Editor:
Re: First Nation to vote, Dec. 21.
I have never in my life written in to a newspaper with a comment, but after reading the above article I decided to do some research.
Mayor of Calgary, population 1,096,833, earns $216000; mayor of Montreal, population 603,000, earns $160,000; while the mayor of Vancouver, population 603,175, earns $154,000. All partly taxable.
The current chief of the Semiahmoo First Nation earns $267,729, population 49.
The justification given was that the chief and council were generating revenue on behalf of the First Nation. Is that not part of the mandate of a mayor or chief or any other elected individual.
I do not understand.
N.C. Orr, Surrey
• • •
The fact that Semiahmoo First Nation Chief Willard Cook made $267,729 in 2015 is purely obscene.
His people, the Semiahmoo People, have no proper infrastructure, such as potable water, in recent past. This money would be best applied to simple infrastructure of the plus or minus 100 legitimate Semiahmoo People that I grew up with.
Where is our newly elected MP Dianne Watts in stopping this and being outspoken as to how this needs to be dealt with immediately?
I urge the citizens of White Rock and South Surrey to voice your concerns. Truly the goat has been left with the tiger, if you will, when it comes to how Semiahmoo First Nation is appropriating our federal money transfers to them.
Ron Eves, White Rock
