MCK, Kahnawake Tobacco Association sign Memorandum of Understanding

07/08/2014

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform Kahnawa’kehró:non that a Memorandum of Understanding has been formally signed today by members of the MCK’s Tobacco Working Group and the Kahnawà:ke Tobacco Association (KTA), which will allow the parties to work together to create a Kahnawà:ke law to regulate the tobacco industry. 

Chief Gina Deer, representing the MCK, and Peggy Mayo-Standup, who represents the KTA were present for the signing. All relevant documents were immediately submitted to the Kahnawà:ke Legislative Coordinating Commission (KLCC) for processing. Once that is completed, the plan of action will be announced to the community.

“Hats off to everyone who worked so hard in getting us to this important point,” said Chief Deer. “Yes, there have been some challenges but we’ve met them collectively, face-to-face. The next steps will be huge.”

Those next steps include the stakeholder and community consultations that are necessary before the draft law is brought to the Community Decision Making Process. It is too early to announce any events or dates, but the need for expediency is acknowledged.

“The KLCC has to be commended for finding a way to address the need to use an urgent process to deal with this issue, especially in light of Canada’s C-10 legislation designed to criminalize the First Nations tobacco industry,” she added. “The Memorandum of Understanding allows the process to move forward without being classified as law using the ‘Type 2’ format, which was problematic for the KTA.”