Canadians Consider New Action to Prohibit Kahnawake Sites

The Canadian federal government declared it is taking into consideration new action to eradicate internet gaming sites based on a native reserve in Quebec, in a move that could start disagreement between Ottawa and Canada's First Nations ahead of a second national 'day of action' this summer.

The government considers the approximate 400 poker sites and sports-betting sites based on the Kahnawake reserve near Montreal to be illegitimate, but neither federal nor provincial governments have tried to put into effect the law. Now Ottawa is again evaluating that position.

The "new actions” are considered implicit moves to limit banks and credit card companies from performing financial transactions with illegal Internet operators.

However, in response to this declaration, the Mohawks of Kahnawake say these laws do not apply to them since they are a self-governing nation.

A lawyer from Toronto, Mr.Michael Lipton commented the situation saying that for years the horse racing industry has had a monopoly on gambling, with Woodbine Entertainment now holding a lock on Canadian government-sanctioned online horse betting. He continued his comment by saying that the Canadian government should develop a system for the Kahnawake sites and regulate them instead of trying to prohibit them.