Madam Speaker, it has now been 17 months since the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs gutted the First Nations Financial Transparency Act; 17 months, and no action has been taken by the government, nor has the minister provided any details on what she plans to do.
I hear from band members every week who are fighting to see the books in their own communities so they can see how federal funds are spent. They hear of plans for breakfast programs, improved water systems, and new homes, but somehow the money is not getting through.
I want to point out that the vast majority of bands do comply with the transparency act, even after the minister removed the valuable compliance measures. Going from 95% down to 85%, to 84%, and continuing to decrease just means that hundreds of thousands of band members are now increasingly left without the valuable information. I do want to acknowledge that this is a small problem, but it is a growing problem and it is an important problem, because we do hear stories. Unfortunately, as in governments, as in private business, sometimes things are not done the way they should be done.
I am rising tonight to follow up on a question I asked the minister in question period on December 14, a long time ago, and I had hoped that I would not have to ask this question again. I would have thought something would have been done by now.
I did bring to the House's attention a CBC article by Charmaine Stick of Onion Lake Cree Nation, which was titled "I starved myself for financial transparency...". Charmaine is courageously standing up for financial transparency in her community. She stood before a House of Commons committee on April 6 and sat in the gallery later that day. I would like to take this opportunity to read part of a powerful letter that she wrote to us a few weeks later. She wrote:
I have struggled for years to get answers from our leaders regarding the Onion Lake Cree Nation's finances.
I have read the few documents provided by the band. I have read more detailed documents that have been leaked to me. That reading has raised more questions than answers.
I have contacted officials at Indigenous and Northern Affairs, but they've been unwilling or unable to provide answers.
I have attended band meetings and asked questions of our leaders directly, but they too have failed to provide answers.
I have gone on a 13-day hunger strike to demand transparency.
I am now partnering with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to launch a court application to compel my chief and council to publicly provide transparency.
I know my experience is different from the stories that you often hear from our leaders. They say they provide documents when requested and answer questions in public meetings. But think about that in the context of the way things work in Ottawa. I watched Question Period in person for the first time after the committee meeting and it was entertaining, but it wouldn't be good if it were the only source of transparency. A few band meetings a year aren't enough for First Nations communities. There needs to be clear requirements for transparency and strong standards for accountability....
Grassroots people in First Nations communities must have the basic tools of transparency. The federal government must provide those tools through The First Nations Financial Transparency Act. Give the grassroots the tools of transparency and we will strengthen accountability from within First Nations communities. The government is making it a priority to strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship between the Crown and First Nations and it's important to remember [that the first] nations are made up of people and...derive their power from the people.