Dene National Chief George Mackenzie has a blunt message for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and all politicians in Canada.
"Whatever party they belong to, they have to honour and respect the treaty rights that was sacredly signed," he said. "They cannot challenge the treaty. Us treaty people were here long, long before them.
"The treaty was signed in friendship. It was signed for the opportunities for business people to do what they have to do. We're not against development, but you must respect the treaties."
To drive that message home, the Dene Nation is organizing a rally in solidarity with the peoples living under treaties 6, 7 and 8 in Alberta. The Yellowknife rally is intended to make a statement to the Western Premier's Conference, which is being held in the NWT capital on May 21 and 22.
Smith has come under fire by Indigenous leaders for not consulting them on a recent bill that lowers the threshold to launch a province-wide referendum. A number of organizations called on her United Conservative Party to withdraw the bill, but it was passed into law on May 15 with an amendment saying no referendum could affect existing treaty rights, which Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation have said "means nothing."
Stepping up for neighbouring First Nations is part of the Dene way of of life, Mackenzie remarked.
"Elders have told us, when someone is in trouble, you will help them," he said. "This is what we're doing. This is the protection of our treaties. Our treaty has been challenged before, and who knows when it will be challenged again? If we don't do this SA国际影视传媒� stand united as treaty people of Canada SA国际影视传媒� what will be for our young generations to come?
"We've got to let everybody know we're behind our treaties. The Elders, the former chiefs of the past, they were strong leaders because they were strongly tied to the treaty land. I remember an Elder saying, 'I love my land, I love my country, even though that land almost took my life more than once. That's what treaty means to us."
This is the latest showing of solidarity from the Dene Nation since Alberta introduced a law to make it easier for separatists to put a referendum on the next provincial election ballot. The Dene Nation released a support letter and communique previously. Indigenous leaders in Alberta have pointed out that the treaties pre-date the creation of Alberta and supersede it, meaning it doesn't matter what Albertans vote in regards to independence.
Acknowledging the short notice on May 21, Mackenzie said staff and supporters were spreading the word as fast as they could and support for the rally will span generations.
"We would have planned it two weeks ago, but we got word yesterday that Premier Danielle Smith is coming," he said. "So we're organizing as quickly as we can. People have been notified, friends, native organizations, chiefs SA国际影视传媒� they all support it. A lot of them cannot be here but they're in favour of this rally.
"My daughter texted me, said, 'I will be there with my little baby,' so hopefully we get a good turnout."
Mackenzie said the plan is to meet at 5 p.m. at the NWT legislature.
