Mr. Speaker, the sale of contraband cigarettes is once again in full swing. According to a number of studies, illegal products account for one-quarter of the market in Quebec and Ontario, and the federal and provincial governments are losing $1.6 billion in tax revenues per year. Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada has determined that the lower cost of illegal cigarettes threatens progress in the fight against tobacco addiction, particularly among young people.
Is the Minister of Public Safety ready to demand that the RCMP to do its job and put an end to cigarette smuggling?