| Angry woman confronts aboriginal leader |
| Chris Morris Canadian Press Monday, January 24, 2005 FREDERICTON - A visit by aboriginal leader Phil Fontaine to New Brunswick on Monday turned into a confrontation with a native woman over accountability on First Nations. Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, met with Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott in Fredericton to discuss such issues as the possible creation of an auditor general and an ombudsman for First Nations. Fontaine told reporters on his way into the meeting with Scott there already is accountability on reserves. ``First Nations chiefs and councils are as accountable as any other government leaders are,'' Fontaine said. But that statement raised the ire of Joan Marrero of the Kingsclear First Nation near Fredericton. ``That is not true,'' she yelled over Fontaine's comments. Marrero has been fighting for months to get a forensic audit of the books at Kingsclear. She claims that about $1.7 million in federal money that the band was supposed to forward to the provincial government for off-reserve education costs has gone missing. Band officials have said the money was not paid because of questions about the province's education of aboriginal children. However, they have not said what happened to the money. "Where is it?" Marrero said. "Show me the money" Marrero said people living in aboriginal communities are powerless when it comes to trying to force financial accountability from chiefs and councils. "First Nations are not democracies, they're monarchies," she said. "People have no voice." Fontaine said he would meet with Marrero. The national chief said some of the financial reporting now demanded by Ottawa is onerous. He noted that federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser has already slammed Ottawa for requiring excessive First Nations reporting that often goes ignored by federal bureaucrats. Fontaine said the provision of information must be guided by appropriate protocols. There have been several protests and sit-ins at Kingsclear to raise awareness of the need for accountability. Marrero said protesters have filed an application with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to investigate. © Canadian Press 2005 |
| All of our "so called" leaders should read this to his Majesty Phil Fontaine! His Majesty on accountability and the "Illegal Indian Act" chief & council. Duchess of York and His Majesty Phil Fontaine honoured for their work to fight child poverty and suffering around the world????? Whatta whatta? MORE |
| As reported in the National Post April 1999, then Auditor General Denis Desautels warned that the Indian Affairs department risked compounding existing poverty and despair on native reserves by failing to account for how money is being spent. He also added, "the department is not taking adequate steps to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing, including complaints and disputes related to funding arrangements, are appropriately resolved." As far back as 1996 Desautels complained about "severe deficiencies in Ottawa’s system of monitoring funds spend on reserves for welfare, education, housing, and economic development." |
| In 2003 alone, the DIAND (INAC) received almost 300 allegations of corruption, nepotism or mismanagement by band councils. |
| So which is it Phil? National chief of the Assembly of First Nations stated " there already is accountability on reserves" More Below "The auditor general's report shows that third-party management is not necessarily an indication of problems within First Nations, but instead points to the governments' lack of transparency and accountability," Fontaine said. |