A bill tabled in the House of Commons is intended to fulfil Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s 2011 campaign pledge to revive a failed bid by Saskatchewan MP Kelly Block to pass a private member’s bill, which was called “unnecessary and heavy-handed” by the Assembly of First Nations.
But the new bill goes even further than Block’s proposal, which would have required annual reporting of all payments made to on-reserve politicians from federal coffers.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan said Bill C-27 will give his office the authority to withhold transfers and even cancel financing agreements if a band refuses to comply with the legislation. It also requires bands to disclose publicly payments made to chiefs and councillors from “any entity that it controls,” such as a casino or real-estate holdings.
The legislation will also require public disclosure of audited financial statements, which wasn’t part of Block’s legislation.
Endorsed by Chief Darcy Bear, Chief of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, which of course, makes him a racist.
More details at Canadian Taxpayers.
Hmmmm. Whitecap First Nation. As the article says, they are Dakota (Sioux). They have no treaty with Canada. That, IMHO, has made all the difference. No opportunity to exploit and manipulate a gullible Canadian public.
Heap big wampum for what was once Big Chief Welfare Cheque!
I’m just curious to see how much effect this’ll have on the Aboriginal Grievance Industry?
I’m waiting for the first spouting and sputtering about how questioning their cash is racist.
I suspect that the usual suspects are as arrogant as the Board of the CBC
Great news.
Its about time someone derailed the gravy train that allows these charlatans to rape the Federal taxpayer.The present system lets the senior band members live like sultans on money that should be improving health care,substance abuse, and living conditions on their reserves.What these guys have done to their own people and the gullible Canadian taxpayer is obscene.
About time. Aboriginal people have been complaining for years that their band leaders siphon off all the government money and the poor on the reserves don’t get a penny of it.
Oh, and if they complain about it their houses “mysteriously” burn down…
What with this and the CBC ruling, the dismantling of Occupy camps nation-wide, and the upholding of our polygamy laws, I am beginning to feel Canadian justice may not after all be as corrupt as I’d feared.
If the Whitecap Dakota First Nations is the Reserve that I am thinking about, they have an incredible golf course on it – Dakota Dunes – and I had the pleasure of golfing with a couple of young local “Braves” on it a few years ago. Both were highly-educated and appeared quite driven to succeed, and it looks like that is a reflection of Chief Darcy Bear’s leadership.
The outrageously offended and insulted complaints line forms on the left. Pun intended.
Any taxpayer monies should be subject to audit and accountability. Period.
That would be the one, John. Just south of Saskatoon, which I’m sure helps with the success of their business operations. That, plus no sense of treaty entitlement, which elsewhere seems to keep expanding and expanding and expanding.
If the Whitcap reserve can be fiscally accountable (and have a surplus to boot), shouldn’t others try to emulate them and dispel the mooching entitled native stereotype once and for all?
Meh. I don’t expect this to change much. The only way to really change much is to end greivance monies and more importantly get the federal government to 1) get out of the way of reserve development 2) give natives on those reserves their private property rights.
Make it retroactive.
RE: Darcy Bear. I am a resident of Saskatoon so Chief Bear has been quite visible in his efforts to effectively lead his band. My opinion to date is that he’s a pretty smart man and first nation people would be wise to elect him to higher office, perhaps national chief. There is a lady chief north of Prince Albert, around La Ronge, I believe, who is of the same character.
As “Horace” said in the clip,it’s a distraction from the issue of the money the Aboriginals are owed by the government.
Not us taxpayers,y’understand,the GOVERNMENT,THEY owe the Indians big time!
Yep.
There’s going to be a lot of blustering,bullshitting Native Chiefs on TV in the next few weeks,if this bill is passed.Cries of “racism” and “Residential schools” should be heard on the very wind!
This is just about the time of the year the Band Council and Chiefs go to Hawaii for an Aboriginal Culture Study Session,isn’t it?
Maybe we can talk about this when they get back from their studies.
Perhaps our poor displaced occupiers can find a new cause.
Occupy the rez.
We have enough problems with taxpayer monies being shoved down the pipes. This theft from corrupt chiefs is one of the last things we need.
And, no, there should be no reserve development because reserves are nothing more than northern ghettos. Move younger people out into cities and towns where the opportunities are.
Kudos to MP Kelly Block, Minister John Duncan and particularly so to Chief Darcy Bear.
Happy to see this going forward.
“Liberal Aboriginal affairs critic Carolynn Bennett said the bill was “racist” and “paternalistic”
Typical Liberal feigned shock and dismay in a cynical attempt to take a shot at the government and maybe pick up an aboriginal vote or two.
Why doesn’t someone corner windbag Bennett and ask for an explanation on her use of those two over-used adjectives. How can transparency be “racist” and “paternalistic”? It’s about time that politicians such as Bennett stopped hurling mindless crap in all directions and … 1. Offered constructive criticism if warranted OR 2. stfu.
I don’t know a lot about Chief Darcy Bear, but if he anything like Chief Louis out in BC he is successful, and that is good to see, there is no end of helping hands be it grants and programs from govt’s and financing affirmative hiring etc. for the taking on reserves, I hope more people use these programs to better themselves, Chief Louis has no time for the “misery industry” that Fontaine/Martin thrived on, open the books and see how the chiefs of most of these bands live, it will surprise lots of media fools.
Harper is coming through. Slowly but surly what the liberals hide for a generation in corruption is coming to light.
Give Indians the right to own personnel property on reserves, some of the big problems will go away if they can keep equity. No one despoils, or lets others take what they earn. Time the 7 Mercedes Chiefs, where caught out. Graft is rife, & always has been in Indian affairs.
The First Nations Financial Transparency Act sounds like a great idea — and financial transparency throughout government would be a great thing for everybody else as well.
Great news – this will make many people happy, and a few elitists will be losing some sleep tonight. Shredders will going full steam in some dim lit office/homes.
Should be interesting to see how much money many of these bands spend on legal consulting fees. When the inuit in iqaluit won a claim Sheila Fraser said that almost a billion (about half the total) went to law firms in Montreal.
proud western canadian at 10:42 PM: “RE: Darcy Bear. I am a resident of Saskatoon so Chief Bear has been quite visible in his efforts to effectively lead his band. My opinion to date is that he’s a pretty smart man and first nation people would be wise to elect him to higher office, perhaps national chief. There is a lady chief north of Prince Albert, around La Ronge, I believe, who is of the same character.”
==============
Therein lies a big part of the problem. Native people get to elect the local band councils, but that’s all. The band councils created and comprise the provincial organization and it is only the chiefs who vote for the leader of the AFN. Of course, at the reserve level, where the ordinary stiff has a say, there is enormous corruption and graft. The local chief and council determines who gets the perks and who doesn’t so any criticism of them is rewarded with denials, while supporters get the goodies.
“Move younger people out into cities and towns where the opportunities are.”
That’s the crux of the matter,osumashi. Many of the young folks are so used to the Rez life,basically there’s no urgency in anything they do on Rez,they don’t want to leave for the hustle of city life.
I knew a couple of Natives from New Aiyansh Rez in Northern B.C. They were brought to Vancouver,placed in Native Housing,FREE,and attended BCIT trade school,under a policy whereby Natives had spots in each course kept open for Natives only. If a Native didn’t take the class,the spot remained open,it was NOT filled by a non-Native.
White kids waited two or three years for a spot in one of the trades programs at BCIT,which is considered the best trades training school in B.C.
So,these two young gentleman obtained their per-apprenticeship tickets ,electricians if I remember correctly, and we had a party to celebrate their graduation at my apartment.
I asked them,”so, do you have any job offers yet”?
They replied,”hell no. We don’t want to be fuckin’ electricians”.
Then they went back home to the Rez and the easy life.
A few years ago my son took his pre-apprenticeship carpentry course at BCIT; the tuition was about $3800 for the six month course.
One day he came home sputtering with anger. The day before a class of natives had started. All had their tuition funded by taxpayers, all wore identical high-end work boots and identical toolbelts.
The day after the course started there were a number of “for sale” notices offering the same brand of work boots and tool belts posted on a notice board at the school. Hardly a coincidence.
Took a look at Chief Darcy’s web site. I guess he’s going to post his audit and salary next year.
Great news – this will make many people happy, and a few elitists will be losing some sleep tonight. Shredders will going full steam in some dim lit office/homes.
Posted by: Jema 54
Your absolutely right. The sound will come from mostly lawyers offices.