Single father Chris Woolfrey wants to know why the McLeod Lake Indian Band's newfound prosperity isn't benefiting his four children - all who are status members of the band.
Woolfrey's children - Alyssa, 18, Justin, 15, Jasmin, 14 and Annabelle, 12 -inheirited status as members of the McLeod Lake band from their mother, who died in a snowmobiling accident in 2010. Woolfrey said some of their family members have received approximately $65,000 in money distributed by the band since it signed Treaty 8 in 2000.
"[But] they only pay people that are over 19. There is nothing in trust, there is nothing in bursaries, there is really nothing for my kids," Woolfrey said. "These guys [his children] are band members when it comes to applying for funding... but not when it comes to distributions. Why isn't it allotted in trust for them until they turn 19?"
Family members of his children told him another distribution was announced last week, he added.
McLeod Lake Chief Derek Orr could not be reached for comment, however the band's December newsletter said the chief and council had approved a $2,500 Christmas dividend for 2014.
The newsletter said the band's Lands and Minerals Trust has accumulated $4 million from "various companies doing business on the traditional territory."
"The thing I'm worried about is by the time they're old enough it'll be run dry. When these guys [his children] turn 19, there might not be a penny left," Woolfrey said. "It's a sad state of affairs, it's not a fair standard."
Woolfrey, who works in construction, said as single parent his kids "don't do without, but they don't do with much" and he doesn't have much left over to help his kids financially when they look to start their lives as adults.
If they had a trust fund established by the band, Woolfrey said he could rest easy knowing they have nest egg to help them get started in life.
"It would be a huge head start," he said.
Justin Woolfrey said a trust fund would be a big help when he and his siblings go on to post-secondary education and living on their own.
"If you had a house and enough money to pay for food and gas, it would mean you wouldn't necessarily have to work [while going to school]," Justin said. "To get enough to put a down payment on a house... you're setting yourself up for a good life."
While Alyssa and Justin will receive $25,000 from the band in trust from the signing of Treaty 8 in 2000, Jasmin and Annabelle will not because they were not born before the cutoff date of March 27, 2000.
The McLeod Lake Indian Band's Membership Code, which was updated in 2004, specifies that members are only entitled to per capita distribution or any other distributions at the age of majority -which in B.C. is 19. No rationale was listed in the Membership Code for the cutoff.
