Alberta First Nations protest Bill C-7

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A bill that would force guidelines to govern their communities upon First Nations is creating an uproar across Canada. On May 7, Aboriginal people from Edmonton, Alexis, Tsuu T'ina, Saddle Lake and Drift Pile braved the cool wind and light drizzle to participate in the First Nations governance act rally, a protest against Bill C-7, Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault's proposed accountability legislation.

More than 200 people involved in the peaceful demonstration carried signs and chanted 'Kill the bill' and 'No way to FNGA' as they marched from the Shaw Conference Centre to the McDonald Hotel where Nault was meeting with the Treaty 6 Cree Women's Advisory. A drum group sang a number of honor songs in front of the hotel.

"Today the First Nations are gathering and uniting because they oppose the bill," said rally co-chair Darrell Brertton. "We've never, at any time, relinquished our rights. We are born with these rights. We are feeling that we are having all these laws that will govern us and we were not properly advised on the agreement and we feel that they are stepping out of the jurisdiction."

Prior to the walk, a pipe ceremony and speeches were held inside the conference centre. A petition protesting the agreement and material describing the details of Bill C-7 were also distributed.

Guest speaker Eric Large from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation said the bill is just another way of First Nations people being controlled and a way for government to stop First Nations people from benefiting from a treaty agreement.

"The minister is preparing medicine that he intends to give us for all that ails us. Like a doctor he thinks that by prescribing this medicine he is acting on our behalf," he said.

Regina Crowchild from Tsuu T'ina said the government has a responsibility to continue to uphold the agreements that were negotiated with Aboriginal people a hundred years ago.

"We have to make sure our children get to live on the land that our Creator gave us. Our people agreed to live side by side with the newcomers without interference, but that does not mean that we surrendered our lands. We have to make sure that all our children that are being born in generations to come still have a home. This is what the Canadian government has to understand, that we've accepted the visitors on our land. Now we find that the government is not honoring the treaties with the Indigenous people," she said.

As the crowd ended the protest, co-chair Jim Big Plume said that Aboriginal people are planning to continue to oppose the bill.

"This is just the beginning for us protesting," he said.

Aleta Gaucher from Sucker Creek First Nation said that she felt honored being a part of the group.

"I'm doing this walk because I believe in the cause that we should stand together and say no to the government," she said.

Minister Nault did not address the crowd and was unavailable for comment. At the time of the protest, the bill was being debated by the members of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. On May 27, the bill was sent back to the House of Commons for second and third reading before going to the Senate for debate.