The Treaty Land Sharing Network strongly opposes the separation of Alberta and the actions of the provincial government that are fuelling the separatist movement. As First Nations leaders and many others have stated, Alberta is Treaty land and cannot separate without First Nations’ consent. Treaties are sacred covenants to share the land with the Crown. They precede Alberta’s existence and supersede its authority.

The Government of Alberta has entirely failed to seek First Nations consent and has instead introduced legislation — Bill 54 and Bill 14 — to pave the way for a referendum on the separation question. 

The Treaties cannot be altered by popular vote. Further, the Province’s approach has fostered divisiveness and hate within Albertan society, especially by positioning Indigenous Nations – whose territories are the foundation of all of Alberta’s wealth – as obstacles to Alberta prosperity.

As a network of rural landholders and First Nations and Métis people, we empathize with the sense of being left behind. For decades we have seen rural schools shut down, cuts to rural health care and agricultural services, and the hollowing out of communities. These issues will not be solved by violating our Treaty commitments and cutting ourselves off from the rest of Canada. On the contrary, Treaties were negotiated to ensure the wellbeing of all of Creation — including both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people — in perpetuity. We are all Treaty Peoples and must uphold our responsibilities and obligations to each other.

Benefiting from Treaties requires respecting the inherent sovereignty of the First Nations who agreed to them in good faith. For this reason, the Treaty Land Sharing Network calls on the Government of Alberta to repeal Bill 54 and Bill 14 and uphold the Treaty and inherent rights of all Indigenous Nations.