For
Immediate Release
June 8, 2005
Barrett
calls for support to fight smoke-free spawned tobacco underground
Queens Park –
In the Ontario Legislature today, Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett
asked for government to support First Nations in fighting the underground
tobacco economy that has taken hold in the wake of the Liberal “Smoke-Free
Ontario” initiative.
After citing the emergence
of, “the Hells Angels, the Vagabonds, organized crime,” at
Six Nations, Barrett quoted an article from the Tekawennake.
“There is specific
evidence to the presence of major motorcycle gang operations, the Italian
Mafia, Russian Mafia, Sri Lankan and Asian Mafias, as well as Jamaican
drug gangs operatives working in the relative safety of native communities,”
quoted Barrett.
“A Seneca Road
smoke shop was shut down because of a partnership with the PLO,”
Barrett continued. “Minister, do you not know what’s going
on at Six Nations or, if you do know, why no action? What are you afraid
of?”
While Minister Monte
Kwinter indicated he had no “responsibility for administering every
single police service”, citing the problem as an, “operational
matter”, Barrett reminded him of the responbility of the entire
McGuinty government for creating a dangerous situation for the people
of Six Nations, New Credit and outlying areas.
“The smoke shops
are out of control. You’re leaving Six Nations Police out on a limb
-they need help,” Barrett pointed out. “They could use some
of that $8 billion in tobacco taxes that your government and other governments
collect across the Dominion of Canada.
“Your government
has created this dangerous situation - Minister, why have you turned your
back on police at Six Nations and New Credit?”
The Minister again
framed the situation as an “operational matter for those particular
police agencies.”
Barrett’s questioned
followed a Six Nations public information session in which the scope of
the problem was spelled out.
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For more information
please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 905-765-8413 or 1-800-903-8629
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