Community notice regarding proposal for Anti-Tobacco law

02/16/2011

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) is informing the community that the Legislative Coordinating Committee has presented a community member’s proposal for an Anti-Tobacco law to Chief & Council, in accordance with the legislative process. The proposed law has been deemed a Type 1 Law.

A presentation was made at the Council meeting of 7, Enníska/February 2011. As per the regulations, Council was informed that they had three days to lodge an objection on the classification. Since no objections were received by the Legislative Coordinating Commission within the alloted time frame, the next step is to inform the community via this notice.

The proposed law will be placed in priority sequence. Dates have yet to be determined. The MCK’s sponsoring Unit is the Office of the Council of Chiefs. Technicians Jeffrey Diabo and Trina C. Diabo have been assigned to the file.

The Legislative Coordinating Committee announced on 19, Seskéha/August 2010 that it had received a submission for a Kahnawà:ke Law from community member Akenhnhahse White. Upon meeting with Mr. White, it was clarified that his intention was to propose a law that would prohibit manufacturing and selling tobacco products in Kahnawà:ke; however, the actual use of tobacco would not be prohibited. Ceremonial and medicinal tobacco would be exempt.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke would like to remind community members that all laws or amendments must now use the Community Decision Making Process in order to be passed or rejected by the community. Private citizens registered on the Kahnawà:ke Membership Registry, Council Chiefs and the various Units of the MCK are eligible to propose laws or amendments.

For more information on the process, please visit the Community Decision Making Process website at www.kahnawakemakingdecisions.com.