Canada's paper tax enslaves Nova Scotians

Sunday, 29 August 2010 00:00

August 28, 1868. Among the chains of Confederation with which Canada has enslaved Nova Scotians, none is worse than the newspaper tax-as seen by the Halifax Acadian Recorder in this editorial.

Verily, Nova Scotians, our freedom has departed from us-we are an enslaved race-nothing but hewers of wood and drawers of water to the Canadian Egyptians. We are in a worse condition than the poor African slave, who is kidnapped from his native shore and placed in captivity, for he is destitute of intelligence… we have been bought for a trifle, and the bonds of our masters fettered upon us, we unwilling; and we are in the worst position of all enslaved races, because there are some amongst us who advocate the taking up of the yoke and fitting it as easily as possible across our shoulders.

Is it asked, where are our fetters? What is the newspaper tax but a link-that most infamous of all the impositions of the Canadians. How many families in the country who were before benefited and instructed by the visits of the newspaper, have been deprived of this luxury by the new enactment-some because they are too poor to pay the extra charge, and others because they will not submit to the tax. Before the first of April last, newspapers were as common throughout Nova Scotia, as-weeds, we were going to say. You might see them everywhere, as well on the sideboard of the wealthy as on the deal table of the poor.

Now the case is entirely different. Intelligence is prescribed-newspapers are at a premium. Throughout the country places they seem to be getting so scarce that it is almost difficult for a person travelling around to keep himself posted in the affairs of the world. Doubtless this was the intention of the Canadian politicians-first to enslave the people, then to darken their understandings, so that no light should penetrate, and thus make submission to tyranny easier. And therefore they have placed on them the bond of newspaper taxation.