Chiefs vote for public disclosure of salaries

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo applauded the chiefs at the special assembly held in Gatineau for unanimously passing a resolution that pushes for accountability and calls for “itemizing and publicly disclosing salaries, honoraria and expenses associated with the operations of chief and council.”

The resolution, entitled “First Nation Governments Demonstrating Accountability,” which was voted on during the Gatineau Assembly held Dec. 14 to 16, re-affirmed the chiefs “commitment to maintaining transparent and accountable decision-making structures in their communities.”

Early in 2010, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation launched a campaign pushing First Nations’ members to disclose their elected officials salaries. Later the CTF began publishing salary figures of some named and some unnamed chiefs and councilors, comparing their earnings to other elected officials, including the Prime Minister and the premiers.

“I take great exception to the way the information they gathered was collected and then described. It suggests that all 3,300 chiefs and councillors that serve our people are corrupt and are not accountable. It’s simply not true and you know our own internal analysis (of the information provided by CTF) says it’s completely inaccurate,” said Atleo.

He maintained that if the same analysis was done of MPs’ earnings and included salaries, allowances, and other financial compensation, “you might as well say every MP makes $500,000 in a year.”

The resolution also noted that the chiefs “primary reporting and accountability relationship is to their citizens, and that they will design mechanisms to ensure open and informed involvement in community decision-making.”

That the push to publicize the salaries of chief and council comes from the CTF doesn’t sit well with Atleo.
“(This is a) principally unilateral, external attempt to impose on our people, and I think that’s where I take great issue and exception,” said Atleo.

He noted that in 2006, First Nations approached the federal government asking that a First Nations auditor general and a First Nations ombudsperson be named. The suggestions were turned down. The resolution calls once more for the creation of the positions.

Auditor General Sheila Fraser attended the assembly gathering.

“She said the real issue of accountability lies with the federal government,” said Atleo. He said she brought into question how the government manages and expends its budget, which includes “operations ballooning by over 50 per cent while resources to children still remain at least $2,000 less per student than the average Canadian.”

The resolution noted that First Nations provide a minimum of 168 financial reports to the four federal departments from which they receive the majority of their funding: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
Atleo said Fraser admitted that many of the reports aren’t read.

“The vast majority of First Nations are very accountable and they demonstrate that to their citizens and, to their credit, (the chiefs) stood up in the assembly and said, not withstanding the attacks, we’re going to commit to this resolution and ongoing accountability to our people because that’s where the power and demanding accountability rightfully belongs is with the citizens,” said Atleo.