Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox says in his opinion, Bill C-27 is race based.
Fox made the comments following Thursday’s court proceedings where federal government lawyers argued that First Nations failed to provide evidence to warrant a stay of proceedings against the Financial Transparency Act.
Fox asked if the legislation is about transparency or if it’s about chief and council salaries.
“This legislation, no other race in Canada has to do this, except Indian people. The privacy legislation that each and every one of you enjoy in Canada protects all of you except Indian people. This is what the legislation does, Bill C-27,” he said.
Fox made this statement at a media conference after final arguments had been made. Also present were chiefs from Thunderchild First Nation and Ochapowace Cree Nation. In total there were five First Nations in Saskatoon court arguing against the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, which involves publicly posting First Nations annual audited consolidated financial statements, as well as a schedule of chiefs and councillors’ salaries and expenses.
First Nations want the judge to grant a stay of proceedings until their legal challenge against Bill C-27 is resolved in court.
The judge listening to the case reserved his decision and did not set a date for the release of the decision.
One of the arguments he will have to consider is the difference between public money and Indian money.
Fox said his band doesn’t receive public money.
“Indian money came from the land that was sold to the Europeans, to the newcomers. Our lawyer brought that up. The affidavit that was presented by the deputy minister Stevenson affirmed that. That this is Indian money. It is not public taxpayer’s money,” he said.
He said the threat of withholding money is a tactic that’s long been used by Indian Affairs against his people.
“’If chief and council doesn’t sign this funding agreement you don’t get money.’ I first heard this when I was 21 years old on council,” he said.
Fox says every March his band discloses the finances to the membership. Hanging onto non-essential funding for First Nations who don’t abide by the First Nations Financial Transparency Act is a way of exerting control, he said.
“That’s how they’ve been manipulating and controlling all of our people. Because that’s all they have to rely on.”
The federal government’s Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Bernard Valcourt, has long maintained that these standards are in keeping with other levels of government in Canada.
First Nations want the judge to grant a stay of proceedings until their legal challenge against Bill C-27 is resolved in court.