Work with First Nations, not against them

Chief Shane Gottfriedson of the Tk’emlups Indian Band calls the proposed First Nations Transparency Act, Bill C-27, paternalistic and regressive. He said his band is open and responsible to it members, for example, with the band’s audited financial statements provided to each reserve household and financial and audit results posted on the band’s Web site. “The public needs to understand that we are a government and have a unique relationship with the government of Canada; we are urging the federal government to work with us, not against us. The proposed bill is paternalistic and fails to recognize our inherent and constitutional right to govern ourselves.” He said the real issue that should be discussed is not First Nations’ accountability but the misconception about the dollars flowing to First Nations. “For every dollar, there’s probably only 25 cents that hits First Nations,” he said. Gottfriedson said he looks forward to the First Nations-Crown gathering in January 2012. He said it will be “an opportunity to reset our relationship with Canada.”