Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 10/99) - A resolution passed unanimously at the South Slave Metis Tribal Council (SSMTC) called upon the Metis Nation-Northwest Territories to launch a lawsuit on the discriminatory tax provisions of the GNWT post-secondary education student assistance program.

The SSMTC said they are upset that Indian students and non-aboriginal students are provided with tax-free post-secondary education assistance while Metis students are compelled to pay taxes on their student assistance.

"Metis students find themselves coming home from school having to work the summer paying taxes on their post-secondary assistance packages," said George Kurszewski of the SSMTC. "They are clearly unfairly disadvantaged."

NWT Education Minister, Michael Miltenberger, however, stated that the SSMTC and the MN-NWT would be wasting their time pursuing a lawsuit against the GNWT post-secondary education program.

"The tax issue is with the federal government not with the territorial government," Miltenberger said.

"The treaties established with First Nations and the Metis by the federal government do not contain the same provisions for student assistance. Right now, we are trying to remove federal jurisdiction from student assistance for the Metis. Right now there is nothing we can do. They will be wasting their money suing the territorial government."

As of yet, a lawsuit by the MN-NWT against the GNWT is still pending.