By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com
The Treaty 8 Nations of Alberta are leaving the Assembly of First Nations.
They are also parting ways with the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs (AOTC) organization in Alberta, which includes the Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 Nations.
“Treaty 8 as a sovereign people that entered into treaty have a grand chief that speaks for these items in their treaties,” said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey. There are 49 First Nations in Alberta, 25 of which are located in Treaty 8.
“Treaties were entered into with the sovereign people of this land via the rivers, horseback, by foot. Why can’t a government that says these are essential, that treaties are essential in Canada, why can’t they engage with those sovereign nations with the treaties?” he said.
Noskey says AFN serves as a “scapegoat” for the federal government to funnel money through for such programs as education and health, which are treaty rights. In the end, he says, the sovereign nations fight each other for the dollars.
Noskey says the Treaty 8 Nations will be dealing directly with the federal government and the necessary ministers.
“This is why we don’t want an AFN regional chief,” he said.
As it stands, Alberta is without a regional chief. In an extraordinary motion passed by chiefs at an AOTC meeting on Nov. 30, 2021, Marlene Poitras was dismissed from the position which she had held since February 2018. Among the reasons for that action was that Poitras’ mandate had concluded at the end of June 2021.
The motion also stated that “in the exercise of our inherent and Treaty rights to determine who speaks for us at a national and international level” that they declared the position of regional chief vacant as of July 1, 2021...continued.
For full article on theRegional.com click HERE.
For full article on AlbertaChat.com click HERE.
The Treaty 8 Nations of Alberta are leaving the Assembly of First Nations.
They are also parting ways with the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs (AOTC) organization in Alberta, which includes the Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 Nations.
“Treaty 8 as a sovereign people that entered into treaty have a grand chief that speaks for these items in their treaties,” said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey. There are 49 First Nations in Alberta, 25 of which are located in Treaty 8.
“Treaties were entered into with the sovereign people of this land via the rivers, horseback, by foot. Why can’t a government that says these are essential, that treaties are essential in Canada, why can’t they engage with those sovereign nations with the treaties?” he said.
Noskey says AFN serves as a “scapegoat” for the federal government to funnel money through for such programs as education and health, which are treaty rights. In the end, he says, the sovereign nations fight each other for the dollars.
Noskey says the Treaty 8 Nations will be dealing directly with the federal government and the necessary ministers.
“This is why we don’t want an AFN regional chief,” he said.
As it stands, Alberta is without a regional chief. In an extraordinary motion passed by chiefs at an AOTC meeting on Nov. 30, 2021, Marlene Poitras was dismissed from the position which she had held since February 2018. Among the reasons for that action was that Poitras’ mandate had concluded at the end of June 2021.
The motion also stated that “in the exercise of our inherent and Treaty rights to determine who speaks for us at a national and international level” that they declared the position of regional chief vacant as of July 1, 2021...continued.
For full article on theRegional.com click HERE.
For full article on AlbertaChat.com click HERE.