First Nations Advised to Embrace Tax Regimes
Thursday, November 04, 2004 at 14:20
Some First Nations leaders from Alberta and B.C. are encouraging other Indian bands across Canada to embrace proposed federal legislation that would allow taxation on reserve.
The First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act was re-introduced in the House of Commons earlier this week.
Squamish First Nation councillor Harold Callan says the bill would allow bands to generate regular income through a mix of property tax, financial bonds and capacity building.
He says the act would help First Nations develop a clearer relationship with Indian affairs and help break the cycle of poverty that currently affects the majority of reserves.
He also rejects the argument that it would lead to a loss of sovereignty for First Nations.
The bill was previously known as Bill C-19 and had reached third reading when it was scrapped after the federal election call this spring.