VANCOUVER, B.C.: Indigenous activist Hans McCarthy and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are heading to Federal Court tomorrow to strengthen the rights of band members to access financial transparency from both band leaders and the federal government.

“The federal government should be helping grassroots activists like me, not fighting us in court,” said Hans McCarthy, a member of Frog Lake First Nation. “As a community, we are a family and it’s upsetting that we have to become activists just to find out what is happening with our own First Nation’s money.

“This court case is important because it’s going to help all bands while increasing accountability in my community.”

Frog Lake First Nation’s trust fund, funded by revenues from natural resources located on band lands, totaled about $102 million in 2013, according to documents released through the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. Less than $9 million remained by 2024.

McCarthy partnered with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to file federal access-to-information requests to acquire band council resolutions regarding the fund. Indigenous Services Canada refused to release the documents.

In his court application, McCarthy argues that Ottawa has a duty to disclose these records to band members who request them and that both the federal government and First Nation leaders must be transparent about the trust fund.

“Hans McCarthy deserves to know what his leaders are doing with his band’s money,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “This court case is about a clear principle: if money is being held in trust for a band, then band members have a right to know how it is being used.”

The court application will be heard in Federal Court, tomorrow, Sept. 10.

The initial court application and timeline of events can be found here and here.