''COULD HAPPEN ON ANY REZ''

Just imagine what could happen if u have the wrong ppl in as Chief and Council. But how ya know how they gonna be if not given a chance. I hope for a bigger shake up this election some been in to long. When councillors start votin against your funding request,ya can't tell me that does'nt steer a decision. Hopefully this councillor will get voted out this time. And i figure let others have a chance at the perks of the job.


Company can dip into reserve's bank account: court
Last Updated Apr 5 2005 08:08 AM CDT
CBC News
WINNIPEG – A Manitoba court of appeal ruling could have a major impact on how First Nations in this province do business.

In February, the Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled in favour of McDiarmid Lumber, a Manitoba-based business owed more than $1.2 million from the Gods Lake First Nation. The ruling will allow the company to garnishee $550,000 from the First Nation's off-reserve bank account.

Grand Chief Dennis Whitebird with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says people on the reserve will suffer as a result of the ruling.

"Social benefits, education, health benefits are being impacted by this whole thing," he says. "If the First Nations do not have any money to provide social services to their people, that's a basic human right."

However, others applaud the ruling, saying it will force First Nations to be more fiscally accountable.

"Pay your bills. I mean, we all got to pay our bills," says Alan Isfeld, a construction worker from the Waywayseecappo First Nation. Isfeld says before this ruling, many companies refused to do business with First Nations because they worried they wouldn't be paid.

"I think what this has done is it's going to make the chiefs and councils sit down, now, and be more accountable for the monies they receive and make sure that those dollars are administered and delivered in the fashion that they were meant to be delivered," he says.

"The chiefs are going to lose a lot of their free discretion to do whatever they want with those dollars. They can't do that any more."

Gods Lake plans to appeal the ruling, with support from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.