By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
(ANNews) – In the wake of the 2025 federal election revealing an increasingly polarized electorate, First Nations leaders in Alberta are demanding that Premier Danielle Smith stop fanning the flames of separatism.
On Wednesday, two days after the election, Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro of Mikisew Cree Nation co-authored a cease and desist letter to Premier Smith regarding her “separatist threats.”
Smith, who warned Prime Minister Mark Carney of an “unprecedented national unity crisis” if he doesn’t accede to several policy demands, has said that while she won’t initiate a referendum on Alberta independence, she won’t prevent one from occurring if it goes through the appropriate process.
On Tuesday, Justice Minister Mickey Amery introduced legislation that would make it easier to initiate a referendum by requiring the signatures of 10 per cent of the number of people who voted in the last election, rather than 20 per cent of eligible voters for a constitutional referendum.
“You are attempting to manufacture a national unity crisis — by enabling a referendum on separatism and a fanatical cell of individuals — at the exact moment when Canadians need to unite against Donald Trump’s America,” chiefs Sunshine and Tuccaro wrote in their April 30 letter to the premier.
The election resulted in a strengthened Liberal minority government of 168 seats, with the runner-up Conservatives taking 144, although the popular vote was much closer, with the Liberals winning 43.7 per cent of votes compared to the Conservatives’ 41.3 per cent.
In Alberta, however, the Conservatives won 34 seats, compared to two for the Liberals and one for the NDP, with a popular vote share of 63.5 per cent for the Conservatives, 27.9 per cent for the Liberals and 6.3 per cent for the NDP.
Sunshine and Tuccaro emphasize that Alberta is situated on Treaty 6, 7 and 8 territory. These Treaties, signed with the Crown between 1876 and 1899, predate Alberta’s existence as a province.
“Our Treaties are sacred covenants and are to last forever,” the chiefs wrote. “The province has no right to supersede or interfere with our Treaties, even indirectly by passing the buck to a ‘citizen’ referendum.
“If you or any Canadians are not happy living on Treaty lands, they are free to apply for citizenship elsewhere.”
Chiefs Sunshine and Tuccaro sent an additional letter to Prime Minister Carney asking him to “get the province of Alberta in line,” which included a copy of their letter to the premier.
The day before Sunshine and Tuccaro sent their letters to the Smith and Carney, Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta, which includes the Mikisew Cree and Sturgeon Lake bands, issued a statement urging Carney to uphold Treaty rights.
“We expect those obligations to be respected in full,” wrote Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi. “The era of making decisions for us and without us must end. We will not stand by while governments attempt to erode or rewrite the promises made to our people.”
It’s not just Treaty 8 leadership that is emphasizing the centrality of respecting Treaty obligations in the face of separatist threats.
“Alberta lacks the authority to interfere with or negate those Treaties,” Chief Tony Knowlton of Piikani First Nation, which is a signatory to Treaty 7, told Lethbridge News Now, promising to “aggressively protect” Treaty rights.
Brooks Arcand-Paul, an NDP MLA from Alexander First Nation in Treaty 6, spoke about the separatist threat towards Treaty rights in the Legislature.
“The Treaties are binding. They must be respected,” said Arcand-Paul, a lawyer who before entering politics served as legal counsel for his First Nation. “No premier, no matter how loud and reckless, can erase that.”
He noted that the Supreme Court of Canada, in reference to Quebec separatism, has ruled that any decision to secede from Canada requires substantive negotiations with First Nations.
This, Arcand-Paul added, is “something this government has no mandate, no plan and no legitimacy to do.”
“This is, and always will be, Indian land,” he said.
Canada is not hers to take away.
Respect ❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️ 💯. Thank you 1000 fold for standing up for your land, your people, as well as us, who stand with you.