financial transparency, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation are prepared to fight a federal law that requires financial transparency, and they could be facing sanctions in federal funding as a result. The ACFN has refused to publish their financial records which have been audited, and these records include the expenses and the salaries of the chief and the council for the group. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam explains “We are transparent with our members. We tell them what our finances and salaries are and if they don’t like what they see, they can tell us or vote us out. This is none of Canada’s business.” The chief continued by stating that the new federal law in question puts the competitiveness of the businesses owned by the band at risk and it views aboriginal governments the same way as it views criminals.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is not against financial transparency, but the federal law in question requires the band to publish consolidated statements from organizations owned by the band that would expose Acden Group Ltd. financial statements. Chief Adam stated “Everything is tied into the band’s corporation because Acden is tied to the band. This opens up our private business to our competitors, like our bidding wars. That’s bad for business and bad for our community. Now how is this fair?” Other bands of First Nation posted expenses in an online format earlier in the year but Chief Adam did not give a reason at that time why the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation would not do the same.