Community Workshops Empower Residents in Estate Planning

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) is launching a series of workshops aimed at enhancing community knowledge about wills and estate planning this fall. The initiative seeks to facilitate discussions surrounding end-of-life care and logistics, fostering a more prepared community. The workshops will cover various topics, including the responsibilities of an executor and the role of a notary in will preparation.

Louise Mayo, the wills and estates coordinator at MCK’s Client-Based Services (CBS), emphasizes the importance of these conversations. “When the time comes, as long as you know the importance of all of this, you’ll be more prepared to do it,” she stated. Mayo advocates for proactive planning, suggesting that individuals should not wait for emergencies to address these matters.

The first workshop will focus on pre-arranged funerals, scheduled for September 22, 2023. This session, led by Léanne Poissant from Poissant & Fils funeral home, will offer a relaxed environment for attendees. Participants can choose between a morning session from 10:00 to 12:00 or an evening session from 17:30 to 19:30. Mayo intends to host a second session featuring a representative from a different funeral home in the upcoming months, allowing community members to explore various options for planning services.

Another key offering includes workshops on notarial wills, which will be presented by Stephanie Ducharme, a notary at Coulombe Ducharme Martin Notaries. The first session is planned for September 29, 2023, with a follow-up scheduled for November 17, 2023. Mayo notes that the community has individuals with complex estates, including properties off-reserve and combined families, highlighting the necessity of professional guidance in these cases. “This workshop is for those people, and for them we’d strongly recommend that they’d hire a notary,” she explained.

The workshop series builds on the success of previous estate planning workshops conducted as part of a pilot project by CBS. The demand for a richer program of presentations was evident, with 74 participants attending the introductory estate planning workshops. “The response was just amazing,” Mayo remarked, reflecting the community’s eagerness to learn about these important topics.

In addition to the specialized workshops, an “Introduction to Estate Planning” session will be offered. This workshop will be divided into two two-hour segments, providing participants with manageable amounts of information over different days. Tricia Collier, CBS’s Indigenous tax and estate planning advisor, will lead these sessions in October, also offering morning and evening options.

All workshops will be held at Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takéhnhas Community Services (KSCS) Family Services on the second floor. A schedule detailing all workshops and their respective times is available online. Each workshop will accommodate around 25 attendees, and participants are encouraged to register in advance by contacting Mayo directly. Refreshments will be provided at each session, with evening workshops including a meal.

Mayo encourages individuals to sign up even if they are not yet ready to start their wills, stating, “This can be something in your pocket that you can think about down the road.” The workshops aim to empower community members with the knowledge and tools necessary for effective estate planning, ultimately promoting peace of mind for individuals and families.