Theresa Spence

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Thursday, January 10, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, January 10, 2013

Attawapiskat chief slams audit leak as ‘distraction’

A newly released audit of the federal funding spent by the Attawapiskat First Nation has found significant documentation lacking for the $104 million transferred to the band between 2005 and 2011.

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence responded Monday in a news release, which dismissed the timing of the leaked audit as a distraction from the “true issues” and claimed it was designed to discredit her.

“I remain steadfast on my journey and will not allow any distractions at this time to [waver from] the goal set forth,” Spence said.

The chief is on the 28th day of a hunger strike amid national Idle No More protests.

The audit was requested by the federal government to ensure that the approximately $104 million it provided to Attawapiskat between April 2005 and November 2011 was spent as it should have been. The accounting firm Deloitte was engaged to perform the audit in December 2011.

The funding was intended for housing, infrastructure, education and other services. CBC News obtained a copy of the audit before it was made public.

In a letter dated Aug. 28, 2012, that was written by Deloitte to Chief Spence and copied to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the auditing firm says that of 505 transactions reviewed, more than 400 lacked proper documentation. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Saturday December 10, 2011

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday December 10, 2011 Some Attawapiskat residents at odds with chief Some residents of Attawapiskat First Nations support the government's plan to put the reserve under third-party management, a move strongly opposed by the chief and band council. "I think it would be a good thing. We need to clean up our financial crisis here in Attawapiskat because it's been like this too long now," Greg Shisheesh, a former deputy chief of the reserve, told CBC News in a phone interview. "I was happy to hear the federal government was stepping in to clean the mess up." Shisheesh, who said he has lived on the reserve all his life, said he believes a forensic audit should be conducted on a number of organizations on the reserve, including the band office and economic development office. "If our leaders have nothing to hide, by all means do it." Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has vehemently rejected the imposition of a third-party manager. "She says that and she didn't even ask the whole community what we thought about it. She never asked us," Shisheesh said. "The way the chief and council operate is totally opposite. They decide and then bring it to us after." Spence also said on Monday she will use the courts if necessary to resist the imposition of a third-party manager. Martha Sutherland, a tribe elder, told CBC News she is frustrated with the reserve leadership. "We want to hear what the Indian Affairs has to say, the third party, and we want to meet with them so we can voice our concerns." (Source: Globe & Mail) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/canada-us-border-agreement-a-good-thing/article4180452/ Canada, Stephen Harper, Attawapiskat, first nations, indians, natives, Theresa Spence, audit, transparency, accountability, legend

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 10, 2011

Some Attawapiskat residents at odds with chief

Some residents of Attawapiskat First Nations support the government’s plan to put the reserve under third-party management, a move strongly opposed by the chief and band council.

“I think it would be a good thing. We need to clean up our financial crisis here in Attawapiskat because it’s been like this too long now,” Greg Shisheesh, a former deputy chief of the reserve, told CBC News in a phone interview.

“I was happy to hear the federal government was stepping in to clean the mess up.”

2011-2015

2011-2015

Shisheesh, who said he has lived on the reserve all his life, said he believes a forensic audit should be conducted on a number of organizations on the reserve, including the band office and economic development office.

“If our leaders have nothing to hide, by all means do it.”

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has vehemently rejected the imposition of a third-party manager.

“She says that and she didn’t even ask the whole community what we thought about it. She never asked us,” Shisheesh said. “The way the chief and council operate is totally opposite. They decide and then bring it to us after.”

Spence also said on Monday she will use the courts if necessary to resist the imposition of a third-party manager.

Martha Sutherland, a tribe elder, told CBC News she is frustrated with the reserve leadership.

“We want to hear what the Indian Affairs has to say, the third party, and we want to meet with them so we can voice our concerns.” (Source: Globe & Mail)