Many First Nations in Ontario said they are prepared to impose toll fees on all traffic passing through their territories if no point-of-sale tax exemption is given to them for the HST.
At the annual general assembly of the Anishinabek Nation, delegates unanimously endorsed a resolution directing the Union of Ontario Indians to erect toll booth signs at their offices and escalate a direct action campaign against the imposition of the HST.
“We have told other governments that they cannot treat First Nations like subjects or slaves at their will,” Patrick Madahbee, grand chief said. “We have told them they cannot ignore our treaty and inherent rights and the decisions of their own courts. We have told them they cannot impose their taxes on our nation.”
The 40 chiefs present at the Anishinabek annual general assembly gave Madahbee a mandate to coordinate a program of direct action if the federal and provincial governments do not continue point-of-sale tax exemption.
“We have drawn our line in the sand,” Madahbee said. “Leadership is responding to a groundswell of opinion from our 55, 000 citizens who will do what it takes to defend their rights.”
The HST will be implemented July 1.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...