A letter addressed to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith asks for the withdrawal of Bill 54 and to renounce all rhetoric that seeks to destabilize the foundational legal agreements upon which the province rests.
The letter was signed by the Chief of the Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot, Kainai-Blood Tribe Chief Travis Plaited Hair and Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton.
“This bill reflects a serious miscalculation and a failure to respect the historical and legal context that governs Alberta’s existence,” the letter states.
Today, it was noted in the letter, the Blackfoot Confederacy governs over 25,000 members in Alberta, holds stewardship over more than 2,531.14 square kilometres of land in southern Alberta and excercises jurisdiction over approximately 80 per cent of southern Alberta within Blackfoot territory.
“These responsibilities are not symbolic – they’re exercised daily in accordance with our laws and values, inherited through generations,” it was stated in the letter.
According to the letter, the Blackfoot Treaty is not a document of the past. “It is a sacred, enduring commitment meant to guide relationships ‘as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the rivers flow.’”
“We will continue to uphold our treaty responsibilities and expect the Province of Alberta to do the same,” the letter concluded.
Chief Knowlton says there is no question the results of the recent federal election have, “exacerbated pre-existing regional tensions in Canada.”
“It’s understandable many people in the West are frustrated their rejection of the Liberal Party was not mirrored in other parts of Canada. That frustration has led to several initiatives seemingly designed to give Albertans a path to renegotiation of confederation or indeed separation,” adds Knowlton.
There is talk of a “what’s next” panel to discuss alternatives to the federal status quo, Knowlton notes. “Premier Smith and her government introduced Bill 54, lowering the threshold for signatures required to place a separation question on a ballot. Some organizers are claiming they’re already gathering signatures at a rate that could reach that threshold.”
According to Knowlton, it is at this point First Nations in Alberta, representing Treaties 6, 7 and 8, must remind Albertans and their leaders the Treaties predate Alberta.
“Those are Treaties with the Crown. Alberta lacks the authority to interfere with or negate those Treaties. Proceeding down a path towards separation cannot be undertaken without the consent of Alberta’s First Nations,” says Knowlton. “We will aggressively protect our historic Treaty rights and our inherent rights. We will require the Crown’s obligations to First Nations be honoured and fulfilled.”
