Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 11/02) - Treaty 8 Alberta First Nations are exempt from paying taxes because the federal government made that verbal promise during treaty signings in 1899, a Federal Court judge ruled last Thursday.

In a 172-page decision, Judge Douglas Campbell ruled the "honour of the Crown" demanded the federal government keep their promise that Treaty 8 did not open the way for treaty signatories to be taxed.

Gordon Benoit, a former Fort Smith resident, launched the suit almost a decade ago.

The suit had the support of several Treaty 8 organizations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Akaitcho Treaty 8, from the Northwest Territories, withdrew from the case last April, opting to negotiate through treaty entitlement rather than fight in court.

Deh Cho First Nations chief negotiator Chris Reid said the case is important to all treaty signatories.

"Now the issue is not what Canada intended but what First Nations understood to be the bargain," said Reid.

Akaitcho Treaty 8 representatives could not be reached for comment.