More First Nations councils post salaries
Several more Interior B.C. Indian Bands have filed reports under the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, but others have yet to post numbers for the salaries and expenses of their councils as required by the act.
Chief Ron Ignace. (KDN)
The act came into effect July 29, but band councils have until the end of November to comply before their federal funding is threatened. The stats from some bands across the country have raised eyebrows for the generosity of the paycheques being drawn by chiefs and councillors.
Chief Ron Giesbrecht of the Kwikwetlem First Nation in Coquitlam has been under fire for taking home $914,219 in pay last year plus $16,574 in expenses. His reserve has 81 members, 35 of whom live there.
Giesbrecht says $800,000 of his total pay is an “economic development bonus” in his position of economic development officer.
Pay for Kwiketlem band councillors ranged from $4,723 to $32,639 plus $1,934 to $3,060 in expenses.
Giesbrecht’s handsome salary dwarfs that of chiefs in the B.C. Interior. Earlier stories reported that Tk’emlups Chief Shane Gottfriedson made $81,200 plus about $10,000 in pension and other benefits and $28,176 in travel.
Chief Ron Ignace of the Skeetchestn Indian Band near Savona was paid $45,572 plus $18,876 in the last fiscal year, with councillors ranging between $40,617 to $43,989 in salaries and $9,363 to $11,996 in expenses.
The Skeetchestn reserve has a population of 530, 219 of whom live there.
Other Kamloops region band councils reporting so far include:
Adams Lake, population 760 (360 on reserve):
Chief Nelson Leon, $79, 579 plus $10,190 expenses.
Councillors range from $49,454 to $56,983 in pay and $6,070 to $10,355 in expenses.
Lower Nicola (population figures not available):
Chief Aaron Sam, $25,500 plus $6,456 expenses.
Councillors range from $10,265 to $29,130.
Upper Nicola, Douglas Lake (population not available):
Chief Dan Manuel (former chief) $50,880 plus $34,973,36 travel.
Councillors range from $10,000 to 11,397 plus $1,579.76 to $2,455.22 in expenses.
Neskonlith Indian Band, Chase, population 648 (265):
Chief Judy Wilson, $69,160 plus $30,094 expenses.
Councillors $26,451 to $60,100 in salary, $8,132 to $17,897 expenses.
Figures for the Oregon Jack Creek Band near Cache Creek, Cook’s Ferry Band at Spences Bridge, and Bonaparte Band have not yet been posted on the federal government’s website.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The per resident cost of these chiefs and councilors is incredibly high only because it is pId by Ottawa and the rest of Canada. Perhaps if the residents had to pay out of their own incomes, as the rest of Canadaians do, the rates might be lower!
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