Last summer Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada and IndigenARTSY fundraised tirelessly to facilitate the First National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Orange Shirt Day on Parliament Hill, September 30, 2021. They did not receive any federal funding for the national event on Parliament Hill. They sold t-shirts from their founder’s basement so that Indigenous children could be properly memorialized and survivors honoured.

That event cost well over $60,000. But, because their gross sales from fundraising exceed $50,000, Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada and IndigenARTSY is being moved into the same tax group as any Canadian business who sells any products. As a result, they have to charge all customers 13% HST, on behalf of the Canadian Government, for all Indigenous-made arts products sold going forward. 

The changes have affected founder, Dawn Iehstoseranón:nha Setford's (born Mary Francis Whiteman), whose workload has increased monumentally and she can only go forward supporting artists who are not registered to collect HST. This approach is not sustainable for these Indigenous, women-led (volunteer run) non-profit organizations.

This is an issue that affects ALL Indigenous non profit organizations and registered charities, including the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada and IndigenARTSY.

Help save grass roots Indigenous organizations because without them, we all lose important services and voices for social justice.

Please ask yourself and your local politicians, "does the government really need to profit from crimes against Indigenous people?" AND "does the government want to shut down Indigenous grassroots non-profit organizations?"

Dawn Iehstoseranón:nha Setford has been pleading with the Canada Revenue Agency, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Justin Trudeau, Marc Miller, Diane Lebouthillier to create an exemption for grassroots non-profit organizations so that they can fundraise to support the people that your government tried to extinguish.

The Canadian government can enact an exemption given the situation and because the sales are a direct benefit to Indigenous people in Canada. 

If you agree that this is an issue of concern, please sign this petition, and/or reach out to your local MP and help the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada, IndigenARTSY, and other organizations obtain an exemption/remission order.