Chief of 90-member First Nation may be highest paid politician
VANCOUVER • The 90-member Semiahmoo First Nation in Surrey, B.C., paid its chief and one of its councillors nearly $460,000 combined in the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
Chief councillor Willard Cook was paid $267,309 and councillor Joanne Charles had a salary of $187,138, according to now-required financial filings to the federal government.
When the salary’s tax-free status is factored in, it makes the chief possibly the highest paid politician in Canada. It would take more than $400,000 off-reserve to generate after-tax take-home pay of $267,309.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper earns an annual salary of $327,400 plus a $2,000-ayear car allowance. B.C. Premier Christy Clark has a $193,532 annual salary.
Cook purchased a home with acreage for $850,000 in the spring of 2014 outside the reserve, 10 minutes to the east by car, according to B.C. Land Title documents.
The property — listed as owned by Willard Leighton Cook, William Joseph Cook and Lynn Marie Cook — was valued at $1.05 million in 2015, according to B.C. Assessment documents.
On Thursday the home displayed a for-sale sign with a sold sticker.
The salary information was revealed in filings for the financial year ending on March 31, 2014. The band was sup- posed to file last fall, but filed statements only last month.
The Semiahmoo community joins a handful of other First Nations that have paid their chiefs exorbitant salaries.
Former Shuswap First Nation Chief Paul Sam was paid an annual salary of $200,000, and he and family members received more than $4.1 million in pay over a four-year period ending in 2014.
A new chief was elected following the disclosure.
Kwikwetlem First Nation chief Ron Giesbrecht was paid almost $1 million in the 201314 fiscal year, including an $800,000 bonus in 2013 related to a land deal with the B.C. government.
He was re-elected earlier this year.
The financial statements filed by the Semiahmoo with the federal government show the band had revenues of $4.88 million in the 2013-14 fiscal year, and had a surplus of $3.09 million.
Most of the revenue in 201314 came from the B.C. government, which provided the band with $3.33 million.
By f ar the largest expense was administration at $939,924, outstripping spending of $136,499 on economic initiative and $133,197 on community programs. Other spending included health ($90,277), education ($43,298) and land and resources ($224,807).
Roxanne Charles — the only other council member — was paid $4,725 and had expenses of $27,473.
Salaries for most First Nations chiefs and councillors in B.C. are in the $20,000 to $40,000-range, with the exception of the Takla Lake and Tsay Keh First Nations, which pay their chiefs in the $80,000- to $90,000-range.
One First Nation, the High Bar First Nation in Clinton, paid its chief only $1,498, according to the filings.