IQALUIT, Nunavut – The mayor of Iqaluit has announced his intention to introduce a motion to remove the property tax exemption for churches in the capital of Nunavut.

Kenny Bell says he decided to do so after the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan announced Thursday that 751 anonymous graves had been detected at his former residential school, which was run by the Catholic Church.

“We need to stand up and fight for indigenous people across the country,” Bell said on Friday. “If Inuit, First Nations and Métis people prosper across the country, Canada will prosper. We need to make sure that happens.

As in many other parts of Canada, religious institutions in Iqaluit are not required to pay taxes on the land they occupy.

Property tax money is used to pay for municipal services, including clearing and maintaining roads.

“Currently, they don’t pay anything for their area,” Bell said.

Bell said there is no tax class for churches in Iqaluit, the motion will order staff to remove the property tax exemption on churches. Then a new tax class will probably need to be created.

“As a non-Indigenous man, I think it’s my duty to help where I can and support Indigenous people,” Bell said.

Bell is encouraging municipalities across the country to remove their property tax exemptions for churches. He also said the Catholic Church should apologize for its role in the residential schools.

“If they don’t want to apologize, the only thing we can do is tax them. I think we have to do that as a country.”

Many churches and religious organizations in Canada are also exempt from federal tax under the Income Tax Act.

Bell said that since there is no tax class for churches, it is difficult to say how much churches would be required to pay if the exemption was removed.

“It’s a small token step. The tax on them isn’t going to kill the church in any way. It’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to show that we want an apology. We want the church to recognize it. what she has done and is moving forward. “

Bell said he had not heard from any of the city’s churches and planned to present the motion at the next city council meeting on July 13.

“I am not anti-religion. I am not anti-church. What I am against is burying children in anonymous graves far from their families and not even telling their families.” , did he declare.

Bell also called on all non-Indigenous Canadians to read the Truth and Reconciliation Report and its 94 Calls to Action.

“Talk to your mayors, your councils, your MPs. Ask them to make sure they follow through on these calls to action.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 25, 2021

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of Facebook and the Canadian Press News Fellowship.