A woman who worked as an "educator" at a group that taught people across Canada how to evade paying taxes has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail after being convicted of tax evasion and counselling fraud.

Debbie Arlene Anderson of Chilliwack, B.C. also faces fines totalling $35,026.71, after evading $22,689.90 in federal income tax between 2005 and 2007.

According to a release by the Canada Revenue Agency, Anderson was an educator at Paradigm Education Group, a "fraudulent scheme" that sold books, DVDs and CDs related to tax evasion.

The group also organized and taught fee-based seminars, which advised people about how to structure their affairs in a way to illegally avoid taxes.

"The CRA warns all Canadians to beware of 'tax protesters' who try to convince you that Canadians do not have to pay tax on the income they earn," the release reads in part.

"Canadian courts have repeatedly and consistently rejected arguments made in these tax protester schemes."