FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron (left) and PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte address Chiefs from other Saskatchewan First Nations. (Photo Credit: Nick Nielsen)

By Nick Nielsen

Treaty battle

FSIN and PAGC calling for end to taxation of First Nations

Aug 29, 2024 | 6:56 AM

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) met Wednesday morning to announce their intentions to have First Nations people exempt from paying all taxes.

While there hasn’t been any action taken yet, the FSIN and PAGC are hoping to gain an audience with Canada’s highest authority in hopes to spur this change forward.

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron noted treaties were put in place with the Crown rather than the federal or provincial governments.

“That’s the plan, the statement of claim and legal action moving forward, send correspondence to both levels of government. We’ll encourage Prime Minister Trudeau to have Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada, meet with our Chiefs, our elders, so we can get an audience with the King and the royalty of the British Crown because that’s our direct connection is the Governor General of Canada. Our treaties relationship is with the British Crown.”

PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte spoke about how First Nations status cards do not provide them with the tax exemption the treaties originally put in place.

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They are tax exempt when on reserve land, but in 2000, the NDP government at the time introduced the PST First Nations Tax Policy, making it mandatory for First Nations people in Saskatchewan to pay provincial sales tax in addition to GST on purchases made off–reserve. Hardlotte said having to pay these taxes goes against the spirit of the treaties.

“It was something that was done illegally. That’s illegal to do that, that was a big part of all treaty areas in our region.”

Chief Cameron said the addition of these taxes was done illegally and should not apply to First Nations people because treaties extend outside of Canada’s borders.

“Our treaties know no provincial boundaries. We traveled all over to hunt, fish, trap and gather. This province was formed in 1905 and our people traveled all over, across into what we now call the USA…that was never a border. It’s obviously for all of our treaty territories right across this country called Canada.”

While taxation was the main issue brought up during the press conference, hunting was another. Cameron said First Nations hunters being hassled is a common occurence because many people don’t understand they exercise different hunting rights than the rest of the population. They are allowed to hunt, fish and trap on the traditional land of their people without a license, but are only allowed to take enough to reasonably feed themselves and their family.

“We would encourage everyone to understand treaty, to be educated on treaty including RCMP and some of them are getting there, some conservation officers are getting there, but there’s still a lot more work to be done. The hunting season is going to start here soon, and without a doubt our First Nation treaty hunters are going to get harassed. For them, practicing and exercising your treaty right to hunt…when it does, we’ll be there to support them and do what we can as a FSIN organization to protect them.”

While the leaders are hopeful to gain an audience with the Governor General and the levels of government below it, the FSIN and PAGC are prepared in case they don’t.

“Many Chiefs for many years have advocated to remove these taxes. It has fallen on deaf ears for many decades. We’ll see how things progress, but if they force our hand, then we’re ready to launch our statement of claim.”

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panews@pattisonmedia.com