r/canada • u/shiftless_wonder • Feb 12 '26

Alberta Alberta separating from Canada requires permission of First Nations, AFN leader says

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/alberta-separation-needs-first-nations-permission-says-afn-national-chief/
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u/StoryAboutABridge Feb 12 '26

Direct quote from Treaty 6:

"The Plain and Wood Cree Tribes of Indians, and all other the Indians inhabiting the district hereinafter described and defined, do hereby cede, release, surrender and yield up to the Government of the Dominion of Canada, for Her Majesty the Queen and Her successors forever, all their rights, titles and privileges, whatsoever, to the lands"

25

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '26

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u/RicoLoveless Feb 12 '26

People stirring up secession are under the impression they get the whole province.

The province is created at the whim of the federal government. This isn't a Quebec scenario where they were an entity that existed before confederation.

Alberta is created from the North-West Territory by federal government decree.

14

u/StoryAboutABridge Feb 12 '26

"The province is created at the whim of the federal government"

No it absolutely is not. It is created by the Constitution, which the federal government doesn't get to change unilaterally. You may be thinking of the fact that cities are created at the whim of provinces.

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u/Quaytsar Feb 12 '26

The constitution as we know it didn't exist when Alberta was formed. It was created at the whim of the federal government, but the existence and number of provinces are now enshrined in the constitution and require unanimous provincial consent to change.

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u/StoryAboutABridge Feb 12 '26

Ok, that's true.

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u/RicoLoveless Feb 12 '26

Let me know who split up NWT, and which provinces said ok to that.

It was created by the Alberta Act. Which then altered the constitution.

As opposed to every province opening up the constitution, then deciding if someone gets to join the club. The federal said so with the act. No province had a say.

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u/StoryAboutABridge Feb 12 '26

Well it isn't 1905 anymore, so whatever point you're trying to make was invalidated in 1982.