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Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, issued the following statement today on the First Nations Financial Transparency Act:
“First Nations, like all Canadians, deserve transparency and accountability from their elected leaders. That is why we passed the First Nations Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA) which empowers First Nation members to ensure band revenues areused for the benefit of the entire community
The statement said Valcourt had directed the department to ask the Federal Court to order the six First Nations to comply with the controversial legislation. The First Nations are Thunderchild, Ochapowace and Onion Lake in Saskatchewan, as well as Sawridge, Athabasca Chipewyan and Cold Lake in Alberta.
The law requires First Nations to submit financial documents — including audited financial statements and the salaries and expenses of chiefs and band councillors — to be published on the Aboriginal Affairs website.
There are 41 other First Nations — out of 582 — that have not yet submitted their documents to be posted online and they are facing sanctions such as withholding funding for non-essential services.
The six First Nations are being targeted for court action because they have made it known they have no intention to comply.
The Onion Lake Cree Nation launched its own $50 million court action against the federal government last month, arguing the legislation would put them at a competitive disadvantage by forcing them to reveal private business information about their oil and gas revenues.
“It is not about chief and council salaries, we have disclosed that to our people,” Onion Lake Chief Wallace Fox said Nov. 26 at a news conference live-streamed online from Edmonton.
Agencies/Canadajournal
