a protest against the arming policy by the Mohawks was heating up.
The Cornwall Island-based officers were due to start carrying 9mmsidearms on June 1.
The CBSA opened a temporary port of entry in Cornwall on July 13