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Review studies how funds were used in Anaham

The final report of a forensic review on how band funds were handled between April 2004 and March 2009 will soon be released.

Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tletinqox-t’in Government Office (Anaham) says it’s been a long time coming, but the final report of a forensic review on how band funds were handled between April 2004 and March 2009 will soon be released.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada’s Forensic Accounting Review, called “A Forensic Review of Specific Issues and Allegations,” was e-mailed to the Tribune from Alphonse last week, along with a letter to chief and council from Sylvie Lacompte, director, assessment and investigations services branch, AANDC.

In it, the review highlights main areas of review, including salaries and other payments; the purchase of personal vehicles using band funds; and other “potentially questionable payments using AANDC funds.”

In the letter, Lacompte suggested several measures including that the band may wish to recover band funds used for the purchase of private vehicles.

“We understand that TGO has taken several measures to improve governance and financial controls since our audit work. We hope that our findings will contribute to strengthening the community’s governance structure and control framework,” Lacompte’s letter stated.

The community still has to receive the final audit, but at this point Alphonse wants to press criminal charges against the individual(s) alleged to be involved.

Alphonse, who has been the Anaham chief since 2009, said this particular audit is only the tip of the iceberg, as not all of the band programs during that 2004 — 2009 time period have been audited.

The Alexis Creek RCMP confirmed Friday they have launched an investigation into the “possible misuse of band funds by previous persons who had access to those funds.”

“We will give the information we’ve received to our regional General Investigation Section and they will conduct an investigation, which may be somewhat lengthy depending on the paperwork and documentation involved in this type of fraud or theft investigation,” said Sgt. James Anderson of the Alexis Creek RCMP, adding part of the investigation will be to determine whether there was intent to misuse funds.

While Alphonse expects the final report from the auditors in about three weeks, he also suggested what’s missing from the equation is enforcement.

Alphonse said it took three years for AANDC to look into the community’s complaints about the possible misuse of funds and wants to know why.

None of the allegations have been proved before a court of law. Individuals potentially responsible for a lack of records or a lack of accountability have not had an opportunity to respond.

They are presumed innocent of all alleged misbehaviour.

They have not been reached for comment by the Tribune at press time.

“When you’ve got the Canadian Taxpayers Association and others screaming that First Nations be more accountable, we’ve got a situation where leadership of a community is demanding that people be held accountable and AANDC and the RCMP went virtually running away from us, not wanting to deal with this,” Alphonse said.

Attempts to gain a response from AANDC about Alphonse’s comments regarding it taking three years, and the audit work itself, were unsuccessful, but a media spokesperson at AANDC said until the final audit is shared with the band council, and subsequently posted on the AANDC website, the department cannot make comments.



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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