'Separatist rhetoric' in Alberta is 'harmful and divisive for all': FSIN
Prairie premiers should 'remind themselves ... on treaty rights and land rights': U of Regina prof
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is raising the alarm about the possibility of a referendum in Alberta over separation.
On Tuesday, the day after the Liberals won the federal election, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tabled a bill that would make it easier for voters there to force recalls and referendums.
First Nations leaders in Alberta accused her of "attempting to manufacture a national unity crisis by enabling a referendum on separatism."
The FSIN, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, said in a press release Thursday that Smith's proposal to lower thresholds for citizen-initiated referendums, which could lead to a vote on separation, fundamentally ignores the nation-to-nation treaties signed between First Nations and the Crown.
The federation sees "separatist rhetoric as harmful and divisive for all, distracting from the real work of building a stronger, more unified Canada that also respects First Nations inherent and treaty rights and sovereignty," the release said.
"As a reminder, we are the First Peoples of these lands and waters," FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron was quoted as saying in the release.
"Those that want to leave are free to do so but all the lands, waters, and resources are First Nations, and were negotiated in the various treaties across Turtle Island," he said.
"Our treaties were and are still here long before the so-called western provinces became provinces."
Provincial boundaries were established after many treaty territories were defined, the federation noted. The numbered treaties were signed between 1871 and 1921. Both Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces in 1905.
Cameron said the signed treaties are constitutionally protected international agreements, and therefore cannot be "unilaterally altered" by provincial governments.
"Any process of separation that fails to honour the true spirit and intent of our treaties would violate both constitutional and international law," Cameron said in the federation's news release.
"These treaties were made with the Crown, not with provinces, and they remain binding regardless of political aspirations."
Separation concerns not new for First Nations: prof
University of Regina professor and treaty rights expert Danette Starblanket says if a referendum on secession came up in Saskatchewan, First Nations would take a strong stand, in the same way Indigenous people did during the separatist movement in Quebec in the 1970s, and would fight hard for their treaty rights in the courts.
"We were very aware of those positions of First Nations in Quebec. And what it is is taking that stand to assert your rights and that will happen," said Starblanket.
"So we're starting to see that happen now. We saw what happened with Idle No More movements, for example. And so [separation] is not going to happen easily."
There are six main treaty territories in Saskatchewan, which the professor says are very strong. There are five in Alberta.
Following Monday's election, Smith vowed to protect Alberta against "future hostile acts" from the federal government, but said her government won't advance a separation vote.
But Starblanket said any suggestion of separation by Smith would be "absolutely out of line."
"She has absolutely no grounds to make any claim that she has a place to be able to talk about Alberta, the province of Alberta, pulling out of Canada," said Starblanket.
"And that's not part of what we agreed to when we opened up these lands for settlement and we allowed newcomers, we allowed settlers onto these territories so that they could have better lives and live the good life alongside us."
Starblanket praised the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations' public statement.
"I think what the FSIN is saying is absolutely in line with what the elders and what our treaty knowledge-keepers have always said. We did not cede or surrender any of our lands," Starblanket said.
She also has a message for both Smith and Saskatchewan's premier.
"I'd invite Premier Danielle Smith and Scott Moe, for that matter … to remind themselves and to educate themselves on treaty rights and land rights and inherent rights."
WATCH | Sask. Premier Scott Moe says separation talk a scare tactic:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
