The First Nations Financial Transparency Act is an act of the Parliament of Canada relating to the financial disclosure of First Nations governments.
Background.
The act was passed after a number of media stories reporting large salaries for certain First Nations chiefs and councillors.
Provisions.
The act requires public disclosure of the salaries of chiefs and councillors.
The act requires First Nations to publicly disclose detailed financial audits.
Application.
The act applied to most First Nations governments.
The act was controversial when it was being passed. In order to improve relations with First Nations governments, the Trudeau government stopped enforcement of the act, with a promise that the act would be replaced with something better. Most First Nations governments continued to disclose their accounts anyway.
Further developments.
First Nations auditor general.
The Assembly of First Nations has suggested that there should be a First Nations auditor general mandated to audit First Nations governments. In 2010, the Liberal Party supported such a measure in opposition. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation supported such a measure. The 2011 interim chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations supported such an appointment. Indigenous Services Canada was considering such an appointment in 2021, but to date no such appointment has been made.