EDMONTON – The Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, Joey Pete, revealed that King Charles expressed concern after learning about Alberta's separatist movement during a meeting with Indigenous leaders. This face-to-face encounter took place at Buckingham Palace, where Pete was part of a delegation of Treaty 6 chiefs.
Pete indicated in a news release that the King showed significant interest in the issues raised by Indigenous leaders, particularly regarding the separatism topic and the implications it has on treaty rights. "We made him aware of the separatism issue in Alberta and the threat to treaty it represents," Pete stated. The King reportedly committed to deepening his understanding of these concerns.
The meeting originated from an invitation extended by Indigenous leaders, requesting the King’s attendance at an event celebrating the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6, signed in 1876. During the discussions, Pete also called on the King to issue a royal proclamation affirming the sacredness of the treaty and the rights it bestows. He described the meeting as "significant," acknowledging the role of treaty partners as equals.
Additionally, Louis Bull Tribe Chief Desmond Bull, another member of the delegation, highlighted Canada's ongoing failures to adhere to treaty obligations during the discussions. He noted that the King took these grievances seriously, and Pete shared that the King was "quite shocked" to learn about "direct violations to treaty and to the Crown" associated with Alberta's movement towards separatism.
Following the meeting, the King is expected to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney next week. Alberta's Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney has expressed a desire to discuss alleged treaty violations directly with Pete. She stated, "I would like to know more about what he thinks those treaty violations are," while indicating her disagreement with the allegations raised by Indigenous leaders.
Sawhney characterized the Treaty 6 delegation's meeting with the King and the upcoming meeting with Carney as essential opportunities for dialogue on various issues. "Dialogue is important at every level about a number of different issues," she said, emphasizing the importance of understanding different perspectives.
The royal meeting occurred shortly after over a dozen First Nations chiefs, along with additional band council members and elders, gathered at Alberta's legislature to demand that Premier Danielle Smith's government publicly denounce separatism. These chiefs are also pushing for a non-confidence vote against Smith's government, an initiative blocked by the ruling United Conservative majority.
Following the blocked vote, members in the gallery expressed their frustration, with one shouting "Traitors!" Multiple First Nations are challenging the provincial legislation that allows citizen-led petitions, such as the current campaign seeking a referendum on separation. This campaign began in January and has a deadline to collect approximately 178,000 signatures by May. If successful, a referendum could take place this fall regarding Alberta's separation from Canada.
Premier Smith previously stated her refusal to vilify those discontent with the federal government, asserting her role in demonstrating that Alberta can maintain a productive relationship with Ottawa. However, her unwillingness to denounce separatism has faced criticism from Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, who accused the government of prioritizing political interests over addressing the concerns arising from the separatist movement.
Nenshi also asserted that Minister Sawhney needs to explain how the situation escalated to this point, criticizing the government for lacking foresight in its actions. An advocate for the petition campaign acknowledged that some members of Smith's caucus have signed the petition, although many in the caucus and some UCP backbenchers have denied this claim.
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen confirmed to reporters that he has not signed the separatist petition. He acknowledged the group's efforts to gather signatures independently. Similarly, UCP backbencher Chelsae Petrovic stated she has avoided signing any petitions, recognizing the importance of her signature. The day prior, Scott Cyr, the UCP Member of the Legislature for Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, reiterated his stance against signing any petition related to the contentious separation issue.
