REGINA, SK: First Nations activist Charmaine Stick has launched a court application demanding transparency from Onion Lake Cree Nation and its Chief Wallace Fox.

“I grew up going to bed hungry because we had nothing, but why should my kids and grandkids go hungry?” asked Ms Stick, an Onion Lake Cree Nation band member. “Where is our band’s money going?”

Lawyers filed a court application on behalf of Ms Stick demanding that Onion Lake Cree Nation disclose chief and council compensation as well as basic financial documents as required by the First Nations Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA). The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is a co-applicant and CTF donors have chipped in to cover the legal expenses.

Since the adoption of the FNFTA in 2013 Chief Fox has refused to comply with the legislation and has gone to court to block the legally required disclosures. However, Chief Fox also refuses to provide transparency to his own band members including Ms Stick. Ms Stick went on a hunger strike in 2014 to demand transparency.

More than 98 per cent of First Nations communities have complied with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act.

“What is Chief Fox hiding?” asked Ms Stick. “Why won’t he show his own people and everyone else what he’s doing with our money?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced the federal government would no longer enforce the First Nations Financial Transparency Act on Dec. 18, 2015.

“All Canadians have the right to know what their leaders are doing with their money and that includes Charmaine Stick,” said Todd MacKay, Prairie Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Charmaine is taking a truly courageous stand and we’re humbled to have the chance to help her.”

The court documents can be found here, here and here.

For more information, please contact:

Todd MacKay – CTF Prairie Director – 306-582-7717 – [email protected]