Shuswap Nation Reserve's Dysfunction

There's that conundrum that Canadian society and the Government of Canada must cogitate; how to handle -- or just to allow reservations to muddle along on their own in the hopes that internal band council problems will be solved on their own -- the conscienceless self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment of band chiefs at the expense of the band members for whom, in theory, they are responsible for in quality of life opportunities.

In essence, a chief and his council are meant to have in mind the best interests of those dependent on their decision-making. Funding from the federal government through tax dollars is meant to enable the band council to administer the social, health, education, housing and employment affairs of the reserve in the very best interests of the band and its residents. That being said, all too often expectations come up woefully short.

And invariably, instead of taking responsibility for poor management and planning to improve in the near future, the fallback is always to accuse the federal government of short-changing the band by not providing sufficient funds to adequately ensure that fire protection, policing, health care, education, potable water and housing are adequate to the needs of the band population.

A band election is being held on the Shuswap First Nation, which is located near Invermere, B.C. (CBC)

One instance after another of chiefs and council members taking every opportunity to improve on their personal lives as they aspire to fatten their bank accounts and live in a manner to which they have accustomed themselves while members of their band languish with inadequate housing and poor educational opportunities for their children, spotlight the viral failings of the system. Which First Nations insist is the fault of Canada in failing their needs.

In the Shuswap Nation reserve close by Invermere, B.C. the band council explains their lack of a health care centre or daycare for its members as a deliberate move to integrate them with nearby communities that are non-native. "We want our kids to get into the mainstream and understand what it takes to live with the non-native population", said Dean Martin, son of chief Paul Sam.

This, of a community that insists its nationhood be kept separate and apart from the mainstream, that integration would spell the deathknell of First Nations. But this is also a reserve where the chief, his ex-wife and son have enriched themselves to the tune of over $4.1-million in four years. For a band of 267 members with a mere 87 living on the reserve, that's fairly rich remuneration. But they feel they've earned it since they've been around administering to the band's affairs for decades.

Justifying their individual salaries well in excess of $200,000 tax free, and far more in 'good' years. And, this in a reserve where some members haven't access to water, heating, indoor plumbing or other amenities of modern living, where crumbling houses are never repaired  and people complain to the council to no avail. It's a council that budgets under $30,000 for housing while $324,00 is st aside for "band government" and $905,000 for undocumented "other".

Economic development comes in at $226,000 and health $254,000, while social services merits $212,000. The band received $900.000 from two federal departments and $641,000 from property taxes  on real estate holdings. Dean Martin, the chief's son, acting as CEO of the band's corporate arm, Kinbasket Development Corp. earned on average $536,000 the last five years.

The chief is being challenged in a forthcoming election by a pair of band councillors one of whom lives off reserve and is paid $57,000 annually. Although Barbara Cote hopes to take control from the current chief and plans to work hard to benefit the reserve, even her salary as a councillor for a reserve where 87 people are resident is grossly out of proportion.

On a reserve with no health centre, reserve members use the services of another, nearby reserve, or go into town to take advantage of the health services available there. What, in fact, is the purpose of such dysfunctional reserves?