1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Campsite, media grace fans, the moment has a ride your 2 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: Rights shot. Yeah. It's July and we're in Loudon, New 3 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: Hampshire at the Magic Mile. We're going racing baby, who 4 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: will hoist the lobster At the end of three hundred 5 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: and one laps from New Hampshire Motor Speed WYT. Three 6 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: of the country's best drivers have gathered here for the 7 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series five hour Energy three oh one. 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: On the line is a checkered flag, a quarter million 9 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: dollar purse, and NASCAR's only living trophy, a twenty pound 10 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: lobster named Loudon. I want to take a look at 11 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: our starting grid as the cars about to roll off 12 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: of pit Road. On the front row Carl Edwards with 13 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: its first Magic Mild full and first and thirteen. He's 14 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: next to two times to get Shore Winter and then 15 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: way way. In the back, starting in forty second place 16 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: is the Jet Black number thirty three Chevy driven by 17 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: a man named Derek White. Even though Derek is forty 18 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: five years old, he's a rookie here in New Hampshire. 19 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: It's his first time ever racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, 20 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: his first time running with the big dogs for a 21 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: guy that's been racing since he was a teenager. This 22 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: is a dream come true. Fans are on there, made 23 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: here in New Hampshire. Water speed like great flading is 24 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: in the air, getting up and go the green flag. 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: It's a call Derek an underdog wouldn't be totally accurate 26 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: because Derek doesn't stand a snowball's chance and how at 27 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: winning this race. He's starting last in a car that's 28 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: a few miles per hour off the pace even on 29 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: its best days. Behind the idea Timmy close Wi that's 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: little lay cowards the inside. Can he make it stay? 31 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: In the end, he finished in thirty ninth place, ten 32 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: laps behind the leader. The TV announcers never mentioned his 33 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: name and the cameras only showed his car for a 34 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,239 Speaker 1: split second. But that's a damn shame because Derek is 35 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: making history here. Derek White is a Mohawk from Canada 36 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: and he's the first Indigenous person ever to drive in 37 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: the NASCAR Cup Series. Instead of putting up ads for 38 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: Oscar Meyer or Viagra on his car, he chose to 39 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: paint the Mohawk Warrior flag on his hood. Derek was 40 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: a real hero back home, an inspiration for his community. 41 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: What he didn't know was that police were watching his 42 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: every move. They were wired tapping his phone, tailing his vehicles, 43 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: and intercepting all his messages because they believed Derek was 44 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: a major figure in a criminal organization made up of 45 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: South American drug cartels, Canadian gangsters, and outlaw bikers. Just 46 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 1: a few months after his NASCAR debut, Derek White would 47 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: go from being the pride of the community, someone the 48 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: entire Mohawk Nation could stand behind, to the person splitting 49 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: it apart. M from Campsite Media and Dan Patrick Productions, 50 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: This is Running Smoke, the story of a race car 51 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: driver taken down in an international police stay and how 52 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: we might change the future of Native rights. Episode one. 53 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to Ghanawage. My name is Roger Gola, and I 54 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: grew up in Florida between the Volucia County dirt track 55 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: and the day tone of Speedway. If I hadn't been 56 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: blessed with severe motion sickness and a voice made for podcasting, 57 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: I might have become a race car driver instead of 58 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: a journalist. So you can understand why I've been hooked 59 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: on Derek's story since it made headlines back in and 60 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: what had called the largest grade of its kind in America. 61 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: Quebec Provincial Police carried out Operation my Gale aimed at 62 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 1: dismantling what they called a drug, tobacco and money laundering ring. 63 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: Seven hundred police officers carried out a bus that netted 64 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: more than a hundred thousand pounds of contraband tobacco, eight 65 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: hundred pounds of cocaine, and millions in cash. Nearly sixty 66 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: people across Canada and the US were arrested on narcotics 67 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: smuggling and money laundering charges. It was the biggest bust 68 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: in years, and Derek was accused of being a major 69 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: figure in the criminal organization. Then I learned that Derek 70 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: was taking his case all the way at Canada's Constitutional Court. 71 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: This rookie race car driver who was accused of being 72 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: a major player in a criminal operation was taking on 73 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: the Canadian government for his rights as an Indigenous person, 74 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: and it looked like he actually had a case. So 75 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: I started looking into Derek's story and put thousands of 76 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: miles on my car, tracking down indigenous leaders, undercover investigators, 77 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: and contrabands smugglers. And what I learned was that this 78 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: story is about much more than race cars and a 79 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: drug bust. It's about what it means to be indigenous 80 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: in the modern world. I knew that the first step 81 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: to telling the story was to find Derek and find 82 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: out who he really was. So that's what I did 83 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: back in twenty nineteen, shortly after he appealed this case. 84 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: I packed my car and spent three days covering the 85 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: four miles from Florida to Montreal. When I got there, 86 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: it turned out to be a lot easier to find 87 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: Derek than you might think. I knew that, aside from racing, 88 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 1: he ran a grocery store in Gottawauge, the Mohawk Territory 89 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: where he lived. So I left a message for him 90 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: at the Mohawk Market and he met me in the 91 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: parking lot about twenty minutes later. How's it going all right? 92 00:05:54,320 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, we've running around drugging. Yeah, man, he just yeah, 93 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: just last night. It's gonna be here for a month. 94 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: A month. Derek copped out of a black workman wearing 95 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: roughed up boots, some old jeans, and a dusty car 96 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: Hart jacket. He looked like any good old boy I'd 97 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: seen down at the track in my hometown. I made 98 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: my pitch, said I wanted to tell his story. He 99 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: crossed his arms and chewed on a toothpick while I talked. 100 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 1: He was just totally unreadable. He didn't seem too happy 101 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: I was there. But then Derek saw my Florida plates. 102 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: He seemed impressed that I had driven all the way 103 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: up just for him. He got back in the van, 104 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: popped the door and told me to get in. You 105 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 1: know new your seat bill, and you're with me, so 106 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be a seat bill. I put my seatbelt on. Anyway, 107 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: what do you want to go? I wanted to see 108 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: Gnawaga through Derek's eye, so I asked him to give 109 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: me a tour of the place he called home. Oh, 110 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: we could start off at weever, he started off with 111 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: my grandmother starting up her own little smoke shop right 112 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: in her yard. Boa by air right now and have 113 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: a look at it. On the way there, we passed 114 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: a micro brewery, the cigar Lounge, golf course, a bunch 115 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: of mom and pop restaurants, and of course a Tim Horton's. 116 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: This is one of my buddies. He's opening up some 117 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: kind of I'm not even sure what it is. A 118 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,679 Speaker 1: juice place, or juice or some kind of healthy store. 119 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: Donawaga didn't look like the stereotypical reservation I've seen in movies, 120 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: some dusty, barren piece of land with tumbleweeds and mobile homes. 121 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: Donawaga looked well off. The houses were big, the yards 122 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: were tidy, and there seemed to be a new pickup 123 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: truck in just about every driveway. If you go by 124 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: the the statistics, I think we're one of the wealthiest 125 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: reserves in Canada. Where do you think that is? If 126 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: you look across, you see the bridge there. Montreal is there. 127 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: This is the main artery to cross and you have 128 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: to come through Guna August. So whatever we sell on 129 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: the reserve, people are gonna bite because we're always our 130 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: prices are always better than the old site, so we 131 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: have a lot of traffic control. The reason prices are 132 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: better in Gnawaga than in Montreal comes down to one 133 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: simple fact. Gnawaga is a sovereign nation, separate from Canada. 134 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: They have their own flag, their own laws, and their 135 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: own government. When you cross the bridge from Montreal to 136 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: go to Gnawaga, there might not be a customs agent 137 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: or a passport check, but you're essentially leaving the country 138 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: of Canada and stepping foot onto the independent Mohawk territory 139 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: of Ganawauke. And one thing you'll notice right away when 140 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: you cross into Gnawaga is that sales tax is not 141 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: coited here, so tax free shops line the main roads. 142 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: And you've got all smoke shops all the all down here. 143 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: That's one, two, three, four, five in a row. That aret. 144 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: It's impossible to miss the smoke shops in Cottawaug. There's 145 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: ubiquitous as beer bellies at a NASCAR race. You can't 146 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: go more than a few hundred feet without running into one. 147 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: There's Mixed Smoky's with the Golden Arches. Then there's Best 148 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: Butts on the yellow best Buy logo. There's Smoke King, 149 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: Crazy Horse, Burning Leaf, Redman's, and so anymore. These smoke 150 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: shops range from the size of a tool shed to 151 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: a full sized truck stop, and inside you can get 152 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: any cigarette you can imagine, plus a bunch of local 153 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: brands you've never heard of. They come in boxes of twenty, 154 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: cartons of ten boxes and cases of fifty cartons. You 155 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 1: can even buy them in ziplock bags of two hundred 156 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: On average, almost half the price of a pack of 157 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: cigarettes that you might buy in New York or Quebec 158 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: is just tax. That's not material cost, that's not the 159 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: cigarette company's mark up. It's just tax. But here in 160 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: Gnawage you won't find those pesky tax stamps on any 161 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: cigarette packs. And what's the price difference between buying the 162 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: carton on the other side of the bridge we're over here, Well, 163 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 1: you got the cartons on the outside, uh, the name 164 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: brand's demur or Explorer and stuff like that. The goal 165 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 1: for about a hundred and twenty dollars per carton two 166 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: hundred cigarettes, and you can buy two hundred cigarettes in 167 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: a bag for twenty bucks, so you're saving hundred dollars 168 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: per two hundred cigarettes. You can see how cigarettes sold 169 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: on a tax free reservation would be pretty good business. 170 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: And it's one that Derek's been involved in since he 171 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: was a kid. Derek pulled off the main road and 172 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: pointed through a window at a gas station with a 173 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: turquoise blue awning over two pumps. Off to one side, 174 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: there was a car wash that said O c R 175 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: Gas Bar. It was a logo I'd seen plastered over 176 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: a lot of Derek's race cars. The gas station looked 177 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: like any Shell or Snocco you've ever seen, except for 178 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: the fact that it was attached to a house with 179 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: a two car garage. This is what Derek wanted to 180 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: show me, his grandmother's place where he got to start. 181 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: My grandmother opened up her first, uh first and only 182 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: basically cigarette store was right in this little car poard 183 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: here where you see this car. That was a small 184 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: little store. She was a school bus driver for the kids, 185 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: so she would do her run in the morning, like 186 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: seven o'clock in the morning. When she would drop the 187 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: kids off, she would get in her money carlo and 188 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: she would drive down the cornwall. She had enough money 189 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: for half a case of smokes, and then she would 190 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: drive it all the way back herself, put in her store, 191 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: try to sell it off, and the next day she 192 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: would turn the profit over and that and then she'd 193 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: have enough to buy a whole case, and then so 194 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: on and so on like that. That's where she started. 195 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: Over this road here, like I said, was the main 196 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: artery to get to Montreal, so there was traffic all 197 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: the way down this road. So this little store was 198 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: pretty that busy. You know. Ever since he dropped out 199 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: of high school, Derek had worked odd jobs on and 200 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: off the reservation. He tried his hand at high rise construction, 201 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: concrete pouring, even had a stint shipping vehicles internationally. Eventually, 202 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: he decided to follow his grandmother's example. Tobacco and gas 203 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: in Gonawaga. You couldn't go wrong when we opened this place. 204 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: I went to borrow the money at the bank and 205 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: they wouldn't lend it to me because they wouldn't They said, 206 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: there's not enough community members in the reserve for another 207 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: gas station. So she kind of they kind of thought 208 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: that it wouldn't work. But I showed them I borrowed 209 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 1: the money off my ground larder at the time to 210 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,839 Speaker 1: open this station. And she she asked me, she goes, 211 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: were you gonna put it? I told her, so, I'm 212 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: gonna put it right in your yard. I had no 213 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: other land, So I mean, this is what started in everything. 214 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 1: From that little gas station in his grandma's front yard, 215 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: Derek built an empire. I have three gas stations. I 216 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: have the Mowawk Market, the only grocery store under reserve. 217 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: I got a car wash, the only car washing under reserve. 218 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: I also got a construction company um back hole was 219 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: dump trucks and in the same area and my property 220 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 1: there I have a garage, a small garage that I 221 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 1: do tires and oil changes for locals and non locals. Also, 222 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: Derek had an entrepreneurial savvy that I found remarkable. He 223 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: was constantly WHEELI in dealing, looking for the next opportunity. 224 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: His brain was wired for it, and it served him well. 225 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: Derek had gone from constantly looking for work and getting 226 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 1: turned away from banks to calling the shots. You speaking 227 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: of French a little bit. I can understand a little bit, 228 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: but not much. The people I deal would all speak English. Song. 229 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: If they've all by business, they'll talk English. Derek's success 230 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: was built on the foundation that Mohawks don't pay sales tax. 231 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: It was a fundamental fact of life on the territory. 232 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: But on the outside that exemption can be a bit 233 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: more contentious. Coming up after the break, they see we're 234 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: making money, boom, they want to tax us. You know, like, 235 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: just leave us alone, just bother your own people on 236 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: the outside and let them collect the taxes from them, 237 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: and just leave us alone. Going on, We'll be right back. 238 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to running Smoke media. When I met Derek 239 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: in He was out on bail in the middle of 240 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: one of Ghanawag's most watched court battles. He was facing 241 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: off against the Canadian government. He was hemorrhaging money to 242 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: legal fees, couldn't leave Quebec without permission and had to 243 00:14:58,040 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: check in at a police station on a regular base. 244 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: As he was simply trying to spend time with his 245 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: wife and his two sons, run his businesses and keep 246 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: a low profile, he had no reason to talk to 247 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: a journalist. But as I started to learn, there's more 248 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: to it, Derek had his walls up for a reason. 249 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: Folks in Gonawaga were tired of having their story told 250 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: by outsiders and having it told wrong. I think the 251 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: thing that people are wary about is they get burned 252 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: by the French media. Would just come in, uh, you know, 253 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: spent a couple of seconds here, get a bullshit story, 254 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: and then and then view of their narrative and their 255 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: skewed view of us, said, they're ignorant view of let's 256 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: you know, kind of pointing at all of us as criminals. 257 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: Steve Bonspiel is the editor and publisher of The Eastern 258 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: Door newspaper, one of the bigger papers serving Mohawk territories 259 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: across Canada. Steve's Mohawk himself and has reported on these 260 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: communities for nearly twenty years. It'll be actually nineteen years 261 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: in January. Could you mean just like the barest overview 262 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: of what Gottawaga is, like, how would you describe this community? 263 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: Many people are here? Like what's that? What's it like? Well, 264 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: you know, it's funny because even just the question of 265 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,359 Speaker 1: how many people are here is is open to interpretation 266 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: because I think right now there's people on the Cahaga 267 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: of Gonawaga Registry, apparently there's eight thousand people that actually 268 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: live here, and apparently on the Federal registry there's ten thousand. 269 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: So um, your guess is as good as mine. It 270 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: seems like every part of your existence here is open 271 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: to your interpretation. And it's just like this gray area. Well, 272 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: I guess that's the kind of you know, the intro 273 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: to this. You're you're right, I mean, it's it's unfortunately, 274 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: there's so many things that have been left like that, 275 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: you know, And and the the ones doing the interpreting 276 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: is not us, you know, it's usually the outside governments 277 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: and non native people. One major stereotype that Gonawaga deals 278 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: with is this idea that Indigenous communities are lawless places 279 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: that are totally run by organized crime, that their sovereign 280 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: t is really just a cover for illicit activity and 281 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: provides a safe haven for the criminal underworld. I think 282 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: it's a narrative that fits the running narrative of Mohawks 283 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: are outside the law, you know, are are doing things 284 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: in a gray area because they don't understand their rights. 285 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: You know, they don't understand why we have quote unquote 286 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: special rights. It's also the reason Steve says that Gonawaga 287 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: faces so much scrutiny from law enforcement. I mean, you 288 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: know it's sad to say, but you know, any kind 289 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: of police operations, it's it's just so normal to us. 290 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: They're they're always looking for ways to get in the community. 291 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: They're always working, looking for ways to nail people. So 292 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: we're we're always vulnerable. They're always watching us. When I 293 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 1: tell people like our phones are bugged, people say, oh, 294 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: he is, you know, he's crazy, he's conspiracy there. No, 295 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: it's just reality. Just in the last few years, there's 296 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,040 Speaker 1: been several stories of folks in Gonawaga being busted and 297 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: high profile police operations that involve wire taps and undercover officers, 298 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: like the case of Floyd Latch, a former pro hockey 299 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: player who's taken down for selling wine illegally, or Wendy Mayo, 300 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: a grandmother who's arrested in a sixteen person cigarette smuggling operation. 301 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: And there's the case of Canandio Ross, who was accused 302 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: of working with the Italian mafia to finance tobacco operations. 303 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: By and large, these are cases related to gnawage's tax exemptions, 304 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: and depending on which side of the border you're on, 305 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: those exemptions are often seen in radically different perspectives. What 306 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: Mohawks se is tax free trade outsiders see his tax evasion. 307 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: What Mohawks the is sovereignty outsiders see as a free 308 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: pass for criminality. As a businessman, Derek knows that double standard. Well, 309 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: every time we try to do something, the government always 310 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: has something to say or do they try to throw 311 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: They threw a wrench in our spokes. Basically we get 312 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: something going and then right off the butt they see 313 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: we're making money, boom, they want to tax us. So 314 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: that's what we're kind of fighting for it, you know, 315 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: like just leave us alone. Just just bother your own 316 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 1: people on the outside and let them collect the taxes 317 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 1: from them and just leave us alone. So when Derek 318 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: chose to put the mohawk flag on the hood of 319 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: his car in that NASCAR race back, it was more 320 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: than just a sticker to cover up a blank body pedal. 321 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,120 Speaker 1: It was a bold statement in an attempt to redefine 322 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: Gnawaga for the outside world. Um. Proud of who we 323 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: are and where we were from. We're not We're not Canadians, 324 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: were not Americans, were North American natives. Yeah, I live 325 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: in Quebec, but I'm not a Quebecer. Um born and 326 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: raised in Gunnawaga, and we are native people. We're we 327 00:19:53,760 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: are our own people. Were are doing our best to cover, 328 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: you know, every race he was doing, and it's something 329 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: you have to give the people. You have to give 330 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: them something to look forward to, you know, and and 331 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 1: make them understand you may just be some kid from 332 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: the rest, but you don't always have to be, you know. 333 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: So you have to fight against that narrative, to fight 334 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 1: against that view. And that's what he did. Racing made 335 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: Derek an inspiration for his community and offered an alternative 336 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 1: for the harmful stereotypes that have played Native communities for generations. 337 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: But racing would also eventually lead Derek into a gigantic 338 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: web of organized crime, making him a target for the 339 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: d e A Homeland Security and Canadian police that's coming 340 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: up after the break. Derek's garage is right next to 341 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: his house and almost exactly the same size. Inside pack 342 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: like sardines, are race cars, vintage vehicles, and power sports toys. 343 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: It's a site that would make any season podcaster forget 344 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: to ask every single question. He driven all the way 345 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: to Canada to ask. Gorgeous, Oh my god, you got 346 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: an eight seventy one blow around it. It's like horsepower 347 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: nine seventy Chevy pickup. There's a seventy five buick that 348 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: that one's ready to go to. That one's ready to 349 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 1: race tomorrow if you want it though. That are drag 350 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: car back there, a sleeper four door Bonnville, got old 351 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: ash folk car, Nova, got a drag car Malibu. What's 352 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: the car in here that you've had the longest? Here? 353 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: All right? I go through so many cars, you know, 354 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: I don't even Derek led me up the stairs to 355 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: his man cave, a beautifully appointed room covered in oak paneling, 356 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: sports memorabilia and a polar bear rug on the floor. Oh, 357 00:21:55,600 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: this is where we hang out and watch racing. Or okay, 358 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: we've got a full bars, they say, invite some people 359 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: over there. They say, it's one of the nicest bars, 360 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: even in Montreal. Well, I just wanted to ask you 361 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: a couple of questions when we had a quiet place. 362 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to understand how a guy like Derek ends 363 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: up being accused of being the leader of a criminal organization. 364 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: As it turned out, it actually started with a trip 365 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: to Disney World. So were you into Nascar as a 366 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: kid too? No, you know what, it's it's kind of 367 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: funny that, Uh, I never really liked Nascar. I was 368 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: more like, uh in the drag racing and uh doing 369 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 1: the burnouts, the smoke and the loud noise and you know, 370 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: and after a while I kind of got boring a 371 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: little bit. And then we were in Florida and Orlando 372 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: with my son Jeremy, and they wanted to go to 373 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 1: the the team park and there's a track right outside 374 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: Universal Studios and I hear him ripping, you know, like 375 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: revving like like constantly. So holy shoo, what the hell 376 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: is that going on over there. So what Derek was 377 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 1: hearing was the Walt Disney World Speedway, basically a go 378 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 1: cart track for adults, but you get to race real 379 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 1: deal race cars. I dropped them off at the gate. 380 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:20,439 Speaker 1: They went into the studio Universal Studios, and I just 381 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: took the car and I went follow the sound and 382 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,920 Speaker 1: I come out. There's a big tractor. I think it's 383 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 1: a five eight mile track. So I pulled up there. 384 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: I went inside and I said, Uh, who are these 385 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: do guys driving? Are they tested? No? You could rent this? 386 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: What I said, where do I sign up? So I 387 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: walked in there and I never drove a NASCAR before, 388 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: I mean like a stock car before, and signed the waiver, 389 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: put the race foot on, the helmet on, and they 390 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: threw me in the car. I was like, oh. I 391 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: got in there and we went around the track. You 392 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: do one, one or two laps slow you and you 393 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: got to stay behind the pace car and stuff like that. 394 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 1: And but then after two three laps, I was like, Wow, Okay, 395 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: I could get used to this. I saw a little 396 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,640 Speaker 1: picture plaque from his first day at the track. It's 397 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: a photo of him almost twenty years ago, wearing a 398 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: red and blue fire suit and sunglasses. That's what we 399 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: started it right there. Two thousand and six. Yeah, that's me. 400 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: I got in for the four laps, and then I 401 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: went again and then again and again, and I was 402 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: just so holy ship. I'm still really just more hung 403 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: up on the mustache and the goatee. Oh yeah. Derek 404 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: made it sound easy, just getting behind the stock car 405 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: and turning a few laps, But racing is incredibly physical. 406 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,160 Speaker 1: NASCAR drivers will pull more g s than an astronaut 407 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: on launch, and they can lose up to ten pounds 408 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: in a race. They're sitting inside of a car that 409 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 1: will get up to a hundred sixty degrees, and even 410 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: though the cars don't have windows, they're moving so fast 411 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: that the air just glides over the opening. The only 412 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: air conditioning drivers have is their helmet. It's an incredibly 413 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: grueling experience. But as soon as Derek left race track, 414 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,160 Speaker 1: he knew he'd found his calling and he was ready 415 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: to go all in. So Derek started asking around to 416 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: see if anyone would sell him a race car. He 417 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: went all the way down to just before the border 418 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: of Michigan, somewhere somewhere way out in Ontario, and we 419 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: the guy was closing down his sudden lost interest in it, 420 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: and he was selling two cars with all the tools 421 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: and everything. So I went down there and I bought everything. 422 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: That's where it started. Racing works like any other sport. 423 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 1: You work your way through the leagues until you make 424 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: it to the big time. First you work your local 425 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: tracks Frogtown, Santa Stash and other short ovels around Montreal. 426 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 1: Then once you've got enough experience and enough money, you 427 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: break into the lower regional and national leagues. Derek started 428 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: out in the Penties Canada Racing Series and you can 429 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: hear how much he loved it in this old interview 430 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 1: he did with the Aboriginal People's TV Network. It's the adrenaline, 431 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 1: you know, it flows sort of veins, the blood dis 432 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: gets pumping, and once you get behind that wheel, it's 433 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: a whole different world. In orders, you don't think about 434 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: anything else. You just want to get on that track 435 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: in that car that's ahead of you. You want to 436 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 1: just get in front of that car. And there's another 437 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: car ahead of that car. You want to get in 438 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: front of that one. Derek should promise right away, and 439 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 1: in ten he won Rookie of the Year, not long 440 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: after that, he graduated to the NASCAR Truck and Exfinity Series. 441 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: The last two runs before the big time, Derek was 442 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 1: on his way. He was brokering sponsorship deals and buying faster, 443 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,439 Speaker 1: better built race cars. Now, racing is expensive. There's not 444 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: many people that can afford to buy a race car, 445 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: or staff a team or build a garage. So it's 446 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: not uncommon for people who can afford that stuff to 447 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 1: rent it out to people who just want to race 448 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 1: here and there weekend Warriors, which is how Derek met 449 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,679 Speaker 1: a French Canadian racer named Paul John was interested in 450 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 1: striking a deal with the racing. I met a guy 451 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: that wanted to come and race, and and I had 452 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: cars for rent. So basically, this individual came see me 453 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: and he said, uh, I want to rent your car. 454 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: This is fine. I said, you got to bring some money, 455 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: no problem. Derek's deal was simple, you want to raise 456 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:23,959 Speaker 1: one of my cars, pay me thirty thou dollars and 457 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,400 Speaker 1: you've got it for the weekend. For the first couple 458 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: of races, things went well. Paul Jean brought Derek the cash, 459 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: put on a fire suit and hopped in the car. 460 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: Everything was paid up and then he got into maybe 461 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: two or three different races, and uh, he was kind 462 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: of behind in his payments. To me, said listen, I said, 463 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: you're behind in payments. I said, I can't put you 464 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: in the car. I said, I have somebody else that's 465 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: ready to pay. No, no, no, don't worry. So he offered, 466 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: he goes, my friend has tobaccle. Really, I said, he goes, 467 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: you interested? I said, well, if it's landed on my door, 468 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: bring it. So that's where it. Uh, basically that's where 469 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: it started. He brought he brought some in and then 470 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,880 Speaker 1: uh start paying off his bills, and he kept on racing, 471 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: and it just kept on going like that. For Derek, 472 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: tobacco was as good as cash. He'd grown up in 473 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: the business. He knew it. Well, can you focus on 474 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: other mohawk territories who could take raw tobacco and turn 475 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: it into cigarettes and they'd pay a pretty penny for 476 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: a steady supply in Derek's size. There wasn't anything illegal 477 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: about it. Sure, Kennedy usually levied heavy taxes on tobacco, 478 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: and there was even a special police force in Quebec 479 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: dedicated to intercepting untaxed tobacco shipments, but that wasn't Derek's problem. 480 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 1: Tobacco was something Mohawks had smoked for thousands of years, 481 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: and buying it and selling it was there right as 482 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: native people. He brought in tobacco and and asked him 483 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: where it came from or who he got it from. 484 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: Or do you regret ever making a deal with him? Yeah? 485 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: I do. I should have never got I shouldn't have 486 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: never bought anything off those people. I mean, I only 487 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: deal with my own people. I don't deal with the outside. 488 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: It's just that it's hard when you deal with somebody 489 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: you don't know who the heck they're dealing. That's exactly 490 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: how it is. All this bullshit happened. You know. If 491 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: I would have known that, believe it, would have stayed 492 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: ten miles away from all this crap. You know. And 493 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: when did you find out the Hell's Angels were involved 494 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: in all this? The day we got arrested, coming up 495 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: on this season of Running Smoke. You know, our elders 496 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: told us, they warned us, don't do this. These people 497 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: are doing international money longer, and we thought we could 498 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: control it. We were wrong. Bikers showed up and killed 499 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: him right on his front porch. You know, the right people, 500 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: you can get anything into going a log. I mean, 501 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: look at the NASCAR. I mean it was it was 502 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: built off bootlegging, you know, with the Moonshiners and all that. 503 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 1: When I was smuggling, it was like almost a free 504 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: for all. I loved it. We were met with two 505 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: Madus fifty caliber machine guns on the roof of that casino. 506 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: I had no choice. I had to pay them whatever 507 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: they wanted. If you did a comparison between the wealthiest 508 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: Native person the wealthiest white person, that's not even close. 509 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: He's not Robin Hood. They're doing it for the fucking money, period, 510 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: end of story. We have helicopters over my house. They're 511 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: just hovering there. They're watching. I guess we could say 512 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: it was a trapdoor that bag I walk down. Someone 513 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: had to do it, and I said, you know what, 514 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: it's time someone fight discovernment and see what happens. They 515 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: know that if this case goes in any way our way, 516 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: they got a whole new story to be right. And 517 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: I'm willing. I'm ready to go to jail. I don't 518 00:30:53,000 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: care if we lose. It's going to affect the Mohawk Nation. Yea. 519 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: Running Smoke is a production of camp Side Media, Dan 520 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: Patrick Productions and Workhouse Media. Written and reported by me 521 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: Roger Gola. Our producers are Leah Papes, Laine Gerbig and 522 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 1: Julie Dennischet. Our editors are Michelle Lands and Emily Martinez. 523 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: Sound designed and original music by Mark McAdam. Additional sound 524 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: and mixing by Ewen Lyon from Ewan. Additional reporting by 525 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: Susie McCarthy. Our executive producers or Dan Patrick, Josh Dean 526 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: of camp Side Media, Paul Anderson, Nick Vanella, and Andrew 527 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: Greenwood for Workhouse Media. Fact checking by Mary Mathis, artwork 528 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 1: by Polly Adams and additional thanks to Greg Horn, Johnny Kaufman, 529 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: Sierra Franco, Elizabeth van Brocklin, and Sean Flynn