As tensions over provincial autonomy continue to boil in Western Canada, First Nations communities are taking a clear stance against any potential movement toward Alberta separation. During recent gatherings in Calgary and across Treaty 6, 7, and 8 territories, Indigenous leaders have emphasized their opposition to separation talks that have gained momentum among some provincial politicians.
“Our treaties were signed with the Crown, not with Alberta,” explained Chief Vernon Watchmaker of Kehewin Cree Nation during a press conference last week. “Any conversation about separation fundamentally ignores that we have pre-existing nation-to-nation relationships that cannot simply be dissolved by provincial politicians.”
The pushback comes as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government advances its Alberta Sovereignty Act agenda, which many observers view as laying groundwork for greater provincial autonomy. While the Premier has publicly stated she does not support separation, critics argue her policies represent incremental steps toward potential independence.
Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey didn’t mince words when addressing the issue at a recent assembly in Peace River. “We’ve been here since time immemorial. These lands are governed by treaties that will outlast any provincial government. No one consulted us about joining Canada in 1905, and no one is consulting us about leaving it now.”
The debate touches on complex constitutional questions about the relationship between Indigenous nations, provinces, and the federal government. According to University of Alberta constitutional scholar Patricia Johnson, the legal realities make separation particularly problematic.
“First Nations treaties are with the Crown, represented by the federal government,” Johnson explained in a telephone interview. “If Alberta were to separate, these treaty relationships would be significantly complicated, raising serious questions about land rights, resource management, and Indigenous sovereignty.”
Recent polling from the Angus Reid Institute suggests approximately 28% of Albertans would support separation under certain circumstances – a minority position, but one that has gained traction during periods of federal-provincial conflict over energy policy and equalization payments.
For Treaty 7 communities surrounding Calgary, the stakes are particularly high. The region’s economic ties to both oil development and urban growth have created a complex web of relationships that would be threatened by separation.
“We have businesses, partnerships, and community members working across provincial boundaries,” said Tsuut’ina Nation Councillor Brent Dodginghorse. “Separation would create unnecessary hardship for our people and potentially undermine decades of economic development.”
First Nations leaders have also pointed out the practical absurdity of separation scenarios, given the geographic realities of their territories. Many treaty lands span provincial boundaries, with communities maintaining close connections across artificial colonial borders.
“My family lives on both sides of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border,” noted Elder Mary Whitebear, who attended a recent community meeting in Lloydminster. “These provincial lines mean nothing to our kinship ties or our traditional territories. How would separation even work for our people?”
The federal government has maintained a cautious distance from the growing tensions, with a spokesperson for the Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations stating only that “the Government of Canada remains committed to its nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations and to honoring the treaties.”
For many Indigenous communities, the separation debate represents yet another example of decisions being contemplated without meaningful consultation. Chiefs from multiple nations have emphasized that any constitutional change affecting their territories would require their free, prior, and informed consent under both Canadian law and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“We’re tired of being treated as an afterthought in these conversations,” said Chief Billy Morin of Enoch Cree Nation. “If Alberta politicians are serious about respecting Indigenous rights, they need to understand that treaty relationships aren’t optional, and they certainly can’t be unilaterally altered.”
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