Thank you, Mr. Chair, and all the members of the committee for granting me this privilege to offer a few of my own comments on the importance of Bill C-10.
First of all, l would like to say that the Non-Smokers' Rights Association is a national non-profit health organization working for more than 35 years in the development and promotion of effective tobacco control policies, including tobacco taxation, to reduce the death and diseases related to tobacco use.
On the issue at hand, as Manny mentioned, it is important to understand that tobacco taxation is the most valuable policy we have at our disposable to reduce tobacco use, especially amongst kids. That is why efforts such as Bill C-10 are always welcome. They provide more powers to the authorities to contribute further to the decline of the tobacco contraband market.
l was quite surprised to learn recently that only RCMP officers have the authority to make arrests of suspected tobacco smugglers. Although the Quebec Tobacco Tax Act does grant some powers to provincial and municipal police officers to immobilize motor vehicles suspected of carrying contraband, and request a warrant to search them, they cannot make any arrest. It is up to the Quebec revenue department to lay any charges. l believe Ontario provincial and municipal police officers don't even have such authority to enforce their own Tobacco Tax Act.
This will all change with the passage of Bill C-10, because contraband trafficking will finally be recognized as a criminal activity.
Another key issue is the fact that many traffickers arrested by the RCMP and found guilty of tobacco smuggling don't even pay their fines. They just go back to the illicit trade. That raises serious concerns about the deterrent effect of existing sanctions.
By adding jail time, Bill C-10 makes contraband tobacco a more serious offence, as it should be, considering the threat it poses to public health. However, the next challenge will be to convince the provincial and municipal police officers to take full advantage of these new powers under Bill C-10, which is under the Criminal Code. Maybe the next step would be to imitate Quebec and create dedicated teams of investigators focusing uniquely on the fight against the illicit tobacco trade.
Thank you.