OTTAWA, Ontario – This week, the National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco (NCACT) appeared before the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights as part of its study into Bill C-10, the Tackling Contraband Tobacco Act. The Canadian Convenience Store Association, among other business groups, is part of the coalition.

“We are pleased to testify in favor of legislation that increases the power of police to address contraband tobacco. Illegal cigarettes make our communities less safe by serving as a cash cow for organized crime. In fact, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) estimates that about 175 criminal gangs use the profits from the trade to finance their other activities, including guns, drugs, and human smuggling,” said Gary Grant, NCACT's national spokesperson, to the committee. “In fact, La Presse recently highlighted the involvement of Hells Angels in the illegal cigarette trade in Montreal, including the elaborate criminal distribution network that these gangsters used to move and sell cigarettes in Quebec.”

The Tackling Contraband Tobacco Act was first introduced during the last session of Parliament. It creates new penalties for tobacco smuggling, including mandatory minimums for repeat offenders. The government has also committed to establishing a 50-officer RCMP anti-contraband task force. This legislation and RCMP task force were campaign commitments in 2011.

The NCACT believes that this legislation is a meaningful action towards addressing the problem of contraband tobacco, particularly if paired with more “boots on the ground” via improved resources for law enforcement officials. However, there is still more that can be done. Greater cooperation among all levels of government is needed, as is more public education about the harms of contraband tobacco.

“With this legislation, the government is taking an important step forward in dealing with illegal cigarettes. We hope that it will be passed quickly by the House of Commons and Senate,” said Grant.