Several residents of the Kahnawake reserve, near Montreal are filing complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission over a provision in the band’s membership law that requires a member who marries a ‘non-native’ to move off the reserve. Fo Niemi, director for the Centre for Action on Race Relations is helping the residents file their complaints and summarized their overall sentiment: “They complain about being exposed to a toxic environment… They live under harassment and threat. They say the band council did not do much to give them a sense of psychological and physical safety.” The band meanwhile contends that its actions are not racist, that it has no problem with members marrying ‘non-natives’ and that its only issue is with regards to residency. Meanwhile, the Federal Government released a statement saying that Carolyn Bennett, Minister for Indigenous and Northern Affairs, had committed to a meeting with Kahnawake Grand Chief, Joe Norton and that it hoped the situation could be resolved through a ‘peaceful and constructive’ dialogue.