Alberta government makes 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation

EDMONTON — The Alberta government has made last-minute changes to its controversial proposed independence bill, saying no referendum on the province’s secession would threaten the existing treaty rights of Indigenous peoples.

The Daniel Smith government is seeking to significantly lower the threshold for holding popular referendums, including one on Alberta’s separation from Canada.

Although the bill has not yet become law, it has been met with strong opposition from Indigenous leaders since it was introduced in parliament more than two weeks ago.

Justice Minister Mickey Amery said Wednesday that the United Conservative Party (UCP) government has heard concerns from Indigenous peoples about the potential impact of such a referendum on their treaty rights.

“We hear you,” he said.

However, Chief Sheldon Sunshine of the Sturgeon Lake Cree and Chief Billy-Joe Tokaroo of the Mixio Cree quickly issued a statement saying the amendment “has no merit” and that the bill should be scrapped altogether.

“We have heard from many treaty people; we are united in our opposition. None of us will back down,” they said in their statement. They also announced a demonstration on Edmonton’s Parliament Square on Thursday.

Arcand-Pall, the opposition NDP’s Indigenous Relations critic, said during the bill’s consideration in parliament that the amendment “does nothing more than remind us of the government’s existing legal obligations to Indigenous peoples.”

“It’s just a show,” he said.

“The government has done a disastrous job of consulting with Indigenous peoples. I look forward to the legal challenges.”

On Wednesday morning, NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi told reporters that adding a line to the bill to protect the consultation rights of Indigenous peoples in the province is not enough.

“Basically, any discussion of Alberta secession, whether unilaterally or through a referendum, is already a violation of treaty rights,” she said.

Premier Smith has previously said he does not support his province’s separation from Canada, but he believes Albertans are grumbling about the federal government and are demanding concessions from federal Prime Minister Mark Carney.

He has argued that Alberta — particularly the oil and gas industry — has been the victim of anti-business laws and policies of the federal Liberal government over the past decade.

However, Smith insists that he is seeking Alberta’s rights within the framework of a united Canada and does not want the secessionist movement in the province to become a mainstream political movement.

On Tuesday, Premier Smith wrote to First Nations leaders from the Blackfoot Confederacy, Treaty 8, Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 nations, urging them to join his government in pressing Ottawa to demand Alberta’s “fair share” of federal funding.

He also described Wednesday’s amendment as a “good faith move.”

Smith said federal funding is an injustice to Alberta’s First Nations, and spoke of the “valuable relationship” between First Nations and the province, suggesting they work together to achieve this goal for the benefit of all.

In addition, a second amendment passed Wednesday, addressing a major concern raised by Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure.

McClure had said some of the bill’s provisions would effectively eliminate the ability of the Election Commissioner to investigate and enforce election laws, including reducing the time limit for investigating election finance violations from three years to one year.

The minister said Wednesday’s amendment would extend that time frame to two years.

This report was first published by The Canadian Press on May 14, 2025.

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