SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A former band councillor who called for the removal of Dettah Chief Ed Sangris and the Yellowknives Dene band council last May, alleging mismanagement of funds and internal corruption, finally agrees with the band on one thing.
The First Nation Transparency Act is overreaching and unjust.
Barb Powless-Labelle takes issue with the lack of consultation on the act and is concerned about the band's financial statements being posted online for anyone to view.
"I think it's important that we be more accountable and accountability in First Nations is a good thing to the membership but some of it is kind of confidential information," said Powless-Labelle.
The new act, labelled Bill C-27, will require First Nation governments to publicize audited financial statements online along with the salaries, commissions, bonuses, fees, honoraria, dividends and expenses paid to their chief and councillors starting in the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
First Nations must provide copies of the statements to their members upon request within 120 days or the member can take the matter to superior court.
Also, governments that don't comply with the rules could have their federal funding withheld or even terminated.
According to Bernard Valcourt, minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the improved transparency among First Nations will attract greater attention from the private sector.
"This act will help deliver more effective, transparent and accountable governments, which will contribute to stronger, more self-sufficient and prosperous communities," Valcourt stated in a news release.
But Roy Erasmus Sr., acting chief of Ndilo, disagrees and believes it will place greater burden on bands at a time when the federal government is slashing funding. It will take additional resources, he said, to fulfill requirements such as putting the information online.
More than that, the band has been providing consolidated audits and salary disclosure to the federal government for more than a decade, he said, questioning why that information now has to be available to the general public.
The Yellowknives Dene First Nation has no problem providing these documents to band members and the federal government but it is unfair to require it be shared with others outside those two groups, he continued.
"They're saying this is for our members and yet they want the whole world to see it," Erasmus said, adding he is concerned about having to include information on the Det'on Cho Corporation in the audited consolidated financial statements. "It's going to put the non-aboriginal businesses at an advantage over us by looking at all our information of our businesses."
The acting chief said he isn't exactly sure why this bill was passed but it's clear its purpose goes beyond accountability and transparency. Erasmus also takes issue with the lack of consultation with First Nations during the process.
"We've never been asked one question about this bill," he said.
It's just another example of the Conservative government's lack of respect for aboriginal people, added Powless-Labelle.
"I think they should have been negotiating with the membership and letting them know," she said.
"It's just a fear tactic and it's a threat by the federal government again and that's not good either. We want to have partnerships and we want to have partnerships with government."
As for her concerns with the Yellowknives Dene band, Powless-Labelle is still pushing to see the current council and chief Sangris removed. She hopes there will be a full election this summer, she said.
"I'm never going to stop standing up for the rights of our people."
