Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Many of the folks we're speaking about, the elected chief and councillors, do in fact end up on boards as a result of being an elected official in the community. They may be a professional engineer and have a contract with a band-owned business and also be representing not only themselves but also the first nation in various business enterprises.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I suppose that's a bit of a double-edged sword in terms of the transparency and what it means in real life to the individuals.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Actually, we did do some research. If parliamentarians, for instance, have another source of income, it is declared to the Ethics Commissioner and the actual value of that income is also declared to the Ethics Commissioner.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I would say that it's not so much a conflict of interest issue, but rather it's for first nations members and Canadians at large to understand the dynamic in the community about where salary is derived for elected officials.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As you know, Bill C-27 started as a private member's bill, Bill C-575 under Madam Kelly Block. In the Speech From the Throne, the government indicated its intention to bring it forward as a government bill. There was no additional external consultation that took place prior to the introduction of Bill C-27.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Chief Darcy Bear was the only one who came forward with specific suggested wording changes to the legislation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Chief Darcy Bear brought a couple of advisers to the table.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't have that.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you very much for those questions. With respect to the requirement in the legislation to publish information on the Internet, there are a number of ways that can happen. The information can be published on a first nations website. If they don't have their own website, the first nation can make arrangements with another organization to have the information published on their website, such as a tribal council or a service organization such as the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada or something else.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Tribal councils will continue to provide the services that their first nations request of them. The issue around the reductions to tribal council funding relates to the fact that tribal councils will no longer be required to deliver five specific advisory services in order to be eligible for funding from the department.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. One of the advisory services that tribal councils were providing was in relation to financial management. However, the tribal councils can continue to provide that service to their member first nations. The only difference is that it's not one of the five mandatory services that the tribal council had to deliver in order to receive funding from the department, but they will still be able to deliver it if their member first nations request it of them.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  With his advisers, Chief Darcy Bear is the only first nations leader we have worked with to specifically address the concerns that have been raised.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The answer is definitely yes. The fact that this information would be publicly available reduces all of the speculation, the rumour mongering, all of the misinformation that is around with respect to not only chief and council salaries but also the extent to which first nations governments are funded by clearly identifying the revenues and expenditures by program, consistently reported for every first nation across the country and publicly available.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Chief Darcy Bear, I believe, is the only one who officially wrote to the minister in December of 2011, after the introduction of the legislation, to express his concerns, and he actually did come forward with some proposed wording for amendments to the bill at that time.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's correct.