Like the rent David Chartrand's salary is too damn high!

__________________________________________________On tiny reserve, big pay defended
Hundreds of reserve politicians made six-figure salaries last year, including 82 who were paid more than Prime Minister Stephen Harper's income of roughly $300,000.

Richard Foot, Postmedia News · Tuesday, November 23, 2010

This tiny native reserve of 300 people in rural Nova Scotia is governed by three of the highest-paid politicians in Canada, including one band councillor who made almost $1-million in tax-free income last year, according to federal government records.

Glooscap First Nation Chief Shirley Clarke reacted angrily on Tuesday to what she described as "inaccurate, negative publicity" surrounding aboriginal salaries, which came to light this week and turned the spotlight on her quiet community.

Yet, Ms. Clarke refused to explain what was inaccurate, or discuss what she and her two band councillors — her sister Lorraine Whitman and their cousin Michael Halliday — are paid.

On Monday, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation released federal documents showing the salaries, honoraria and travel per diems paid to all First Nations chiefs and councillors across the country in 2008/09.

Hundreds of reserve politicians made six-figure salaries last year, including 82 who were paid more than Prime Minister Stephen Harper's income of roughly $300,000.

The highest salary — $978,468 — went to an unnamed band councillor at a small Mi'kmaq reserve in Atlantic Canada.

Although the records do not include the names of individuals or reserves, other details make it possible to identify which reserve is home to the million-dollar councillor.

The federal records say the councillor represents a band of 304 members.

The Nova Scotia government also lists Glooscap's population as 304.

The records say the same reserve received $912,563 in funding from the Indian Affairs Department last year, exactly the amount separately listed in Glooscap's audited 2009 financial statement.

No other reserve in Atlantic Canada matches the 2009 population of Glooscap and its federal funding amount from that year.

The federal records say Ms. Clarke and three councillors were each paid more than $209,000 in salary, honoraria and travel expenses last year.

The councillor who made $978,000 received more than $700,000 of that for what Ottawa calls "other remuneration" — income typically paid for work related to band-owned enterprises, such as gas stations and casinos, or band-awarded contracts, such as road-paving and snow ploughing.

On Tuesday Ms. Clarke, Ms. Whitman and Mr. Halliday invited journalists to the Glooscap band office to hear a statement from the chief.

"The document provides an inaccurate perception that we are unjustly overpaid for the limited work we do on behalf of our community," she said.

"Unlike non-Mi'kmaq politicians, we do not receive vehicle allowances, pensions, benefits, insurance or dry cleaning reimbursements.

"It is unfortunate that once again, the public is too easily entertained by inaccurate, negative publicity once again, focusing on the Mi'kmaq."

Ms. Clarke and her councillors declined to answer questions from reporters. Each was asked if they were paid $978,000 last year. Each refused to comment.

On the reserve, band members who did not want to be named said they were shocked to learn through the media that their chief and councillors were paid such sums for running a small community.

Glooscap's official membership stands at 300, but only 87 members actually live in the community — a store and gas bar, a video lottery parlour and the band office and health centre, surrounded by modest but tidy homes on the outskirts of Hantsport.

One Mi'kmaq woman said many Glooscap residents are unemployed and collect $110 per week in welfare payments. She said the Glooscap reserve, like dozens of others across Canada, is run by a small group of powerful families.