Air Canada has an ombudsman, so too does the CBC, but Canada's native population does not have an ombudsman to represent individual band members when issues arise with their leaders or with Indian & Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).

Seldom does a week pass by without a news story of band corruption. Access
to Information documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show in 2003 the Department of Indian Affairs received 297 allegations of corruption, nepotism or mismanagement by native band councils.

Complaints of poor housing conditions usually fall on deaf ears since the department won't interfere with individual band issues. It is then left up to the native leadership on the reserve to deal with the situation, which - pardon the pun - is little more than cold comfort.

A recent example, happening here in Manitoba, has to do with media reports regarding members of the Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation having to go without water, heat or power. At the beginning of December, just when the cold weather snap arrived, nearly 30 families were stuck without heat.

According to Global News and the Canadian Press, these families asked their band council for help but the chief claims there is no money in the budget.
An interesting statement since just days before the story broke of the heat and power deprived families on Roseau River, the same chief cut the ribbon on a $1.5 million gas bar and smoke shop, with plans to expand the development by another $40 million.

If this had happened in a suburb in Winnipeg, it would be the top story in the news until some politician or bureaucrat was held accountable. Further, the homeowner would have numerous avenues to resolve this situation. But natives do not because the system itself is the problem. When the band council controls housing, maintenance, and even furniture for band residents, their power is near absolute. This absurd level of band control begs abuse.

In the long run, Canada needs to scrap the archaic reserve system and allow native Canadians to own their own homes on reserves. The Indian Act, with all its disastrous consequences, needs to be abolished. This should be the long term goal.

In the short term, native Canadians need a way to have their concerns addressed without risking their personal comfort and security on reserves.
An ombudsman for aboriginal affairs should be created with the power to investigate complaints and seek redress from both band councils and INAC.

The federal Conservative government included the creation of an aboriginal affairs ombudsman in their election platform. Unfortunately, the minister responsible hasn't seen fit to implement the same.

If an airline and a publicly funded television corporation deem it necessary to have an ombudsman, why then is the federal government dragging their feet appointing one for arguably society's most vulnerable