Alberta amends referendum bill as First Nations fear it will trample treaty rights – CBC

May 15, 2025

Some Indigenous leaders say last-minute changes to Bill 54 ‘mean nothing”

Alberta’s government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation, declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations’ existing treaty rights.

Premier Danielle Smith’s government is working to lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada.

Her government’s proposed Bill 54, also known as the Election Statutes Amendment Act, has yet to become law, but it’s faced backlash from Indigenous leaders since its introduction in the house more than two weeks ago.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alta-referendum-1.7535537