Star-Phoenix Letter To The Editor Upsets Band

Star-Phoenix Letter To The Editor Upsets Band

Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 15:04

The Lac La Ronge Indian Band is demanding an apology and a retraction from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix over a letter to the editor published last Friday.

In a letter about First Nations’ finances, Wilkie resident Angus McMaster alleged that $4 million had “mysteriously disappeared from reserve coffers in the Stanley Mission area”.

In a statement issued this morning, Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson says these written comments are unsubstantiated — and says “every cent is audited on an annual basis”.

Cook-Searson says by publishing these comments publicly “without any substantive basis or supportive facts”, the Star-Phoenix is reinforcing stereotypes and biases against First Nations.