“I think it’s very sad. It’s more paternalism and, all of the things, that the auditors general complained about in terms of this burden of reporting added on as opposed to the kind of transparency that’s already happening between most First Nations and their members. It’s very sad,” said Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul’s, Ont.), her party’s aboriginal affairs critic.
The government introduced Bill C-27, the Financial Accountability and Transparency of First Nations Bill, Nov. 23, 2011. It passed the House of Commons a year later, and became law on March 27.
It will require approximately 600 First Nations to disclose any audited consolidated financial statements, the salaries, and expenses of all elected officials, the auditor’s written report on consolidated financial statements and report on salaries if members of the First Nation ask for it “without delay.”
The reports and statements must also be published on a website within 120 days of the end of the fiscal year. These documents must be available for 10 years on the internet.
Once these documents are posted on the internet, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development must also publish them on its website. If First Nations do not comply, the minister of Aboriginal Affairs can ask the First Nation to develop an action plan to comply, withhold funding under contribution agreements, or terminate funding agreements.
NDP MP Jean Crowder (Nanaimo-Cowichan, B.C.), her party’s aboriginal affairs critic, said the government did not make any money available to implement the bill, and it could be a challenge for some First Nations.
“Many, many, many First Nations already release this information. Audits are already done, they’re part of their contribution agreements, so there are already audits done. Some of the aspects of the bill around the website and all of those kinds of things, many First Nations have not got the infrastructure in place to handle that,” she said.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt (Madawaska-Restigouche, N.B.) said in a speech in Manitoba last Wednesday that the bill will not create a reporting burden. He acknowledged that First Nations are already required to supply this information to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, but don’t necessarily do so for their band members.
“That isn’t always shared with local residents, even when they ask for the information. In fact, during committee hearings, we heard stories of people being intimidated in their home community just for asking for that information,” Mr. Valcourt said. “This act ensures these statements will now be made available to the First Nation members as well as the public through posting on a website. This change will not lead to an increased reporting burden—these documents are already being prepared. Now they will be prepared to the same professional standard right across the country—the one used by other levels of government. Our ultimate goal is one recipient, one agreement and one report.”
In a 2002 report, then-auditor general Sheila Fraser recommended that “unnecessary or duplicative reporting requirements should be dropped,” and in a follow-up to measure progress in her 2011 report, she noted the government made “unsatisfactory” progress. The report noted that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs received more than 60,000 reports annually from 600 First Nations communities who have to make 168 reports to four federal departments a year, in addition to the audited financial report and that “many of the reports were unnecessary and were not in fact used by the federal organizations.”
In addition, the report said, “First Nations officials with whom we spoke also told us that they had not seen a reduction in reporting requirements since our last audit, and many indicated that the reporting burden has increased in recent years.”
In her 2011 report, Ms. Fraser said her office was “concerned about the burden associated with the federal reporting requirements, particularly related to INAC’s contribution agreements with First Nations. Many initiatives with the potential to streamline reporting have been started but have not resulted in meaningful improvement.”
More specifically, the report said it’s still unclear “whether this degree of reporting helps make First Nations accountable, or whether it assists either the department or First Nations with their management responsibilities. First Nations continue to spend time and resources to complete reports for INAC, but some of these reports may serve little purpose and may interfere with First Nations’ ability to meet the needs of their members.”
Mr. Valcourt said last week, however, that the government is moving towards reducing reporting from First Nations. “Work toward this goal has already begun through a pilot project in which several First Nations across Canada are taking part,” he said.
In response to Bill C-27 receiving royal assent, the Assembly of First Nations said that the government not only did not consult First Nations on the bill to begin with, but also did not listen to First Nations testimony during the committee process.
“First Nations have been clear in their commitment to accountability and transparency to all of our citizens” said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo. “Witnesses repeatedly told the House of Commons and the Senate that Bill C-27 would not support this accountability, but instead gives more power to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. We do not support unilateralism that further entrenches us in a system that doesn’t work for our people or Canada.”
Meanwhile, both Ms. Crowder and Ms. Bennett criticized the government for not going far enough in its recent budget to invest in aboriginal peoples. Ms. Crowder said that while $241-million over five years for the Income Assistance Program for First Nations was a good move, she is disappointed with how the government chose to implement it.
“It would be mandatory participation and if communities don’t opt into the program, they don’t get access to any of the money. There are so many different ways that that could have been handled,” she said.
The government also invested: $155-million over 10 years for infrastructure; $54-million to settle specific claims; $9-million over two years for the First Nations Land Management Regime; $33-million over two years for the First Nations Policing program; $11-million for an Aboriginal Justice Strategy; $24-million over two years for the Family Violence Prevention Program; $48-million over two years to address health care on reserves; $4-million over two years to address mental health; $10-million over two years to provide scholarships and bursaries for First Nations; $5-million over five years for Cape Breton University’s aboriginal business studies program, and $100-million to improve housing in Nunavut.
The government also committed to “consulting with First Nations” on a First Nations Education Act.
Ms. Crowder said there is still a funding gap, however, in all aspects. “There’s a huge gap between what’s provided and what’s required. There was no additional money for any other housing, no additional money for K-12 education,” she said. “There was a small amount of money for infrastructure, but it was $155-million over 10 years which is $15.5-million a year spread across the country. And we know that the gap is just widening in First Nations communities.”
Ms. Bennett said she met Mr. Valcourt last Monday and believes that he is trying his best to “reset” the First Nations-Crown relationship, but there needs to be bigger commitments to closing the gap in health and education starting with lifting the two per cent funding cap on federal transfers to First Nations.
“I met with the minister on Monday. I think he is trying to rebuild the trust,” she said, “but without, the support of the Prime Minister, it’s going to be very difficult to rebuild the trust without adequate resources to do the job, and close the health, education and economic gaps for First Nations, Inuit and Métis.”
Original Article
Source: hilltimes.com
Author: Bea Vongdouangchanh
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