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.

Chief Wallace Fox pleads guilty to assault charge

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

My Lloydminster Now, October 20, 2016

Chief Wallace Fox has pleaded guilty to one charge of assault.

Fox, who appeared with his lawyer, Robert Hladun, in Saskatchewan-side court in Lloydminster today, was previously charged in 2015 with two counts of assault, one count of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose related to the use of a knife, and one count of uttering threats to damage property.

RCMP probing officers’ handling of domestic violence allegation against Onion Lake Chief Fox

Vicki Monague filed complaint over RCMP’s handling of her criminal allegation of domestic violence against Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox. Photo supplied by Monague to APTN.

by Jorge Barrera, APTN National News, October 27, 2015
The RCMP is probing complaints filed against officers from the Onion Lake Cree Nation detachment over their handling of a domestic violence allegation against Chief Wallace Fox, APTN National News has learned.

Fox, the long-time chief of the Saskatchewan First Nation, was charged Monday with two counts of assault, one count of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count of uttering threats to damage property stemming from a domestic incident at his Onion Lake residence. He is scheduled to appear in provincial court on Dec. 16.

Onion Lake Chief Fox facing dangerous weapon, assault charges related to domestic incident

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

by Jorge Barrera, APTN National News, October 26, 2015
Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox is facing multiple charges stemming from a domestic incident which occurred in the Cree community on May 18, the Saskatchewan RCMP said in a statement Monday.

Fox is facing two counts of assault, one count of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose related to the use of a knife and one count of uttering threats to damage property, the RCMP statement 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.

Oily Chiefs, Idle No More, and the AFN

by Zig Zag, Warrior Publications, January 17, 2013

To fully understand the phenomenon of Idle No More, you must imagine two parallel universes. In one, INM is comprised of good-hearted grassroots Native people responding to a call to oppose Bill C-45 and to protect the land and water of their traditional territories. In the other, however, are chiefs using the mobilization to achieve their political & economic agenda, an agenda that includes partnering with corporations seeking to exploit oil and gas resources on reserve lands.