A first nation whose land covers the border of Alberta-Asaskatchewan says that Alberta’s “growing separatist agenda” has stimulated them to relive a demand for more than two years against the province.
The lawsuit was originally presented to the King court bank less than two weeks after Alberta’s sovereignty within a law in Canada Unida was approved in December 2022, but was on hold until Wednesday, says the lawyers of Onion Lake Cree Nation.
“Our decision to advance our litigation on Alberta’s sovereignty law is in direct response to the ongoing separatist conversations that occur,” said Onion’s nation Lake Cree Henry Lewis on a press conference at Edmonton.
“Our message to Premier Smith is that these are treated lands. They are not his to take, and we are prepared to go to court to defend our constitutionally protected rights under the treaty.”
The lawsuit states that the Law on Sovereignty Socava and violates the rights of the constitutional treaties of the Nation of the Nation of Lake of Onion, and seeks temporary and permanent mandates that the law cannot be held against the first nation or its people.
The first nation said that the law and several bills currently in the legislature feed the separatism of Alberta, including bill 54, which would facilitate citizens to initiate referendums on issues that include the separation of Canada.
“The law of sovereignty of the premier Smith combined with many of the significant changes with two other laws sends a clear sign that his government is willing to manipulate laws, intimidate the first nations and control public opinion to boost the separatist agenda,” Lewis said.
“The law of sovereignty has always been to undermine the federal authority and affirm the provincial control. This goes against our relationship with the crown.”
The Alberta Premier office did not respond to a request for comments for publication time.
Bill 54, the Law of amendment of Statutes Elections, has caused the resistance of many indigenous leaders in the province since it was presented two weeks ago.
The bill would reduce the number of signatures necessary to activate a referendum and extend the 90 -day signature collection period from 60.
On Wednesday, the province made changes to bill 54, adding a clause that no issue of the separation referendum could threaten the existing treatise rights of indigenous peoples in Alberta.
Lewis said it is something he has heard before during his years of negotiating agreements with governments.
“That clause is always entered, but guess what? They don’t honor it,” Lewis said.
“Pure and simple, it’s nothing … It means nothing to me.”
Onion Lake Cree Nation lawyers said the province has until June 6 to present a declaration of defense against its lawsuit.
The first nation launched a similar demand against Saskatchewan in April 2023, arguing that Saskatchewan’s first law of the province also violates the rights of treaties.
