Alberta Grand Chiefs met to discuss province’s Policy on Consultation with First Nations

Alberta Grand Chiefs met Aug. 16 to discuss the province’s Policy on Consultation with First Nations on Land and Natural Resource Management. It is the latest proposal in the ongoing commitment of First Nations, industry, municipal and other stakeholders to engage with Alberta in the multi-year review process, reads a press statement. The chiefs are conducting an analysis of the document, including a legal review “to ensure case law is respected and advanced. We’ve had serious concerns about the process that Alberta is using to develop this consultation policy. We have maintained that any approach to consultation that is not grounded in the Treaty Relationship cannot achieve the fundamental objective of reconciliation that has been called for by the Supreme Court of Canada,” said Treaty No. 7 Grand Chief Charles Weaselhead. The most recent government’s policy made reference to “strategic consultation,” though left that undefined, the chiefs say. “We had a concern that several aspects of the draft policy seemed intended to limit the ability of First Nations to fully engage in consultation or to suppress the First Nation voice in the consultation process. For example, the proposed consultation office has broad authorities to make decisions that will affect First Nations’ Treaty rights but there is no mechanism for challenging the decisions,” said Weaselhead.