"Along the side of the road into Morley, headquarters of Alberta's Stoney Nakoda Nation, just north of the busy stretch of Trans-Canada between Calgary and Banff that bisects this portion of the reserve, is a parade of signs advertising more than a dozen projects the tribal government has set up or proposed in recent years. Below many of them are the price tags: $22-million for a planned education campus; $3-million for the Bearspaw Youth Centre; $4.6-million for school renovations; $2.5-million to upgrade a band-owned hotel and conference centre; $2-million for a septic system.

The purpose of the signs isn't entirely clear. It would seem someone's way of reminding members of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley -the three Sioux bands bound together by land and by treaty into one Stoney nation -that their government is working to provide them with valuable services and opportunities.

It might, though, just as easily have the effect of reminding them how much their government is fixated on matters of money.

Or, that this is one of the few places where the average tribe member gets even a glimpse into its financial affairs. But even those at the top of the Stoney government pyramid claim they're being kept in the dark about how much tribal money is being spent, and on what."

Get the Story:
Kevin Libin: Alberta band's challenge: 'Too many chiefs, not enough Indians' (The National Post 6/4)

Related Stories:
Stoney Nakoda chiefs launch investigation into colleague (4/27)
Dispute ties up $38M in funds for Stoney Nakoda First Nation (3/29)
Canada has no plans to intervene in election dispute at First Nation (11/4)
Chief of First Nation cancels election, prompting protest blockade (11/2)