Transparancy is for White people only

[jacee]

That's the entire point that has seemingly swooshed over your head, hey? As you rightly point out, 95% of First Nations had no problem in complying with the Act. This is an Act that has more to do with holding the Band Chiefs/Councils accountable to band members - than it is to the government. Shovelling billions to an unaccountable few ...

No one objects to accountability to Band members for funds distributed by the feds ... which, BTW, are not taxpayer money anyway but funds from First Nations trust accounts: The federal government is only the trustee.

The klinker in the Act that has caused it to be suspended is the demand for accounting of Band money from private sources, Band owned businesses, royalties, etc.

The government has no right to withhold Band monies it holds in trust, while demanding publication of private band monies.

It's absurd, and the courts would find it so.

Better to suspend a bad bit of Harper legislation and fix it, than for the government to lose in court and then have to fix it.

.

Edited December 19, 2015 by jacee

[TimG]

The klinker in the Act that has caused it to be suspended is the demand for accounting of Band money from private sources, Band owned businesses, royalties, etc.

Band owned businesses are government assets like BC Ferries or ICBC. They should be subject to the same disclosure rules. Your argument is like saying that it would be perfectly fine for Christy Clark to receive a 100K salary from BC Ferries and keep it secret because it is 'private concern'. Edited December 19, 2015 by TimG

[kimmy]

A while back we had a thread about this chief, whose financial compensation was revealed under the First Nations Financial Transparency laws. He received a 10% commission on an 8 million dollar land deal with the province involving reserve lands.

I can't imagine how anybody thinks that his finances should be a private matter when reserve assets are involved. If a federal or provincial official were to pocket a 10% commission on a transaction involving public assets, the public outrage would be overwhelming.

-k

[Wilber]

No one objects to accountability to Band members for funds distributed by the feds ... which, BTW, are not taxpayer money anyway but funds from First Nations trust accounts: The federal government is only the trustee.

The klinker in the Act that has caused it to be suspended is the demand for accounting of Band money from private sources, Band owned businesses, royalties, etc.

The government has no right to withhold Band monies it holds in trust, while demanding publication of private band monies.

It's absurd, and the courts would find it so.

Better to suspend a bad bit of Harper legislation and fix it, than for the government to lose in court and then have to fix it.

.

In BC, elected officials have to disclose all their sources of income, real property and corporate assets.

[Argus]

oh pleeeese! Again, band members could make an FOI request and that audited submission would have been available.

So do you similarly believe that the pay rates and benefits accorded to federal politicians and employees, as well as the federal budget, should be kept locked away, and only granted to those willing to submit access to information requests?

I thought the Liberals were for sunny open government, for opening wide the shutters and giving people easier access to information? Apparently that's not the case for natives, eh?

[eyeball]

I thought the Liberals were for sunny open government, for opening wide the shutters and giving people easier access to information? Apparently that's not the case for natives, eh?

Are you seriously still trying to suggest the last government was some sort of shining beacon for transparency?

You have got to be kidding.

[WestCanMan]

As they promised to do, the Trudeau government has decided that while transparency in government is all very well and good, we can't expect natives to be capable of that sort of sophisticated communication. Besides, native voters don't need to know what their local government is spending money on, or their salaries. It would just confuse them. The fact the money is coming from the Canadian taxpayer is also no reason for the taxpayers to be able to see whether the money is being wisely spent. No, a thick layer of secrecy is much more comfortable for native government. It's like, a uh, cultural thing. Yeah, a cultural thing.

The federal Liberal government showed more solidarity with Canada’s First Nations on Friday as it lifted sanctions against indigenous communities that have not complied with a Conservative spending-transparency law.

The decision was quickly condemned by the Opposition Tories and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), which warned that the move would leave First Nations people in the dark about how their elected leaders spend public money.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/liberals-drop-sanctions-against-first-nations-who-didnt-comply-with-financial-transparency-law

I think that your post is trying too hard to find negativity with this issue.

The conservatives implemented the program because in some areas big wigs were getting hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and the band members were living in poverty.

In **Trudeau's quest to be the most politically correct emperor to ever walk the face of the earth he probably decided to make the representation that the sanctions were put in place because the PC's are racist bastards.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Charles Anthony
**corrected spelling

[eyeball]

It's not that difficult a representation to make these days.

[DogOnPorch]

Pass the watery fish broth, would yah?

[eyeball]

Like I said I would have been more impressed if the thread title read Transparency isn't for Governments, but Conservative supporters can't seem to discuss much these days without injecting a racial, cultural, ideological aspect to it...stands to reason the policies of party they support should reflect their base.

Or does the base reflect the party? Kind of a chicken and egg thing I guess.

[DogOnPorch]

Wouldn't know. Didn't vote Conservative.

[eyeball]

Wouldn't know. Didn't vote Conservative.

I didn't vote Liberal either, that's why I'm not impressed with them lifting these sanctions either. I'd rather they have extended them to governments across the land for the same reason.

[WestCanMan]

Like I said I would have been more impressed if the thread title read Transparency isn't for Governments, but Conservative supporters can't seem to discuss much these days without injecting a racial, cultural, ideological aspect to it...stands to reason the policies of party they support should reflect their base.

Or does the base reflect the party? Kind of a chicken and egg thing I guess.

I would have been more impressed if the thread title read Transparency isn't for Liberals, but Liberal supporters can't seem to discuss much these days without insinuating a racial, cultural, or ideological conservative conspiracy...stands to reason the policies of party they support should reflect the viewpoint from the inside of their own colons.

Or does the base reflect the party? Kind of a chicken and egg thing I guess.

[On Guard for Thee]

I would have been more impressed if the thread title read Transparency isn't for Liberals, but Liberal supporters can't seem to discuss much these days without insinuating a racial, cultural, or ideological conservative conspiracy...stands to reason the policies of party they support should reflect the viewpoint from the inside of their own colons.

Or does the base reflect the party? Kind of a chicken and egg thing I guess.

Take a look back to who actually answered questions on the campaign trail. And now, with about one month into the PMO, Trudeau took questions (lost of them) in the parliamentary press gallery. Harper was there 7 times during his tenure, and hadn't been there since 2009. Surely that must tell you something about transparency.

[H10]

I disagree, the black native indians still haven't gotten their fair share. Justin Trudeau favors white native Indians over black native Indians. White native Indians have zero transparency and get to all the government hand outs and goodies.

[WestCanMan]

I don't consider J Trudeau transparent, he's a nieve dimwit spewing PC sentiment and pontificating to the whole planet about how nice everything would be if we all just loved everyone regardless of everything they do and everything they have done.

If he was a dog he would be a golden retriever. They're nice and all but you don't want one guarding your house.

[eyeball]

I would have been more impressed if the thread title read Transparency isn't for Liberals, but Liberal supporters can't seem to discuss much these days without insinuating a racial, cultural, or ideological conservative conspiracy...stands to reason the policies of party they support should reflect the viewpoint from the inside of their own colons.

Or does the base reflect the party? Kind of a chicken and egg thing I guess.

There's no doubt about it.

[eyeball]

If he was a dog he would be a golden retriever. They're nice and all but you don't want one guarding your house.

The salient point is that he's a politician, same as Harper.

Chiefs in other words.

[dialamah]

I don't consider J Trudeau transparent, he's a nieve dimwit spewing PC sentiment and pontificating to the whole planet about how nice everything would be if we all just loved everyone regardless of everything they do and everything they have done.

If he was a dog he would be a golden retriever. They're nice and all but you don't want one guarding your house.

Perhaps you are underestimating Trudeau as badly as you are underestimating Golden retrievers.

Soppy golden retriever 'who has never snapped in her life' fights off intruder despite being viciously punched and saves family from home invasion in Michigan

A golden retriever that was rescued a year ago from starvation in a city park returned the favor to the family by waking them up and alerting them to a downstairs fire.

Golden Retriever, Chelsea, sprang into action when a mother moose attacked her owner Ginger Wolfe’s boyfriend’s family during a hike.

Underestimating Trudeau seems to be a habit of some people, whether it's a boxing match or an election campaign. Maybe there's something more to him than "Daddy's money and Daddy's friends", hmm?

Edited December 19, 2015 by dialamah

[eyeball]

Underestimating Trudeau seems to be a habit of some people, whether it's a boxing match or an election campaign.

I think the same is true of the over-estimation of him as well.

His government's position on the Wests involvement in the ME War is, as I expect it to be throughout his term, joined at the same hip Liberal Party election fortunes are.

[drummindiver]

Are you seriously still trying to suggest the last government was some sort of shining beacon for transparency?

You have got to be kidding.

What has the Liberals allowing FNs to pad their pockets got to do with the last government?

[Shady]

A while back we had a thread about this chief, whose financial compensation was revealed under the First Nations Financial Transparency laws. He received a 10% commission on an 8 million dollar land deal with the province involving reserve lands.

I can't imagine how anybody thinks that his finances should be a private matter when reserve assets are involved. If a federal or provincial official were to pocket a 10% commission on a transaction involving public assets, the public outrage would be overwhelming.

-k

Perfectly stated.

[Shady]

Are you seriously still trying to suggest the last government was some sort of shining beacon for transparency?

You have got to be kidding.

Whether one thinks they were or weren't is irrelevant. This new PM is enacting policy that will make things worse for First Nations, not better.

[jacee]

This is a bit of a tempest in a teapot at present. The legislation seems to have some shortcomings and I will reserve judgement until the legislation is revised with consultation with Indigenous communities.

Also the title of this thread is offensive.

/ignore

.

Edited December 20, 2015 by jacee

[Argus]

It's not that difficult a representation to make these days.

The Tories did their best with regard to natives. It was Harper who made an apology for residential schools. It was only iner-native political squabbles in the end which kept them from making a huge improvement to funding for native education.