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First Nation salaries for chiefs and council are now online for everyone to see.
The Canadian Taxpayer Federation touted the public disclosure as its own victory in an announcement today that included the website link.
“We mobilized the grassroots living on reserves. We mobilized people living off reserves who were frustrated by money being spent on reserves and then not being disclosed,” said Colin Craig, prairie director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
The salaries of chiefs and councillors will be posted on the federal government website over the next few weeks. The change comes after Ottawa enacted new legislation that allows the government to post the financials publicly.
So far, White Bear First Nation and Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation are the only two Saskatchewan reserves that have their financial records posted.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been pushing for the salaries to be made public since 2009. Craig is commending the government for its move.
“Certainly we would have liked to see this happen years and years ago but we’re glad that when we started the push to get this information online that we found a fairly receptive audience in Ottawa,” said Craig.
Craig calls it a step forward for accountability.
Responding to phone calls by News Talk Radio, people from the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation said they are pleased the audits are being posted.
Agencies/Canadajournal
