The Prairie Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says all Canadians need access to First Nations financial information in order to properly police band spending.
Colin Craig was speaking to the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples yesterday and he says it is important that all Canadians have access to band financial information online.
“That is one powerful part of this, is it empowers elected officials with knowing by making this information transparent,” he says. “It also empowers taxpayers because ultimately they vote for elected officials, so it’s their right to the information too.”
Craig was responding to a question from Senator Lillian Dyck who asked why financial information of First Nations spending could not be posted online but restricted to band members only.
The committee was debating the Conservatives’ First Nations Financial Transparency Act.