Justin Trudeau slammed for saying that he would overhaul First Nation transparency law

Thanks to the First Nations Transparency Act — which came into affect two weeks ago — we now have greater clarity on how much money chiefs and councillors get paid.

Specifically, we know that a chief of an 80-member band in B.C. earned more than a million dollars last year.

We know that there are many chiefs who earn a lot more than the mayors of cities exponentially larger than their communities.

We've even learned of one chief who expensed $6,000 for his mobile phone.

And to be fair, there are also a lot of chiefs and councillors who make very little money.

The bill seems to have been a success in that it has brought to light some spending improprieties; it illustrates how band revenues and taxpayer money is being spent and presumably will put pressure on communities to curb extraordinary salaries.

Despite its success, Justin Trudeau says that a Liberal government would scrap the bill.

"I wouldn't keep the legislation in place," Trudeau — whose party voted against the bill in the House of Commons — told the Vancouver Sun.

"I would work with First Nations to make sure that a proper accountability act that would have disclosed any excesses we see, but is done in a way that is respectful of the First Nation communities."

While he didn't say what he would replace it with, the Liberal Party's new-star candidate Jody Wilson-Raybould — a B.C. regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations — suggested that salaries could be made available to community members but not the Canadian public at large.

"Of course salaries/remuneration should be disclosed to community members, and by virtue of that disclosure it is public, as the band members can do what they please with the information received," she told the Sun.

[ Related: Latest leak of Brampton mayor's scandalous expenses another win for transparency ]

Trudeau's new edict isn't sitting well with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation -- the organization that's taken credit for pushing this legislation through.

"We have heard some very heartbreaking tales from people on reserves who have been bullied, harassed and assaulted for daring to ask questions about where public funds are going in their communities,"CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig said in a statement.

"The new First Nations Financial Transparency Act allows them to go on the Internet and view their community’s financial statements anonymously, without fear of reprisal."

[ More Politics: B.C. man going across Canada on unicycle to call for political action on climate change ]

Meanwhile, it's interesting to note that most communities haven't yet complied with the existing legislation.

"So far, the federal department of Aboriginal Affairs has received reports from only 224 First Nations," a government source told the Globe and Mail last week.

"That means only about 37 per cent of affected First Nations have sent reports to Aboriginal Affairs."

A spokesperson from the office of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt says that the government has given a 120 day extension to those bands that haven't filed their financial reports.

"After 120 calendar days, if there is no resolution, for bands that are refusing to comply with the law, the government will take action according to the provisions of the law, which could include withholding of funding," Erica Meekes told Yahoo Canada News.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

Are you a politics junkie?
Follow @PoliticalPoints on Twitter!