Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the questions. I will deal with the health question and with the second question as well. I do not think, as is being espoused by the Reform Party, that we have to militarize the Canada-U.S. border and send tanks into Akwesasne to deal with the situation. I do not think that is the solution.
I have always supported the idea that when we as a government move into certain areas we consult with the local communities involved. That is one thing we have done. We are committed to consulting Canadians to try to resolve the problem that way.
In terms of the health question access to illegal cigarettes was far easier prior to the bill-before we dropped the taxes and before we got rid of the smuggling-than it is today. Kids could buy them in every school yard. Right now because of the commitment of the government and the legislation the penalties for those in corner stores who might consider doing it is a lot greater. That is why the health question is addressed.
Young Canadians had access at any age. They did not have to show an age or majority card to a smuggler to buy cigarettes. They had that easy access in the school yard. They had it in every city across the country. It was not just in Toronto. It was not just in Montreal. It was also in downtown Calgary. Many parents came to us from those areas and suggested that something needed to be done. There was a problem. We took action on it and we did something about it. It may not please everybody but we saw a problem and we dealt with it.
In terms of dealing with the smuggling problem I agree, but the guns and alcohol smuggling problem is not a problem directly related to just reserves. It is a problem across the country. We made commitments to deal with some of gun control problems. The Minister of Justice said that we were committed to putting more resources toward stopping the smuggling of alcohol and guns. A lot of the problems in the country in terms of gun control is the fact that many of these guns are being used in crimes in major cities. They are not bought legally but are smuggled across the border.
We have seen the problem. The government has committed more resources, more time and more energy to resolving the problem and bringing in solutions. That is the sensible approach to dealing with the issue.