Letter to the Editor: Home Hardware store refuses PST exemption

My sister Cecile “Cec” recently retired from Bell Canada after 35 years of service. She has always been a tax payer and continues to pay property, school and other taxes as a homeowner and resident of a municipality. On September 11, Cec went into the Home Hardware on Wellington St. near Holland in Ottawa to make a purchase. At the cash, Cec produced her Status Card and notified the cashier that she was PST tax exempt from the cost of her purchase. The cashier at that point yelled out for all to hear, “Mike, we have someone here who thinks they don’t have to pay tax”.  A burly man soon approached and immediately began yelling at Cec. He forcibly snatched the item she intended to purchase from her and told her among other things that she was not welcome in his store and demanded she leave. There were several witnesses. My sister who did not raise her voice or make a scene was humiliated and in fear of being further assaulted as she left the store. Cec already called Revenue Canada to confirm that her purchase was indeed tax exempt. She wants action taken against the manager of the Home Hardware and will pursue this with the human rights secretariat.

Albert  Dumont, Ottawa

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Editor’s Note:

TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO THE MINISTRY OF REVENUE CALL THE TOLL-FREE HOTLINE 1-866-668-8297

For more information about the PST exemption for Status Indians in Ontario, click here.

CBC news article where owner says he doesn’t honour Status Card tax exemptions:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/morris-home-hardware-facing-human-rights-complaint-1.2765005