TORONTO—First Nations from across Canada are standing with the Chiefs of Ontario (COO), passing a resolution calling on the Government of Canada to stop what it feels is discriminatory treatment of First Nations from this government’s carbon pricing regime.
The resolution was passed at the 45th Assembly of First Nation’s (AFN) annual general assembly and comes after COO filed a court case against the federal government late last year for imposing what is considered a discriminatory tax on First Nations in the province. The carbon charge hits First Nations harder than others and cannot incentivize them switching them to greener energy options because for many, no such choices are available, COO said in the release.
“Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also spoke at the assembly, expressing support for COO’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) court case saying he will ‘axe the tax’ if his party forms the government following the next federal election. However, that is not what the legal case is about,” the release notes.
First Nations in Ontario are looking for fair treatment that considers First Nations’ unique jurisdictional status in Canada, protects the environment and recognizes the special circumstances they face as a result of centuries of colonialism.
“We are looking for the government to come to the table and work with us to ensure their carbon tax does not harm First Nations in Ontario,” said Ontario Regional Chief (ORC) Abram Benedict. “We have been making this ask for years.”
“It is an unfortunate situation that this must play out in the courts because our message has been clear and consistent. First Nations are already dealing with climate change, crumbling infrastructure, food insecurity and economic stability. The carbon tax’s implementation only serves to accelerate the crises First Nations are already facing,” continued Regional Chief Benedict.
The court case demands Canada either figures out a way to make the carbon tax fair to First Nations or exempt First Nations from the tax. It also calls for equitable disbursement of the carbon tax rebate and alternative methods of disbursement other than through the Canada Revenue Agency.
The government says the tax is revenue neutral, but First Nations people face substantial barriers to accessing the Climate Action Incentive Payments tax rebate that every other Canadian automatically receives by filing their taxes.
First Nations are the original people of this land and consistently support initiatives aimed at protecting the animals, lands, and waters they have lived on since time immemorial. Yet they are the most affected by climate change in Canada, said COO.
“We did not cause climate change. Like us, our lands, animals, waters, and air have endured centuries of abuse due to industrialization and resource extraction,” said ORC Benedict. “We did not oppose the spirit of the carbon tax in principle. But the burden of addressing climate change has fallen on First Nations. This is a backwards, unjust solution to centuries of injustice.”
Canada has failed to honour its commitment to returning two per cent of the collected carbon tax to “Indigenous Nations” in Ontario, the COO release continued.
Returns for First Nations in Ontario have been complicated by Canada’s insistence that money for rights-holding First Nations must be split with Metis Nation of Ontario (MNO) a corporate organization founded in 1993. COO and some Metis governments contend the MNO is not a legitimate representative of Indigenous rights holders. Most people claiming Metis identity in Ontario do not face the same barriers to accessing personal returns or changing carbon-emitting behaviours as First Nation citizens.
“Our mandate from First Nations leadership in Ontario is clear: push the Crown to honour its Treaty nation-to-nation relationships, respect our lands and stop it from pushing our Nations into carbon poverty,” said Ontario Regional Chief Benedict.
The COO releases adds, “First Nations are standing up to this environmental racism and are calling on the minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, Infrastructure Canada, Finance, and other departments to provide adequate financial support for First Nations to minimize the impacts of carbon pricing, explore the implications of carbon pricing on their territories, as well as opportunities for their participation in resource-revenue sharing and the clean energy economy.
