First Nations Transparency Act: Northerners, First Nations react to issue
'It really hit a nerve,' says Ben Powless
As many First Nations in the North face having funding cut after missing this year's First Nations Financial Transparency Act deadline, the issue has people talking in the Northwest Territories and across the country.
This is the second year First Nations have had to file their financial audits online with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development since the act was made law in August 2014.
As of Thursday, there are 183 communities across the country that still haven't filed, 21 of which are in the North — 17 in the Northwest Territories and four in the Yukon.
The cuts would not affect health, education, or housing dollars but program services for band members within those areas — such as youth recreation and housing subsidies — would be affected.
The majority of N.W.T. First Nations — such as K'atlodeeche and Lutselk'e for example — say they want to comply but the process is costly and because it's time consuming, it often takes longer than the deadline given.
Others such as Nahanni Butte and Jean Marie River say their audits have already been sent to Ottawa.
Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus says Canadians need to know the difference between public funds and Indian monies from the Treasury Board of Canada that Aboriginal Affairs administers.
"This is why we're adamant that this relationship is between the federal government, ourselves and our own citizens."
Man starts meme
"It's frustrating and really infuriating. It really hit a nerve," Powless said.
Powless points to a 2014 CBC story on the prime minister's office's refusal to reveal how many of its staffers make more than $150,000 that was being widely shared on Facebook this week.
"The government has decided to frame First Nations as not being accountable and non-transparent," he said. "Meanwhile, they've been actually found to be some of the most unaccountable people in the entire country."
Powless said he was tired of hearing about the idea of corrupt chiefs who only want to line their pockets, so he made a meme with the infamous picture of Harper wearing a headdress, reading "It's a good thing I can count on Canadians to be upset at First Nations Chiefs and not me."
In 24 hours, it was shared directly from his Facebook page more than 2,000 times.
"It's not just First Nations sharing it but a lot of non-First Nations people are sharing it which I also found to be a bit surprising," he said.
"I think it's hit a nerve and people are starting to see this government is behaving in a way that's not just demoralizing the First Nations but I think it's kinda racist the way they've spinned this whole thing."
'Over the top'
Yellowknife resident Stuart MacDonald says he isn't a fan of the tactics the government is using.
"It's obviously not a level playing field," he said.
"They are creating a top-down administration on First Nations. To go over the top and suddenly say that First Nations groups are more guilty than anybody else, I think, is very much hypocrisy.
"The government says they recognize First Nations right to the land but [then say] your semi-autonomy over this land does not allow you the privacy that it allows us as government. Well maybe the matter in which resources are allocated within a First Nations community are also a matter of local or internal security."
Others, like Robin Young of Yellowknife, aren't so quick to pick one side over the other.
"This government, I don't think, is known for being transparent," said Young.
"I think they are pretty bad about opening themselves up in the past. But I don't necessarily think that means other people shouldn't do the same as well. I think that everyone should be up to the same standards."
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada says the funding cuts to the First Nations will continue until their finances are posted to its website.