Proposed Tobacco Law moving forward

01/30/2015

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform Kahnawa’kehró:non that a proposed law to regulate the Kahnawà:ke tobacco industry is ready to proceed.

Further to yesterday’s announcement by the Kahnawà:ke legislative Coordinating Commission (KLCC), the proposed law will be brought to an official Community Consultation meeting on Tuesday, 10 Enníska/February 2015.

The proposed law was brought to the KLCC last year by a working group consisting of representatives of the MCK and the Kahnawake Tobacco Association. Due to the nature of the subject matter a special agreement was reached that would allow the law to use a process that falls outside the normal parameters of the Community Decision Making Process (CDMP).

“While the proposed law is regulatory in nature and would normally use the ‘Type 2’ process that deals with regulatory laws, it was felt by all concerned that the tobacco industry affects the entire community,” said Chief Gina Deer, who has been acting as the lead for the MCK. “Therefore, a hybrid process was developed specifically for this law to ensure that the community has the opportunity to participate in every facet of the process.”

The purpose of the February 10th meeting is to approve the urgency of the law and use the CDMP’s ‘Urgent Process’ in order to enact legislation within a shorter timeframe

The meeting will be held from 6 to 8:30pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall.