An Alberta chief is calling for more respect from the provincial government after its Indigenous relations minister missed a marquee event marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6.
Joey Pete, the grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, says the lack of representation from Premier Danielle Smith’s government “says a lot.”
The event, hosted Monday by the City of Edmonton and Mayor Andrew Knack at city hall, saw Indigenous dignitaries participate in ceremonies while officials from government delivered speeches.
In addition to Pete and Knack, Alberta Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani and federal Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada Eleanor Olszewski both spoke at the event.
It’s the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6. Here’s how to mark the event in Alberta and Sask.
Pete says the upcoming Alberta separation referendum and talk of building new pipelines is a major concern for him, but says the province hasn’t made the time to sit down and talk.
Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney’s office says the minister is away but is committed to maintaining strong relationships.
Sawhney’s office, in a statement, says the 150th anniversary is a significant milestone and a time to reflect on its history while also looking ahead.
A statement from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations says that invitations were extended “to all levels of government including Minister Sawhney to attend today’s event,” and they were informed that the minister was away this week and would not be able to attend.
The event at city hall marks the beginning of a week’s worth of events in Edmonton commemorating the anniversary, including a re-enactment of the signing itself.
There are events planned for the weekend at Fort Carlton in Saskatchewan, where the treaty was originally signed.
