Right now, bands are required to give this information to grassroots band members. What I heard from many different grassroots band members was that they would ask their chiefs and councillors for information, such as how much their elected officials were making, whether or not it was the whole audit document, and all kinds of other stuff, and quite often they would be met with a brick wall. They wouldn't get the information.
Then they would go to their local office of the Department of Aboriginal and Northern Development and ask for the information, and they'd be told to go back to their bands for the information. In fact, when I talked to a government spokesperson, I said the problem was that they were putting people in a situation where they were having to chase their tails. They were never getting the answer.
So what happens? They're saying band members have this right. Do they ultimately give them the information? The spokesperson said yes, ultimately, they will give them the information. If we set up a website and tell band members they have the right to this information, but they can't get it from their local band office.... I wanted to know who they should talk to in the federal government. They said it should go to the national allegations and complaints office. I asked what language...we worked through the whole process so that we could eventually set up a website to tell band members exactly how they could get it. Still, sometimes it would take a while before they could get the information.
It shouldn't be an arduous task for band members to get it. Making it a routine disclosure to put this information on the Internet is actually in keeping with what provincial and federal politicians across this country have. With a few mouse clicks I can find out how much every single member of Parliament in the room is being paid. So can everyone else. It's perfectly reasonable to expect reserve politicians to have their pay disclosed as well.
That was one of the ways we've been able to help band members get this information.
One of the other things we've heard from taxpayers, as I mentioned, is that they'd like to know how public funds are being spent on reserves.