[somena2001]

Nault is not really all that interested in accountability. For instance - on our reserve we have been appealing for him to intervene for close to 4 years on the issue of accountability. Each year, the Bands across Canada and the DIA sign what is called a "Comprehensive Funding Agreement" (CFA) with each other - which is in essence a contract that enables the core-funding to go to the reserve. The CFA has an entire section devoted to accountability framework.

Despite our band being in breach of 7 sections of the the CFA's accountability framework, regulations and conditions for recieving funding - AND that MR.Nault knows - because I have written countless letters to him and his deputy minister - and the PM, specifically outlining these breaches... his office takes no action whatsoever.

To be honest - DIA loves it when Bands end up totally mismanaged. It allows them to exercise more control over First Nations, when the band goes tits up - costing taxpayers more money, and remedial management is ordered.

In one instance - in one region of Canada, the director general for DIA - has put 5 bands into 3rd party management. This has required that 2 accounting firms be hired to take over the band's finances. We discovered that those two accounting firms are owned by a holding company, which is owned by this regional director's wife. Cool huh?

And apparently according to the RCMP, Auditor General, and the DIA, this is all perfectly legal.

I much prefer our band's type of accountability. Raise taxes on us - without our consent, and watch the fireworks fly.

CoonCome actually has a point in his concerns about what Nault is doing. These changes will not achieve anymore accountability for Band Members, they will entrench the multi-billion dollar Indian Act Industry, and all Nault has to do - is enforce agreements and guidelines currently in place.

Instead, he is attempting to legislate away First Nations rights - much like Jean Chretien tried to do in 1969 - when he was the Monster of DIA - and which was soundly rejected

As for me - what I will be pushing for, on our reserve is to see ALL taxes lowered for natives and non-natives alike.

Another fact to digest... Of the 7.8 Billion that taxpayers are having to be extorted each year to fork out to Indian Bands - more than 40% of that money is gobbled up in Ottawa each year, at the DIA level before it even hits the Band.

And after it is filtered thru the band office - less than 23 cents on each dollar, spent by the government on Indians, actually gets spent on an actual INDIAN.

This is why the squalor exists - that and the encouragement of welfare-statism and soviet style leadership....

Mr.Nault's HELP is killing my people.

I feel like tearing my hair out - these past 5 years trying to fight it. But we are making progress. On our reserve, in any case - people are not letting things slide. In fact - the kind of resistance occuring today - to government ineptness, abuses and mismanagement is totally unparaelled anywhere in Canada.

[Snowyman]

Thanks for the clarification. I live not far from a reserve were it's members just recently kicked out their chief. Took away his credit cards, his big pickup truck and barred him access to the band office. He sued and lost. Hopefully it's a trend if needed.

We discovered that those two accounting firms are owned by a holding company, which is owned by this regional director's wife. Cool huh?

Interesting. Forget Nault ,try Harper and Clark, then the papers. Sounds like we non-natives are paying the bill and are being kept in the dark. Or lied to.