Hamilton Spectator
From: The Hamilton Spectator
OHSWEKEN Driving through Six Nations, it seems there is a tobacco shop on nearly every corner.
It’s an industry Chief Ava Hill says generates 2,000 jobs in her community, which has a membership of nearly 26,000, making it Canada’s largest reserve.
“Tobacco has always been a sacred thing to us and it’s our inherent right to trade.”
Now it’s an industry Hill and other First Nations leaders say is under threat by the federal government’s omnibus crime bill.
Bill C-10 includes amending the Criminal Code to make it a criminal offence to traffic unregulated tobacco — a move the federal government says is about targeting contraband tobacco.
The bill also includes mandatory minimum sentences, including jail time for a second offence.
Hill was among a group of concerned First Nations representatives who appeared before a Senate committee meeting Thursday to voice their opposition. The bill passed through the House of Commons last December and is now before the Senate’s legal and constitutional affairs committee.
Speaking to senators, Hill called the bill unconstitutional and perhaps a human rights violation.
“It will have a devastating effect on our economy,” she said, later adding that it will force “honest, hardworking people onto welfare.”
Hill condemned the government for failing to consult with First Nations.
In an emailed statement, the Justice Department — the federal ministry that sponsored the bill — said the government is committed to keeping contraband tobacco off Canada’s streets.
“Cheap, illegal tobacco can make it easier for children and teens to get cigarettes into their hands and start smoking,” said spokesperson Clarissa Lamb. “We have introduced legislation which will give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to target individuals who traffic in contraband tobacco.”
