A group of band members entered day five of a peaceful sit-in at the Sweetgrass First Nation band office Monday. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation aims to help the community group access documents to gain information about a housing project's costs they have questions about. (submitted photo/Constance Paskiman)

By Angela Brown

Seeking transparency

Taxpayers Federation assists Sweetgrass band members access information on housing project costs

Jan 27, 2020 | 4:22 PM

Members of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) hope to help the Sweetgrass First Nation community achieve some transparency from their local government after band members questioned why an audit report of a housing project showed costs were significantly over budget.

On Monday, a group of band members entered day-five of a peaceful sit-in at the Sweetgrass First Nation band office.

CTF Prairie Director Todd MacKay said they had filed a number of Access to Information requests to the federal Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for documents that could explain the details of the project costs. Sweetgrass First Nation managed the project development with funds received through CMHC.

“We had a number of whistleblowers send us an audit done by MNP – a major accounting firm,” MacKay said. “The firm made some important discoveries. It showed some of the housing project had gone way over budget, and there wasn’t good information as to why; there wasn’t good record-keeping. There were major questions there about what happened to the community’s money. We want to help grassroots band members find the answers to those questions because ultimately that money belongs to the community and they deserve answers.”

He said the CTF also wants to find out if representatives from the CMHC are doing something about the issue to address the band members’ concerns “to make sure money meant to help the people is actually going to help the people.”

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Constance Paskiman, the spokesperson for the group participating in the sit-in, said she feels “disappointed” and “sick to my stomach” about the issue.

About six people started the group that continues to grow. About 10 participants took part in Monday’s sit-in, with one also staging a hunger strike at the same time. The group is asking for accountability.

“We are waiting for one of the leaders to come and talk to us because we have a CMHC audit report that has gross irregularities,” Paskiman said. “We want answers.”

She said band councillors haven’t addressed the group’s concerns about the project costs.

“We’re here on behalf of our grassroots people in Sweetgrass,” Paskiman said. “We elected leadership and [the band members] deserve answers.”

The Sweetgrass Housing Capital Project Review was completed by MNP LLP for the former Chief Laurence Paskemin and council in November 2019. Laurence Paskemin was chief from December 2017 to November 2019. Lori Whitecalf was chief during most of the project development stage from 2015 to 2017, and was elected again December 2019 for the current term.

Among the issues, the project was budgeted at $1.78 million, but in the end was almost $300,000 over budget. The project was budgeted as a 10-unit complex, with each unit at the same price. It ended up having an additional unit built that wasn’t in the plan. Several of the units in the project were over budget, one by as much as 48 per cent.

Constance Paskiman said there is a waiting list of people requesting new housing on the reserve as many of the current homes are in poor condition, with mold and other problems.

She said the group provided the audit to the RCMP in hopes it will commence an investigation.

The group hopes to be able to meet with the band council and begin talks in an effort to have questions answered.

“I think and I know when you elect leadership they always talk about: ‘We are going to be accountable,'” Paskiman said, adding council needs to be accountable to the band members on this issue.

The group also reached out to a number of officials, Paskiman said, including the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Paskiman said a letter received by a band member from CMHC indicated Sweetgrass locals should work with their band council directly about their concerns.

battlefordsNOW‘s calls to Chief Lori Whitecalf and the Sweetgrass band office for comment were not immediately returned.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow