And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 12:52:52 -0500
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Lynne Moss-Sharman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: canada ll/10/99
Mime-Version: 1.0
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Fraud allegations increase on reserves
Indian Affairs develops complaints strategy to save face
Rick Mofina
The Ottawa Citizen
Allegations of criminal fraud on First Nations reserves across Canada have
risen sharply, particularly in Western Canada, federal documents show. The
Department of Indian Affairs has asked the RCMP to investigate 48 fraud
allegations in 1998-99, up from 26 the previous fiscal year and three in
1996-97. The fiscal year runs from April to March. So far this year, 16
allegations of fraud -- 11 of them in Alberta -- have been referred to the
RCMP, according to documents obtained by the Citizen under the Access to
Information Act. The documents show the department has, since 1995, been
developing a process for handling allegations of fraud, during which some
staff expressed concern about not embarrassing the minister or other
political ramifications. The ongoing process has resulted in a directive
entitled Allegations of Fraud, Mismanagement or Other Criminal Activity,
the documents show. Indian Affairs internal e-mail from January 1998 shows
that some department staff discussing a policy approach and were concerned
that a strategy be developed to reduce "the potential embarrassment to the
minister and the department if an allegation is held too long." Another
internal document, dated January 1998 from Edmonton, states the official is
concerned about "documenting too much information that may
eventually be subject to ATIP (public release through Access to Information
and Privacy laws).
"We're in the process of improving upon, if you will, our policy guidelines
on allegations and complaints," Cal Hegge, Indian Affairs director of
transfer payments, said in an interview yesterday.
Mr. Hegge's department oversees some $4.6 billion in payments and funding
annually for services to some 600 native bands in Canada.
In his report released in April, auditor general Denis Desautels said the
Department of Indian Affairs faced several hundred mismanagement complaints
with no clear direction on how to handle them. Mr. Desautels said Indian
Affairs could not effectively determine the nature and extent of financial
mismanagement on Canada's 600 reserves. In the interview, Mr. Hegge
countered that the majority of the complaints cited by the auditor general
did not involve fraud or potential criminal wrongdoing. The new measures,
enhanced since the auditor general's criticism, involve a
streamlined process for handling subjects ranging from allegations of
mismanagement, economic crime, trickery, deception, cheating, wasting
public funds, thefts and assaults to illegal fishing or logging, all of
which hold the potential for criminal wrongdoing.
The department has established the Allegation of Fraud Information System
(AFIS), an "allegations database" that is a collection of the charges made
to the Department of Indian Affairs. It will be used to track progress in
responses to the charges. Under the new policy, the department no longer
advises a chief and tribal council that it has passed a fraud allegation to
the RCMP. "We now no longer do that. We simply forward to RCMP if it
appears warranted," states one departmental memo. Officials are also
warned to keep secret the identity of the person making the allegation. It
is a response to controversy arising from details of a letter claiming
fraud on an Alberta reserve being leaked to the chief of the reserve after
passing through the hands of at least 68 federal employees.
"Preston Manning is still going for blood on the Starlight thing and the
executive team have been in the hot seat once again," states an internal
memo dated January 1998. Other internal drafts and debate on developing
the directive show the RCMP does not want to be inundated with every
non-criminal complaint of every sort stemming from a native reserve. In
still another memo dated Feb. 13, 1998, an Indian Affairs official pleaded
for clarification under the new directive, "Clearly it does not involve
wiretapping and stakeouts, but how far do we follow leads?"
Wednesday, November 10, 1999
Man commits 'vile act' on wife's goat
By CP
BRANDON, -- A Keeseekoowenin First Nation man who killed a goat in a
vicious and abnormal attack was sentenced to nine months yesterday. "This
is bizarre to say the least and sick too," Judge Krystyna Tarwid told Alan
Gordon Bone. Elphinstone RCMP were called June 26 after a goat was stolen
from Bone's ex-wife. The animal belonged to a friend of the woman. The goat
was discovered dead a short time later, bleeding from its rectum. A
post-mortem determined the animal died from hemorrhaging caused by a blunt
object and shock from the trauma. "He committed only what can be described
as vile acts of unspeakable violence," Crown attorney Shauna Hewitt-Michta
said. "The scene can only be described as disturbing." Hewitt-Michta said
the court had to impose a jail sentence to send the message the level of
cruelty carries a stiff penalty. "There was total disregard and lack of
respect for this creature," she said. "It's not a human being but a living
creature and the Criminal Code tells us the sanctity of animal life should
be respected." There was no physical evidence to suggest there was any
sexual misconduct. Bone, 40, repeatedly told police that none took place.
Defence lawyer Bob Heinrichs said Bone is embarrassed by what happened
while on a drinking spree.
"Let Us Consider The Human Brain As
A Very Complex Photographic Plate"
1957 G.H. Estabrooks
www.angelfire.com/mn/mcap/bc.html
FOR K A R E N #01182
who died fighting 4/23/99
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.aches-mc.org
807-622-5407
For people like me, violence is the minotaur; we spend our lives
wandering its maze, looking for the exit. (Richard Rhodes)
Never befriend the oppressed
unless you are prepared to
take on the oppressor.
(Author unknown)
