More of the same

Thief in Chief.

More grand theft is taking place on the Frog Lake First Nation by those "managing" the money.  Chief Gregory Desjarlais, above, and his council are refusing to release financial documents to Indigenous activist, Hans McCarthy.  I have blogged this countless times, but here's yet another example.  

McCarthy, has asked Trudeau to help get accountability from his band's leaders.  Naturally, Trudeau has refused.  Afterall, one of the first things Trudeau did when he took office was cancel the financial accountability act for Indigenous bands.  That was wrong and it's leading to more, ahem, "irregularities".

Fighting for accountability at the Frog Lake First Nation, McCarthy is predictably getting nowhere.  He's in the same boat as former AFN chief RoseAnne Archibald, who was illegally dumped as national leader when she too called for a forensic audit of the AFN's finances.  It was bye-bye RoseAnne and the same stonewalling will befall McCarthy -- even if the courts rule in his favour.

Why does no one call this out?  

Frog Lake should be extremely wealthy because of its oil wells, but naturally, many of its members remain mired in poverty.  Here's the real deal:

In 2013, Frog Lake's trust fund, funded by oil revenues, totaled about $100 million, according to documents released as required by the First Nations Financial Transparency Act.  Documents now show only $3 million is left.  Where'd the other $97 million poof to?

McCarthy asked his chief and council for documents showing where the money went.  Did they comply?  Rhetorical.

So, he connected with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.  Together they filed access to information requests to get documents from Ottawa.  Got nowhere.

Now, McCarthy and the CTF are taking Ottawa to court to force the government to release the important documents. This is about holding both the Frog Lake First Nation to account.  But it’s also about defending a clear principle: both the federal government and First Nations leaders have to be accountable and transparent.

Legal costs are estimated to be $45,000, so if anyone wants to contribute, go online and google the Canadian taxpayers foundation.  I intend to.

Remember Charmaine Stick, another Indigenous activist who partnered with the CTF?  I have blogged her several times.  She's standing with McCarthy, but to date, despite several court orders, the Onion Lake Band is still in defiance and refuses to release the financial records to Ms. Stick.

To this government, it's all "ho-hum, who cares?"