Minister of Public safety visits Haldimand

Promises "aggressive approaches" in dealing with contraband tobacco

By Bill Jackson – The Regional

October 1, 2008

During a visit to Haldimand last Friday, Canada's Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day said that people can expect to see "continued focus" and "aggressive approaches" to deal with the contraband tobacco issue.

Day said that the "Amount of product that's being apprehended, and individuals, is up", due to an increased focus during the last four months.

The federal government has been working collaboratively with the RCMP and First Nations communities to interrupt supply lines, he said, noting that the product comes off "reserve lands" and cuts off to "public lands."

The government is concerned and that's the reason for an "invigorated focus," he stressed.

"No area is going to be exempted from our increased focus."

With a federal election in the balance, Day was in Dunnville to officially open the campaign office of Haldimand-Norfolk MP Diane Finley on Lock Street East. He commended her achievements as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, as well as her progress in finding financial resources for Ontario tobacco producers.

The Conservative government announced a $300 million exit plan for tobacco farmers earlier this year, prior to the federal election announcement. However tobacco farmers maintain that contraband tobacco is costing them millions of dollars in profits and Canada billions of dollars in taxes.

Haldimand is still coping with illegal smoke shacks that are popping up in Caledonia and on its western fringe.

Finley and her colleague met with Haldimand County officials behind closed doors in Cayuga before arriving in Dunnville. Haldimand's Mayor Marie Trainer and CAO Don Boyle sat in on the meeting, along Norfolk's Mayor Dennis Travale.

Caledonia Coun. Craig Grice said Finley and Day promised to take back local concerns to Ottawa, but he didn't get many solid answers.

"They kept everything in general," he said.

Day avoided pinpointing strategies to combat contraband in Haldimand and Six Nations.

"In some areas it's just getting started, but here's an invigorated focus on breaking the back of this contraband industry which continues to hurt economically," said Day. "It's a health issue, it's a criminal justice issue and you're going to see increasing focus and increasing results on the resources and commitment that we're putting to that particular problem."

"We don't talk about where investigations are taking place at any particular point in time (or where arrests or seizures are being made). But I can tell you, no area is going to be exempted," he reiterated.