Indigenous activist demands transparency from Thunderchild First Nation

Harrison Thunderchild speaks with reporters outside the Court of Queen’s Bench after filing his court application. (Tyler Pidlubny/CBC)

‘Truth. That’s all I’m looking for, is truth,’ says activist Harrison Thunderchild

By Joelle Seal, CBC News, Nov 21, 2017

An Indigenous activist has launched a court application demanding transparency from his own First Nation.

Harrison Thunderchild went to Regina’s Court of Queen’s Bench Tuesday demanding that Thunderchild First Nation disclose chief and council compensation, as well as basic financial documents as required by the First Nations Financial Transparency Act.

Onion Lake First Nation appeals ruling ordering it to publish financial records

Onion Lake First Nation chief Wallace Fox. Photo: Global News.

APTN National News, July 5, 2017

The Onion Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan is appealing a June court ruling ordering it to release financial information to its band members.

The case was brought by Charmaine Stick, who partnered with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in 2016 to force the band to comply with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act – a law passed by the Stephen Harper Conservatives requiring First Nations to publish salaries and expenses online.

Federal government reinstates funds frozen under First Nations Financial Transparency Act

Liberals to suspend court actions against First Nations that have not complied with act

By Kathleen Harris, CBC News, Dec 18, 2015

The Canadian government is reinstating funds frozen under the controversial First Nations Financial Transparency Act, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says.

The government is also halting compliance measures that required bands to post detailed financial information online. 

21 Northern First Nations face funding freeze

The monies that we’re talking about are not public funds, they’re not taxpayers’ dollars,’ said Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus. ‘This is why we’re adamant that this relationship is between the federal government, ourselves and our own citizens.’ (CBC)

Over half of First Nations groups in the territories missed Sept. 1 deadline

By Kyle Muzyka, CBC News, Sept 3, 2015

Many First Nations groups across the North are at risk of losing federal funding after failing to publish their financial information to the public by a Sept. 1 deadline.

Seventeen groups from the Northwest Territories and four from the Yukon are among the 197 First Nations bands across the country that have not released their financial information as of the deadline.

Critics blast Alberta’s Blood Tribe leaders for salaries, expenses

Carrie Tait, The Globe and Mail, Aug. 28, 2015

The chief of Alberta’s Blood Tribe, along with a dozen councillors, collectively received more than $2-million in compensation and travel expenses in the past fiscal year – a figure a handful of band members, including former political leaders, argue is inappropriate.

Blood Tribe Chief Charles Weasel Head made $101,168 in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, according to the band’s financial statements prepared by external accounting firm MNP LLP and released as part of Canada’s First Nations Financial Transparency Act.

5 First Nations to fight Transparency Act in federal court today

Transparency Act requires all First Nations to post salaries, financial statements online

The Canadian Press/CBC News, Aug 19, 2015

Lawyers for the federal government are to be in court today to persuade a judge to force five First Nations to open their books to the public.

The reserves are protesting the government’s transparency law, which since last year requires all First Nations to post their salaries and audited financial statements online.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt has said the legislation makes financial information more accessible to band members and leads to “more effective, transparent and accountable governance, as well as stronger, more self-sufficient and prosperous communities.”

Government to withhold cash to non-compliant First Nation band in Chilliwack

 

Squiala Chief David Jimmie. Photo: Times/file

by  Paul J. Henderson,  Chilliwack Times, Dec 10, 2014

A local First Nation band won’t face court action for defying new financial disclosure laws, but the federal government will suspend funding for non-essential programs.

The Popkum Indian Band is the only one in the Times readership area that did not file audited financial statements and band council remuneration figures by Nov. 26, as required by the First Nations Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA).

Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AANDC) Bernard Valcourt said the act was brought in to apply “the same principles of transparency and accountability to First Nation governments that already exist for other governments in Canada.”

Members of Opaskwayak Cree Nation protest reserve’s debt

OCN Chief Michael G. Constant.

Within one year, the reserve’s net debt increased from $5 million to $6.2 million.

By Tiar Wilson, CBC News, Nov 29, 2014

It has taken Tannis Blacksmith 33 years to open her eyes to politics on her reserve, and she has a word for her actions, or lack thereof: Shameful.

As recently as mid-November, Blacksmith discovered the location of the chief and council chambers on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN), where she has lived most of her life.

She found it when she showed up with around 40 fellow band members in protest.

“[I had no idea]…if we were even allowed to go there,” she said.

Top oil producing First Nation launches $50 million court action against Ottawa over First Nation financial transparency legislation

Chief Wallace Fox of Onion Lake FN leads the “charge” into House of Commons, Dec 4, 2012, an action that helped jump start the Idle No More rallies.

by Jorge Barrera, APTN National News, Nov 26, 2014
EDMONTON-The country’s top oil producing First Nation has launched a $50 million court action against Ottawa over damages suffered as a result of “punitive measures” imposed by the federal Aboriginal Affairs department after the Cree community refused to publicly disclose its finances as required by recently passed legislation.

The legal action also seeks to have the Federal Court find that the legislation, known as the First Nation Financial Transparency Act, has no force on Onion Lake Cree Nation and that the legislation breaches the community’s treaty rights. Onion Lake is also seeking a ruling that finds Ottawa has breached its fiduciary duty.

First Nations to ‘resist’ complying with financial transparency act

84 First Nations have yet to comply with the transparency act on eve of final deadline

By Susana Mas, CBC News, Nov 25, 2014

Three Western Treaty First Nations say they will “resist” the federal government’s order to comply with the financial transparency act by tomorrow or risk losing federal funding.

The government tells CBC News that 84 First Nations bands have until Wednesday to post their audited financial statements for the last fiscal year, including the salaries and expenses of their chiefs and councillors. The grand majority — 498 out of 582 First Nations bands — have complied.