" In many cases however, the chiefs and councils make secret self-serving decisions. Band members are left in the dark. And, in contrast to the leaders, nearly penniless. "

Rich, you are correct in this assertion that band leadership often subvert the funds for their own ends and their own families, while the rest of the band suffers.

Stephen Harper moved to correct that by requiring open and transparent audits of all band funds.  But one of the first acts of Trudeau, who pledged to run an open and transparent government, was to rescind the requirement that bands show fully audited books.  Trudeau has taken the rank-and-file band members' interests backwards.