Cigarette tax hike concerns Akwesasne chief

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An open letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien:

Sekon Prime Minister Chretien.

I am writing this letter to you on behalf of the Mohawks of Akwesasne as a means to express our collective concern about the proposed plan to substantially increase the amount of taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products in Canada.

To be blunt, Akwesasne steadfastly opposes the increase of tobacco taxes and the words that follow will tell you why.

When the news of the tax increase broke in the national media, one of the first reactions by newspaper columnists was that the smuggling business would once again be booming in Akwesasne.

Satirical phrases to "tune up the jon boat" or "dust off your mustang suit" serve only to remind the people of Akwesasne of the immense pain, suffering and hardship we endured when the general public of Canada revolted during the last tax hikes by turning to black market products.

We freely admit to the fact that Akwesasne has been "selected" by organized criminal groups as the route of choice in the movement of contraband tobacco and the other products, not to mention illegal aliens who are some of the poorest people on earth. Akwesasne has offered the solutions to these problems, but our offers fell on uncaring ears.

In 1987, I led a delegation of Akwesasne representatives to Ottawa to warn them of the growing smuggling industry, and with an offer and a plan to stop the problem then and there. We even offered an Akwesasne border patrol system with strong laws from the Akwesesne community. Your officials rejected each and every one of our efforts. We were told not to worry and that Canada had the situation well in control.

I felt belittled as the government officials dismissed us and basically told us not to worry. In subsequent years, Canada suffered lost revenues in the billions of dollars and, if you move ahead with the planned tax increase, it will happen again!

Akwesasne is sick and tired of the uncaring manner in which decisions are made that have a profound impact on the people the government of Canada has pretended to serve.

There has been no consultation with us to enable us to prepare for the fallout that will surely come. Our Elders tell us that decisions made for the wrong reasons rarely achieve the desired results. The decision to raise the taxes on cigarettes, presumably, as a means of protecting the health of Canadians by making the product cost prohibitive, will be applauded by some. However, in actuality, the result will be the re-opening of the doors of the cheaper black market smokes that will wind up in the hands of the very people your government claims to be protecting, and that is the young people.

If you put any thought into this at all, you will realize that the tax increase of $15 per carton really represents the profit margin you are handing to organized crime to set the smuggling ring back into motion. Canada will once again lose revenue in the billions, young people will continue to smoke and Akwesasne will suffer another period of extreme difficulty.

If your government truly wants to prevent youth smoking, it would be far more effective to put resources into programs to get the proper message into schools and to the families that there are serious health risks related to smoking and that nicotine is more addictive than heroin.

Further, if your government makes decisions based solely on financial considerations, then it is safe to say that there will be human consequences. Sadly, Akwesasne already has a history of dealing with the impact of your policies and decisions. Let me remind you that for the past 15 years Akwesasne went through hell as a result of the various types of smuggling that started with tobacco products. People died as a result of this and we are still suffering from the after-affects of being branded a criminal community.

Akwesasne is a Mohawk community of hardworking, peaceful people. We admit that there is an element that were enticed into this ctivity, but it is clear that the lack of jobs or opportunities played a factor in convincing people to accept the role of low level mules for big money people from the outside. With that being said we must point out that there is no disputing the fact that the overwhelming majority of Akwesasronon are honest people working for a better life. Instead of reporting this, the media instead chose to sensationalize Akwesasne as a criminal haven without law and order. We both know that is far from the truth.

Akwesasne has made numerous attempts to provide for law and order in the community, not only for ourselves, but also for the people of Canada and our neighbors to the south. In support of this I would point out the fact that we have the longest operating First Nation court in Canada and it functions without any assistance from your government. We can't even get you to proceed with a joint appointment of new justices of the peace, now that the previous JPs have retired. Additionally, I would point out that all of our efforts to introduce laws or other measures to combat or control the movement of tobacco products have been rebuffed by Canada. In short, there is no consideration of Akwesasne's continued efforts to curtail the smuggling activities. Perhaps that fact, in itself, is the answer in that Akwesasne is a convenient scapegoat where an eager media is ready to lay the burden of blame on the shoulders of the women and children of Akwesasne.

Despite your governments continued refusals to work together, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne recently introduced yet another course of action that could effectively deal with all of the cross border concerns of the Mohawks, Canada and the United States - the Akwesasne Territorial Protection Unit. The proposed unit would work as an extension of the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service in co-operation with the surrounding jurisdictions, including the United States, to tackle organized crime in the areas of drug enforcement, illegalfirearms, tobacco, alcohol and illegal aliens. Instead of embracing the concept, Canada has raised every plausible excuse to suggest the unit would not work. This is laughable especially when you consider that the very law enforcement officers who are on the front line in this battle have consistently supported Akwesasne's approach to establish a co-operative unit centered in Akwesasne.

It is curious that your government lacks the foresight to realize that a unit such as this is in the best interests of Canada and the United States. The recent specter of terrorist infiltration makes border protection more important, especially in this region. Can't you see that working with the Mohawks will save an enormous amount of money and that a small investment now will pay huge dividends later?

The reason or reasons for the refusal of Canada to proceed with the Territorial Protection Unit remain a mystery, but Akwesasne is ready to proceed. If it is because it is too much work to co-ordinate the process, we will undertake that function. If you don't know how to proceed, Akwesasne will take the lead. If you do not want to be part of the solution, please have the courtesy to not add to the problem by introducing ill-conceived tax grabs.

The days of considering the tobacco industry from a purely financial point of view are over and Akwesasne cautions you to consider the consequences to people before a final decision is made. Several years ago a columnist made a statement to the effect that if Akwesasne wants to be considered as a responsible government, it should begin to act like one. Akwesasne is and has been acting like a responsible government, but we are beginning to feel that we are alone in this regard. As a responsible government we warned you once before of the rise of the smuggling industry, but you ignored us and you suffered a billion-dollar loss. Akwesasne lost lives. You are hereby warned again and this time we hope that you will heed our words to save the mone you covet, not to mention a few lives.

Mr. Chretien, as you were one of my first lawyers in the border crossing case involving the Akwesasne Mohawks and Canada back in 1988-89, during your brief retirement from politics, you mentioned back then that even though you were no longer involved in parliamentary circles, you still knew and could influence a lot of ministers who could be provided information regarding Akwesasne's unique mult-jurisdictional issues. Mr. Prime Minister, those ministers need to be reached today.

My community has had to defend itself too many times from attacks within Parliament itself, as well as the media editorializing Akwesasne as a criminal community and misleading the Canadian public in the process. Your government wants to raise the price of cigarettes. Stop and think what this could do to our community without preventative measures to assist our community in protecting itself.

Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

Grand Chief Michael Mitchell