The Wesley First Nation hosted Stoney Tribal Administration CEO, Ken Christensen last week to present a financial update to the Stoney community. The community meeting, which took place at the Chief Goodstoney Rodeo Centre, was held, presumably, to provide a financial update.
Interestingly, the CEO presented an update on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) funding and excluded information on capital (band) revenue.
In recent months, Stoney Tribal Administration has laid off many band administration employees. In addition, band administrators have acted to save costs by reducing the workweek to three days. As a result, band employees have lost 40 per cent of their wages.
Understandably, people were concerned and started asking questions. People have inquired about the state of our financial affairs. Having received no response from Stoney Tribal Administration, many were looking forward to finally getting some answers. However, many in the audience were disappointed because the full picture was not being presented.
Speaker after speaker got up to inform the CEO that they were not satisfied with the information being presented. Most in attendance were concerned about band funds and for good reason. Stoney Tribal Council, Stoney Tribal Administration, and the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley Band administrations are all funded using band funds.
Many families have been affected by the layoffs and significant reduction in earnings. Therefore, people are wondering, understandably, how much revenue was generated and how it will be spent. What are the facts?
Democracy in First Nations communities can be dubious and there are systems in place to keep people quiet. For example, politically designated elders are often on hand to admonish people who have real questions and real concerns. In addition, lateral violence can be an issue. People who had legitimate concerns at Wednesday’s meeting were told by paid supporters of the incumbent chief that it was wrong to attack leadership and that most people were speaking out of anger, and jealousy.
As I listened to people’s concerns being dismissed as petty jealousies, I wondered whether leadership took a pay cut if they are laying off people? Are executives taking pay cuts?
Jealous? Heck yeah! Who doesn’t want $200,000 a year?! But salaries weren’t the real issue. The issue was about the lack of transparency and why layoffs only affect Stoney employees.
Stoney employees are being made to feel proud for making sacrifices when the fact is, our leaders, and their executives should be taking pay cuts too. However, leadership did not take a pay cut, according to the CEO, nor did senior executives. That responsibility, it seems, lies with the working class.
I was disappointed with the information that was not presented. Even more so by the lateral violence people were subjected to. The meeting seemed scripted.
Chief and council need to realize that when people ask valid questions that they are not being attacked. People want to be heard.
As band members, we have a right to know how band funds are being used. We want to know how much is in the Stoney Economic Development Trust, the Ottawa Trust and the value of purchased land.
When people assert this right, they are often viewed as political, or adversarial. Hopefully, this will change because I would rather that my rights be respected outright instead of my having to assert it.
