Makwa Sahgaiehcan deadly fire: Unpaid bills of $3,400
ShepherdsDog @ Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:13 pm
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.2962751
$1:
A dispute over unpaid bills valued at nearly $3,400 led to a decision not to send volunteer firefighters to a fatal house fire Tuesday on a northern Saskatchewan First Nation.
The Village of Loon Lake is generally responsible for emergency services in the area. It said it did not respond to the fire, which killed two Makwa Sahgaiehcan toddlers, because the First Nation owed the village $3,380.89.
Laurie Lehoux has worked as the village administrator in Loon Lake since 2012. She said the issue of unpaid bills has endured for a year.
An agreement between the village and the First Nation was first struck in January 2013. It outlined costs for attending fires.
The contract agreement also stated that retainer fees were to be paid no later than 30 days after the time they were billed.
"Or else it would render this agreement void and null and all fire services would be revoked," Lehoux said.
However, Chief Richard Ben of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation said he doesn't remember signing any contract.
"We've never even had a contract to begin with in the past," he said. "That's what I can't get my head around ... I'm actually going to go to the village office and see this contract. I was also going to go and make the payment for the amount owed. It had nothing to do with our finances. It was just to create better services for our First Nation."
The Village of Loon Lake is generally responsible for emergency services in the area. It said it did not respond to the fire, which killed two Makwa Sahgaiehcan toddlers, because the First Nation owed the village $3,380.89.
Laurie Lehoux has worked as the village administrator in Loon Lake since 2012. She said the issue of unpaid bills has endured for a year.
An agreement between the village and the First Nation was first struck in January 2013. It outlined costs for attending fires.
The contract agreement also stated that retainer fees were to be paid no later than 30 days after the time they were billed.
"Or else it would render this agreement void and null and all fire services would be revoked," Lehoux said.
However, Chief Richard Ben of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation said he doesn't remember signing any contract.
"We've never even had a contract to begin with in the past," he said. "That's what I can't get my head around ... I'm actually going to go to the village office and see this contract. I was also going to go and make the payment for the amount owed. It had nothing to do with our finances. It was just to create better services for our First Nation."
On the news tonight they produced a copy of the contract, with signature, that he doesn't remember seeing or signing. Federal officials stated that the band was given $40 000 for fire fighting, but he claims he doesn't know where that money has gone.....but wherever it went, it wasn't enough.
It's a tragedy that two children died because of greed, incompetence and corruption. The village has limited enough funds trying to deal with their own fire emergencies. The band had a signed agreement/contract, that the band chose to end, and leave bills unpaid. As is, the children were already deceased by the time the RCMP arrived, and they(fire department) said they generally arrive 10 minutes after them......to make matters even worse, the RCMP arrested a band member today who made death threats against the village fire chief.
Gunnair @ Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:15 pm
It's Harper's fault.
ShepherdsDog @ Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:17 pm
Yup....he's the anti..... sumthin or another
Zipperfish @ Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:36 pm
Jesus wept is all I got to say about that.
ShepherdsDog @ Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:06 pm
There is nothing that the fire department could have done for those children. They were dead when the police arrived and they, as first responders, are usually on the scene a good 10 to 15 before the fire fighters get there. It's a volunteer fire department. All we can hope is that this horrible tragedy results in something being done so that this doesn't happen again. As per norm, it's the people that suffer due poor decision made by those in power, both white and native.....doubly so for natives because they have some of the most corrupt and incompetent leadership in the nation, and our politicians are too cowardly to do anything about it for fear of being labeled racist colonials by a bunch of worthless assholes running the bannock republics.
Regina @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:29 am
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.2963740
Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire reflects inadequate resources for reserves
Fire services underfunded, but regulation of building codes and safety practices also lacking
andyt @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 8:35 am
Regina Regina:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/makwa-sahgaiehcan-first-nation-fire-reflects-inadequate-resources-for-reserves-1.2963740
Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire reflects inadequate resources for reserves
Fire services underfunded, but regulation of building codes and safety practices also lacking
Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire reflects inadequate resources for reserves
Fire services underfunded, but regulation of building codes and safety practices also lacking
Our fire department is funded by the residents of the city. Surely a whole nation should be funding its own fire department, not rely on the federal government. I know the treaties say the govt will pay for schooling, housing and medical care. I doubt they say anything about fire services.
PJB @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 9:14 am
The reserve had an operational fire truck but no one trained to use it.
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Cont ... story.html
ShepherdsDog @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:28 am
He's going to keep making shit up and the cowardly bureaucraps won't call them on their BE. ...the regular folks will continue to pay the price, as they get f*cked over by the feds and the local crooks.
Public_Domain @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:09 pm
BartSimpson @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:23 pm
Regina Regina:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/makwa-sahgaiehcan-first-nation-fire-reflects-inadequate-resources-for-reserves-1.2963740
Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire reflects inadequate resources for reserves
Fire services underfunded, but regulation of building codes and safety practices also lacking
Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation fire reflects inadequate resources for reserves
Fire services underfunded, but regulation of building codes and safety practices also lacking
Building codes and safety practices are just another tool of imperialist oppression against Native Americans.
ShepherdsDog @ Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:37 pm
Public_Domain Public_Domain:
BE?
Bovine excrement