The recent arrests of four indigenous men in Quebec on tobacco-related charges clearly demonstrates how the federal government and police callously demonize what they call the "contraband tobacco industry," hoping the average Canadian will aid them in their fight and, at the same time, keep them utterly ignorant to who we really are.
The mainstream media too often falls for it, hook, line and sinker. Phrases like "aboriginal organized crime" create a bigger backlash against our people.
The Sûreté du Québec stated that a total of 56 individuals were arrested. What about the 52 others? Little mention was made of them, yet they faced far more serious charges relating to drugs.
I'm not saying organized crime – or undesirable elements, or whatever you want to call them – don't, at times, have a hand in various trades in our communities. But whatever hand is in the till, and it is certainly on a small scale here, it happens everywhere, especially in non-indigenous communities across the board – and not just involving tobacco.
The biggest scandals are perpetuated by rich white men, politicians, people in places of power (see Quebec's Charbonneau Commission on corruption in public contracts and the construction industry for good examples). Yet, the ones trying to make a living on-reserve are treated like bigger criminals, with trumped up accusations that the cigarettes they are selling fund much larger and more dangerous things like biker gangs and terrorist groups. Read More>
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