Marilyn Gabriel’s salary increased by nearly 50% last year
Today Kwantlen’s Band Councillors Brandon Gabriel, Victor Back, and Christopher Thomas learned that Marilyn Gabriel increased her Chief salary by nearly 50% last year.
Marilyn’s salary is now reported to be $162,061 dollars, up from $112,400 the previous year. $162,061 equates to an off reserve salary of about $270,000.
This means Marilyn’s take-home pay is likely higher thanevery mayor, Member of Parliament, and even the Premier of BC.
For an Indigenous comparison, in the same year, the chief of Katzie earned a salary of $83,200, the chief of Matsqui made $30,275.
Last night, Kwantlen’s Band Council met to discuss this issue and voted to condemn Marilyn Gabriel’s disgusting use of the Kwantlen people’s money. Council demands that Marilyn return every cent paid to her after her removal from office at the November 27th, 2022 General Assembly.
While Marilyn collects these enormous cheques, she has taken the Kwantlen people to court in order to convince the federal government to keep her in power. She’ll spend your money to ask the non-Native justice system to let her stay as chief - but she won’t ask us, the Kwantlen people. There’s a problem with that.
If your opinion mattered to Marilyn, do you think that during this time of a governance dispute and a lawsuit, she would give herself an almost 50% raise?! Does that make you want to support her and give her unlimited power for the rest of her life? But she did it anyway. At the same time she cancelled rent-to-own housing, she gave herself a gigantic raise. Why?
Because she doesn’t work for us. She works for the Indian Act, and she talks a big game, but if this were about us, there wouldn’t be a lawsuit, there’d be a band meeting where she’d ask people what they think. It’s not about us, the people, it’s about her and her almost $50,000 raise.
We remind you that, We, the Kwantlen People removed Marilyn from office according to the governing rules of the Kwantlen Nation in November, 2022. This was confirmed again by the People in a consultation vote in February 2023. Marilyn doesn’t recognize this, and the administrators of the Indian Act in the Federal Government are supporting and funding her until the court decides. Marilyn won’t go to the Kwantlen people to ask if she has a right to rule, instead she goes to the same people who created the Residential Schools.
We - your council - are on your side. Our salaries are $0 - and in fact, we’ve spent thousands of our own personal money to defend the interests of our Nation against Marilyn Gabriel. We have heard from so many of you these last few months. We especially appreciate those supporters inside the band office, and what was once SQ. With your support, we are fighting to stop Marilyn’s continuing and outrageous disrespect for our nation. And we will have our court date in October.
More news from your Band Council will be coming VERY soon.
Evidence:
2021-2022 Remuneration Disclosure: https://fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/fnp/Main/Search/DisplayBinaryData.aspx?BAND_NUMBER_FF=564&FY=2021-2022&DOC=Schedule%20of%20Remuneration%20and%20Expenses&lang=eng
2022-2023 Remuneration Disclosure: https://fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/fnp/Main/Search/DisplayBinaryData.aspx?BAND_NUMBER_FF=564&FY=2022-2023&DOC=Schedule%20of%20Remuneration%20and%20Expenses&lang=eng