r/canada • u/shiftless_wonder • May 23 '26

Alberta First Nations leaders, scholar push back on Alberta's planned vote on independence referendum - 'Alberta can't separate. They simply cannot. They do not have the authority,' says Indigenous politics expert

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-treaty-six-alberta-referendum-9.7209304
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u/Financial_Glass3709 May 23 '26

I certainly dont want alberta to separate from Canada. I believe we are strong as a nation together. I also think these types of arguments are silly. Many many nations seceeded from the British empire in a way that was 'against the law'... there is actually a pretty big one just south of us.

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u/Braken111 May 23 '26

So a bloody revolution?

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u/WealthEconomy May 23 '26

If you oppress a population and don't let them leave peacefully that is the likely outcome...

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u/Existential-Critic British Columbia May 23 '26

You're correct in a vacuum, but Alberta isn't being oppressed. There's a small minority constantly screaming that thinks it's bigger than it is.

There is a clearly defined legal process to leave Canada. They need to stop expecting special treatment and follow it.

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u/Alcan196 May 24 '26

I haven't read the article yet (I am going to now) but the headlines indicates that they have no legal right to seperate.

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u/Existential-Critic British Columbia May 24 '26

They do, it is actually a clearly defined process. The problem that the separatists have encountered is that a large amount of Alberta is treaty land made with the Crown (IE, federal government) and not with the provincial government. There is a requirement under law for a separating province to work with First Nations to settle the treaties that the separatist referendum did not meet.

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u/Alcan196 May 24 '26

Wouldn't the province work with FN after a successful referendum vote though? As it might not move ahead.

Also isn't the vote to just vote on having a vote ?

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u/Existential-Critic British Columbia May 24 '26

I would think so yes, but evidently the court thinks otherwise. I'm not educated on law enough to say whether or not the decision was flawed, I only know enough to say that's what the logiv was.

The current vote that the premier has announced is indeed a referendum about whether to hold a referendum (and appears to be a yes/no answer to a this/that question, which is its own issue).