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Calgary Herald

'No right talking the way she is': Alberta First Nations chiefs united after emergency meeting denouncing separation talks

Article content Leaders of First Nations across Alberta slammed Premier Danielle Smith for not putting talks of a separation referendum to rest and emphasized their opposition to Bill 54, which would lower the threshold for citizen initiatives. Article content Article content First Nations chiefs from Treaty No. 6, 7 and 8 gathered in Edmonton for an emergency meeting, and all stood firm on denouncing any movement towards a referendum on separation. Chiefs of the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nation said they cancelled a meeting scheduled with Smith for Tuesday and will remain that way until she 'changes her tone.' Article content Article content Chief Kelsey Jacko of Cold Lake First Nations said for the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 to meet with Smith, she needs to start thinking about First Nations and 'lift my people out of poverty.' Article content Article content 'If you want true reconciliation, give us a share of resources. Our water is suffering. Our animals are suffering out there. It's frustrating when everybody thinks about economics, and then where we're left out of it,' Jacko said. Article content 'She has no right talking the way she is because we are treaty people.' Article content At the emergency meeting, Treaty chiefs addressed concerns over Bill 54 and the Sovereignty Act, prompting First Nations to band together and emphasize their historical and ongoing presence on the land. Article content Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro of the Mikisew Cree First Nation who penned a cease and desist letter in late April to Smith accusing her of stoking separatist movement, threw Bill 54 in the air and said 'you're garbage' to the papers. Article content At an earlier press conference on Tuesday, Smith said the province was a 'number of steps' away from a referendum on separation and said the legislation is supposed to ensure the signature threshold for citizen-initiated referendums is 'reasonable.' Article content Article content 'You can't have a referendum on things that are enshrined in our various constitutional conventions and laws, and court decisions. So I'll wait and see what sort of referendum questions come forward, but my expectation would be that those (Treaty rights) would be honoured,' Smith said. Article content Article content Chief Troy Knowlton of Piikani Nation said any talk of separation is 'really insanity' and said he spoke to Indigenous Relations Minister Rick Wilson on Monday and told him the rhetoric being promoted by the province was 'taken right out of President Trump's playbook.' Article content 'The rhetoric and insanity of separation here in Alberta has united First Nations (not just) on this land, but all across Canada. So I want to thank you, Danielle Smith, for Bill 54, because today we stand united. We're not going anywhere and if you feel that you have problems with First Nations you could leave,' Knowlton said. Article content Alberta NDP Indigenous Relations critic Brooks Arcand-Paul put forward a motion in the legislature on Tuesday to respect Treaty rights and called on Smith to denounce separation. The motion did not receive unanimous consent.