MKO pleased Liberals reinstating funds frozen under First Nations Financial Transparency Act
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak says it's willing to work with Liberal government on issue
The federal Liberal government's move to reinstate funds that were frozen under the controversial First Nations Financial Transparency Act is applauded by the group representing bands in northern Manitoba.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced on Friday that the government will suspend court actions against First Nations that have not complied with the act.
As well, it's halting compliance measures that required bands to post detailed financial information online.
Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an organization representing most First Nations in the province's north, said she welcomes Bennett's decision.
"I think Dr. Carolyn Bennett and the government's approach, if they're going at it at a nation-to-nation basis, then it will be much more collaborative, and we're willing to work with her government on this and see how we can make it work on both sides of the issue," she told CBC News.
The First Nations Financial Transparency Act, which was brought in by the previous Conservative government, required 581 bands across Canada to release their financial information or have their government funding cease.
"We did not support the previous government's action on implementing the First Nation Financial Transparency Act. I think that was the wrong approach," North Wilson said.
Aboriginal leaders have called the legislation prejudicial because it required the reporting of non-taxpayer-supported streams of income.
First Nations claim that information is already provided to government, and that publicizing it violates treaties as well as protections to privacy under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"It was working against First Nations," North Wilson said.
"Instead of providing more resources to carry out the demands of the act, they just asked for more information without providing any extra resources, but also started to look at other own-source revenues that First Nations had that didn't really need to be out in public record because it would hinder any competitiveness in business. So it went too far."
North Wilson said a lot of First Nations are already transparent with their members, and the previous government's approach was not done in collaboration with First Nations.