The Sûreté du Québec is conducting searches Thursday morning at the Kanesatake Band Council, as well as at the Community Health Center of the Mohawk Territory. The seizures are linked to a complaint of fraud surrounding a nearly 5 million relief fund granted by Indigenous Services Canada for COVID-19, learned The Press.
“Yes, we are present, in connection with an active investigation”, confirms the spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec, Marc Tessier. The police force says it cannot give any other details.
The Kanesatake Band Council posted a social media post stating that Economic Crimes Investigation Division investigators are “executing search warrants in connection with the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) investigation. , Emergency Response Unit).
“The Grand Chief and the Director General of the Community Health Center were informed of the operation early this morning and are cooperating with the investigators”, indicates the Council. The Kanesatake Community Health Center also clarifies that it is a search warrant “in connection with a fraud investigation”.
In interview with The Press Thursday morning, the current Grand Chief of the Band Council, Victor Bonspille, said that the investigation was initiated by a complaint he himself made to the Sûreté du Québec in 2021, for events that took place took place when Serge Simon was the Grand Chef. “Millions of dollars in pandemic relief have been taken from our community to be given to Band Council and Community Health Center employees as salary supplements to their base salary. In my eyes, it’s a fraud,” says Grand Chief Bonspille.
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
serge simon
“When someone earns more than the Prime Minister over a period of 18 months, there is something abnormal,” adds Victor Bonspille.
Former Grand Chief Serge Simon did not respond to our interview request. His phone goes to a lawyer’s voicemail.
« Flags red and “camouflage”
The Press obtained from a group of Mohawk citizens who denounce violence, intimidation and corruption on the indigenous territory the summary of an audit of the forensic accounting firm Williams Meaden & Moore. This document, the authenticity of which has been confirmed by Grand Chief Bonspille, deals with the management of $4,889,934 in pandemic relief funds by the Emergency Response Unit, an organization ad hoc “including certain employees of the Kanesatake Band Council and the Kanesatake Community Health Centre. »
The five-page report concludes that “expenditure movements from one account to another” in the books of accounts relating to the management of these sums “represent red flags and appear to represent attempts to camouflage or hide the nature of these transactions”, write the authors of the forensic report, which is not signed.
Of the approximately $5 million received from the federal government between April 2020 and July 2021 for the pandemic response, $3.1 million was paid in salaries and one-time assistance, the report points out. “We noted that four Emergency Response Unit employees received additional compensation in the amount of $615,799 at Emergency Response Unit rates, which were not charged in the Emergency Response Unit bank accounts. »
“Based on a review of all documentation relating to salaries and incidental assistance, all employees paid at the Emergency Response Unit rate (base salary and supplement) were not paid by the regular payroll system. We understand that all compensation based on Emergency Response Unit salaries have not been reported,” the forensic report adds.
The report adds that the Emergency Response Unit Liaison Officer was paid as a consultant for a total of $195,942, “which equates to an hourly rate of $80, compared to the $40 billed to the Council. Kanesatake tape before April 2020, which is double the rate. »
The report highlights that 67% of the food purchased for the food bank as part of the pandemic relief was paid for by personal credit cards of members of the Emergency Response Unit “and reimbursed without the preparation of a formal expense report. »
The forensic accounting firm also notes that the federal aid was used to acquire a cold room worth $36,618, which was originally purchased by the personal business of a member of the Emergency Response Unit. “This represents a conflict of interest in relation to the role this individual plays as a member of the Emergency Response Unit. »
“Based on our review of 1.4 million expenses, approximately 35% of said expenses were paid personally by members of the Emergency Response Unit and reimbursed without an official expense report,” it read.
“We noted that several entries in the accounting books were recorded to move expenses from one department to another. We believe that these entries in the accounting books make it difficult to track expenses. »
Climate ” toxic »
The situation within the Kanesatake Band Council is described as a “toxic environment” by Grand Chief Victor Bonspille. The Federal Court ordered the reinstatement of Serge Simon as chief two weeks ago, after a challenge to his election led by Valérie Bonspille, the twin sister of Grand Chief Victor Bonspille.
“It’s even more toxic since the Federal Court, and not the community, reinstated Serge Simon,” says Victor Bonspille. Apart from Valérie Bonspille, none of the chefs are doing their job properly,” he complains.
Mr. Bonspille believes that new elections to the Band Council could bring order and peace. “But first a new electoral code, which is being prepared, will have to be accepted by the community,” he said.