Mr. Speaker, as I am sure every member appreciates, smuggling is both a serious and complex problem. It threatens our economy and the health of young Canadians.
Bill C-11 plays an important role in the fight against smuggling and in protecting the health of young Canadians.
We know that the Prime Minister's four point, anti-smuggling initiative announced on February 8, 1994 is having a positive impact in the fight against tobacco smuggling. Cigarette exports have plummeted. These exports represented the major source of smuggled products.
However, we need to maintain the momentum we established with the government's anti-smuggling initiative. The decisions by Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia to lower their tobacco tax rates and work within the Prime Minister's anti-smuggling framework are very encouraging.
Bill C-11 deals with the legislative changes we need to make to give our law enforcement agencies the flexibility and tools they need to fight the smuggling problem in its entirety. The proposed amendments to the Excise Act will allow the government to designate other Canadian police forces as appropriate with the authority to enforce certain seizure related sections of the act.
For example, section 88.(2) of the Excise Act provides an officer with the authority to seize vehicles that have been or are being used for the purpose of transporting contraband. As well, subsection 163.(3) will allow an officer to seize contraband spirits in any vehicle used to transport contraband spirits.
These powers have always been available to the RCMP. With Bill C-11, however, we can now extend these powers to other Canadian police forces. In particular, Bill C-11 allows us to respond to requests from Ontario and Quebec for additional powers for their provincial police forces.
In addition to this measure, Bill C-11 includes an amendment that will allow these law enforcement agencies to immediately destroy seized contraband without hindering the ability of authorities to bring criminals to successful prosecution.
This measure will provide our law enforcement agencies with increased flexibility in dealing with the smuggling trade without jeopardizing prosecutions. It will also save taxpayers over $200,000 a year in storage costs. This figure represents savings only to the Department of National Revenue. It does not include amounts to be saved by the RCMP.
An amendment to the Excise Act will also require individual cigarettes to be stamped. This measure will enable our law enforcement agencies and all law-abiding Canadians to more easily identify contraband tobacco products.
Under an amendment to the Tobacco Sales to Young Persons Act, Bill C-11 would also ban the importation of tobacco products by persons under the age of 18. This amendment will help to protect young Canadians from accessing tobacco products from outside the country.
In short, Bill C-11 will help us crack down on smuggling. It will help us break the criminal networks that control the smuggling trade. It will help to protect the health of young Canadians and it is enforceable.
Finally, when we deal with smuggling we also address the underground economy and the problems it creates. Bill C-11 promotes greater co-operation between governments. We are better able to address the challenges we are facing and do it more efficiently by working together.
In closing, I want to highlight an observation that I made during the debate on Bill C-11 in the House and in committee. It appeared to me that all sides of the House agreed on the need to strengthen the anti-smuggling powers of our law enforcement agencies and on the need to protect and educate young Canadians on the dangers of tobacco. I believe that my statements here today have shown this government's commitment toward resolving these problems.
In the House of Commons on February 8 the Prime Minister stated that we must act to eliminate smuggling to protect the health of young Canadians and to restore respect for the law. Bill C-11 plays an important role in accomplishing these objectives.
I hope members of this House will act together to support this bill.