Dear Editor

Dear Editor,

The buying power of Akwesasronon continues to astound surrounding communities outside Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. “We wouldn’t be able to keep the downtown open without Mohawk dollars (and loonies),” stated one Massena businessman. In essence, Akwesasne enriches both Massena and Malone through retail shopping. It is hard not to bump into someone from Akwesasne when venturing into BJ’s Warehouse on any weekend.

A common question raised about shopping in Massena or Malone is “which business is honoring the tax-immune card?” In reality, the known list is relatively modest. As I routinely inquire into this very subject, I have been met by story after story of sales tax collection which has soured the ability of businesses to accept tax-immune documentation from Akwesasne. The ability to deliver the goods to Akwesasne is a key to most of the businesses to enter into a tax-immune transaction. Usually, the cost of the delivery of the items outweighs the possible trade-off in asserting tax-immune status to the involved businesses.

The ability for Akwesasronon to frequent regional retailers which value their business is possible through cooperation. Word of mouth in these matters travels quickly, so the ability to contribute to a list which is unbiased would be of use to many consumers. Kahnawake Mohawk Territory is currently in the process of developing a list of businesses for a “tax-exempt” directory, detailing both those businesses who do accept the Band Cards, as well as specifically those who do not accept the Band Cards for provincial tax waiver (Canadian federal tax is only waived when the products are delivered to a First Nations territory). The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake is sponsoring the “tax-exempt” directory project.

An Akwesasne regional directory might even include a bit more information to shoppers, such as the quality of their shopping experience. As painful as it is to state, there are certain businesses which value the shopper from Akwesasne more than others. From being followed around the store to being hassled when goods are being returned, those shopping experiences are as critical to be heard as are the ideal stories where you were made to feel both respected and appreciated as you shopped in a certain store.

There are creative alternatives to tax-immune conditions. For instance, a delivery service from Akwesasne could be developed which would retrieve the tax-immune purchases for delivery to Akwesasne. The more deliveries accumulated each day could offset the standard delivery fee that would otherwise be charged. Another approach would be to develop a delivery location in the “land claims” area of Massena which would shorten the actual distance that the goods have to be delivered to, making it easier for Akwesasronon to shop tax-immune, at least in Massena.

Overall, the buying power of North American Indigenous people has increased as the population has soared, and to a lesser degree, as the casino-nations have asserted themselves financially. A broad economic development plan might be to have the casino-nations pitch in to develop a national consumer warehouse chain, such as BJ’s. Calling itself “American Made,” the business would seek to stimulate North and South American retail trade by only offering products made within North and South America. Although it might cost more to support such products, and the level of variety might be limited, the membership fee would offset the protectionist business practice. By locating these chains on reservation territory, the economic impact could be best enjoyed by those community members. At the present level of trade deficit the United States tolerates, any military activity in the Pacific Rim region with China would have an immediate impact on retail distribution in North America. The low-cost of these imported goods would skyrocket overnight, due to inventory supply concerns. The cost of an “American Made” retail environment would then seem like a small price to pay indeed. If this unique franchise were to be located on North American indigenous territories, the roads in and out would be jammed with shoppers coming from the areas our community members previously shopped at.

Chaz Kader

Mohawk Chamber of Commerce at Akwesasne, Executive Director