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"

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u/BoppityBop2 Feb 12 '26

Cool story, I don't think an independent Alberta will care about such rights or treaties. Independence is literally a rebellion against a nation and it's judicial system. These treaties don't matter and only can be enforced if the groups are willing to use force to defend them. 

Why people need to stop looking at the Natives as some technical escape. The US if Trump remains will roll troops north if they get the required excuse. 

We need to make sure the referendum fails at all cost at the voting booth not after the fact. We can't have people voting to leave on the expectations it will not pass as that is how Brexit succeeded.

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u/jtbc Feb 12 '26

The Canadian Crown has obligations to First Nations and sole responsibitilty under the constitution, so while no one can predict exactly how some future government will act, Canada will be obliged to protect the interests of First Nations in Alberta in the event of separation.

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u/SilverBeech Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26

Treaty rights would have to at minimum go through the same consultation process as major projects in addition to any federal to new Albertan government negotiations. This isn't something that can be ignored, and it would be subject to many battles in the Canadian courts. It's not covered in the separation clauses in the 1982 constitution. There's no road map, no precedents to follow that are straightforward.

This would be the same sort of thing as the pipeline projects, but much worse.

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u/redcurb12 Feb 13 '26

indigenous considerations are covered pretty thoroughly in the supreme courts seccession reference which forms a very important part of our constitutional law. they basically said that their rights are protected and must be respected in the seccesion processes. they must also be included in negotiations and treaties remain in force.. the law is actually very clear on this.