Aboriginals Plea for Point of Exemption Heard

Aboriginals may be about to get a break from the Government
concerning the new harmonized sales tax that comes into effect in Ontario next month.
The Globe and Mail reports Ottawa is set to give aboriginals a major concession on Ontario’s new H-S-T by ensuring they retain their point-of-sale exemption from the 8% provincial portion of the tax.
Natives have threatened protesters would “shut down the
country” during the upcoming G-8 and G-20 summits if Ottawa
continued to ignore their pleas to keep things the same for them.
Only after filing their income tax returns, do natives receive
exemptions from the federal G-S-T for most goods bought off-reserve.
The Nishnawbe-Aski Nation welcomes the report.