Ex-Whitecap Dakota accountant Hugo Gallegos sentenced to five years in prison

Former Whitecap Dakota First Nation accountant Hugo Gallegos was escorted from Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench on Sept. 2, 2015, after being sentenced to five years in prison. Photograph by Gord Waldner, The StarPhoenix

By Jeremy Warren, The StarPhoenix, September 2, 2015

The man who admitted defrauding the Whitecap Dakota First Nation of millions of dollars jammed a cooler with $143,000 in $100 bills, owned a storage locker filled with shoes worth around $200,000, and once spent $700 just on socks.

Details — along with new allegations by the defence — emerged Wednesday in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench at sentencing for Hugo Edgardo Gallegos, the accountant who pleaded guilty last month to two counts each of theft over $5,000 and fraud over $5,000, a charge of laundering the proceeds of crime and a charge of possession of the proceeds of crime.

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.”

Semiahmoo First Nation members ‘in shock’ over officials’ high salaries

Darren Dolan, a Semiahmoo resident and band member, reaches for a water bottle in the kitchen of his house on the reserve as his girl friend Debbie Anderson cooks dinner. Dolan pays for water to be trucked in for washing, laundry and showers and also buys bottled water for drinking and cooking.
Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann , The Province

Reserve residents say it’s unfair they have to live in ‘third-world conditions

By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun August 15, 2015

Band members on the Semiahmoo First Nation say they were shocked to hear their chief and a councillor were raking in massive salaries while their people live in semi-squalor on the tiny Surrey reserve.

Darren Dolan and his cousin Darlene Clark are now calling for an audit to open the books, saying they had been trying for years to find out where the band’s money was going but never got a response from their council.

Semiahmoo chief receives annual salary of nearly $270,000

Councillor Joanne Charles and Chief Willard Cook of the Semiahmoo First Nation were paid salaries totalling nearly $460,000 in the 2013-14 fiscal year.
Photograph by: Ian Lindsay , PNG

Most of reserve’s income is provincial grant

By Gordon Hoekstra, Vancouver Sun, August 13, 2015

The tiny Semiahmoo First Nation in Surrey paid salaries to its chief and one of its councillors totalling nearly $460,000 in the 2013-14 fiscal year.

The community of less than 100 joins a handful of other First Nations in British Columbia that have paid their chiefs exorbitant salaries, disclosed through now-required financial filings to the federal government.

Federal government, First Nations face court battle over Transparency Act

8 bands refuse to publicly post financial documents, council salaries

By Terry Reith, Briar Stewart, CBC News, July 27, 2015

The federal government is taking eight First Nations to court in a bid to force compliance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, which became law one year ago.

The FNFTA requires First Nations to submit audited financial statements, along with the salaries of the chief and councillors. That information is posted publicly on the internet. So far, 570 of 582 First Nations have complied, and four others are working co-operatively with the federal government to meet the requirements.

Assembly of First Nations to host national energy forum in February

Members of the Public Safety Unit guard the site of the Enbridge Northern Gateway hearings in Vancouver, BC, Jan 24, 2013.

The future of Canada’s two largest pipeline projects hinges on the cooperation of First Nations throughout the country.

by Christopher Curtis, Montreal Gazette, July 8, 2015

With billions of dollars and swaths of aboriginal territory at stake, the Assembly of First Nations will try to leverage their legal rights and force a negotiation with Canada’s energy producers and the federal government. AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde said Tuesday he plans on hosting a national energy forum in February with the goal of getting big oil, Ottawa and First Nations at the table.

Lac Des Milles Lacs First Nation election results under review

Kathleen Sawdo is challenging the Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation election results, but is uncertain whether she would run for chief again if a new election is called.

Aboriginal Affairs investigates reports of Indian status cards printed in Thunder Bay hotel room

By Jody Porter, CBC News, June 24, 2015

Aboriginal Affairs is reviewing a complaint that Indian status cards were being issued out of a Thunder Bay, Ont. hotel room as part of a scheme to re-elect the incumbent chief at Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation.

The election took place on June 8, returning Judy Maunula to office. Her challenger, Kathleen Sawdo, is appealing the results under the First Nation’s custom election code.

Fort McKay profits from Tar Sands even as land is destroyed

Band office at Fort McKay. photo: APTN

Benefits of oil boom for northern First Nation outweigh the losses caused by industrial development, for now

by Brandi Morin, APTN National News, June 23, 2015

The main road running through Fort McKay looks like it was newly paved and painted.

It is bright and green here, looking fresh and on the brink of summer.

The river flows gently alongside the community as the day comes alive with the sounds of power tools, trucks and other machinery echoing against the backdrops of its forested setting.

Squamish Nation officials removed after financial investigation

Krisandara Jacobs, former communications manager for Squamish band council.

Cheques issued by Krissy Jacobs and Glen Newman lead to their removal from band positions

CBC News, Oct 20, 2014

Two officials with the Squamish Nation have now been relieved of their duties after an investigation found problems with how nearly $1.5 million was spent from an emergency fund.

The investigation looked into a series of cheques issued over the past six years from funds set up to help First Nation’s members with emergencies such as rent, travel to funerals, or clothing.