Border town won't tax

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Anger was rampant in the border city of Lloydminster over the new provincial tax legislation levied against Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan.

"I hope I don't see any flags flying at Saskatchewan powwows this year- the British flag, the American flag, the Saskatchewan flag. I just want to see eagle staffs. The only flag I want to see flying is a burning flag," said one Native person, who asked not to be named.

The city is viewed as a tax haven by Saskatchewan residents. A border city - straddling the line separating Alberta and Saskatchewan - with no provincial sales tax on either side of town, it boasts a large commercial sector that serves 23,000 residents and the surrounding region.

Urban Native people from Lloydminster, North Battleford and the surrounding region as well as band members from nearby First Nations (Mistawasis, Onion Lake, Makwa, Little Pine, Thunderchild, Poundmaker) will be able to avoid the newly-imposed provincial tax by shopping in Lloyd.

At a recent emergency city council meeting, it was decided that no change would be made in the provincial tax exception for businesses on the Saskatchewan side of the city, since the addition of a new tax would give those on the Alberta side (where there is no PST) an unfair advantage.

"Not having the tax free status in place would totally kill the commercial sector on one side of town," said Stuart Elson, managing editor of the Meridian Booster, the local weekly newspaper.

"This is not going to change for anyone shopping in Lloydminster - Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal," added Pat Tenney, manager of the chamber of commerce. "Having no provincial sales tax is unique to Lloyd and it's up to the preference of the individual shopper. All people living in Saskatchewan near the border would be able to take advantage of shopping across the border. Why would any Saskatchewan resident in reasonable driving distance of Lloydminster want to shop anywhere else?"

Locals predict the numbers of shoppers will only increase in response to the recent change.

Rose Morris, an Onion Lake First Nation member, said people from her reserve have always enjoyed shopping in the city

" We like shopping there. But a lot of Indians are going to be complaining about this new off-reserve tax, see it as a breach on the part of the government of their promises, our treaties, something they are trying to impose on us. With so many goods and services not available on so many reserves, our hands and feet are tied by this," she said.

Philip Chief, former chief and now the Onion Lake band administrator, commented on the far-reaching effects the new provincial tax will have on both urban and non-urban Aboriginal people.

"We are pretty shocked ourselves even though we can shop in nearby Lloydminster and Alberta. It is our off reserve members and students in Saskatoon and Regina who will bear the increase in costs, urban Natives who are struggling as it is, who are already segregated by poverty as it is," he said.

Chief commended the province's First Nation political organization for reacting quickly and decisively to the government move.