06 July 2007

I think someone just noticed...

How well this legal stratagem is currently working out for Canadian aboriginal communities.
-- LOVINGTON, New Mexico -- A new state law against fighting roosters violates a treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, a cockfighting association claims in a lawsuit.

The New Mexico Gamefowl Breeders Association and six businessmen argued that the law infringes on rights protected under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which made New Mexico a U.S. territory.
Of course, there are always a few hiccups along the way.
At issue was Treaty 8 Indian Gordon Benoit who claimed an oral promise made to his ancestors in 1899 exempted him and all Treaty 8 Indians from having to pay any tax, for all time, anywhere in Canada.

Your CTF intervened in this case to argue what politicians would not... If someone does not pay tax it should because they are poor, not because of their racial ancestry.

While the CTF first lost the case in 2002, we won on appeal in 2003 and the Supreme Court of Canada finally dismissed the matter in 2004 winning a big victory for the equality of Canadian taxpayers.

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