Onion Lake Cree Nation suing Smith government over Alberta sovereignty act ableg abpoli
Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, Chief Henry Lewis said the community is seeking the bill’s retraction and for the premier to address Onion Lake Cree Nation as a sovereign government.
“As treaty people, as treaty nations we will never allow the provincial governments to hold this amount of unchecked power to override the promises and undertakings of our treaty,” he said, adding that the First Nation will take similar legal action if Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s Bill 88, The Saskatchewan First Act, passes debate in that legislature.
Onion Lake Coun. Bernadine Harper said the community is open to communication and working with the government, according to treaty, but there was no consultation on Bill 1.Article contentLawyer Michael Marchen said the lawsuit argues that the bill derogates the sovereignty of Onion Lake Cree Nation in favour of the government, and is based on the lack of evidence of any consultation with First Nations throughout legislative debate on the bill.
“It wrests control of all treaty rights and the treaty relationship from the Crown and right of Canada, to the Lieutenant Governor and council of Alberta,” he said.Advertisement 5The government has repeatedly pointed to the fact that the bill states nothing within it should be construed as “abrogating or derogating” from any existing Aboriginal or treaty rights, but that hasn’t stopped a torrent of criticism from Indigenous leaders.
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