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Sweetgrass residents protest over-budget housing project

A group of band members on Sweetgrass First Nation staged a protest at their band’s administrative office this week over a housing project that went over budget. The protest was by five band members, all women, at the Sweetgrass band office Thursday.

A group of band members on Sweetgrass First Nation staged a protest at their band’s administrative office this week over a housing project that went over budget.

The protest was by five band members, all women, at the Sweetgrass band office Thursday. They were questioning an audit report from accounting firm MNP dated Nov. 14, 2019, into a 10-unit housing project through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The units had been budgeted at $1.78 million, but according to the review by MNP the total cost came to $2,078,794, which was over budget by $294,775 or 17 per cent.

Included in this amount was $104,816 for an “unknown unit” in addition to the other 10. This raised concerns about those in the group about this particular line item.

“That really caught my eye because there’s supposed to be a number of units,” said Constance Paskemin, a Sweetgrass band member and spokesperson for the protest. “The last unit is not accounted for.”

Among the other 10 units there was a wide disparity, which raised concerns from the group that some band members might have benefited improperly from the excess funds that went over-budget.

All the units were individually budgeted at $178,402, but eight went over that budgeted amount. One unit belonging to Darius Albert came in at an actual cost of $263,172, which was over budget by 48 per cent.

Work on seven of the other nine units went over budget by amounts ranging between two and 16 per cent. The amounts ranged from 4,356 to $28,101. The two other units came in under budget at amounts of approximately six and eight percent.

The band members also raised concerns about the role of Aaron Ledoux, the project manager hired by the band for the project.

According to the audit, Ledoux was paid $226,841 between July 2015 and August 2017. Paskemin described this as a “whopping amount of money made” as a general contractor for the houses.

The audit report stated Ledoux was managing multiple projects during that time and they were unable to determine how much of the total paid to Ledoux was related to the 10-unit project. 

Other amounts cited in the audit also raised concerns, including a cheque in the amount of $7,000 for the installation of range hood venting, from March 1, 2017.

“Ridiculous amounts of money is the reason we are sitting at the table,” said Paskemin.

Paskemin also cited concerns about the quality of housing in general for other band members on the reserve. She noted one incident where snakes were found coming out of a basement at a home belonging to an elder.

In response to the audit, those attending at the band office Thursday called for an investigation involving the RCMP, and also demanded newly elected Chief Lori Whitecalf to resign. The project in question began when Whitecalf was in office previously, until late 2017. The audit itself was ordered by the band under Chief Laurence Paskemin, after Whitecalf left office.

Chief Whitecalf and members of the band council were not in attendance at the band office that morning. It was explained they were gone for meetings elsewhere that day.

The band members said they planned to sit in at the band office for the rest of the day Thursday, for however long it took until their questions were answered.

The band members also say they have raised the issue in emails sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk, FSIN chief Bobby Cameron, federal cabinet ministers Jean-Yves Duclos and Carolyn Bennett, and other government officials.

“We want the outside to help us, we’re sinking,” said Paskemin.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation also issued a statement Thursday in which they voiced support for the Sweetgrass protest.

“Band members deserve accountability from their leadership,” said CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick in a news release. “And when money is misspent, they are entitled to an explanation.”

Wudrick also called for an investigation into the matter by the band and by CMHC. “The CMHC needs to know whether its funding was properly used, and band members need to know why they are stuck paying an extra $294,000,” said Wudrick.

While the group’s protest cited concerns about cost overruns for the 10-unit housing project, and improper use of those funds, those participating in the occupation of the band office, also took advantage of the News-Optimist’s presence to provide a tour of housing conditions in the community.

Serious disrepair was observed at three homes — those of Clint Kotyk, Lavina Adams and Melanie Favel.  Favel’s home, not yet complete, was one constructed within the 10-unit project.