(rdnewsNOW/ Ian Gustafson)

By Ian Gustafson

Treaty rights

Indigenous Sovereignty in Alberta protest in Red Deer highlights unity across province

May 10, 2025 | 4:57 PM

Indigenous land is not for sale.

That was the main message from the approximate 20 people taking part in the Indigenous Sovereignty in Alberta protest on Saturday in Red Deer along Taylor Drive.

The protesters stood in solidarity with the people of Treaty 6, 7, and 8 territories as well as the Métis people, to show their unity and resolve that Indigenous people oppose the Alberta sovereignty movement and refuse to ever become a 51st state.

Tyler McKinney, who’s urban Indigenous and has lived in Red Deer his whole life, as well as Alden Boysis, from Samson Cree Nation, co-organized the event.

“We’re out here saying that Indigenous voices need to be heard,” Boysis said. “The rhetoric that’s being spilled by the Premier, I do not agree with. We want people to remember that this is treaty and Indigenous land. We’re not going to be silenced. We gathered here today to show that we’re still here, we’re strong, and work as a community.”

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The protest comes after Premier Danielle Smith said in a livestream address on May 5 that she would hold a referendum on provincial separation next year if citizens gather the required signatures on a petition.

Her address came a week after Smith’s United Conservative government introduced legislation that, if passed, will reduce the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum.

The current minimum standard of signatures is 10 per cent of voters in the last election representing 177,000 names with four months to gather the petition.

McKinney said the main point of conversation they’re trying to get across is when some of the treaties were created, Alberta wasn’t even part of the process.

“These agreements were made from nation to nation through the Crown, not through the provinces,” he said. “The province of Alberta wasn’t even a concept in the minds of this negotiation during the times of these treaties. For me personally, I’m here as a reminder that this is shared land. To all the people who believe that they own this land and they’re able to create movements around the idea of separation without even acknowledging our treaty rights, goes against the Indigenous peoples.”

(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

He added that the separatist movement is not only illegal when it comes to the treaties, but it goes against their rights that were established decades ago across Canada.

The separation movement has also brought nations from across the province together in solidarity. Multiple nations including The Four Nations of the Maskwacis Cree have written letters to Smith rejecting Bill 54.

McKinney said historically, there’s been conflict between nations, so to finally come together as one is quite significant.

“To come together and forget all the history from the past to push against a government system that is trying to oppress us again, is very important,” he said. “It’s beautiful to see Treaty 6, Treaty 7, Treaty 8, and Treaty 10 all coming together.”

Boysis said his message to the premier and to people who are for Alberta becoming the 51st state, is that it’s more important for Canada to be unified amid threats from the U.S. to annex the country.

“We have our prime minister in the process of uniting all provinces, and separatism destroys all of that,” he said.

“We are a peaceful movement. We’re not hear to stoke any flames, we’re simply just being loud, proud, and trying to get our point across in a peaceful way.”

(with files from The Canadian Press)