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.
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“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, Brooks Arcand-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,” Arcand-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.
With files from Global News.
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Here’s an idea. Since (some) live & work on a reserve they pay no federal income tax. Well take the same amount of tax money not paid federally put it into a band reserve fund & use that money to improve your reserves. Nothing un this life is free there is a cost to everything.
Respect from uceepee?
LMAO
Yawn….. Indians are crying about now?
Just throw them a handful of coins and they will toddle back to a bar.
Call the Premier a treasonous dictator and this government. You ceded your territory forever. You have no say
Nice comment Mr Mongoose the real racist. FN signed away the land now they whine to get it back or more money. Give your head a shake!
Nice to see nothing but blatant racism in the comments.
Give back all of the money you’ve grifted over the decades, then we’ll talk about respect. You so-called chiefs have impoverished your bands while enriching yourselves and hidden the proceeds away where it can probably never be audited. Crooks.
Lmfao
Who cares
Time to defund FN’s
Indigenous groups are so much more damaging and dangerous to Canada than Trump, or the U.S. will ever be.
They should read the treaties, they all say that you are allowed to live under British laws on the land we give you.
Hereditary ‘chief’ that doesn’t represent us and doesn’t know our history. NDP shill.
150 years and still whining
Have a look at the comments Indians, dont think people care anymore, shove your orange shirts in your a## !!
Respect must be earned. All this “consultation” nonsense is purely a money grab from a tiny populace of people that make zero contributions to the wider society. They just love to fester in their victim mentality and cry to whoever will listen. Suck it up and do something useful with your life rather than leech off of the rest of society.
Putting a few feathers on your head does not make you a superior race no how much you try to push that special narrative. How about showing the other 98% of us a little respect, at least just once.
Any respect back? I sure haven’t one iota of evidence
It’s more important that the Feds were there since it was a treaty signed between the tribes and the Crown federally. Alberta could have showed up but it’s secondary.
A question to all the rednecks: if a contract was signed by law a long time ago, say it was your family’s estate worth a lot of $$$, would you say it’s invalid because a.lot of time has gone by? I think not. You’d be fighting foe what you see as yours. So all of you who talk about respect should show some!
Awe, did we forget to send you a card?
Let’s hope Bob’s right about those treaties, burn, burn, burn! Idc what dead men agreed to, no one should.
He’s sad no one came to his costume party. Try Star Wars next time
There is no respect in being a welfare burden.
..smith and her maga klan will steamroll the treaties if given half a chance…
The government failed to consult them again on their birthday
Who cares about a birthday from less than 2 % of the population. Do fn celebrate the birthdays of the Canadian tax payer
Alberta is garbage
Oh for goodness sake give it up!
2 things to remember chief chicken feathers. Respect is earned not given no what you chose to put on your head. And 2 why should my government have to talk to you about “pipelines”
You don’t own the government! Time for an accountablity act to be put in place, that way we can find out were all the billions are really going!