An Aboriginal group in the province feels a public opinion research project is perpetuating the myth that Aboriginal people don’t pay their fair share of taxes.
The “Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan” survey found 63% of respondents felt that way.
Kim Beaudin is the president of the Aboriginal Affairs Coaltion of Saskatchewan, a group that speaks for Metis, non-status Indians and urban Aboriginals.
Beaudin says the survey results leave him wondering what the point of the exercise was.
He says people just don’t seem to get it:
“This is the kind of thing that goes on. I believe that both our governments should do a better job of ensuring that people are educated when it comes to these kinds of issues.”
One of the lead researchers on the project, Professor Rob Innes, says the survey simply showed that people do not understand Native taxation.
He says the survey served a valuable purpose and points out the need for more education:
“I don’t think is trying to perpetuate this misconception. It really is about providing the evidence that there really is a misconception. This is what people believe. So based on this hard evidence, this is something that can be used to address this misconception.”
Innes points out that income tax exemptions apply only to a small percentage of treaty Indians who make their living on reserve land.
He agrees with Beaudin that the government has a role to play in debunking the myths around Aboriginal taxation by explaining its policies to the public when this issue comes up.
The “Taking The Pulse of Saskatchewan” findings were released last month. A total of 1,750 people were surveyed in what is the most extensive research project of its kind in Saskatchewan.