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The Invermere
ALLEY CHO er 12 Novemb 2014
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Question #4 of pre-election Q&A
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BERNIE RAVEN CHRIS RAVEN 1-866-598-7415 TEAMRAVEN.CA Offices in Panorama, Invermere & Fairmont
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SHUSWAP BAND TOGETHER
PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NO. 7856
The Shuswap Band is celebrating new leadership for the first time in 34 years after band members voted on Friday, November 7th not to reelect longtime chief Paul Sam. Voted in were Barbara Cote, Rosalita Pascal and Timothy Eugene. Mr. Eugene (right) is pictured here outside the band office on election day with Suzanne Thomas (who was also in the running) and Lawrence Thomas. For more on this story, see page 3. PHOTO BY DAN WALTON
Nearby chiefs’ pay pales in comparison to ex-chief Sam’s STEVE HUBRECHT steve@invermerevalleyecho.com A survey of the financial statements disclosed under the First Nations Financial Transparency Act by all five First Nations in the East Kootenay (the four Ktunaxa member communities plus the Shuswap Indian Band) and the nine constituent First Nations of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council (of which the local Shuswap Band is a member), which are located in the Kamloops-Salmon Arm area, found — with the Columbia Valley’s Shuswap Indian Band being the one exception — that chiefs’ pay ranged from $7,200 to $81,000 a year, full-year councillor pay ranged from $7,200 to $72,500, while band revenues ranged from $2.31 million to $25 million. As reported recently in The Pioneer and other national media outlets, Shuswap Chief Paul Sam made $202,000
during the April 2013 to March 2014 fis- the band posted revenues of $3.79 milcal year while his ex-wife and Shuswap lion for the last financial year. councillor Alice Sam made $202,000 For the other three Ktunaxa commuduring the same period. nities: the Lower Kootenay Band near Their son Dean Martin, the CEO of Creston paid its chief $60,000 and rethe band’s corporate entity, the Kin- muneration for the band’s councilbasket Development Corporation, lors ranged from $27,000 to $17,000. had a salary The band had that averaged $5.53 million ... chiefs’ pay ranged from $536,000 from in revenue; at $7,200 to $81,000 a year, fullApril 2010 to the St. Mary’s year councillor pay from $7,200 Indian Band March 2013. During that to $72,500, while band revenues (now known same period, as aq’am), ranged from $2.31 million to the Shuswap the chief and $25 million. Band postcouncillor ed revenue make $9,050, of $2.21 million, while the Kinbasket and during the last financial year the Development Corporation posted rev- band had revenue of $4.61 million; and enue of $340,000 and held assets of the Tobacco Plains First Nation posted more than $5 million. revenue of $2.31 million and the chief At the Akisqnuk First Nation, near was remunerated $7,900 for the past Windermere, the chief and four coun- financial year. Councillors who served cillors all make salaries of $18,200, and the whole year were remunerated
$8,200 and $9,400; those who served only partial terms had remuneration ranging from $8,700 to $2,300. Among the First Nations of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, the Adams Lake Indian Band chief was remunerated $79,000, councillors’ remuneration was between $56,000 and $49,000 and the band had $15 million in revenue. The Bonaparte Indian Band had $4.7 million in revenue, and all councillors and the chief are meant to be paid $7,200. Bonaparte chief Randy Porter, however, chose to forgo his pay and instead donated it back to the band’s membership services department. The band had revenue of $4.7 million. At the Neskonlith Indian Band, the chief was paid $69,000, band councillor remuneration ranged from $29,000 to $60,000, and the band had $6.9 million in revenue. See A15
pugs & Crows live at pynelogs
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What does ART event at pynelogs · Author: elinor Florence mean to you? Friday November 14th at 7 pm Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 250-342-4423.
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