Alberta premier says law will be enforced if separation vote spurs civil disobedience

Alberta premier says law will be enforced if separation vote spurs civil disobedience

Comment comes after Treaty 8 grand chief said industry, highways could be blocked

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the law will be enforced if First Nations engage in civil disobedience over her government's separation referendum.

At an unrelated news conference in Calgary on Friday, she said: "I hope it doesn't come to that."

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 leaving 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.

On Thursday, Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi, representing First Nations in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, said if necessary, they may get in the way of industry or take the fight against Smith's separation vote to highways.

"There can be no decisions about Alberta separating without consultation and consent of our First Nations," he said.

Treaty 8 First Nations chiefs in Alberta says they will never consent to separation

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.

The facts about treaty rights and Alberta separatism

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 Smith's government did not fulfil 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 meets 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 on May 21, but he also 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.