3 northeast First Nations not in line with Transparency Act: Feds

There are still three first nations in the Northeast that have not followed a new federal law requiring them to post financial records online .

And the federal government says it has started to punish those who are ignoring the Transparency Act.

The federal government has named and shamed 49 First Nations who missed the latest deadline for revealing financial reports.

There are three northeastern Ontario communities on the list.

One of them, Kashechewan First Nation on the James Bay Coast, has been given an extension, due to flooding this past spring.

Just up the coast, Weenusk First Nation is also on the government's list.

But speaking to CBC News last week, Chief Edmund Hunter said that his band had filed its papers already.

Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, a tiny reserve of a few dozen people just south of the town of Chapleau, is also on the list.

Repeated calls and emails to the band and its elected officials were not returned.

Aboriginal Affairs Canada said it won't comment on individual bands, but does say that "compliance procedures" are underway.

This includes cutting the funding for what the government calls "non-essential programs" in these communities. It statedsanctions will not target essential services that support band members.

About 30 First Nations in northeastern Ontariohave publicly released their financial statements.