Mr. Speaker, the old adage that there is nothing certain except death and taxes is something every one of us as Canadians has been able to say in equal measure. Now of course there will be a qualifier: unless one is a native.
Once again the courts are driving a wedge between native and non-native people of Canada with their questionable decision making. The recent federal court decision to exempt one group of people from paying any taxation, at any level, is bound to be rejected by all other Canadians. An exemption for natives covered by Treaty 8 will further alienate our aboriginal people from the mainstream of society and marginalize the natives themselves.
Clear thinking Canadians realize that reasonable levels of taxation are required to provide services to all citizens. Why does the government not realize that we can never build equality by dividing people?