VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today appeared before the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs regarding the proposed provincial referendum on treaties. In Victoria, the CTF recommended that all sides of the negotiating table focus on creating treaties that provide the foundation for prosperity. Core for such prosperity is accountability for tax dollars and private property rights on reserves and the eventual wind-up of differing rights and responsibilities between natives and non-natives, with the exception of explicit constitutional exceptions.

"Cut the Gordian knot of unaccountability on reserves. Money given to native communities by federal and provincial governments should - wherever possible - be given directly to individual natives first and then taxed back by local native governments," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke, who recommended that the provincial government create a question to that effect in the upcoming provincial referendum on treaties.

The CTF proposed four questions to pose to British Columbians in a referendum on treaties, questions that would empower treaty negotiators to bargain for the following:

Government funds directed to aboriginals should be directed to individual natives wherever possible with local native governments tasked with taxing back an amount necessary for the running of the territory in question.

Natives should decide private property rights on reserves. But as a condition of signing a treaty, the provincial government should seek a guarantee that natives on a reserve will have the chance to vote on a private property measure.

Taxpayer assistance and differing treatment of Canadians should be wound up over several decades, the exception being explicit constitutional exceptions.

Local government voting rights should be guaranteed to non-natives on reserve as a condition for the provincial government to sign a treaty.

"All sides of the negotiating table have the chance to set an example for the rest of Canada, where aboriginal policy is by and large a failure," said Milke. "The CTF encourages all sides to consider how to create long-term prosperity by examining - in detail - what creates prosperity."