More recently, aboriginals were among the big winners in the government’s first budget. They’ve been promised an extra $8.4 billion over five years for infrastructure, education and training.

That’s all well and good, but extra injections of taxpayers’ money should be accompanied by oversight, so Canadians can be certain the funds are being properly spent. Sadly, taxpayers can have no such confidence, because the Liberals have stopped enforcing the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. The legislation was passed by the Conservatives and is credited with shining a light on how millions of taxpayers’ dollars are spent. Among the biggest supporters of the act, not surprisingly, are band members who often had no idea where money was going and how much many native politicians were paying themselves.

“We are hearing from band members all across Canada that they are concerned about the Liberal decision not to enforce the First Nations Transparency Act,” says Cathy McLeod, a B.C. Conservative MP who serves as her party’s aboriginal affairs critic.

“They want to know that the $8.4 billion … will have a real and meaningful impact on their quality of life, and without that important accountability measure, there is no way for band members to ensure the funds are spent properly.”

It’s the job of government to decide where scarce resources are going to be allocated, but it’s also its responsibility to insist the money is used prudently. The Liberals can’t do that if they don’t require bands to be transparent. Choosing to turn a blind eye to their spending is a politically motivated sop — a lack of oversight that would never be tolerated among any other group of Canadians.

Calgarians, for instance, are entitled to see how the city divvies up their tax dollars. The same disclosure is present at the provincial and federal levels. Why should aboriginal band members be denied the same transparency? For that matter, why should Canadians as a whole be denied that right when it comes to public spending on reserves?

“It’s all fine and well to put $8 billion towards Indians, but the thing is, there’s no guarantee it will reach what it was meant for,” said Beverly Brown, a member of B.C.’s Squamish First Nation.

The Liberals must ensure full accountability for the billions they are about to spend.