First Nations Fight Alberta Separation Petition

0:00It's April 9th. Welcome in. This is Canada News Today, where local news meets AI. Roughly 200 First Nations leaders, community members and supporters rallied in downtown Edmonton's Sir Winston Churchill Square on Wednesday to fight a petition pushing for a referendum on Alberta splitting from Canada. This came during the second day of a court hearing at the Edmonton Court of Kings bench, where groups like Athabasca Chippewaian First Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy and Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, are trying to block the process. Lawyers for these First Nations argued that Alberta's chief electoral officer made an unreasonable call by approving a renewed referendum proposal. They say it ignores a recent court ruling that a similar idea violated treaty and trotter rights plus new laws like Bill 14 that led potentially unconstitutional referendums move ahead without checks. At the rally, speakers hammered home treaty rights, with signs saying things like, honor the treaties and stand with First Nations.

1:02Treaty 8 grand chief Trevor Mercredi stressed educating non-indigenous folks that these aren't old myths but living protections. NDP MLA Brooks, our canned, Paul called on all Canadians, especially Albertans, to back indigenous leaders against separatist talk. The First Nations also hid on no consultation happening despite risks to their rights, like turning provincial borders into international ones that mess with traditional ways of life across treaty 8 lands. They claim Bill 14 itself might be unconstitutional for letting majority votes override Aboriginal protections and they're seeking a pause on. The petition to avoid harm. Meanwhile, the petition leader from Stafri, Alberta insists no treaty rights are touched since it's just a non-binding petition and real changes. What need negotiations with everyone involved? Blackfoot Confederacy wraps arguments Thursday, then responses as just as Shina Leonard weighs if this separation push respects Canada's. Foundational promises.