The leaked audit report citing lack of documentation for band spending by the Attawapiskat First Nation is having it’s intended effect. News media have focussed on the “story”, which says nothing about band misappropriation of funds. The auditors say they just don’t know in many cases.
Responsibility for this lies with both the government overseers who failed to do their job and with the band, who also failed to document properly.
Government and band council accounting shortcomings are temporarily diverting attention away from the bigger issue of Bill C-45 and, more specifically, the environmental measures included in that massive omnibus bill.
Although the leaked audit report accuses no one of misspending, the innuendo effect amounts to a smear tactic. I leave it to you to guess who might have wanted that effect to happen.
It’s all part of the game. There are powerful economic interests in relaxed environmental regulations. They are organized, funded and well connected. Many Canadians will agree with those interests and have every right to express and defend that point of view.
First Nations people, by standing up for their treaty rights to be consulted on any legislative changes affecting their lands and waterways, are spearheading opposition to industrial practices that may be shortsighted, misguided and even greedy.
Chief Spence is doing her bit to bring publicity to the Idle No More movement but she has also made herself a target. Shoot the messenger and sink the message? I don’t think it will work, but the tactic indicates a lack of good faith that will impede future negotiations. I do hope that Chief Spence will find enough promise in Friday’s meeting to end her hunger strike, regain her strength and continue her struggle on behalf of her people.
I believe that the Idle No More movement brings up issues that are important to all Canadians and I am happy to see these long neglected matters brought to the fore and vigorously debated. Let’s not get sidetracked.
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So many have been ignored for many years. Identities lost, language left, and does anyone remember the residential schools?
Sad, but many people will never be able to forget the residential schools. Echoes of that disasterous policy continue to ring through the lives of the children of residential school victims. Their parents were often so badly damaged that they were incapable of raising kids well. In addition, the larger culture and community was so broken, despairing and disfunctional that there was often no fallback group to take up the children of disturbed parents. The effects continue through generations.
If it takes a village to raise a child, as they say, the residential school policy did a lot to destroy the village, as well as the families it broke up. Terrible mistakes were made, but many Canadians still have no sense of that.