The following post is courtesy of the CTF's new BC Director Gregory Thomas. Gregory caught an interesting interview on CBC Radio with ex-chief Judith Sayers. Ms. Sayers notes that the chief and council pay data the CTF obtained from the federal government may actually be low-balled.

Here's Gregory's post and transcript of the interview.

The interview can be downloaded here - it begins at the 15-minute mark in the show:  http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/bcalmanac_20101123_41608.mp3

BC First Nations leader calls for salary accountability
 
Ex-chief Judith Sayers told CBC Radio's BC Almanac Tuesday that:
 
-the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's salary figures for First Nations chiefs and councillors could be even higher, because they don't include money from other sources.
-She pointed out that Prime Minister Stephen Harper pays income tax on his salary, and
-she said every native community is going to have to make sure that the chief and councils are accountable. And that half the money coming into the community isn't being spent on a chief's salary.
 
Here's Judith Sayers biography and the complete transcript of the interview on CBC radio.
 
Judith Sayers was Chief of the Hupacasath First Nation in Port Alberni for 14 years, acted as its chief negotiator for many years, and served as president of the Upnit Power Corporation She was also named to the political executive of the First Nation Summit in 2006. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria law school.
 
CBC - BC Almanac -  Tuesday, November 24th
 
Mark Forsythe: What was your reaction when you heard that some chiefs are making more than most premiers and even the Prime Minister?
 
Judith Sayers: Well I was a little startled. I'm not quite sure I agree with that, but I do know there are some chiefs that are making some good money.
 
Mark Forsythe: And if they're making more than the prime minister, or premiers, is that justified?
 
Judith Sayers: Well, I think so. You know, I don't know if anyone knows the amount of time and effort that goes into running a government . Stephen Harper obviously pays taxes. As a first nation, not only do you deal with the politics, you deal with the economics, you deal with the everyday administration. You're protecting your territory.
 
Mark Forsythe: You were saying that these salaries, which sound high to many people, are justified. How so?
 
Judith Sayers:  It's a huge commitment of time and energy. It's a 24/7 job. It's immense, from the politics to the finances, to the businesses, to national and provincial politics.   You have to be multitasking all the time. I just took a quick look at some of the figures that the (Canadian Taxpayers) Federation is looking at. And so far, I've only found three salaries at $120-odd thousand dollars, and two at $80,000, and two at $70,000, and that's British Columbia.
 
Mark Forsythe: That's British Columbia. So the average , where do you think?
 
Judith Sayers:  I'd say the average is around $50,000 or $60,000, just judging by these figures. And I'm just looking at the chiefs, because there's a whole different column on councillors. It all depends on your community. You get more funding if you have larger population. And the figures that Indian Affairs gives you doesn't include the revenue that the First Nation gets on their own, whether it's from businesses or land leases or whatever.   And it doesn't include the fact that some of the chiefs and councils have two or three jobs within the community. That may be accumulation of salaries from those.
 
Mark Forsythe: How is it determined? The dollars flow from taxpayers, through Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, but when it gets to the band level, how is it determined how much the chief is going to make?
 
Judith Sayers: It depends on every community. Every community has a different process on determining salaries. Sometimes it's determined by the chiefs and councillors themselves. Sometimes its determined by the community based on a budgeting process. So there isn't really one formula for how chiefs and councils are paid. Some of it's based on affordability. 
 
Mark Forsythe: Should it be more transparent, though, so that taxpayers can see how that decision is made and how much individuals are making?
 
Judith Sayers: It's hard to be transparent when all the money that is being shown on these charts is the money from Indian Affairs. What you don't see is any other money from any other sources. So if treaty was paying half my salary, it's not being shown.   Or if forestry was funding half the chief's salary, it's not being shown.  So, it's not really a true reflection, I think, of the figures.
 
Mark Forsythe: Of course, many First Nations communities are in extreme poverty. How do you think their members feel when they hear about these salaries?
 
JS: I think every community is going to have to make sure that the chief and councils are accountable.  And to determine a process for establishing a salary within the community. And if they don't have that, they need to find a way to ensure that that's done. So that there is accountability. And that half the money coming into the community isn't being spent on a chief's salary.