A tax revolt caravan of 20 people from the Mushkegowuk area held a protest at Indian Affairs offices in Sudbury against the new taxation rules for Native people that took affect on Jan. 1.
The protesters left from New Post on Friday, Jan. 20 and were met in Sudbury by a rally were they held a peaceful sit-in at the Indian Affairs offices.
“It was our protest and our stand to voice our objections to these new guidelines that are infringing on our treaty and Aboriginal right to tax exemption,” said Roseanne Archibald, chair of the Mushkegowuk Tribal Council.
“It’s more of an issue of a treaty right and the government should not be allowed to divide us as on and off reserve Indians. Our rights are portable,” Archibald told The Nation.
The protest was to let the Minister of Indian Affairs know he has a responsibility to Native people. The other goal was to educate the public in the North about Aboriginal and treaty rights and where they come from, and not view these rights as another thing Native people have over them.
“We’re getting legal advice of who is affected,” says Archibald.
People in the area are concerned about whether the tax will apply to off-reserve organizations like Payukotayno Family Services in Moosonee.
