DUCK LAKE – It was 150 years ago when First Nations chiefs and dignitaries met at Fort Carlton, in the wilderness of what is now Saskatchewan, to carve out a lasting agreement on how to work and live as the modern shape of Canada emerged.
Politicians, dignitaries, Indigenous chiefs and elders are set to gather in the same place on Sunday to honour Treaty 6, celebrate its legacy and recommit to fixing promises broken and dreams unrealized.
“Events surrounding this major milestone provide a special opportunity to recognize the resilience and vibrancy of Treaty 6 Nations,” federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty said in a statement.
Alty said Canada has historically not been a reliable treaty partner and that the federal government is committed to addressing harms and injustices.
“Despite real hardship and periods in our shared history when government policies sought to erase Indigenous cultures altogether, these communities have maintained their languages, teachings and traditional practices for generations.”
Among those expected to speak at Fort Carlton Historic Park Sunday are Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.
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A new monument marking the anniversary is also set to be unveiled.
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The treaty was the sixth of 11 treaties signed in the years after Canada was established through Confederation, and it covers most of what’s now central Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Canada was barely a country when the treaty was signed and Alberta and Saskatchewan weren’t yet recognized as provinces.
Events were fluid then, as they are now.
The signing anniversary comes as relationships between Indigenous chiefs and the Alberta government are under strain over the Oct. 19 referendum on whether the province should hold a separation vote.
First Nations in Alberta have vehemently opposed the separatist movement and have fought in court efforts to hold a binding vote. Some chiefs have gone as far as to accuse the premier of acting treasonously.
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Premier Danielle Smith has defended the referendum by arguing that the hundreds of thousands of Albertans who have signed petitions on either side of the debate deserve to have their voices heard.
The fracture recently made headlines again when Joey Pete, grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, called out Smith’s government for missing an event in Edmonton commemorating the treaty anniversary.
Alberta Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney’s office said the minister was away but remains committed to maintaining the relationship between the province and First Nations.
Pete said if the relationship doesn’t improve, the only path forward for collaboration would be with the federal government, which he said he expects more from when it comes to honouring commitments made in Treaty 6.
Eric Schmalz, Saskatchewan’s government relations minister, said in a recent interview that the province is excited to recognize Treaty 6, calling it one of the country’s most important documents.
Schmalz, who is attending the anniversary festivities at Fort Carlton with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, said the relationship between the provincial government and First Nations is strong.
He said he has had an “open door policy” to make sure Indigenous leaders are being heard.
“Treaty 6 is no exception,” he said.
“Whether it comes to resource extraction or whether it’s education in the public school system, these are important things that we need to learn and ensure that we have that focus and collaboration with our Indigenous partners.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2026.
Sacking elders off for 150 years LoL!
Sack your dad’s azz redboy
“VJ
August 24, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Funny because now First Nations people have better jobs than you do
you lost me at “have jobs”.
I was actually just up in Sechelt over the weekend. The First Nations people there actually own their own mine and the workers make 6 figures every year. I guess you would never know because you never actually leave your trailer park in Alberta
Cindy Woodhouse announced to all-“there will be no flourishing Canadian economy until we have a flourishing FN economy”.
Interpretation- canada will rot in an economic stagnation unless you give us all the monies that we want. We dont care that its the taxpayer who pays us nor that the government will have to tax you all into oblivion to create the necessary funds.
Funny because now First Nations people have better jobs than you do
you lost me at “have jobs”.
Isn’t it funny how Canada is 68% white yet the history of the white settlers is slowly being erased in Canada. Future generations of Canadians will be taught in school that the white settlers were fiIthy liars that stole the land from the First Nations people. In other words they’ll be taught the truth and once all of the fabricated white trash history is erased it’s never coming back. 😊👍
“Iona Truc
August 24, 2026 at 12:44 pm
There is not greater example of slap the hand that feeds you.”
Funny because now First Nations people have better jobs than you do
There is not greater example of slap the hand that feeds you.
Time for these treaties to be canned and these freeloaders to join the rest of us and start paying their fair share. Maybe then they’ll start actually taking care of what they have.
Did day sack der dadd cack to celbrate?
Did day eat der mam azz out to celbrate;
And there’s absolutely nothing the NAZl seperatists/white nationalists can do about it 🤣🤣
Hey Dee.
Maybe try reading the treaty and see what it really says!!
Crazy idea ,right?!
What’s really crazy is how both sides have a different interpretation, perhaps that’s what your getting at.
Unfortunately these issue will never ever be resolved. EVER!
I doubt very much that Ottawa signed a Treaty that gave all power over all the lands/resources and peoples of Canada. That Governments could not function unless the local Indians/Breeds gave permission and where paid for giving it.
Yawn, pass….., it is not the same treaty, it has been heavily reinterpreted over the years until it is not the same document, at least in intent of subject(s).
TIME TO TEAR ALL THESE TREATIES UP , AND MOVE FORWARD ! ENOUGH HAND OUTS ALREADY ! DID INDIGENOUS CREATE THIS WORLD ? NO !!! SO HOW HOW DO YOU OWN LAND ? IF I WAS ELECTED P/M ALL TREATIES GONE IN 10 MINUTES !!!
The promises broken? You mean like no more interfering with development by the rest of Canada/Sask? Now they are interfering with the Alberta separation. Shame.
The natives had the dream of working for Canada. Why are there so many on welfare and still on reserves? They had the dream of learning English and fitting in to the evolving Canada. – Why are they continuing to segregate themselves?
When it comes to resource extraction, natives can participate like any other Canadian.
When it comes to education, they need to put more effort into attending, and quit wit the myth of residential school survivors.
Yes by all means! Form it into a golden club to beat the nation with year after year. All treaties should be in club form. Well, maybe they are already. F*CK THE FN!
The First Nations consider themselves a separate nation from the Canadian system of government, yet they call Danielle Smith treasonous.
Treasonous to who exactly? Smith isn’t part of the FN and the FN isn’t the Canadian Government.
It’s nothing more than gaslighting and victimhood advertising to get something for nothing with these people. The First Nations are the Original Liberals of this country and they play the part with exceptional accuracy
Indian leadership is corrupt, inept and irrelevant to their own people. All they do is foment unrest to distract their people from the obvious facts that they have no solutions to their people’s problems. Indian chiefs view their people as fodder for their ongoing greed.
Appears that these treaties are just more of “gimme your money” than anything else. Do FNs not recognize that, in order for them to keep their so called way of life, they literally have to get out of the way so we can rebuild our struggling economy?!?
The free-money train needs to stop.