A number of First Nations are voicing their displeasure with what they say is the unfair way the Harper government is conducting funding agreements.
Nine leaders from Aboriginal communities held a press conference in Saskatoon Friday morning to say they won’t be signing current federal funding agreements or will be doing so only under duress.
Onion Lake First Nation Chief Wallace Fox is one of the leaders who says he has no intention of signing the current funding agreement and adds he is willing to forgo the consequences.
“It’s legalized extortion and I said that last year – state sanctioned extortion of their policy, either you sign or you starve,” he says.
The First Nations leaders say the federal government is requiring them to comply with onerous auditing standards that no other party is required to meet in order to qualify for the transfer of funds.
Thunderchild First Nation Chief Delbert Wapass adds he can’t understand why First Nations have to present audited financial statements for ventures that do not use federal funds.
“Why are First Nations asked to do a consolidated audit on their businesses when you’ve used no dollars of INAC money to create those businesses,” he asks?
The First Nations say they are willing to make do without the funding rather than comply with what they say are regulations that violate treaty rights.