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A member of the Cote First Nation says the results of a forensic audit back up long-running concerns around alleged mismanagement of band funds.

Stanley Cote said a Deloitte audit, delivered to the current band chief and council on July 26, has its roots in the First Nation’s 2016 election.

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He said many people in the community had become concerned about a lack of progress on housing and youth programming in the years after the band was awarded about $130 million in a 2012 land claim settlement.

“Nothing was happening on the reserve for housing, for programs for the youth, for adults, for the elders. There wasn’t much being done to help our First Nation.”

Cote said this eventually led to calls to replace several councillors and former chief Norman Whitehawk.

Nine of 12 council positions went to new people after the 2016 vote. Whitehawk did not seek re-election and was replaced by current Chief George Cote.