National Inuit Leader Presents to Senate Committee on Tax Relief Bill for Nunavik

ITK President Mary Simon appeared before the Senate National Finance Committee on Wednesday September 16, 2009 to make a presentation on the proposed Bill S-227 to provide tax relief for Inuit in Nunavik. The presentation is available here and underlines the importance of providing tax relief for Inuit in Nunavik where the cost of living is several times higher than communities in southern Canada. The national Inuit leader appeared with two other witnesses who provided complementary presentations about the economic conditions in Nunavik.Together the presentations provided the Senators with a graphic description of the high costs of goods and services in Nunavik – one of four Inuit regions in Canada – and the low levels of income the Inuit population has in the region, notably Inuit elders many of whom are well below the poverty line. The three witnesses pointed towards the use of a refundable tax credit for the Nunavik region as being the best method to provide substantial relief to a segment of the Nunavik population.