JAMES SMITH CREE NATION — In a July 14 press release, Chief Kirby Constant of the James Smith Cree Nation called on the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) to provide transparency to the Nations it claims to represent.
The statement follows recent media reports citing a forensic audit conducted by Indigenous Services Canada and KPMG, alleging that more than $20 million in FSIN spending remains unaccounted for.
“The FSIN has a mandate to represent 74 First Nations across Saskatchewan,” the release stated. “Its role is to protect Treaty rights, advocate for First Nations communities, and advance collective priorities through ethical and accountable leadership. When serious allegations involving public and Treaty-based funds arise, silence from leadership erodes the trust placed in the institution by the people it represents.”
“It is difficult to stand for fairness, transparency and inclusion when our own representative body is contributing to a culture of uncertainty and untrustworthiness,” said Chief Constant. “When leadership remains silent, it weakens the collective strength of First Nations advocacy.”
Last year, James Smith Cree Nation raised concerns over a $1-million discrepancy in COVID-19 funding that was expected to be distributed through FSIN. Despite repeated efforts to obtain clarity, no explanation has been given, states the release.
While the audit remains under investigation, Constant said limited cooperation and communication have been ongoing challenges — a reflection, he added,of a broader pattern of insufficient transparency that undermines confidence in FSIN’s leadership.
“While First Nations across this province are working to build strong and self-determined communities, we are also facing national legislation like Bill C-5, which threatens Indigenous rights and bypasses meaningful consultation,” he said. “In these moments, we need strong and vocal representation from FSIN. Unfortunately, that has been missing.”
Chief Constant is urging FSIN leadership to respond to the audit in a transparent manner — including the release of a clear review process, open communication with member Nations, and the development of a long-term strategy to rebuild trust and ensure accountability.
“This is not a personal criticism. It is a principled call for responsibility,” he said. “If FSIN wants to continue representing our Nations on the national stage, it must first demonstrate that it is accountable to the people who gave it that mandate.”
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations was contacted by SaskToday.ca but no response has been received.
