Millions in WFN transfers are set for renegotiation

Jason Luciw - Kelowna Capital News Published: May 07, 2010

Taxpayers could be permanently on the hook for transfer payments to the Westbank First Nation, relating to the implementation of the band’s self-government agreement with Ottawa, which began April 1, 2005. At that time, the federal government agreed to a five-year deal, giving the band more than $4 million per year until 2010 to cover a variety of costs. The money has been given in addition to more than $2 million in other transfer payments the WFN receives for health care, housing and other social programs.But WFN director of operations Pat Fosbery said that his First Nation has started renegotiating with the federal government, believing self-government transfer payments should be made in perpetuity. “The Westbank First Nation envisioned that this would be an ongoing payment from the federal government, just as the province receives transfer payments from the federal government,” Fosbery explained. The WFN considers itself on equal footing with the province in many respects when it comes to its relationship with Canada, although its jurisdictional powers vary from those of the B.C. government, said Chief Robert Louie.

The final transfer payment for the implementation of self-government was to be paid this year and was to be $4.5 million, according to Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs budget documents. The payments are used to support education, including operation of the Sensisyusten House of Learning, culture, social and economic development, legislative and administrative services and processing membership status cards.“A portion of it also goes to capital projects,” explained Fosbery. The ministry also said funding could be used for land, resource and environmental management.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation is calling on the ministry to make public the salaries of chiefs and band councillors across Canada. The federation released information Thursday, stating the salaries of some chiefs exceed remuneration for provincial premiers and in some cases the prime minister. “The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation was recently sent a brown envelope containing information that showed the chief of the Enoch Cree Nation, a community of 1,529 just outside of Edmonton, was paid more than Alberta’s premier––getting paid $180,000 tax free,” the organization said. “Meanwhile, the average Enoch band member’s earnings are closer to $20,000 per year.” Unlike those bands, however, many First Nations do make their chief and councillor salaries public, the organization added.The Westbank First Nation does post remuneration figures, showing Louie was paid $100,000 tax-free last year while Couns. Brian Eli, Larry Derrickson, Loretta Swite and Mike DeGuevara were each paid $60,000 tax-free.