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Accountability will lend integrity to First Nations gov’t: Block by Kevin Brautigam of The Independent
Being honest with the people they serve is the aim of a bill co-authored by SaskatoonRosetown-Biggar MP Kelly Block. The bill doesn’t just hold chiefs and councillors accountable, it lends credibility to honest, hard working First Nation leaders, she added. “It absolutely does,” Block saidTuesday.“Bill C-27 builds on the Private Members Bill that I introduced last year. Of course Bill C-575 focused on the public disclosure of salaries of chiefs and councillors, and this legislation goes a little further. It expands the scope of the information to be published, requiring First Nations to include their audited consolidated financial statements.” Block’s Private Members bill died on the table, due mainly to the federal election. “I continued to receive, after the election, calls and e-mails asking me about my Private Members Bill, asking me what was going to happen with it, and
encouraging our government to follow through on that promise that we had made during the campaign. So I know that there is strong support for this legislation, and that’s encouraging as well.” That support was far reaching. Chief of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Chief Darcy Bear backed the bill, standing with Block and Duncan at the November 23 passing. “You know, I did receive a lot of support for Bill C-575, and of course the introduction of this piece of legislation as a government bill was part of our election campaign and was mentioned in the Speech from the Throne.” When Block originally introduced Bill C-575, it was in response to individuals directly affected by First Nations governance, who wanted access to financial information. “I said it before, I believe that First Nations, like all Canadians, deserve transparency and accountability from their elected officials,” Block stressed. “The one thing that we
Let’s see, I think I was good . . . Kiersten Raschke ponders a question posed by Santa that every kid must ask of themselves at this particular time of the year: ‘Have you been good?’ Santa came to St. Gabriel School last
Wednesday to see what is on kids’ wish lists. We think he found Kiersten’s been good this past year! (Independent
heard from Chief Darcy Bear was that transparent and accountable First Nations actually creates economic development opportunities, it creates a stronger environment for private sector investment, which is what they’ve experienced, and it does improve the quality of life for First Nations communities when you have economic development, private sector investment - it can’t help but have that outcome of a greater quality of life.” Nefarious or corrupt chiefs and councillors are
Nations who are proactively disclosing this information. If they have a Web site, they are providing the audited statements to their members, like Whitecap Dakota First Nation. There are those who will give this information when a member asks. But then there are those who
Cute as a button . . . Biggar and District Daycare held a ‘Kids Corner’ on the evening of the Festival of Lights, November 25. Held at the Biggar Legion, kids could play games, get their faces painted up and, most importantly, have a little one-on-one time with Santa! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
a small percentage of the greater whole - a group of First Nations people that are honest and honourable leaders in their community. “The same arguments that I made for Bill C-575 stand for this piece of legislation in that there are First
Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
don’t. And it’s levelling the playing field, it’s saying this is a best practice that we believe all First Nations need to attain, and they need to be transparent and accountable to their members and to the public,” she said.
Premier makes changes to cabinet responsibilities and committees P r e m i e r B r a d Wa l l last week announced a few changes to cabinet responsibilities and cabinet committees as the government prepares for the new session of the Legislature which begins on December 5. Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd takes over from Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter as Minister responsible for the Global Transportation Hub (GTH). Reiter will serve as the Vice-Chair of a new cabinet committee to oversee development of the GTH. Cypress Hills MLA Wayne Elhard has been named Provincial Secretary, taking over that role from Education Minister Donna Harpauer. Elhard will not serve as a member of cabinet in his new role but will
also become Legislative Secretary to the Premier and will receive the additional Legislative Secretary allowance of $13,287 per year. Wall said he will not be appointing any other Legislative Secretaries at this time. Reiter and Harpauer both retain their main cabinet responsibilities for Highways and Education respectively. Wa l l a l s o n a m e d a new Treasury Board and Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) Board. Treasury Board oversees the province’s General Revenue Fund finances and oversees ministry budgets while the CIC Board oversees the operations of Saskatchewan’s Crown Corporations. The Treasury Board members are Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Ken Krawetz
(Chair), Thunder Creek MLA Lyle Stewart (ViceChair), CIC Minister Tim McMillan, Social Services Minister June Draude, Regina Northeast MLA Kevin Doherty and Martensville MLA Nancy Heppner. The Crown Investment Corporation Board members are CIC Minister Tim McMillan (Chair), SaskTel Minister Bill Boyd (ViceChair), SaskPower Minister Rob Norris, Regina Douglas Park MLA Russ Marchuk and Saskatoon Sutherland MLA Paul Merriman. Wall also created a new GTH Cabinet Committee consisting of GTH Minister Bill Boyd (Chair), Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter (Vice-Chair), Municipal Affairs Minister Darryl Hickie and Enterprise Saskatchewan Minister Jeremy Harrison.