Chief Spence Labels Audit Leak as ‘Distraction’

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Recently released results of an audit conducted on the federal funding handed over to the Attawapiskat First Nation showed that there is significant lack of documentation regarding the $104 million granted from 2005 to 2011. Chief of Attawapiskat Fist Nation, Theresa Spence, answered this report on Monday through a news release, saying that she suspects the timing of the leaked audit news and disregards it as a distraction from the “true issues.” She alleged that it is completely designed to discredit her. Spence stated “I remain steadfast on my journey and will not allow any distractions at this time to [waver from] the goal set forth.”

The famous hunger strike of Chief Spence has reached its 28th day, while Idle No More protests spread nationwide. Federal government had ordered this audit for ensuring that its aid, i.e. $104 million, delivered to Attawapiskat, from between April 2005 to November 2011, was spent as it should have been. Deloitte, a famous accounting firm, had been performing this audit since December 2011. The funding provided by the federal government was aimed to improve housing, infrastructure, education and other services.

A leaked letter dated on Aug. 28, 2012, written by Deloitte and addressed Chief Spence and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, mentions that out of almost 505 transactions reviewed, more than 400 lacked proper documentation. The letter says “an average of 81 per cent of files did not have adequate supporting documents and over 60 per cent had no documentation of the reason for payment.”