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CBC
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta amends referendum bill as First Nations fear it will trample treaty rights
Social Sharing Alberta's government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation, declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations' existing treaty rights. Premier Danielle Smith's government is working to lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada. Her government's proposed Bill 54, also known as the Election Statutes Amendment Act, has yet to become law, but it's faced backlash from Indigenous leaders since its introduction in the house more than two weeks ago. Justice Minister Mickey Amery said Wednesday the United Conservative Party government has heard concerns from First Nations on how such a referendum might affect treaty rights. "We are listening," he said. 'United in our resistance' Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Chief Sheldon Sunshine and Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro were quick to release a statement saying the amendment "means nothing," and the proposed bill still needs to be shredded. "We have heard from many Treaty people; we are united in our resistance. None of us will back down," they said, noting a protest is planned Thursday at the legislature grounds in Edmonton. "Now that your government has thrown these legislative grenades, in the matter of two weeks, you will take five months off while the rest of us work hard," they wrote. WATCH | Is Danielle Smith fuelling the seperation debate? At Issue | Is Danielle Smith fuelling Alberta separatism? 6 days ago Duration 4:38 Premier Danielle Smith has made it easier for Albertans to trigger a referendum, which has sparked renewed grassroots efforts for the province to leave Canada. CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton and the At Issue panel weigh in on whether Smith is fuelling the debate. Opposition NDP Indigenous relations critic Brooks Arcand-Paul said during debate in the house, the government's amendment does nothing more than commit the province to what it is already legally obligated to do. He said the UCP is merely paying lip service to Indigenous people. "It is reprehensible," Arcand-Paul said. "This government fails abhorrently when it comes to consultation. I look forward to the legal challenges that come," Arcand-Paul told the assembly. Earlier Wednesday, NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi told reporters that adding a line to the bill wouldn't legally be enough to respect the rights to consultation that Indigenous peoples have in the province. "Fundamentally, any conversation about separatism, any conversation about Alberta — unilaterally or through a referendum process — removing itself from Canada, means we are already violating our treaty rights," she said. The referendum question Smith has said she doesn't support separating her province from Canada, but Albertans have genuine grievances with the federal government, and she wants concessions from Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney. She has argued that Alberta, particularly its oil and gas industry, has been undermined for a decade by anti-business policies and laws from the federal Liberals. While Smith has said she's working to gain respect for Alberta within a united Canada, she doesn't want to see the Alberta separatist movement grow into a large, mainstream political party. In a Tuesday letter to First Nations chiefs representing the Blackfoot Confederacy, Treaty 8 First Nations, Treaty 6 First Nations, and Treaty 7 First Nations, Smith appealed for their help in directly lobbying Ottawa for a "fair share" of federal funding for Alberta. She offered Wednesday's amendment to her government's legislation as a gesture of goodwill. Smith said federal funding represents an injustice to First Nations in Alberta, and cited the "treasured relationship" between First Nations and the province to argue for taking a united case to Ottawa. "I hope we can walk this path together for everyone we represent," wrote Smith. A second amendment from the government passed Wednesday addresses one of several major concerns aired last week by chief electoral officer Gordon McClure. McClure has said some of the bill's changes would effectively kill the election commissioner's ability to investigate and enforce compliance with election law, including by limiting investigations into financial contribution rules and limits to one year instead of three. Amery said an amendment introduced Wednesday to the bill would lengthen that timeline to two years after alleged wrongdoing.
Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Alberta government amends referendum bill in effort to placate First Nations' concern
EDMONTON - Alberta's government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations' existing treaty rights. Premier Danielle Smith's government is working to considerably lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada. Her government's proposed bill has yet to become law. Chiefs of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation say the amendments mean nothing, and the bill still needs to be shredded. Opposition NDP Indigenous relations critic Brooks Arcand-Paul says the United Conservative provincial government cannot threaten treaties it has no authority over, and is merely paying lip service. Smith is appealing to First Nations leaders for their help in lobbying Ottawa for what she calls a 'fair share' of federal funding for the province, and she is offering changes to the legislation as a gesture of goodwill. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alberta government amends referendum bill in effort to placate First Nations' concern
EDMONTON – Alberta's government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations' existing treaty rights. Premier Danielle Smith's government is working to considerably lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada. Her government's proposed bill has yet to become law. Chiefs of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation say the amendments mean nothing, and the bill still needs to be shredded. Opposition NDP Indigenous relations critic Brooks Arcand-Paul says the United Conservative provincial government cannot threaten treaties it has no authority over, and is merely paying lip service. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Smith is appealing to First Nations leaders for their help in lobbying Ottawa for what she calls a 'fair share' of federal funding for the province, and she is offering changes to the legislation as a gesture of goodwill. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2025.
CBC
05-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Indigenous leaders in northern Alberta report progress with contaminated dock site
Government funding has been secured for a temporary dock in a northern Alberta community that made headlines last year after Indigenous leaders raised concerns about contamination at a federally owned dock site. Last fall, three Indigenous groups accused the federal government of keeping them in the dark about chemical contamination at a Transport Canada-owned site, known locally as Big Dock, in Fort Chipewyan. Now, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, and Fort Chipewyan Métis, say the federal government made progress on the issue of cleaning up the site, and also providing the community with a method of evacuating by watercraft. "Since October, we managed to work alongside with Transport Canada and we secured funding to remediate the dock because of the contaminants that were there," said Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam in an interview with CBC. Adam said the dock is important to the local community as a means of evacuation during emergencies, and also for swimming, fishing, hunting and harvesting. The community became aware that the facility had been contaminated with various compounds, including hydrocarbons and various metals, after learning about a 2017 report that outlined the contaminants found in the soil near the dock on Lake Athabasca. If everything goes according to plan, according to the update published on Mikisew Cree First Nation's Facebook page, the cleanup of the site could happen in summer 2026. Adam said the site could potentially be remediated in a way to make sure that the sediment is not disturbed, and the dock relocated. "It's contained in that way," Adam said. "But it's unfortunate it had to happen," he added. Temporary dock The community will get a temporary dock this year, with construction expected to be completed in July. In an email to CBC, Transport Canada states that "the government of Canada is providing capacity funding to support the Nations' input and involvement in the construction of a temporary dock, as well as funding to support the construction." The temporary dock in Fort Chipewyan will be located at the end of Mackenzie Avenue, where it meets Slave River. Adam said the temporary dock is intended mainly as a boat launch site. "It'd be hard to swim there because it's in a river and the water is swift." He said the new dock will do for now and making sure everyone has safe access to the boat launch is a priority. "We were evacuated once and to see it happening again, if that would be the case, we need someplace to launch our boats, and be mindful of the fact that when you start launching your boats, there's going to be multiple trucks and trailers down there." Last year, Adam expressed his frustration with the federal government, saying that the feds weren't forthcoming with information about the contaminated dock. Things have changed since then, he said. "Everything improved in that matter. We all came down to it and we agreed to fix the problem instead of just leaving it unattended because of the amount of use that it gets on a seasonal basis." Both the temporary dock and the Big Dock will continue to be owned by Transport Canada.
CBC
01-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
First Nations chiefs say Alberta premier is trying to 'manufacture a national unity crisis'
Many First Nations in Alberta are denouncing Bill 54, the Election Statutes Amendment Act tabled in the provincial legislature Tuesday, saying it disregards treaty rights. If passed, it will change how referendums can be introduced in the province by lowering the signature threshold required. In a letter, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Chief Sheldon Sunshine and Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro accused Premier Danielle Smith of "attempting to manufacture a national unity crisis by enabling a referendum on separatism." "Alberta did not exist when our ancestors agreed to share the land with the Crown. The province has no authority to supersede or interfere with our treaties, even indirectly by passing the buck to a 'citizen' referendum," the letter continued. Tuccaro told CBC News the bill continues the work the province started when they introduced the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act in 2022. "If treaty rights were broken … it would allow Alberta to do anything they would see fit in regards to our traditional territories," he said. "If the treaties are broken then that leaves us as First Nations with absolutely nothing in regards to holding the British Crown responsible for their fiduciary responsibility, and that is to uphold the treaty that we signed in 1899." He described the relationship between the province and First Nations as "very tense" and said if the bill is passed, "There will be a rise up from the treaty people." In a news release, the Blackfoot Confederacy said the proposed legislation "threatens the constitutional and legal order by disregarding the Nation-to-Crown agreements that define our relationship to the state." It reminded the province their treaty "was not a land surrender," but rather "a framework for peaceful coexistence and shared use of territory." "We will aggressively protect our historic treaty rights and our inherent rights," said Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton in a statement. "We will require that the Crown's obligations to First Nations be honoured and fulfilled." 'Enabling direct democracy' At a news conference on Thursday, Smith said she respects "all of the treaty rights that are enshrined in the Constitution." She described referendums as "enabling direct democracy," and she encouraged all Albertans — including Indigenous people — to embrace it. "The purpose of a referendum is to let every single Albertan have a say on matters of important public policy," said Smith. When pushed on her personal views on Alberta separatism, the premier said she believes in "Alberta sovereignty within a united Canada." She accused the federal government of meddling in provincial issues. "When the federal government goes out of their way to interfere with our exclusive jurisdiction, we are going to meet them with every step that we can in order to preserve our ability to manage our own affairs," she said. Rethinking sovereignty One expert says some Albertans are feeling disenchanted by the political process following the federal election, with some wanting the province to break from Canada. "It's impossible for Alberta to think it can claim the land without involving Indigenous peoples," said Matthew Wildcat, director of Indigenous governance at the University of Alberta, and a member of Ermineskin Cree Nation. "We can't think about our Canadian sovereignty being broken apart unless treaties [and] Indigenous peoples are part of that reordering of sovereignty." Smith said at the news conference she doesn't want to judge the types of petitions Albertans want to put forth and that interest in separatism might not be widespread, referring to a recent Angus Reid survey that suggested one in four Albertans would vote to separate from Canada. "It seems to me that the majority of people are not in favour of that, and so I guess we'll see whether or not they're able to put together a petition, gather enough signatures and put it to the people," she said. The premier mentioned examples where Albertans had a say in important issues, including the 1997 referendum on allowing VLTs in the province.
