Charmaine Stick of Onion Lake

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Charmaine Stick and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are taking the Onion Lake Cree Nation to court to force band leaders to tell band members what’s happening with the community’s money. Today we filed the final court documents and announced the court application to the media.

If she wins, it will set a precedent across Canada and force dozens of other First Nations bands to open their books.

Charmaine is courageous. When she heard about financial problems at her band, she demanded answers from her leaders. When they refused, she went on a 13-day hunger strike. Now, because of donations  the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a co-applicant on her court case and we’re covering all of the legal expenses.

We’ve given Onion Lake Chief Wallace Fox every chance to do the right thing, but he refuses to comply with the CTF-inspired First Nations Financial Transparency Act. The act requires First Nations to publish the salaries and expenses of the chief and council as well as the band’s basic financial information. More than 98 per cent of First Nations have complied to some degree. The disclosures show some chiefs got paid more than the prime minister and others serve as unpaid volunteers. But Chief Fox says it’s racist to have a law requiring transparency in First Nations communities and he won’t open the books.

It gets worse.

The previous Conservative government went to court to force Onion Lake to follow the law. When the Liberals formed government, they halted the court action and stopped enforcing the law. The government may have given in, but Charmaine hasn’t and neither have we. Now Charmaine will have her day in court. And she’s getting the opportunity to tell her story to the world through the media.

It’s now time to turn the heat up on the federal government. Can you email the Prime Minister, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and the opposition critics and ask the federal government to apply to be an intervener in this case on behalf of transparency?

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Heating up!

Dear Supporter,

Charmaine Stick is taking another courageous stand for financial transparency in First Nations communities and this time she’s doing it in Ottawa.

Can Charmaine count on you to stand with her?

Charmaine went on a hunger strike to force leaders at the Onion Lake Cree Nation to show grassroots band members what’s happening with the band’s money, but Chief Wallace Fox refused.

In fact, Onion Lake is one of the only First Nations that won’t comply with The First Nations Financial Transparency Act and refuses to publish salaries and expenses for its chief and council as well as basic financial statements.

Charmaine teamed up with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to take Onion Lake’s leaders to court to force them to open the books. Hundreds of CTF supporters have made donations to cover the legal bills and sent notes of support for Charmaine. After many delays, she’s scheduled to have her day in court this spring.

But here’s the thing: Charmaine wouldn’t have to go to court if the federal government were doing its job by enforcing The First Nations Financial Transparency Act. Because Ottawa is failing to enforce the law, not only is Onion Lake off the hook for keeping its books closed, other bands are also refusing to provide transparency.

Now Charmaine is taking the fight to Ottawa. The parliamentary committee for Indigenous and Northern Affairs has invited Charmaine to testify on April 6th. She’s going to fly from Saskatoon to Ottawa so she can look Members of Parliament in the eye and tell them to stand up for grassroots people in First Nations communities who deserve to know what’s happening with their bands’ money.

Taking the fight to Ottawa isn’t cheap. The parliamentary committee offered to use taxpayer money to pay for Charmaine’s travel expenses, but the CTF doesn’t accept taxpayer money – ever. We’ve told Charmaine that because she’s also representing the CTF, we’ll pay for the flights and hotels for her and one of her supporters, as well as the CTF’s Prairie Director, Todd MacKay, who has been supporting her efforts. All together, the bill for the three of them to go to Ottawa will be $3,582.

Charmaine knows she’s going to face a lot of criticism and even intimidation. She’s going to need support to get through this fight. If you want to encourage Charmaine, send us a note and we’ll make sure she sees it.

CTF

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When Charmaine Stick went on a hunger strike to demand accountability at the Onion Lake Cree Nation, her own chief told her to go ahead and starve because she’d never get anywhere.

Wow, was he ever wrong.

Charmaine has taken her fight for accountability all the way to Ottawa.

Charmaine testified to the parliamentary committee for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in April. She told Members of Parliament about her hunger strike. She told them how hard it is for grassroots people in First Nations communities to get answers from leaders who don’t want to tell anyone what’s happening with band money. She told them they need to enforce The First Nations Financial Transparency Act to make sure band leaders publish their salaries and expenses as well as basic financial documents.

Usually, parliamentary committees are boring. It was different when Charmaine testified. MPs saw a person who’s living with the policies they enact. They listened to every word. A few wiped away tears. It’s a good bet those MPs will never forget Charmaine.

Later that day, Charmaine sat in the House of Commons and watched Question Period. An Opposition MP asked a question about Charmaine’s case. The government acknowledged there are transparency problems at Onion Lake and they’re working on it.

Charmaine wasn’t alone in Ottawa. Hundreds of CTF supporters were standing behind her. So many of you sent encouraging messages and donations to cover the costs. She got to Ottawa because of you.

We interviewed Charmaine right after she testified. She was so excited. And she recorded a message just for CTF supporters at the end. To hear Charmaine’s message, please click this link:

https://youtu.be/55iVuXFFvRI

Charmaine’s struggle continues. Charmaine and the CTF are taking her band leaders to court to force them to comply with The First Nations Financial Transparency Act. We hope to have an update on that front soon.

In the meantime: thanks. Thanks for supporting the CTF. And thanks for supporting a courageous First Nations activist named Charmaine Stick. With courageous activists like Charmaine and amazing supporters like you we’re going to make a difference.

- Todd, Scott, Shannon and the CTF team