Meghan Barnes

Seven Leaf

Seven Leaf of Akwesasne Mohawk Nation is weeks away from becoming Canada's first Health Canada approved, Indigenous owned and operated producer of medical cannabis. Located on the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation near Cornwall, Ontario, Seven Leaf has passed all but the final stage of approval by Health Canada to become a Licensed Producer of cannabis. Seven Leaf applied to become a Licenced Producer of medical cannabis four years ago. Since then, it has passed the tough security screening of its key executives and received approval for its business plans which includes re-purposing a former water bottling plant in Akwesasne. While thousands of companies and individuals have applied for a licence to produce and grow cannabis, just a small percentage have been successful in meeting the strict requirements for safety and security following thorough inspections of each step of planning and development. Final approval to grow and distribute cannabis is expected this Spring once construction of the indoor growing facility is complete. Growing will begin immediately. The Seven Leaf team is deeply rooted in the Akwesasne community and its success to date lies in the people behind the company. They include: • The president, Lewis Mitchell, is the former Chief of Police for Akwesasne. Having grown up around the herbal medicine traditions on the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne, Lewis has passionate views of the healing benefits of cannabis. • The Vice-President is Lorraine M. White. She was the youngest female ever elected to serve as Chief of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and is a renowned attorney. • The Assistant Chief Quality Control Officer is Gus Pyke. As a trusted Akwesasne pharmacist for over twenty years, Gus brings his pharmaceutical expertise to the team. The Seven Leaf operation plans to employ approximately 75 people when fully operational. Seven Leaf is privately funded by local investors.