Chief calls for respect from Alberta after government misses Treaty anniversary event

An Alberta chief is calling for more respect from the provincial government after its Indigenous relations minister missed a marquee event marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6.

Joey Pete, the grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations , says the lack of representation from Premier Danielle Smith’s government “says a lot.”

The event, hosted today by the City of Edmonton and Mayor Andrew Knack at city hall, saw Indigenous dignitaries participate in ceremonies while officials from all levels of government delivered speeches.

Pete says the upcoming Alberta separation referendum and talk of building new pipelines is a major concern for him, but says the province hasn’t made the time to sit down and talk.

“We all know that each representative that sits in the House — it doesn’t matter who it is, they’re a Crown representative, and their duty to consult with us is a must and is a given. And there always needs to be a free and prior form of consent moving forward,” said Pete.

“Many times we’ve asked to sit with them, and we still haven’t been able to sit with them, but they keep saying that we work with them, we meet with them, but we’re still waiting,” Pete added.

The NDP’s shadow minister for Indigenous relations, Brooke Sarkind-Paul, said he was shocked by the lack of representation from the provincial government.

“ We know that the treaty relationship is frail right now, and it shows a big message that the province of Alberta, the United Conservative Party, couldn’t be bothered to show up, including the minister,” Sakind-Paul said.

Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney’s office says the minister is away but is committed to maintaining strong relationships.

Sawhney’s office, in a statement, says the 150th anniversary is a significant milestone and a time to reflect on its history while also looking ahead.

The event at city hall marks the beginning of a week’s worth of events in Edmonton commemorating the anniversary, including a re-enactment of the signing itself.

There are events planned for the weekend at Fort Carlton in Saskatchewan, where the treaty was originally signed.