Chief to present at Tobacco Hearings

06/04/2008

Grand Chief Michael Ahríhrhon Delisle, Jr. will appear at parliamentary committee hearings on the issue of tobacco at 3:30pm this afternoon (Wednesday, 4 Ohiarí:ha/June) in Ottawa.

The hearings were commissioned by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and began on 7, Onerahtohkó:wa/May. Chief Delisle will make the presentation on behalf of Kahnawà:ke and will be accompanied by Christine Deom, Legal Counsel for the Office of the Council of Chiefs.

Others appearing on the same panel will be Chief Cheryl Jacobs of Akwesasne, former Kahnawà:ke Chief Lloyd Phillips (on behalf of the AFNQL), Richard Jock from the Assembly of First Nations, and former Akwesasne Grand Chief Mike Mitchell.

Minister Day is expected to be present at the hearings.

“Originally, there was no intent to even include First Nations at these hearings,” Chief Delisle said last week. “In light of the recent announcement by Mr. Day and the RCMP, we need to make it absolutely clear to the Canadian government that any unilateral decision or action on this issue is completely unacceptable.”