FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Forensic investigators present more than 70 recommendations to help improve governance and financial transparenc for Sh!"enacadie #and $hief and $o!ncil
%Indian #roo& First 'ation( ')S)* - Sipeknekatik (Shubenacadie Band) Chie and C!unci" ha#e recei#ed $!re than %0 rec!$$endati!ns $ade by !rensic in#esti&at!rs t! he"p i$pr!#e band &!#ernance, day-t!-day ad$inistrati!n and inancia" transparency' The indin&s ! the !rensic in#esti&ati!n ha#e a"s! been turned !#er t! the (C)*' Chie and C!unci" recei#ed c!pies ! a presentati!n prepared by *ink +arkin, the "a, ir$ it hired t! c!nduct the !rensic in#esti&ati!n, and )-* durin& a du"y c!n#ened $eetin& !n February 20, 2014' The presentati!n c!ntained a t!ta" ! %1 rec!$$endati!ns !r i$pr!#e$ent in the areas ! &!#ernance, !perati!ns, h!usin&, &a$in&, t!bacc! sa"es and isheries' The presentati!n re#ea"ed that . inancia" acc!untabi"ity ,as n!t &enera""y present s! as t! ensure C!unci" $et its iduciary duty t! the Band $e$bers/ and that practices ,ere de icient in the t!bacc! sa"es depart$ent, isheries, h!usin&, &a$in& and !perati!ns' S!$e ! the rec!$$endati!ns inc"ude0 Creatin& an ec!n!$ic de#e"!p$ent c!rp!rati!n t! !#ersee band businesses such as &a$in& and isheries' +i#e strea$ band c!unci" $eetin&s *!stin& the a&enda and $inutes ! chie and c!unci" $eetin&s 1e#e"!p and en !rce a C!de ! 2thics and C!n "ict ! 3nterest *!"icy (e#a$pin& the the business practices ! the t!bacc! sh!p (estructurin& the 4!usin& 1epart$ent (e#ie, the Fisheries 1epart$ent and uti"i5e a"" ish 6u!ta (e#ie, 7+T !perati!ns

T,! Band C!unci" $!ti!ns ,ere a"s! passed durin& the Feb' 20 band c!unci" $eetin&' The irst $!ti!n instructed the !rensic in#esti&at!rs ,ith *ink +arkin and )-* t! turn !#er the detai"ed !rensic audit t! the (C)* t! deter$ine i cri$ina" ,r!n&d!in& !ccurred' The sec!nd $!ti!n ,as t! accept the

rec!$$endati!ns $ade by the in#esti&at!rs 8t! be re erenced and $!de""ed in the de#e"!p$ent ! band p!"icies'. 9 c!py ! the rec!$$endati!ns $ade by )-* and *ink +arkin ha#e been p!sted !n the band:s ,ebsite at shubenacadieband'ca;rep!rt-rec!$$endati!ns- r!$-$nppink-"arkin-re&ardin&-the- !rensicin#esti&ati!n; 3n )ay 2012, band chie and c!unci" passed a $!ti!n t! c!$$ence a !rensic in#esti&ati!n int! the bands inances ,hen inancia" irre&u"arities ,ere disc!#ered in a band audit' 9 c!$$unity $eetin& ,as he"d in <ct!ber 201= t! present the indin&s ! the !rensic in#esti&ati!n t! band $e$bers' Sipeknekatik (Shubenacadie Band) is the sec!nd "ar&est )i:k$a6 band in -!#a Sc!tia ,ith $!re than 2,500 re&istered band $e$bers' 9ppr!>i$ate"y 1,200 band $e$bers "i#e !n-reser#e in 3ndian Br!!k First -ati!n' <ther c!$$unities inc"uded ,ith the band inc"ude *enne", -e, (!ss, ?a""ace 4i""s and @rand +ake' -=0$ontact+ )aureen @!!&!! C!$$unicati!ns C!!rdinat!r Shubenacadie Band *h!ne0 (A02) %5B-204A e>t' 2=0 2$ai"0 $&!!&!!Cshubenacadieband'ca