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Make First Nation Chiefs more accountable to the people they represent
February 22, 2012 - 10:18pm
Please take a quick minute to check out my petition... many of the problems facing first nations could be alleviated by simply cutting the flow of money to "dirty" Chiefs. I am first nation and have been speaking out against this type of corruption and mismanagement in my own community of Roseau river for many years now.. thank you for your time... http://www.change.org/petitions/minister-of-aboriginal-affairs-and-north...
Why did you start TWO threads on this?
was really just trying to post it in the two areas that seemed most applicable.. the other ones barely a post.. just a heading and a link to the petition... but don't worry most people will probably just ignore the issue like they have for decades... and my posts will be delegated to the far gone netherpages..
It was the early 70's when First Nation people started graduating from universities and becoming more politically active. I remember sitting at Manitoba Indian Brotherhood meetings in the early 70's, with my father. The M.I.B. went on to become The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Way back then they were talking about equality, accountability and corruption, only it was white goverment officials they we're usually talking about. Forty years later we are still fighting for the same things, only now, our own people have become our worst enemies. Who are we to turn to if it's our own leaders that are the problem... especially with the kinds of powers they have, and a Federal Government that is unwilling to live up to thier fiduciary duty. Are we to turn to the Assembly of First Nations.. they are a organization of Chiefs who vote amoungst themselves for thier leader. Thats kinda like the police, policing themselves. Not to mention that the AFN has said themselves they have no interest in doing anything to make Chiefs more accountable. If anyone from the Federal Government tries to say anything about accountability, the Chiefs pull out the race card or some bs from the past. Chiefs proudly boast that thier audits have no irregularities, but own source revenues are almost never included in these audits.. and the Feds take a hands off approach. In my community tobacco and gas rebates averaged about $180,000.00 per month. Until recently this money was going to an accountants office under the Chiefs name. The only way there will ever be any change is if it is forced on them by society at large. I believe the only way that can happen is with all your help. This is not just a First Nation issue. Do you know anyone who pays taxes.. well let me put it in perspective. There are over 600 first nations in canada, if half of them are "dirty", and they all "mismanage" a million dollars each, that's three hundred million dollars a year. If they have been educated and politically active for forty years thats, $12,000,000,000.00 of taxpayer dollars wasted making corrupt Chief and councils rich. Money that if used properly would have resulted in much less problems with housing, water, social problems, etc. Money that has to be spent over and over because it never gets where it's supposed to.
Spending Review of BC First Nations Band Highlights Need for Better Financial Literacy
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/spending-r...
"..Auditors found that over these five fiscal years the former chief received $284,000 in wages and bonuses, contract fees and truck rental fees with no evidence of approval from council. He collected another $11,000 in reimbursements for expenses, travel claims and advances that were not approved by council and some without any supporting documentation. Another $28,000 was paid to two entities related to the former chief, seemingly without the approval of council..'
To add to what Charter Rights said in the other thread:
The reason you dont have traction, is because there is not enough support / DEMAND from your own community[s]. That isn't blame. And it is tough. What the chiefs and buddies to make sure you dont get that support is unbeleivably corrupt, sleazy, patronizing, and everything else.
And maybe activism is the right thread for this- because there isn't anyway around it: you need overwhelming support in your own community. Believe me, I know what that means. But there is no way around it.
You would need that support even if you had help from the DIA colonial administrator. And if you have the support- you don't need them. They cannot do it for you. Meanwhile, asking them to do it just gives them another tool to keep Indidans under their thumb.
I have a question, just hope I can ask it in a way that makes sense. There has been much talk about the legal status of First Nation people, our Rights, the land, etc. But, what is the legal status of the reserve ? For instance, when money comes into a first nation, who does it belong to ? The Chief and Councils?, the people?. If it is the people who elect the Chief and Councils.. how come so few communities have any real say in thier communities futures. Own source funds such as rebates, businesses, treaty settlements, investments all don't have to be included in audits if Chief and Councils don't wish them to be. First Nation people are basically powerless to request this information. They can try take them to court, but this is very expensive and often useless. Our own community took our Chief and council to court and won, but because the had bought another election before the Federal goverment made thier decision.. the court desicion was basically ignored. I know many will say that why don't you just vote them out.. seems real simple right? But people need to realize that these are regimes, and money will buy alot of support or silence. I have to admit that it is very demoralizing when you realize that this a whole culture within First nation communities. The extent of the corruption and peoples attitude towards it is scary.. I say this after seeing proof with my own eyes. I have become estranged from many in my own family, because in our community the corruption touches us all.