Supporting the First Nations Boycott

Hi Cathy and friends at AIAI:

Miigwetch for your thoughts. Yes, we will be putting pressure on “The
Source (By Circuit City)” as you described. I also hope to bring this
up in the media and provide a little more elaborate strategy for all
consumers to follow-up. This strategy will not be based on rule of law,
tax law interpretations or compliance with Retail Tax Guide and the
Indian Act, but supporting businesses that go out-of-their-way to
respect and adhere to our aboriginal right to tax exemption and refusing
to patronize those businesses that refuse or create barriers to using
our right to tax exemption.

FYI: “The Source” is well in their rights to create and define their
policy related to administration of the RST Exemption. My philosopy is,
we don’t have to patron their store if we don’t like their policy.
We’ll find more friendly businesses to support.

This wasn’t a simple knee-jerk reaction. This was a response from their
expected change in policy, and incidents have been reported across the
Province.

At the upcoming UOI assembly, we will be developing a strategy for a
“First Nations Consumer Bill of Rights”, including establishing policy,
standards and certification for businesses who want to do business with
us. This strategy should include a web site where First Nations
consumers can report and research documentation regarding companies who
are certified “An Anishinabek Friendly Business”. We will use the web
site and other communications media to promote those companies in a
positive way, but also provide alerts to those companies who are not in
compliance. We hope to print a door sticker with the Anishinabek
Thunderbird indicating them as an “Anishinabek Friendly Business”.

By the way, this is all a part of the Anishinabek Nation Economic
Strategy, a ten-year economic plan that will provide new economic
opportunities, a new First Nation Economic Policy within the Province of
Ontario, consumer and small business strategies, human resources and
skills development initiatives. This is expected to be a comprehensive
and practical approach to economic development, with objectives for the
UOI, the Anishinabek Nation Management Group Inc., our Anishinabek
Nation Credit Union, Tribal Councils, individual First Nations, EDOs,
business development corporations, LDMs, First Nations businesses,
Anishinabek entrepreneurs and even individual citizens and consumers.

The strategy is being co-chaired by Ray Martin and Dawn Madahbee. Our
Portfolio Chief is J. Edward Williams of the Moose Deer Point First
Nation.

I hope this provides you with a little more information. I’ve copied
Grand Chief Denise Stonefish and Deputy Grand Chief Chris McCormick on
this e-mail. The UOI and AIAI have always worked well with each other
on many different issues. We certainly hope that AIAI would understand
our philosophy and support our work in defending our right to foreign
taxation.

To answer the question below, yes I live in my home community of
Nipissing, work in my home community and work hard for the rights of all
our people. I also spend a lot of time doing traditional work in the
London-Kettle Point area.

Finally, I do recall the issue regarding the OHIP Premium – which is
most definitely a tax. I fully agree with you on this issue. Cathy,
let’s talk about this some more. Perhaps our respective Grand Chiefs
can come together and give this issue a lot more prominence. You have
my word on that.

I hope you are all doing well.