VANCOUVER, B.C. — Norma Bird, former executive director of the First Nations Employment Society (FNES), has been sentenced to a two-year conditional sentence of house arrest after pleading guilty to defrauding the organization of $743,295.
Bird was charged with fraud over $5,000 following a detailed investigation by B.C. RCMP financial integrity officers. The fraud occurred between October 2010 and March 2015, during her time overseeing FNES operations.
According to Crown prosecutor Kevin Marks, audits revealed that Bird misused the organization’s credit card for personal expenses. The agreed statement of facts was presented to Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Harbans Dhillon, who issued the sentence on May 15.
As part of her sentence:
Bird must repay the full $743,295.
She will serve two years less a day under house arrest, followed by 12 months of probation.
The first 18 months include strict house arrest conditions; the final 8 months include a daily 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
She is barred from alcohol and drugs (unless prescribed) and cannot enter bars or liquor stores.
She must attend counselling, complete 50 hours of community service, and disclose her conviction before seeking any job involving money or property oversight.
FNES represented 10 First Nations across Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, working with Service Canada to support employment and training initiatives.
Bird initially pleaded not guilty in November 2023, but changed her plea in January 2024.
This case highlights the importance of financial oversight within community organizations. Investigators emphasize that recovering public trust also involves transparent sentencing and restitution.
