Assembly of Treaty Chiefs votes no-confidence in UCP government

By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

(ANNews) – In an historic vote, an umbrella organization representing chiefs from Treaties 6, 7 and 8 has called on the Legislative Assembly to hold a vote of non-confidence in Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP. 

The vote was unanimous at the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs (AOTC) Feb. 26 meeting at River Cree Resort in Enoch. It’s the first time the AOTC has voted non-confidence in a government. 

“A responsible government requires independent democratic oversight and a transparent legislative process. The UCP has obstructed and failed to meet these basic requirements to govern,” reads an AOTC news release. 

The chiefs are calling for UCP, NDP and independent MLAs to “officially and expeditiously” hold a vote of non-confidence in the government in the Legislative Assembly. With a UCP majority government, that’s unlikely to occur. 

Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) in Treaty 8 told Alberta Native News that as long as Smith remains in power, First Nations will use every legal means at their disposal to block resource development. 

“The message is that we’re not going to open the floodgates to any kind of resource development in our traditional territories,” said Chief Adam. 

“We could tie industry up in the court system for the next 20 years if we want to, or else we could open the door in six months. Take your pick.”

Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations Grand Chief Joey Pete accused Smith’s government of having “created conditions in Alberta that are unsafe for First Nations Peoples – promoting ignorance and intolerance along with its support for the separatist agenda is leading to outright racism.”

Referring to the U.S. presidential administration of Donald Trump, Pete added that the UCP government is “acting as an embassy for the worst we’ve seen from south of the border, and it’s time to say no.”

“No one wants the future this government is taking us into,” said Pete in the AOTC news release. 

The provincial government has twice changed rules regarding referendums to make it easier for separatists to have a referendum on Alberta independence. 

If the organization Stay Free Alberta is successful in collecting 177,732 petition signatures by May, the province is expected to have an independence referendum on Oct. 19. The government has already scheduled referendums on five questions regarding immigrants’ ability to access social services and four constitutional questions for that date. 

There are four legal cases before the courts challenging the province’s authority to approve a referendum on independence, given its inherent impact on Treaty rights, which are the product of agreements with the Crown that predate Alberta’s existence. 

These challenges are being led by Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, ACFN, Mikisew Cree Nation, and the Piikani, Siksika and Kainai Nations.

“Our Rights are non-negotiable,” the Blackfoot Confederacy Chiefs said in the AOTC news release.

Chief Adam noted that as the court challenges to the premier’s policies “keep mounting up,” industry might begin having second thoughts about investing in Alberta. 

“The message is already being sent,” he said. “You want calmness? Get her out of there.” 

The AFCN’s case is being heard from April 8 to 10. 

Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said in the AOTC release that the government has “repeatedly demonstrated to all Treaty people that it does not have the capacity to responsibly navigate the political instability resulting from the chaos Danielle Smith has created.”

Mercredi attributed a “growing climate of division” directly to the UCP government’s unwillingness to uphold “Treaty rights, constitutional obligations, and the foundational relationship between First Nations and the Crown.” 

Xakiji Suh Xakiji, or Chief Ellery Starlight, of Tsuut’ina Nation in Treaty 7 described the AOTC vote as “swift action” against the premier for her “unconstitutional exercise to separate Alberta from the Crown.”

Xakiji accused the UCP of attempting to breach the “lifelong covenant that contributed to the establishment of Canada through our Treaties.” 

“As long as the sun shines, grass grows, and the rivers flow, we remain connected as neighbors and partners with all humans on this land,” he said.   

In a Feb. 27 joint statement, NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and Indigenous NDP MLAs Brooks Arcand-Paul and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse noted the “historic” nature of the AOTC vote. 

“This has never happened in Alberta’s history, and it reflects the profound harm caused by the Premier’s embrace of separatism,” they said.