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“We’re not asking for amendments to these acts. We are actually asking that the Saskatchewan first and the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, be withdrawn.”
That was the message from Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, along with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and the G4 in Treaty 7 Territory at a news conference on Wednesday morning.
Archibald said the two bills — Bill 1 in Alberta and Bill 88 in Saskatchewan — are an infringement of their rights and “we will not stand idly by (and) will not allow it to happen.”
Read more: Saskatchewan announces bill for provincial autonomy: ‘We want an honourable partnership’
Treaty 6, 7 and the AFN put forward the emergency resolution at the Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa.
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In Alberta, under the current bill, the cabinet would have a wide latitude to respond to whatever federal law policy or program it deems harmful to Alberta’s interests. Whereas the act in Saskatchewan would allow the government to have independence over its natural resources.
Read more: ‘Bumbling and stumbling’: UCP caucus votes to propose changes to Alberta sovereignty act
“The Saskatchewan First Act will clarify and defend Saskatchewan’s constitutional right to control our natural resources and our economic future,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on Nov. 1.
Concerns by Treaty chiefs were raised after the group said there has been no consultation with First Nations when it comes to the acts and that it’s yet another blow to the path forward with Truth and Reconciliation.
“We’re asking a government to actually sit down with us and have conversations. Let’s talk about moving forward together,” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice Chief Aly Bear said.
“You know, there’s all this talk about reconciliation but there’s no real implementation of that either.”
More to come…
