A small First Nation band in Metro Vancouver is defending the nearly $1 million salary its chief and economic development officer earned last year.
Ron Giesbrecht made $914,219 and claimed $16,574 in expenses representing the 82-person Kwikwetlem First Nation for the fiscal year ending in March 2014, according to a salary disclosure on the band’s website.
The second highest salary at Kwikwetlem went to Ed Hall, who earned just $52,350.
Giesbrecht’s surprising pay, which nearly tripled that of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, raised eyebrows on social media after it was released this week in compliance with Canada’s controversial Financial Transparency Act.
The Kwikwetlem First Nation responded Thursday with a statement revealing the bulk of the chief’s earnings came from a single contracted bonus.
“We understand that seeing such a large number for the Chief’s salary is disconcerting, but for the sake of clarity, we wish to break it down for you,” the band said.
Giesbrecht made just $4,800 as chief, $80,000 as economic development officer, and $800,000 as a 10 per cent bonus on capital projects and business opportunities he secured on behalf of the band, the Kwikwetlem First Nation said.
The rest was said to have been made up by various unspecified benefits.
The contract terms were passed on to Giesbrecht when he took over the economic development officer position in September 2013, the band added, and the bonus was removed when the contract was renegotiated in April.
“The Chief has asked that this statement stands for itself and will make no further comment,” it said.
Staff at the band office, located on the Kwikwetlem's small parcel of land just east of the Trans-Canada Highway near the Fraser River, told CTV News that Giesbrecht was out of town Thursday.
The First Nation didn’t reveal what project or projects he had secured, but said his $800,000 was paid as a percentage of gross profits generated.
Of the 82 people Giesbrecht represents, 35 live on the reserve.
The Financial Transparency Act became law last year, requiring all First Nations to publish audited financial statements and remuneration and expense information. The deadline for releasing last year’s documents came this week.
The Assembly of First Nations, which said it was not consulted in the development of the act, has criticized the terms as “neo-colonial” and said they threaten to further strain relations with Ottawa.
Many First Nations have yet to release their statements, but of those that have, some chief salaries have ranged from $25,000 to $129,000.
The federal government said it may withhold payments and terminate grant and contribution agreements for bands who fail to comply with the act.
