b'TAXATION TAXATIONTaking on Fiscal Responsibility By Warren HeeleyF i r l s t N a t i o n saA s more First Nations opt into theParticipation in the FNFMA tax revenue First Nations Fiscal Managementopportunity put them in a position where r e g i s t e r e d i n Act (FNFMA), they are part of athey could take charge of their own growing number of communi- futures versus depending on federal s e f - g o v e r n i n gties reaping the rewards thattransfer payments, says Manny Jules, come with gaining authority over theirchief commissioner of the First Nations t a x a t i o n s y s t e mproperty tax and local revenues. TheTax Commission (FNTC). Because few a r e b o o s t i n gbiggest plus for these communities is theirFirst Nations exercised their right to self-ability to generate more financing for theirtaxation before the FNFMA, most of r e v e n u e ,infrastructure over the long-term, therebyour communities simply had no revenue ending their prolonged dependency onstream other than the federal govern-i m p r o v i n ggovernment funding for basic services. ment to fund community services. i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d a t t r a c t i n g i n v e s t o r s20A CCAB PUBLICATION2019'