Democracy in Action: Bigstone Cree Nation, Alberta

The Bigstone Cree Nation inclusive of the communities of Wabasca, Chipewyan Lake and Calling Lake in northern Alberta is governed by a chief and ten councillors from the three communities whose population totals about eight thousand First Nations people. Chief Gordon Auger had announced a plan, imminent pre-retirement, to double severance for the Bigstone Cree Nation elected representatives. But the reaction to this proposal was far less than enthusiastic and it was shelved.

But not forgotten. The chief and the band council members discussed an alternative that they kept to themselves; to have a band-owned company instead award them hefty bonuses reflecting in total the very amount that band members turned down in the form of severance allowances. And so, before band members were even aware of the situation, the proverbial cheques were in the mail.

A photo taken in January 2003 of a sign for Bigstone Cree Nation.  Shaughn Butts/Postmedia/File

"If the band doesn't have any bylaws that authorize this, there certainly could be a problem here. Certainly there's clearly a risk of conflict of interest."
"Generally, good governance would require that there's kind of a division between the political arm of the First Nation ... and the business arm."
"There's a heightened need for there to be transparency and policies to govern conduct [in small communities where overlap exists between the chief and council and business entities]."
Sean Jones, Vancouver lawyer practising Indigenous law

"It's really sad, because we have a lot of members that are living in poverty."
Travis Gladue-Beauregard, band member 

"I truly feel that I contributed to building up the nation from practically nothing to where it is now, due to the fact of devoting 24/7 of my time as the chief of the nation."
Chief Gordon Auger, Bigstone Cree Nation

“I built this Bigstone. I call it Gordon’s World. Bigstone had nothing when I came to Wabasca.” —Gordon Auger

"The history of increasing the transitional allowance without a membership meeting and referendum breed irresponsibility and a lack of accountability to membership."
Councillor Josie Auger, conscientious objector, Bigstone Cree Nation

"I believe that business and politics must be separate."
"A review of the current Bigstone Cree Nation business entities corporate structure needs to be conducted."
Councillor Gloria Anderson, conscientious objector, Bigstone Cree Nation

Bigstone Cree Nation, points out Mr. Gladue-Beauregard, is in desperate need of funding to repair roads and improve housing. In his considered and outraged opinion, profits from businesses owned by the band are not meant to personally endow band councillors and its chief with bonuses. Band members, he pointed out further, are given little information on band-owned business revenues, have no idea how many such businesses even exist, to begin with.

First elected in 1991, chief on and off since then, Chief Auger feels he is entitled to his entitlements. Nowhere is there a written contract much less a band membership understanding that a "retirement package" for chief and council is a civic requirement, but Chief Auger refers to their "countless days and hours of family and personal sacrifices", as proof-positive that there is nothing altruistic or civic-minded in running for election and acting on behalf of the community's best interests -- with four rare exceptions.

An increase in the severance for the chief to $150,000 from the current $80,000 and to $130,000 from $70,000 for councillors appears to be what motivates most of the band council, disappointed their proposal was turned down by the ingrates whom they so selflessly serve. Obviously oblivious to the consequences of disapproval from her fellow councillors, Coun.Josie Auger opposed the change, and did so in writing. And she has company from among three others.

That letter saw publication on the Facebook page of the Bigstone Empowerment Society, the group founded in 2016 by Gladue-Beauregard with the intention of improving transparency through clarification of issues. When an outcry of dissent from among the band's members ensued, rejecting the severance plan it was withdrawn.

The council instead approached Mistassini Aboriginal Contracts Ltd. a company the band owns -- and whose board of directors is, surprise! comprised of the chief and band councillors -- "to request the funds for a one-time dividends payment for chief and council" as follows: $70,000 for chief Auger, and $60,000 for each councillor. Precisely what they had intended the severance to comprise of.

Three councillors published photographs of cheques they were issued and have rejected; another did the same without posting photos. One councillor said on record that the chief and council are "underpaid". Under the federal government's First Nations Financial Transparency Act comes the information that the chief's 2016-17 salary was $90,000 and the take-home pay of each councillor was $82,800.

Several of the band councillors have chosen to leave the board of Mistassini Aboriginal Contracts. The band, in fact owns 27 businesses. Chief Auger argued he had negotiated a "big contract" for MACL for work on a transmission line, so he regards the payout as recognition of his sterling work on behalf of the band, through MACL. "I said we deserve a goddamn good bonus",  he emphasized.