The Kahnawà:ke COVID-19
Pandemic Task Force is reminding the general public that ALL STORES ARE
CLOSED TO NON-COMMUNITY MEMBERS at this time, due to the COVID19 pandemic. This includes all tobacco stores on the Territory. Please
note the following:
According to Section 31 of the Kahnawà:ke Emergency Preparedness
Law, “Every person who contravenes any provision of this
Kahnawà:ke Communal Law, or incites a person to do so, is guilty of
an offence and liable to a fine of not more than $1,000 in the case of
a natural person, or to a fine of not more than $10,000 in the case of a
corporation or partnership.”
Section 180 C.C. (1) states, “Every person is guilty of an indictable
offense and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than two
years, or is guilty of an offense punishable upon summary conviction
who commits a common nuisance and by doing so a) endangers the
lives, safety or health of the public or b) obstructs the public in
the exercise or enjoyment of any right that is common to all.”
The Kahnawà:ke COVID-19 Task Force has the mandate to address the
pandemic on behalf of the community. The decision to close the stores to
non-locals was made to reduce the number of persons entering Kahnawà:ke,
which puts the community at a high risk of the virus being transmitted.
There are no exceptions to this directive.
“We need to make it absolutely clear that we are doing everything we can to
reduce our risk,” said Ratsénhaienhs (Council Chief) Tonya Perron of the
Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. “The directive has already been posted in
French and English on electronic billboards located on the highways running
through Kahnawà:ke, but some people are still coming into the heart of the
community searching for tobacco products – which is unacceptable.”
“We appreciate everyone who has respected our directive during this
challenging time,” she concluded.
