Several band members have contacted paNOW in the past week with concerns about the chief's salary. (Website/ indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada)

By Nigel Maxwell

First Nation finances

One Arrow band members questioning earnings of chief and council

May 7, 2019 | 6:00 PM

A woman claiming to be a band member of One Arrow First Nation, says band members living on the reserve are struggling with poverty, while chief and council collect big salaries and have no details on further remuneration.

The woman who asked to remain anonymous said members want full disclosure on how the leadership is incurring and claiming expenses.

“It’s outrageous, like where the hell is our money going?” she said.

The woman, who is one of several concerned people who contacted paNOW, further explained she was confused why the First Nation had eight councillors, rather than the standard six.

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Chief Tricia Sutherland declined to speak to paNOW.

Todd MacKay, the Prairie Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the concerns raised by band members on the One Arrow First Nation were not unique.

“It’s critically important for grassroots band members to know how much their leaders are being paid, just like it’s important for Canadians to know how much the prime minister is being paid or folks in P.A. know how much the mayor is being paid,” MacKay said.

According to the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs website, Sutherland earned a salary of $78,000 last year, and collected $40,285 for travel expenses, pension and other renumeration. According to the latest census data (2016), the average total income for a One Arrow member was $16,963.

“I think that’s something we have to talk about. I think that’s something that’s really important. Leaders have to be a part of their community not over and above the community,” MacKay said.

2016 Census data (Website/Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada)

The First Nations Transparency Act received royal assent in March 2013. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation was one of the driving forces behind the Act, which dictates First Nation communities across the country must disclose their financial information, including the salaries of the chief and council. MacKay said he is disappointed with the current government’s lack of enforcement around the Act.

“It does not force chief and council to disclose to band members what’s happening with the money and that’s wrong,” MacKay said.

The financial information related to all First Nation communities can be found on the Indian and Northern Affairs website. For the sole purpose of comparison, paNOW looked at two other First Nations in the Prince Albert area.

For 2017-2018, Sturgeon Lake First Nation Chief Greg Ermine earned a salary of $54,960 and also collected $33,500 in travel expenses. Including band members living off-reserve, Sturgeon Lake First Nation has a population of just under 3,000. Big River First Nation Chief Bruce Morin earned a salary last year of $90,000 and collected $83,135 in expenses. The population for Big River First Nation is just over 3,600.

According to the latest census data (2016), the average total income for a Sturgeon Lake band member in 2016 was $14,740, and for Big River First Nation, it was $18,903.

When further comparing chief salaries to those of two elected city mayors in the area, Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne’s salary last year was $90,186.44 and he collected just over $2,000 for travel expenses. The mayor of Melfort earned $38,478.20. MacKay cautioned comparing the two as First Nation governance carries a wide range of responsibilities.

“For example the mayor of Prince Albert is not responsible for running a hospital, isn’t responsible for health care and some of those sorts of things,” MacKay said.

paNOW reached out to the Saskatoon Tribal Council and Prince Albert Grand Council to learn more about how salaries and expenses are incurred. They declined to comment.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell