Chief Spence definitely not "idle"

[puckstopshere]

Below is a letter written by a well informed friend of mine.  He is a teacher of 30 years.  He is probably the most knowledgeable individual that I know when it comes to current affairs, politics and the world siutation.  He is meticulous in his research.  The letter is in response to a column in the Londoner:

For several years now I have read your weekly column in the Londoner and found it always to be the voice of reason and logic.

I don't wish to disparage the paper but it is often the only column I find in this publication worth my time to peruse. That is why I was most surprised by the stance you took in your last article: Chief deserves a meeting with the PM.

Columnist Christina Blizzard provided sobering details which suggested otherwise in her Saturday, January 21st, 2012 column in the London Free Press: Help is there, Attawapiskat must step up (E2). Since 2008 De Beers has given the reserve $10 - 11 million in direct payments to the chief. Under the impact-benefit agreement (IBA) the company is not allowed to reveal the full amount it pays into the trust fund. Neither would Chief Theresa Spence reveal those details when Ms Blizzard requested clarification. As Ms Blizzard pointed out in the aforementioned column, what is known is that $325 million in contracts have been awarded to the wholly owned Attawapiskat businesses or joint ventures to date. This for an on reserve population of merely 1,549 (2011 figures: Wikipedia). Last year alone, the reserve got $51 million in contracts. Your article did not reference these sizeable sources of funding, only the $90 million the federal government additionally gave and for which disbursement of funds Spence refuses to give an auditing.

Neither did you point out as Kris Sims did (Spence, kin made $221K+ in a year. London Free Press: 4 January 2013: B2) that she and her partner made some $250,000 last year alone. Nor, did you point out as MACLEAN'S magazine revealed this week (Hungry for change: 14 Jan. 2013: 11) that Theresa Spence is using a Facebook account as a global vehicle for donations to go directly into the account of her partner, Clayton Kennedy, co-manager of Attawapiskat. And how will those undoubtedly sizeable global contributions be dispersed or audited if the Canadian people themselves are not permitted to know how their own enormous outlays for the Attawapiskat reserve were spent?

In your article on Thursday, you allude to the larger problem of some 100 out of the Canadian reserves being in dire poverty but not to the fact that 80 First Nations band chiefs and council members raked in more income in 2008 and 2009 than the Prime Minister himself and that more than 220 paid themselves more than their respective provincial Premiers earn (Chiefs' pay raises taxpayer ire. London Free Press. 23 Nov. 2010: B3). Additionally, more than 704 reserve politicians made more than $100,000 though the average population of First Nations reserves was merely 1,142 as that same article highlighted.

In short, for the first time in my acquaintance I believe you betrayed your journalistic integrity. Possibly, it was because you mention members of your family and friends being First Nations people?

I would agree with Herman Gooden (Attawapiskat chief fronts a movement stuck in neutral. London Free Press. 5 January 2013: E2) that Theresa Spence is practicing "a kind of emotional blackmail." Likewise, you are as well by your careful editing out of salient details necessary for your readers understanding. Your article was is a true example of demagoguery. And in light of your other journalistic efforts, I find that a source of true regret.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Previously in a post not sure if it was your but someone said Native are talented in the Construction area so if they did the work that would put millions into there own pocket and give many families extra paycheck

Yes I said that, but I’m a contractor and I know the costs of materials and specific work down here….up there on remote Reservations the costs are much more. Take well drilling down here compared to up there. It is much more expensive to drill into rock and rocky soil than it is to drill into clay. Then the cost of machinery to get it up there. The list goes on and on, so can a Rez go through a Lot of money very quickly ….if and when they get what they need.

i mean say they need 50 homes ... you know how much money Natives on the reserve could make by building there own homes..

Not only would they have $$ left over but you would have 100's collecting good Paycheck for working

When something like this is said, it sounds simple and easy. To begin with you have to look at where a particular Rez is. You have to look at how much it costs to get materials to the location and by what means? You have to look at the availability for raw materials and if it is available on the land or not. Take gravel and sand just as one example. Down here we have gravel pits and if you want gravel or sand for projects, it’s just a call and dump truck away. But up in some Rez locations there are no pits and tons upon tons of gravel and sand for cement and mortar has to be brought in. The cost would shock you!

As for the Natives themselves and what they are doing on a daily basis….well that varies from Rez to Rez as well. Some already have jobs near the Rez while others have left the Rez to work elsewhere (and they pay taxes on that just like anyone else). One would have to look at each Rez individually as a judge looks at each case individually and make a honest decision. But of course a team of auditors and a judge did look at Chief Spences Rez and they got the good housekeeping seal of approval.

I know When I built my First home It was about the 4th proudest day in my life

A ‘home’ is a wonderful thing. I didn’t build my home, I bought a home built about 1854-56. To date I’ve put a little over 200 grand into it and the surrounding gardens and buildings…..and I get the advantage of getting materials at very good prices, so I am fairly well versed at what the rough cost would be to do work in especially a remote location. Up north on Reserves….they are at the mercy of others who must get the items to the Rez and believe me some of these haulers get every penny and a lot more out of it because they’re the only game in town.

The answer valve is in the article:

“"It is very, very difficult to do business in a remote community," Louttit said. "The average Canadian out there, they see millions and millions, and they just get concerned and said, 'Hey, there's something going on there.' "But I challenge those people, come to the community and look at the books, and come and live there for a couple of weeks and you'll see," he said.

When are you leaving valve? ….and I can make a recommendation of a few other people to go with you.

10 mil may not go far BUT my house is about 40 years old the one beside me is 75 and the one down the street is about 125 years old.

They need 300 houses (at most) they do not need new houses each year! 10 mil should build at least 100 houses closer to 200 since 60% or more of the value of a house is the land and they already have that. and like i say they only have to build houses every 60 years or so unless they are not bothering to actually do maintance on them

Maybe I missed it but where does it say new houses each year? Also the houses up there have to be much different for the climate than what we live in down here. Then have you ever put in a well on rocky ground?….or a septic system? …..or even a foundation? You can’t compare construction of homes here to homes there. It’s a whole different ballgame.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Here are three videos from the recent past. Some have Chief Spence in them.

Now look at these videos and ask yourself if the Chief would be so cold hearted as to live amongst these people, her own people and not care and do all she can! Ask yourself as well if Spence was shafting the people why they have not gone against her?

Now ask yourself one last question….where is the …….government? Not just the present one but the past ones when it comes to fulfilling promises, totally and completely? Have any of you dealt with the government in your own lives? Then you have an idea what hoops you have to go through and what is often a long journey to get attention or justice or even answers. Now imagine what these Native people have to go through who are out in the middle of nowhere and dealing with government "bureaucracy" that not only has little interest in them (out of sight and out of mind) but also has always had one goal….disperse the Native people and get the land.

1. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ynaC8f5ues

2. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ynaC8f5ues

3. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ynaC8f5ues

And here is the history of Attawapiskat…………..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attawapiskat_First_Nation

Nu…..your post is from the Sun and we all know that’s like reading the National Enquirer. Also the Sun’s casual off handed half truth and without factual backup statements about many things is ridiculous....not to even get into their racial profiling. (I'm sure Levant wouldn't want that done to his people!)

The Chief’s home is no different a structure than that of others. Hers may be in better shape but she has an income as Chief. Do you complain about Harper living as he does, even with a hired woman to dress him?

Chief Spence doesn’t drive an Escalade, she drives a Dodge Ram, 4 wheeler, which if you look at the video is needed for the area. Do you complain because Harper has bullet proof vehicles and a driver at his beck and call?

Where is the proof about the money in the stock market? The Sun enjoys tossing things out for the easily convinced to read…..but never anything to back it up. I could go on and on even about the daycare that was billed….because Spence didn’t ‘bill’ them….the costs have to be billed to the town for all expenses of the daycare. Spence doesn’t run a daycare.

And who wrote the article?………Levant. Based on his past long history I cannot express my views on him in certain places, but I long for the day I might have the chance to meet him.

The Sun is a trash newspaper whose only good purpose is on the bottom of a bird cage.   

[stevephinn2012]

Is it good enough if it comes from the Toronto star???

OTTAWA—The federal government is concerned a damning independent auditof how federal funds are spent in Attawapiskat will inflame tensions in advance of Friday’s meeting between the prime minister and First Nations leaders, says a source who has seen the report.

The government, however, said it did not deliberately withhold the document.

It was posted to the department’s website early Monday afternoon Monday.

According to the audit, a Sept. 20, 2012, letter from the accounting firm Deloitte to Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and copied to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, says more than 400 of the transactions it reviewed lacked proper documentation.

“An average of 81 per cent of files did not have adequate supporting documents and over 60 per cent had no documentation of the reason for payment,” the letter stated.

As a result, said Deloitte, it could not conclude the spending was done in accordance with government funding agreements, or for its intended purpose.

“There is no evidence of due diligence in the use of public funds, including the use of funds for housing,” wrote Deloitte.

“In our opinion, having over 80 per cent of selected transactions lacking any or proper supporting documentation is inappropriate for any recipient of public funds.”

The

Attawapiskat band council has received approximately $104 million from the federal government between April 1, 2005 and Nov. 30, 2011 for housing, infrastructure, education and administration.

“The independent audit from Deloitte and Touche LLP speaks for itself, and we accept its conclusions and recommendations,” said Jan O’Driscoll, spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan.

A source told the Star the federal government was concerned about releasing the audit in the lead-up to Friday’s meeting, but said “there is no good time for this to go out.”

[stevephinn2012]

Where is the proof about the money in the stock market? The

the word your looking for starts wit So and ends with RRY

http://www.attawapiskat.org/wp-content/uploads/2011-Financial-Statements-Attawapiskat-Trust.pdf

I think their OWN finacial statments should be proof enough!!!

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

The article I mentioned to Nu....is not that article.

The article you posted said the bookkeeping was bad to lousy. You're suppose to be someone who does taxes....ever dealt with anyone who has poor bookkeeping but ......has done nothing wrong?  

[tobyshitzu]

The rest of us should be protesting the massive amount of money given to Spence to squander/steal

You know its bad when even th e CBC is hammering her

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/01/07/jonathan-kay-six-lessons-from-a-brilliant-scathing-year-old-cbc-report-on-attawapiskats-mismanagement/

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

The financial statement doesn't tell it all. To begin with they lost some and made some in the market. Also the government has 'regulations' about any money that comes into the Reservations. It is not like everyone else who can just go out and cash in the money and use it. All Reservation finances are held in trust and controlled by the government's Indian Affairs. Government regulations can go as small as no one on a Rez can start a business without government approval which can take years to get.

You should read the hundreds of pages of the Indian Act with all it's sections and sub-sections which are hoops the Native people have to go through to get anything.......even when it is theirs. 

The financial stats only show the surface but not everything behind them.

I'll say 'thank you' for the print out, although I have read it before.

Maybe you could join valve on his trip. Grab your calculator and your winter boots.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Jonathan Kay: Six lessons from a brilliant, scathing year-old CBC report on Attawapiskat’s mismanagement

Show me in the article proof of "mismanagement".

[pigdog47]

The fish rots from the head first.

Someone said someone said something about  wells.  Well , well, well in point of fact,  steel well casing must be driven down & welded to the point where bedrock is reached.  So I gotta wonder,,,,,,how much cheaper is it to get a well drilled in sandy ground, than compared to surface bedrock???

Well, in Port Sydney, Ontario, as a for instance, there is samd.  Mucho sand.  In fact, in some parts, a well driller can drill 400+ feet and get zilch.  Nada.  So is it any cheaper to get a well drilled there?  Well take a guess, cause I dunno, BUT: 

Well drillers up these parts give a property owner two options.  Youse pay by the foot, or pay a set guaranteed price.  It is a bit of a gamble.  My neighbour next door opted for the fixed price option, after getting quotes from three different companies.  What then happened is that the drill outfit screwed up when they were installing the well casing.  The Company owner misjudged how much clay was over bedrock, and omitted to inject some kind of slurry that helps drive the casing into the ground.

After getting down so far, the well had to be abandoned after the casing couldn't be driven down any further.  And it couldn't get pulled up, either.  So, well # 2 got drilled a short distance away.  Turned out there was 150 + feet of clay on top of bedrock..

I hope this narrative has been helpful in case anybody is contemplating getting a well drilled or hoping to start a well drilling company up North or down South, or out East / West.

Well. if you are installing a DUG well, as opposed to a DRILLED well, then rock could be a bit more problematic.  Go figure. 

[puckstopshere]

The Northern Ontario first nation which declared a state of emergency over deplorable housing and whose chief is now on a hunger strike over treaty obligations has not properly accounted for millions of dollars of federal spending, according to an audit commissioned by the Conservative government.

The audit of the finances of Attawapiskat that was conducted earlier this year by Deloitte and Touche says the first nation had difficulty maintaining satisfactory records, particularly related to the housing projects. Attawapiskat came to public attention in the fall of 2011 because many of its people were living in substandard conditions as winter was setting in.

In a letter to Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence that was dated last August, Serge Desrochers, a Deloitte partner, says the first nation will need to establish management control practices and a sound accounting system. Of 505 transactions that the firm examined to determine whether they were complied with federal funding agreements, 409 lacked proper documentation, wrote Mr. Desrochers.

“An average of 81 per cent of files did not have adequate supporting documents and over 60 per cent had no documentation of the reason for payment,” he wrote.

As a result, said Mr. Desrochers, “we were unable to conclude whether the claimed expenditures were in accordance with the terms and conditions of the funding agreements with (the Aboriginal Affairs Department) and Health Canada.”

When asked Monday about the audit, Ms. Spence’s spokesman, Danny Metatawabin said neither he nor the chief would make any comment. “We have bigger issues here with respect to our treaty rights,” said Mr. Metatawabin.

Clayton Kennedy, Ms. Spence's partner and the co-manager of the first nation, said he has not seen the report but its release could have been timed to discredit the chief.

"There are no allegations of misappropriation and the band has never missed any of their mortgage or loan payments,” Mr. Kennedy told the Aboriginal People's Television Network. If the auditors had pursued suppliers for documentation, it could have been found given more time, he said.

“I view the report as recommendations to strengthen internal controls,” said Mr. Kennedy.“That audit was conducted at the request of the deputy minister at the time they put us in third party management, so it is all part of the politic.”

The federal government pulled the third-party manager last April after the first nation pressed the federal court to find it was unreasonable to ask an outsider to oversee Attawapiskat’s finances. The court later ruled in Attawapiskat’s favour.

Approximately $104-million was paid to the first nation between April 2005 and November 2011 – mostly for education, health, social services, water and housing. But many of the roughly 1,500 residents live in abject poverty and Ms. Spence is on a hunger strike, which was in its 27th day Monday.

The Deloitte audit was requested by the Aboriginal Affairs department because of ongoing concerns about housing problems despite the amount of money that has been directed at the reserve. It found that, for most of the years of investigated, the first nation had neglected to create a remedial management plan that was a requirement of federal loan guarantees.

The audit also says the first nation did not comply with a number of the requirements of its agreement with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Specifically, it says, reserve funds that were to be used to replace housing that had become dilapidated were not put into a separate account and were continuously underfunded.

Loans and subsidies were provided to Attawapiskat even though the community was known to be operating outside the terms of its agreement with the Crown housing corporation, says Deloitte.

When Ontario chiefs were asked at a news conference last week about the financial situation in Attawapiskat, Grand Chief Stan Louttit, who represents the northern Ontario region, replied that an audit requested by the federal government had been completed and both sides were in the process of reviewing what it said.

Ms. Spence’s protest was originally intended to force a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a representative of the Crown – presumably Governor-General David Johnston – to discuss treaty rights. Now that Mr. Harper has agreed to meet with first nations leaders on Friday, including Chief Spence, she says there must be concrete results from that meeting before she will eat solid foods.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/attawapiskat-audit-raises-questions-about-millions-in-s...

[puckstopshere]

What was the name of that judge?

[puckstopshere]

An opinion piece (probably by a racist or soon to be called one):

Large elements of aboriginal Canada live intellectually in a dream palace, a more comfortable place than where they actually reside.

Inside the dream palace, there are self-reliant, self-sustaining communities – “nations,” indeed – with the full panoply of sovereign capacities and the “rights” that go with sovereignty. These “nations” are the descendants of proud ancestors who, centuries ago, spread across certain territories before and, for some period, after the “settlers” arrived.

Today’s reality, however, is so far removed in actual day-to-day terms from the memories inside the dream palace as to be almost unbearable. The obvious conflict between reality and dream pulls some aboriginals to warrior societies; others to a rejection of dealing with the “Crown” at all; others to fights for the restoration of “rights” that, even if defined, would make little tangible difference in the lives of aboriginal people; and still others, such as Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, to go on a hunger strike.

Chief Spence, leading a group or “nation” of about 1,500 people on the shores of James Bay, demanded at the beginning of her strike a series of meetings with the Governor-General and the Prime Minister. This demand reflected a very old and very wrong idea (part of dream-palace thinking) that the “Crown” is somehow an independent agency with which aboriginal “nations” have a direct relationship, whereas the “Crown” is nothing of the sort.

The “Crown” is the Government of Canada, a matter of clearly established constitutional law, which is why Chief Spence made her demand to meet the Prime Minister, too. Stephen Harper was correct in refusing a face-to-face meeting, since a prime minister should not be blackmailed into doing what any group or individual wants. On Friday, however, he did agree to meet soon with a group of aboriginal leaders that could include Chief Spence.

Chief Spence has attracted various predictable public adherents to her cause. Something that calls itself the Idle No More movement has sprung up here and there – a rather unfortunate name if one thinks that it might suggest previous idleness. Some chiefs have welcomed the movement; others have distanced themselves from it, either because they prefer to control aboriginal politics themselves or because they understand that scattered incidents of protest that inconvenience others are a surefire way of dissipating support for the aboriginal cause.

Much of the rhetoric surrounding Chief Spence is of the usual dreamy, flamboyant variety, a mixture of anti-capitalism and anti-colonialism, blended with the mythology (blasted by the reality of what one actually sees on too many reserves) about environmental protection and the aboriginals’ sacred link to their lands.

To this is then added a desire to protect “traditional” ways, which in some cases means hunting, fishing and trapping, noble ventures that can lead economically to something only slightly better than subsistence. Without a wage economy beyond these “traditional” ways, the path lies clear to dependence on money from somewhere else, namely government, which, in turn, leads to the lassitude and pathologies that plague too many aboriginal communities.

Of course, there are some communities that offer the antithesis of dependency. They benefit from participating directly in the exploitation of natural resources near their communities, which should be the driving thrust of all public policy.

These communities have decided collectively to integrate to varying degrees with the majority cultures, to form business arrangements (where possible) in a vital attempt to create own-source revenues that will dilute or end the spirals of dependency.

But too many communities remain within the dream palace, hungering for a return to a more separate existence, even if the lands on which they sit are – and likely always will be – of marginal economic value. Attawapiskat, Chief Spence’s community, is subject to severe flooding, given its location on the James Bay plain, but it refused to consider moving farther upriver or near Timmins, where there might be employment opportunities.

To imagine that isolated communities of a thousand or so people can be vibrant and self-sustaining, capable of discharging the panoply of responsibilities of “sovereignty,” is to live within the dream palace of memory.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/too-many-first-nations-people-live-in-a-dream-palace/artic...

[art-in-the-making]

Wouldn't it be great if we would see the media and peasantry rip into somebody like Bell Canada (for example) with the same jowls quivering gusto as they do over a smorgasbord of unsubstantiated Attawapiskat innuendo.

In a nutshell, George Cope, the President and CEO of BCE earned $9.6 mil in 2011.

At the same time, in sustaining their unquenchable greed, Bell has done probably irreparable damage to the media in Canada. How does it make sense that one corporation is able to own a lion's share of communications infrastructure, a lion's share of content production, a lion's share of news broadcasting and no end of other stuff, including the Toronto frickin Maple Laffs? No sense.

Last year, Bell's monopolistic ambitions went beyond what even a Harper-controlled demagogy could tolerate, as Bell's acquisition of Astral Media was disallowed by the CRTC.

In short, this guy and a whack of cronies are making an absolute fortune, shipping jobs out of the country and by doing stuff ultimately judged counter-productive to the media landscape Canada. 

Yet no one says a peep about this guy but just go absolutely off their rockers with envy if Bev Oda orders a $16 glass of orange juice. No sense.

Attawapiskat lets out contracts to build up a community from scratch and they just get skewered - yet the same ones doing the skewering think it's perfectly normal for Muskoka to have $50 mil ladled out of the trough in sweetheart deals building outhouses, gazebos and other less substantial stuff... No sense.

Puck, your pal dots some of his i's and crosses some of his t's, but I believe he views things from a point of perhaps subconscious imbalance.

[nuvistors]

From the Toronto Star:

A: Spence has stopped eating solid food, but has been on a diet of lemon water, medicinal teas and fish broth, believed to help ward off sickness. She has been criticized by some for being on what they call a liquid diet, and not a comprehensive hunger strike. Taking liquids is normal practice among hunger strikers.

Her diet has changed from  Big Macs to Timmies soup.

Not really a hunger strike, More like a  diet to loose excess waight while  doing a publicity stunt.

111

[nuvistors]

From McCleans Magazine:

Theresa Spence had a long run as a peaceful warrior who, for the most part, escaped criticism. Spence, the Attawapiskat First Nation chief, spent several weeks in a Victoria Island teepee before most news media looked at her with a critical eye. But that’s now eroding. Ezra Levant and the Sun News Network, which led the charge against Spence with unapologetic glee last week, questions almost everything about Spence’s protest: Is she responsible, at least in part, for some o...

Inside the National Post’s coverage of the latest developments on Victoria Island, the newspaper refers to Spence’s action as a liquid diet—a change in tune from hunger strike, to be sure. The Toronto Star fronts a story about an apparently damning independent audit completed in the wake of last year’s housing crisis in Attawapi...La Presse and CBC News has some of the audit’s details, including claims that “there is little or no documentation...

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/07/spence-might-soon-need-pr-help/

[puckstopshere]

unsubstantiated Attawapiskat innuendo

That is like saying you need to be hit by a truck before you will believe that trucks actually exist.  It would appear that we are well beyond "innuendo".

Mismanagement is failing to keep proper financial records according to accepted accounting procedures.  Revenue Canada expects me to keep accurate records of my business - or any business in Canada, for that matter.

The natives are getting money from the Canadian government.  Do they feel that they do not ned to account for that money? 

Natives can block a rail line or a highway or an international bridge.  If you or I did that, we would be in the back of a cruiser before we knew what hit us.  Do natives want to be part of Canada or not?  Their actions lead me to believe that they want every benefit of being a Canadian - but none of the responsibilities.

[puckstopshere]

Do they feel that they do not ned to account for that money?

If not accountable to Canada, at least they should have a responsibility to account for that money to their own people. 

[valve37]

"When are you leaving valve? ….and I can make a recommendation of a few other people to go with you."

No need to, been north of the 51st to places like that and seen it all in the mid 70s.

Been to Sandy Lake, 180 miles north of fly off point Red Lake and rezs in between like North Spirit Lake and Pikangikum.

Been to Big Trout Lake 180 miles north of Pickle Lake the flying off point and points in between. Had a native take me out for fabulous early June fishing on Big Trout, catching 8-10 lb lakers casting top water.

Pikangikum was a disaster in those days and reading about it recently not much has changed except youth suicides. The school that the government built in the days I was there, was vandalized and burnt down twice.

I don't know and don't think anyone knows what the permanent fixes could be.  

[art-in-the-making]

The natives are getting money from the Canadian government.  Do they feel that they do not ned to account for that money?

They seem to be following Industry Minister Tony Clement's example to the letter.

[puckstopshere]

it's perfectly normal for Muskoka to have $50 mil ladled out of the trough in sweetheart deals building outhouses, gazebos and other less substantial stuff... No sense.

You need to read more.  There has been plenty said in these forums about corporate greed; the outrageous salaries of executives; fat cat pensions and severance pay.  None of it was in favor of those things. 

There have been many comments on thesew forums about government waste and mis-spending.  The gazebo has been mentioned a hundred times.

An attachement I posted in the past week in one of the threads: