Ontario and "Big Tobacco" target First Nations

[CDNBear]

Ontario and "Big Tobacco" target First Nations
Ontario seizing legal products, GRE wants local business licensing
By Lynda Powless and Stephanie Dearing, Writers

The tobacco war is on with both Ontario and the big five tobacco companies taking aim at First Nations manufacturers with First Nations jurisdictions at risk of becoming the first casualty of the war over money.

Six Nations needs to start regulating its businesses and industry, including its lucrative tobacco industry, or face imposition of provincial jurisdicition here Six Nations Band council was warned Monday.

Grand River Enterprises (GRE) has launched a more than $5 million lawsuit against Ontario, who has been "illegally" seizing their products, Chantell Montour, GRE lawyer told band council Monday.

She asked the band council’s committee of the whole, to pass a "voluntary" business licensing bylaw that would in effect push provincial jurisdiction out of the picture. Under the bylaw all cigar, tobacco, cigarette retailer manufacturers would pay the band a monthly fee of $1 per carton, while a cigar tobacco cigarette retailer would pay a a fee of 10 cents per carton monthly to the band. It also calls for restaurant owners to pay 2% of their revenue annually to the band, convenience stores to pay 2% of all non-tobacco sales annually to the band....

The Turtle Island News Daily Newswire

[dazed&confused]

At $ 24.70 / carton Ontario's McG gov't can't wait to get its clammy hands all over it.

[CDNBear]

At $ 24.70 / carton Ontario's McG gov't can't wait to get its clammy hands all over it.

That there is only part of the issue.

The Province has a limited stake in the taxation of Native Tobacco, and the consensus is, they are doing the big 5's dirty work. By illegally harassing our shipments.