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The Cree Nation government in the James Bay region of Quebec recently approved a draft Cree constitution and governance agreement that — among other items — would give the Cree the power to collect taxes.

In an interview with CBC, Bill Namagoose, the Cree Nation government’s executive director said, “It provides security for the Cree Nation. There are no options in there for the federal government to cut back our funding. We have taxation power but no obligation to use it.”

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The tax exemption has been considered sacrosanct by many indigenous communities, this is true, but many modern First Nations now realize it’s essential to modern governance. Whitecap Dakota First Nation in Saskatchewan recently signed an agreement-in-principle to move towards even greater self-government. They are clear how they got there.

“We wouldn’t have the casino if we didn’t have our land code,” Whitecap Dakota Chief Darcy Bear said in a media interview. “We have a real property tax and a goods and services tax in our community. Like any government, we need to generate our own revenue. Getting out from under 25 per cent of the Indian Act has allowed us to grow. Self-government will take us further.”