Minister Blackburn Announces New Measures to Combat Tobacco Smuggling

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Apr 07 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue and
Minister of State (Agriculture), today announced new measures that the
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is taking to combat tobacco smuggling. He
announced the decisions when he was a guest speaker at a Canadian
Convenience Stores Association event.

Minister Blackburn noted that smokers who buy smuggled tobacco products
are not aware that it is illegal. "Smokers need to know that they are
encouraging organized crime by buying smuggled tobacco. So I have asked
the CRA to plan an advertising campaign. We will tell smokers what impact
smuggling has on society."

The Minister also made decisions on managing and allocating licences to
manufacture tobacco. "I recently had in-depth discussions with the CRA
specialists who handle licence distribution. I am announcing that I have
asked that no new licences be issued without my authorization," added
Minister Blackburn.

The Minister is instituting an even stricter process for granting
licences. "I want the best possible exchange of information with the RCMP
across the entire licensing regime. To help ensure we have as much
exchange of information as practical, I have asked the RCMP to advise us
on whether or not we should issue a licence. While fully respecting the
confidentiality provisions, this process of exchanging information must
continue throughout the duration of a licence, allowing me, as Minister,
to make the necessary decisions to issue, revoke, or suspend a licence."

Finally, Minister Blackburn indicated that his agenda will include
meetings with his counterparts in Quebec and Ontario. "These provinces
are most impacted by this blight. I want to make sure that we're on the
same page. No action we take will be effective if it doesn't have the
support of the provincial governments," he concluded.

Contacts:
Noel Carisse
Media Relations
613-952-9184

Office of the Minister of National Revenue
Andrea Kent
Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Issues Management
613-995-2960

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