The Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council is against the proposed removal of the Lesser Slave Lake riding.
In October, the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission proposed the removal of the riding. Many elected officials and community members in the riding have spoken against the removal.
“Treaty 8 was signed on the shores of Lesser Slave Lake in 1899,” said Mike Evans, executive director of LSLIRC, at the Jan. 15 Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission afternoon public hearing.
Evans was speaking on behalf of the chiefs and councils of LSLIRC, which represents Driftpile Cree Nation, Sawridge First Nation, Sucker Creek First Nation and Swan River First Nation.
In a follow-up letter to the commission, Evans says, “Treaty No. 8 geographically the largest of the numbered treaties, was signed by headmen Moostoos (Louison Willier), Kinosayo (Andrew Willier), Upschinese (Fred Giroux), Charles Nee Sue Ta Sis (‘The Twin’), Wee Chee Way Sis, and ‘Captain’ on June 21, 1899 at Willow Point on the south shore of Lesser Slave Lake at what is now the Sucker Creek First Nation. June 21 is still celebrated by First Nations across Treaty 8 territory as Treaty Day – an occasion marked by powwows, relay races, hand games, and other traditional celebrations – as well as the annual payment by the Crown of the treaty annuity, which is delivered by RCMP officers on the Crown’s behalf.
“Much like Edmonton/amiskwaciwaskahikan (a-misk-wa-chee-was-ka-he-gan ‘Beaver Hills House’), Lesser Slave Lake was a gathering place for Indigenous peoples for centuries before settler contact. It is no accident that the first signatories of Treaty Nol 8 assembled at Sucker Creek. Protecting the Lesser Slave Lake constituency from dissolution could be considered an act of reconciliation.
“There’s an enormous amount of existing cooperation within this region already,” said Evans, at the hearing, “between the mainstream communities, the Metis settlements, and the First Nations. These services have grown up naturally to reflect unity that is now being divided by the proposal being made.”
Removing the Lesser Slave Lake riding could decrease Indigenous representation in the Legislature, said Evans, since 28 of the last 36 years, the riding has had in Indigenous MLA. Pearl Calahasen served from 1989 to 2015 (26 years) and current MLA Scott Sinclair was elected in 2023.
The Legislature has little Indigenous representation, said Evans. No other riding has been represented by an Indigenous MLA for as long, and all other Indigenous MLAs have been in the south.
“A very real concern in the Indigenous community is that if the constituency is split as proposed, said Evans, “that there won’t be Indigenous representation in any of them, because the places where the strength of unity and action is most present will be divided.”
All four LSLIRC nations are part of Alberta North Central Alliance (ANCA), which is a partnership between First Nations and municipal governments. Evans spoke in partnership with Jennifer Churchill, ANCA executive director.
Two of the municipal partners are Big Lakes County and the Town of Slave Lake. Earlier in the meeting, Town of Slave Lake Mayor Francesca Ward spoke against the removal of the riding.
Former Big Lakes County Reeve Ken Matthews also appeared before the commission and spoke against the removal before Evans and Churchill.
Pearl Lorentzen
For South Peace News