Alberta First Nations optimistic with NDP at the helm

Alberta’s Indigenous leaders are praising Rachel Notley and the New Democratic Party as they form the next provincial government.

On May 5, the NDP won a majority government in the province, and in doing so decimated the Progressive Conservatives, who had ruled Alberta for 44 years. The PCs dropped from 70 seats to 10 and Premier Jim Prentice resigned both as party leader and MLA for the Calgary seat he managed to maintain.

In a night of overwhelming triumph, Notley acknowledged Aboriginal people in her acceptance speech.

“And to Alberta’s Indigenous peoples, the trust that we have been given tonight is a call to be better neighbours and better partners. And I am looking forward to consulting with you and learning from you,” said Notley.

Her verbal gesture is fitting, said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Steve Courtoreille. He recalled the first time he saw Notle. It was a couple years ago at a press conference in Edmonton. She came into the room, unannounced, and sat down to listen.

“It tells me a lot about her character. She’s interested,” said Courtoreille. “I’m happy (about her election win) and I want to be part of it going forward.”

Treaty 7 Grand Chief Charles Weaselhead said Notley’s comments are a “step forward in the right direction at this early start.”

In a congratulatory statement released by the Metis Nation of Alberta, President Audrey Poitras referred to the NDP win “as nothing short of a political game-changer.”

The focus for all Indigenous leaders centres on Notley’s promise to consult.

“There is recent legal cases that have been brought forward and they have indicated that a strong partnership needs to be developed between governments, so that consultation and interpretation of consultation … is taken forward in the right way,” said Weaselhead.

The NDP government needs to ensure Aboriginal leaders are consulted before policies are formed, said Courtoreille. And he goes a step further saying Notley must revisit policies and legislation put in place by her PC predecessor.

“Any of your policies, any of your legislations that were either developed or rammed through without proper consultation, you need to review them and come back to see what our concerns are,” said Courtoreille.

Among the eight-point plan for Aboriginal action outlined by the NDP in their campaign literature was the commitment to repeal Bill 22, the Alberta Consultation Levy act, which sets an industry levy for Aboriginal consultation on economic development. The levy fund is to be administered by the Aboriginal relations minister. Bill 22 was strongly opposed by First Nations leaders.

A priority for the MNA, said Poitras, is “working toward a sophisticated consultation policy that mandates the consultation of Métis communities in areas proposed for industrial development….”

Courtoreille said Notley could strengthen her commitment to Aboriginal people by taking on the Aboriginal relations portfolio, as Prentice did.

Weaselhead sees the value in this as well.

“When you’re so close to the person directly responsible for the reigning party I think it’s a good opportunity … one of the advantageous that we have is that we have the opportunity to meet with the premier on sort of a routine basis that is consistent,” he said.

In its Indigenous agenda, the NDP also pledged to “work with the federal government” on jurisdictional conflicts, safe drinking water, resolving land claims, as well as to continue to push for a national inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women.

Weaselhead said First Nations will be pushing a number of other issues with the new government, including resource revenue sharing, economic development, and education.

In a written statement, Treaty 6 Grand Chief Bernice Martial said she was hopeful “Notley will get to work immediately to start fulfilling (the NDP’s) election promises to Indigenous peoples.”

Rachel Notley and her cabinet were sworn in on May 24 in an outdoor ceremony on the Alberta Legislature Grounds. The 12 members of the cabinet (which includes Notley), some of whom are handling multiple portfolios in the slimmed-down cabinet, were also sworn in:

Joe Ceci - Finance/Treasury Board president

Sarah Hoffman - Health/Seniors.
Kathleen Ganley - Justice/Aboriginal Affairs

David Eggen - Education/Culture and Tourism
Margaret Mccuaig-Boyd - Energy
Shannon Phillips - Environment and Parks/Status of Women

Brian Mason - Infrastructure/Transportation

Deron Bilous - Municipal Affairs, Service Alberta

Lori Sigurdson - Innovation and Advanced Education/Jobs, Skills, Training & Labour

Rachel Notley -- International and Intergovernmental Affairs

Oneil Carlier - Agriculture/Forestry

Irfan Sabir - Human Services

The new cabinet is heavily weighted towards Edmonton, where the NDP saw their strongest support during the election. Six ministers, including Notley, represent ridings in the city, compared with three from Calgary and another three from the rest of the province.