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CALGARY — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the law will be enforced if First Nations communities engage in civil disobedience over her government’s separation referendum.
At an unrelated news conference in Calgary Friday, she said: “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Read more:
- As Alberta battles with separation, Saskatchewan’s Moe affirms party wants to stay
- Conservative MP says First Nations votes will be critical in Alberta referendum
- Alberta Premier Smith’s government formalizes Oct. 19 separation question
On Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether they want to stay in Canada or start the process to hold a second, binding referendum on quitting the country.
First Nations leaders across the province have been pushing back against talk of secession, and Smith’s decision to put it on a ballot.
Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi, representing First Nations across the West, said Thursday that if necessary, they may get in the way of industry or take the fight against Smith’s separation vote to the highways.
“There can be no decisions about Alberta separating without consultation and consent of our First Nations,” he said.
Smith pointed to the province’s critical infrastructure defence law, which aimed to clamp down on protests by imposing extra penalties for obstructing essential infrastructure like railways, highways or pipelines.
“I think you saw how serious we are about enforcing that law as we have many times over previous years,” she said.
Smith has maintained she wants to see Alberta remain in Canada, but that Albertans deserve the opportunity to go to the ballot box and resolve the long-running debate over its role in Confederation.
“As premier of the province, it’s my obligation to give them an opportunity to have that debate,” she said Friday.
Smith also reiterated her belief that this fall’s referendum question doesn’t trigger the constitutional duty to consult First Nations.
Mercredi has argued it’s required whenever government action might adversely impact treaty rights. He has pointed to a recent court decision that stalled a separation petition drive on the grounds that Smith’s government did not fulfill its duty to consult.
The premier also dismissed Mercredi’s claim that her government’s relationship with First Nations is “fundamentally ruined.”
Smith said Friday that’s “overstated.”
She said she and her cabinet meet regularly with Treaty 6, Treaty 7, Treaty 8 and Blackfoot Confederacy leaders.
She called the relationship respectful, and pointed to collaboration on addiction recovery facilities, business loans and grants to First Nations.
“I would say that all of that is the relationship. It’s not just one disagreement over one issue,” she said.
Mercredi said Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney has met with “a couple” of Treaty 8 chiefs since the referendum was announced May 21, but he said, “we had a meeting that was set up with her that was cancelled.”
“She had cancelled the meeting, and maybe she needs to answer for that,” he said. Sawhney’s office declined to respond directly to the comment on Thursday.
Smith addressed separation as part of her speech to a suit-clad ballroom of supporters in Calgary on Friday night for the United Conservative Party’s flagship fundraising event. Smith said there were more than 2,000 people in attendance.
Addressing the lingering question of why the province is holding a referendum on separation at all, Smith said that Albertans angry about an issue should have a voice.
“Kicking the can down the road would only prolong a very emotional debate,” said Smith, clad in a bright pink suit in the centre of the Champions Ballroom at the BMO Centre.
“We just simply can’t muzzle the voice of our fellow Albertans.”
Smith blamed former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government and the federal NDP for the frustration among Albertans with Ottawa and their desire to send a message by voting to separate from Canada.
Conversely, she showed optimism for the progress made in the province’s energy sector under the new federal Liberal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
She suggested that those harbouring frustration vote in favour of the other nine constitutional and immigration questions in the fall referendum rather than marking the ballot in favour of secession.
The separation issue has also exposed a rift in Smith’s own United Conservative party.
Last week, the party had to course correct after the premier and the UCP president, Rob Smith, were publicly at odds.
Premier Smith said she wants Alberta to stay in Confederation after the party president, who is not related to the premier, said the party would not pick a side leading up to the vote.
Smith said she speaks for the party, caucus and government, and they support autonomy for Alberta within Canada.
“Every one of my MLAs got elected on that,” she said.
The UCP issued a new statement after the premier spoke, saying it supports Alberta staying in Canada, and it always has.
When asked Friday if she would disqualify separatist candidates from seeking a party nomination, Smith said she expects those seeking a nomination will have to follow the rules to get their name on a ballot.
She said that includes ensuring that those who sign nomination papers have a valid membership.
“I think that members are smart enough to know who it is that they want to represent them,” said Smith.
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