First Nations leaders taking stand against proposed Sovereignty Act

First Nations leaders in Alberta are taking a stand against Premier Danielle Smith’s proposed Sovereignty Act.

Chiefs from Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 say they are united in opposition of the planned bill and the “Alberta First Agenda.”

They say they intend to assert their “inherent rights and jurisdictions to our lands and territories.”

Smith has said the bill will challenge what her government deems to be unconstitutional encroachments at the federal level into provincial jurisdictions.

“Smith’s proposed Bill undermines the authority and duty of the Sovereign Nations that entered into treaty,” said Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Arthur Noskey. “How can the province make a sovereignty bill when our treaties were made before the creation of Alberta?”

“Our treaties with the Crown are peace and friendship treaties that did not release any of our lands and territories. Danielle Smith’s ploy to implement her Free Alberta Strategy undermines
our rights already protected in their Constitution Act,” said Chief Darcy Dixon of Bearspaw Nation.

“Our Treaties were made with the Crown and are international agreements,” said Chief Tony Alexis of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation. “Our primary responsibility is to uphold our Treaties for the future generations.”

The bill is likely to be the first one introduced in the upcoming legislative sitting.

In response, Richard Feehan, Alberta NDP critic for Indigenous relations, issued the following statement:

“We’ve been having conversations with the Chiefs of Treaty 6, 7, and 8, and have been hearing their very serious concerns about Danielle Smith’s Sovereignty Act,” Feehan said. “This is just another glaring example of the many things that are so wrong with the UCP government.”

“From the very moment Danielle Smith promised this would be her first piece of legislation, Albertans have been very vocal in their opposition to this damaging bill.”

“Albertans don’t want this act that will only rain down more chaos, conflict, and costs onto Alberta families.”

“Despite the fact that legal scholars at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary have also determined it to be unconstitutional, Smith continues to champion an act that will only cause harm to Albertans, when she should be focusing on the most pressing issues that are impacting families right now – a crisis in health care and the high cost of living.”