Native Chiefs Salaries So High They Shocked Another Chief

[Anonymous]

Aboriginal chiefs/band councillors are the most corrupt elected leaders in Canada. No real opposition or press to hold them accountable. It's no wonder so many pay themselves much more than what they are worth. They are true 1%ers.



Kudos to the feds for the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. It's not nearly enough of course, but still a step in the right direction.



http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/paula-simons-first-nation-chiefs-salaries-so-high-they-shocked-another-aboriginal-leader/">http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... al-leader/">http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/paula-simons-first-nation-chiefs-salaries-so-high-they-shocked-another-aboriginal-leader/

[Romero]

I'm unsure about the Act as I haven't learned enough about it, but I really like this from your article:

In the end, though, all chiefs and councils are now responsible to their own band members. Over the next days and weeks as the statements are posted it will be easy enough to highlight the most egregious examples. But this legislation will have failed if it only prompts external criticism and buttresses lazy stereotypes. If this law works as it should, it will empower aboriginal Canadians by exposing inequities, giving them the chance to root out cronyism and corruption where they find it, and the chance discover what's working well on other reserves; to learn from one another.



Being a good First Nations leader is one of the hardest jobs in Canada. We shouldn't use this legislation to undermine good people striving to serve their communities. We should use it, instead, to give them the tools and the moral authority they need, to do their hard job better.

It's a bit of a tricky one. There are constitutional issues as First Nations are supposed to be self-governments. However, all municipalities report their finances  and at least First Nations themselves should know what's up.

[Anonymous]

^^As long as Aboriginal councils receive public monies, the people that pay for it have the right to know. Aboriginal leaders are not above transparency just because of their ethnicity. We wouldn't accept not knowing our mayor's salaries. Disclosure is in the interests of Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals alike. Not all Aboriginal chiefs are embarrassed by high salaries, but some are and everyone has the right to know who they are. If not, let's withhold funding until they tell us what they are paying themselves with our money.

[Obvious Li]

I'm unsure about the Act as I haven't learned enough about it, but I really like this from your article:

In the end, though, all chiefs and councils are now responsible to their own band members. Over the next days and weeks as the statements are posted it will be easy enough to highlight the most egregious examples. But this legislation will have failed if it only prompts external criticism and buttresses lazy stereotypes. If this law works as it should, it will empower aboriginal Canadians by exposing inequities, giving them the chance to root out cronyism and corruption where they find it, and the chance discover what's working well on other reserves; to learn from one another.



Being a good First Nations leader is one of the hardest jobs in Canada. We shouldn't use this legislation to undermine good people striving to serve their communities. We should use it, instead, to give them the tools and the moral authority they need, to do their hard job better.

It's a bit of a tricky one. There are constitutional issues as First Nations are supposed to be self-governments. However, all municipalities report their finances  and at least First Nations themselves should know what's up.

when you are stealing money, i understand it is best not to keep records....it makes accountability a little tricky......these chiefs would make Bernie Madoff green with envy....... :mrgreen:

[Anonymous]

Aboriginal chiefs/band councillors are the most corrupt elected leaders in Canada. No real opposition or press to hold them accountable. It's no wonder so many pay themselves much more than what they are worth. They are true 1%ers.



Kudos to the feds for the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. It's not nearly enough of course, but still a step in the right direction.



http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/paula-simons-first-nation-chiefs-salaries-so-high-they-shocked-another-aboriginal-leader/">http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... al-leader/">http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/07/31/paula-simons-first-nation-chiefs-salaries-so-high-they-shocked-another-aboriginal-leader/

I am shocked they didn't have to report salaries already

.

[Anonymous]

A survey also said 222 First Nations politicians earned more than the premier of their province and 700 took home more than the equivalent of $100,000 in off-reserve income. One band chief in Atlantic Canada earned $216,130 in salary, $34,000 in per diem travel expenses and other income totaling $978,468, including contracts for work by his construction company — all for running a band of 300 people.

[Gary Oak]

Aren't they entitled to do whatever and anything they want ? After all the white man took their land.

[Anonymous]

Aren't they entitled to do whatever and anything they want ? After all the white man took their land.

Did you steal anyone's land?



Anyway, to answer your question, too many chiefs/band councils do have a false sense of entitlement. It's an outrage to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians alike. The First Nations Financial Transparency Act applies the same principles and requirements that already exist for all other elected officials in Canada. No special privileges for corrupt chiefs.

[Anonymous]

I wish my parents encouraged me to become a First Nations chief when I was a kid. :?

[Anonymous]

I agree with Derek Fidebrandt, the Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation that "if these guys don't want to comply with federal accountability laws they shouldn't accept federal money".

The Calgary-area Tsuu T'ina First Nation is defying a federal law requiring they disclose the salaries of chief and council members.



On Wednesday, a deadline passed for First Nations across the country to deliver that information and other financial statements to be publicly viewed on Aboriginal Affairs Canada website.



The Tsuu T'ina view the First Nations Financial Transparency Act as possibly unconstitutional, said band spokesman Peter Manywounds.



"We're trying to determine what fiduciary requirement we have — we're not sure if Bill C27 is constitutional," he said Friday.



He said the information is available to its First Nation members, adding the relevance of its wider disclosure is limited.



"Taxpayer money only comprises 10 or 11 per cent of our chief's salary, the rest of it is self-generated off of our businesses — we're pretty entrepreneurial and successful," he said.



Some of the disclosures have raised eyebrows, particularly figures that show Chief Ron Giesbrecht of B.C.'s Kwikwetlem First Nation pulled in nearly $1 million in the last fiscal year.



A total of 81 people live on that reserve.



In Alberta, O'Chiese First Nation's Chief Darren Whitford was paid more than $265,000 in salary and expenses, while councillors of the Piikani south of Calgary garnered salaries of around $55,000.



Blood Tribe Chief Charles Weaselhead earned $138,226 in salary and expenses.



Manywounds said making a full disclosure would also compromise the confidentiality of Tsuu T'ina businesses.



"People have to be accountable, we always have been, but to whom?" he said.



Ottawa could go to court to force the Tsuu T'ina to provide that information or it could deny funding to it, said a statement provided by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.



"The minister may withhold funding moneys payable as a grant or contribution under First Nations under an agreement," it stated.



"These withheld funds would be released immediately upon compliance of the legislation."



The department couldn't say how many first nations were defying the legislation.



Data for the Siksika and Stony First Nations hadn't been posted on the federal website yet and their spokesmen didn't return calls.



The Tsuu T'ina's stance is outrageous, given the intimidation that often follows band members' attempts to gain that data, said Derek Fildebrandt, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation.



"If these guys don't want to comply with federal accountability laws, they shouldn't accept federal money," he said.



Some of the salaries that have been posted, he said, are ridiculously high, particularly given it's on-reserve compensation that's not taxed.



They may as well be paid in Euros," he said.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/08/01/tsuu-tina-first-nation-defends-defiance-of-federal-law-requiring-salaries-disclosure-online">http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/08/01/ts ... ure-online">http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/08/01/tsuu-tina-first-nation-defends-defiance-of-federal-law-requiring-salaries-disclosure-online