EDMONTON: A historic federal court case between the federal government and a group of Treaty 8 Indians is set to begin today (May 7th) in an Edmonton courtroom that could determine whether Canada is forced to adopt racially-based tax policies.

The Native plaintiffs say that a universal tax exemption was promised in Treaty 8 (which covers parts of northern Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C.) while the federal government disagrees. Currently, only Natives living and working on reserves are exempt from taxes. Natives living or working off reserve pay the same taxes as other Canadians.

The plaintiffs in this case are arguing that all Treaty 8 Indians should be exempt from all taxes for all time everywhere in the country. The case will set a crucial precedent about the tax status of Canada's Native people.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has been granted intervenor status in the case. During the trial the CTF has the right to receive all evidence, make arguments, and participate in any future appeals. The Alberta government is also intervening in the case.

The CTF argues that the real issue is one of equality and that race-based tax policies would violate Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees the equality of all Canadians. A decision in favour of the plaintiffs could lead to 'taxpayer apartheid' with hundreds of thousands of Native people being exempt from paying taxes because of their racial ancestry.