First Nations Financial Transparency Act
| First Nations Financial Transparency Act | |
|---|---|
| Parliament of Canada | |
| |
| Citation | S.C. 2013, c. 7 |
| Assented to | 2013-03-27 |
| Legislative history | |
| First reading | 2011-11-23 |
| Second reading | 2012-06-21 |
| Third reading | 2012-11-27 |
| First reading | 2012-11-28 |
| Second reading | 2012-12-13 |
| Third reading | 2013-03-26 |
| Status: In force | |
The First Nations Financial Transparency Act is an act of the Parliament of Canada relating to the financial disclosure of First Nations governments.[1]
Background
[edit]The act was passed after a number of media stories reporting large salaries for certain First Nations chiefs and councillors.[2]
Provisions
[edit]The act requires public disclosure of the salaries of chiefs and councillors.[2]
The act requires First Nations to publicly disclose detailed financial audits.[3]
Application
[edit]The act applied to most First Nations governments.[1]
The act was controversial when it was being passed.[1] In order to improve relations with First Nations governments, the Trudeau government stopped enforcement of the act, with a promise that the act would be replaced with something better.[1][4] Most First Nations governments continued to disclose their accounts anyway.[1]
Further developments
[edit]First Nations auditor general
[edit]The Assembly of First Nations has suggested that there should be a First Nations auditor general mandated to audit First Nations governments.[5] In 2010, the Liberal Party supported such a measure in opposition.[6] The Canadian Taxpayers Federation supported such a measure.[4] The 2011 interim chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations supported such an appointment.[7] Indigenous Services Canada was considering such an appointment in 2021,[4] but to date no such appointment has been made.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Brock, Kathy; Migone, Andrea (2018-12-01). "Financial capacity of First Nations in Canada". Canadian Public Administration. 61 (4): 479–498. doi:10.1111/capa.12300. ISSN 0008-4840.
- ^ a b Dawson, Tyler (2023-06-16). "Alberta First Nation taken to court over lack of financial disclosures". National Post. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ Huncar, Andrea (2016-10-18). "Improve rules governing First Nation spending, critics demand". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ a b c Huncar, Andrea (2021-06-20). "'No help out there': Alberta advocate fighting for First Nations financial accountability since 2016". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ Brock, Kathy (2006-09-01). "Fault lines in the federation". Policy Options. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ "Some native chiefs earn more than PM: tax watchdog". CBC News. 2010-11-22. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ Kirton, David (2011-11-25). "Morley Watson calls for First Nations auditor general". Archived from the original on 2025-04-27.