Brian Gettler on Unequal Exemptions from Sales Tax

Brian Gettler (Associate Professor, History) shared his expertise on the historical and legal context of Indigenous tax exemptions in Quebec with Radio-Canada. The issue at stake is a policy that exempts Mohawk residents of Kahnawake from paying the Quebec Sales Tax on most goods intended for personal use (if the purchase is made within designated municipalities and the purchaser provides proof of status and additional identification.) 

These tax policies are deeply tied to Indigenous sovereignty, which is grounded in specific treaties and legal precedents which differentiate Indigenous taxation rights from other tax exemptions. These policies represent broader issues of Indigenous self-determination and autonomy within Quebec and underscore the historical basis of the tax-exemption disputes and their relevance to indigenous governance today. 

Read the article (in French) here: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2113927/taxe-vente-autochtones-tvq-politique-mohawks