Simons: Controversial new law shines harsh light on First Nations finances – Edmonton Journal
July 31, 2014
EDMONTON – Joe Pastion, 41, is chief of the Dene Tha’ First Nation. The band, in the far northwest corner of the province, 555 kilometres north of Grande Prairie, has a registered population of 2,911.
According to audited statements filed with the federal department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the chief of the Dene Tha’ earns about $88,000 a year, plus expenses. Band councillors get paid a base salary of $60,000. Last year their expenses ranged from a low of $3,500 to a high of $29,000. That may not sound very exciting. But the simple fact that we know it is revolutionary.
Under the terms of Ottawa’s controversial new First Nations Financial Transparency Act, every First Nation in Canada was required to file an audited statement and schedule of salaries for elected officials by midnight this past Tuesday. As of early afternoon Wednesday, you could only find filings from fewer than a dozen of Alberta’s 45 First Nationson the website. Aboriginal Affairs says it may take more than a week to get all the results up online. Yet what’s there already makes fascinating reading.
