"Joe Norton re-elected to ninth term as Kahnawake grand chief"

KAHNAWAKE, Que.-Joe Norton, who has waged a war of words with the Quebec government over tobacco taxes, was re-elected Saturday to his ninth two-year term as grand chief of the Kahnawake reserve south of Montreal.

Norton, grand chief since 1980, soundly beat first-time challenger Charlie Robertson, a local garage owner and businessman.

Norton received 762 votes to Robertson's 172.

About 4,300 of the reserve's 6,500 residents were eligible to vote.

Robertson had been critical of Norton's stance with the Quebec government over a recent altering of the rules on how cigarette taxes are collected on reserves.

Two weeks ago, Quebec announced tobacco manufacturers _ rather than dealers _ will be responsible for collecting the taxes for Revenue Quebec. Retailers can then apply for a refund for sales to natives, who have immunity from tobacco taxes.

Norton's council reacted by threatening to unilaterally take control of Kahnawake territory, passing laws and collecting tolls for highways, railways and even the St. Lawrence Seaway, which runs through Kahnawake.

"As far as I'm concerned, Canada and Quebec have no authority and no right to impose any kind of taxation on us," Norton told the CBC's French-language news service on Saturday.

Robertson said be believed the Mohawks of Kahnawake could iron out their differences with non-natives by sitting down and talking.

"We're still trying to heal the wounds from (the Oka crisis)," he said.

"I don't think we're going to accomplish anything by blocking any bridge or charging any tolls to the outside people."

Turnout for past band council elections has been no higher than 30 per cent. Mohawk traditionalists refuse to participate, and other residents expressed little interest this time around.

"It's been a low-key campaign," said Joe Delaronde, program director at CKRK, Kahnawake's community radio station.

"It's been pretty routine this time, if anything. It's almost disappointing."

Other issues raised by the candidates were the preservation of the Mohawk language, a return to traditional government, economic development, land claims and membership policy.-CP-