'Refugee' Dakota First Nation forms tobacco alliance with Mohawk firm
A Manitoba First Nation branded “American Indian refugees” by Ottawa has turned to the sale of Mohawk-made cigarettes and a casino to raise revenue for their cash-strapped community and escalate their battle with the federal government.Canupawakpa First Nation has struck a deal to sell cigarettes from Rainbow Tobacco, a Kahnawake, Que., tobacco company already fighting tax authorities in three other provinces.
Canupawakpa Chief Frank Brown said the community, which is about 100 kilometres southwest of Brandon, Man., will begin selling Wolfpack and Deerfield cigarettes at a new smoke shop and casino unveiled Wednesday and set up near Hwy 2 and Hwy 83.
The First Nation plans to sell the cigarettes and operate their casino outside Manitoba tax laws.
Brown said the Dakota are a sovereign nation that never signed away any of their rights.
“We are the non-treaty,” said Brown. “What we are saying is…Canada if we don’t have a treaty with you, we still hold title to our land before Canada came and we have rights, we have privileges.”
Brown said the First Nation plans to sell tax-free cigarettes from their smoke shop to non-First Nations people.
Brown said the First Nation will levy their own tax on the cigarettes and casino operations, which currently includes a Blackjack table, to generate revenue for his cash-strapped community of about 600. There are also plans to bring in VLTs.
“Our finances are tight. We cannot finance houses for our people and our education,” said Brown. “We need to survive and live.
Rainbow Tobacco president Robbie Dickson is already fighting tax authorities in three provinces.
Rainbow Tobacco cigarettes have been seized in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) charged Dickson and two other men linked to his company in April with allegedly importing cigarettes into Alberta without a license.
Saskatchewan Liquor And Gaming Authority - News
Minister Responsible for Information Services Corporation; Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance; Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority Lloydminster Jeremy Harrison Minister of Enterprise;
Rainbow Tobacco president Robbie Dickson is already fighting tax authorities in three provinces. Rainbow Tobacco cigarettes have been seized in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) charged Dickson
Sask Politics 1: Constituency Profile: Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake has been a constituency in provincial politics for decades. However the boundaries for this constituency dramatically changed for the 2003 provincial election, away from the Alberta border. The winning MLA for Meadow Lake in 2003 was Maynard Sonntag, a senior cabinet minister in the NDP Government who was first elected in the old Meadow Lake constituency in 1991. Sonntag held several different cabinet positions in the Romanow and Calvert Governments, including Energy and Mines and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority. In 2007, Sonntag lost by 17 votes to former Conservative MP Jeremy Harrison. Therefore, Meadow Lake is one of the most fierce battlegrounds in this election. Harrison is Minister of Municipal Affairs in the Wall Government. His main opponent this time is Helen Ben of the NDP. There will be no Liberal candidate, so the 3 percent that the Liberals won last type gives Harrison a 3 percent lead off the NDP this time around. If the provincial momentum associated with Premier Wall carries over into Meadow Lake constituency, then Harrison shouldn't have any trouble being re-elected. But the NDP have a lot invested in this contest, and they are determind not to give up without a fight. If there is one seat in this election that the NDP could wrestle away from the Sask Party, it would be Meadow Lake. The problem for the NDP is that all of the Aboriginal voters in Meadow Lake already voted NDP in 2007, and the only new ones to add to that list are ones who turned 18 within the past 4 years, minus those who died recently. In conclusion, it is likely that the momentum behind the SaskParty and against the NDP will work in Harrison's favour this time. Expect Harrison to win tomorrow with a margin of 500 to 1,000 votes.