Indigenous Leaders Rally Against Alberta Separation Petition

0:00It's April 8th. You're listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with The Story. Ralliers hit Edmonton's downtown Churchill Square on Wednesday to back First Nation's groups fighting in court over Alberta's push for separation. Referendum These indigenous leaders from Treaty 6, 7, and 8 want to judge to pause the citizen-led petition process, saying it threatens sacred treaty, rights protected by federal law. The petition comes from Stay Free, Alberta, which claims to have gathered 178,000 signatures already. They have until May 2nd to hand it over to elections, Alberta, potentially landing the separation question on an October ballot. First Nations argue the whole thing skips their rights and needs a court check first. At the rally, she's drummed, sang, and spoke to the crowd about honoring those unbreakable treaties that can't just shift with politics. Calling it a sad push against everything indigenous people hold dear, while separation backers, see it as a chance to fix federal wrongs.

1:03Stay Free, Alberta's rep brushed off the court drama, doubting a judge would rewrite laws, and urge chiefs to negotiate harder in this independence. Talk The Alberta government honors treaties, but stay quiet during hearings. Court wraps arguments Thursday, with First Nations vowing to keep rallying and working no matter the ruling, keeping the treaty fight front and center.