Reporting to the First Nation on money paid to and money expensed by each Councillor is part of sound governance practices and reinforces Council’s accountability to its members. This report is to be completed yearly.
The FAL requires that Council create a policy on this that includes the steps for:
An external audit is the process of having someone independent review an organization’s financial statements and form a view as to whether or not they reflect the actual state of the money and property of the organization.
The independent reviewer (known as the auditor ) must follow certain standards known as auditing standards. The external audit provides reassurance to the First Nation and other readers of the financial statements that what they are reading reflects reality.
The Finance and Audit Committee reports to Council and has a financial and audit oversight role. These must be defined in the terms of reference for the Finance and Audit Committee that must include the financial and audit oversight responsibilities listed below.
The Finance and Audit Committee must review and recommend the following to Council:
A Finance & Audit Committee (FAC) is a committee that oversees the financial reporting and audit functions of a First Nation. It provides forward-thinking oversight of the investments of a First Nation and supports Council in making good financial decisions.
The Finance and Audit Committee reinforces Council’s accountability and transparency to its members. It is important to understand that it is a recommending committee only and has no decision-making authority.
The audit is a formal, independent review of all Band revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year. It is conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Essentially, the audit is a "report card" of the financial management and fiscal health of the First Nation.
