TREATY 6, 7, AND 8 AREAS, AB, Oct. 31, 2025/ CNW/ – The Chiefs Steering Committee on Technical Solutions (CSC) condemns the Federal government of Alberta’s proposed Water Change Act (Expense 7). This legislation looks for to present “lower threat” inter-basin water transfers on Treaty areas and proposes combining the Peace/Slave and Athabasca River basins.
The CSC views this legislation as an abhorrent failure of lawfully needed assessment and a direct hazard to the Intrinsic and constitutionally secured Treaty Rights of First Nations to water and jurisdiction over our lands and areas.
” Because there was memory, our individuals have actually been linked to the huge lands and waters that Premier Smith claims to take ownership. Our stories, our tunes, our rights under the spiritual Treaties verifies our individuals’ rights to hunt, fish, trap and collect medications and to continue to be who we are as Very first Nations individuals– rights that are useless without tidy, adequate water offered to everybody, consisting of non-Indigenous individuals, by the Developer and protected under Treaty,” mentions Chief Rupert Meneen, High Cree Tribal Federal Government, Treaty 8 area.
This proposition is disconcerting, threats producing huge, unsteady water supply, and assists in transfers that might diminish northern water resources for the sole advantage of market and financial interests somewhere else. This change neglects the eco-friendly stability of our rivers and downstream incomes, consisting of Very first Countries, who depend upon these circulations.
” The federal government’s effort to fast-track inter-basin transfers will completely change our environments– they are successfully robbing Peter to pay Paul, while they remove away responsibility and reduce Native oversight on choices that affect our individuals’ health, wellness and futures,” states Chief Troy Knowlton, Piikani Country, Treaty 7 area.
After substantial dry spell season after season, and increased pressure on water supply and environment, any federal government action requires to be sustainable and well balanced. Moreover, these sweeping modifications were established without legal, appropriate, significant assessment with Very first Countries. The Alberta federal government continues to weaken the Treaty relationship with the Crown in the name of success, however at what expense?
” We require that the Federal government of Alberta instantly stop action on Expense 7 and demand genuine and lawfully needed discussion to develop a contemporary water management technique that does not simply ‘wish rain’,” states Chief Vernon Watchmaker, Kehewin Cree Country, Treaty 6 area.” All legislation requires to promote our Intrinsic right to govern water in our standard areas, and the basic human right to safe, tidy water. Water is not a product for commercial benefit; it is the lifeline of everyone on this land.”
About the Chiefs Steering Committee
The Chiefs Steering Committee on Technical Solutions (CSC) was developed to supply oversight and instructions to the First Nations Technical Solutions Advisory Group (TSAG). TSAG is a not-for-profit group to serve Very first Countries in Treaty 6, 7, and 8 throughout the Alberta area to support the interests and requirements of Very first Countries, collaborating with Chiefs and service technicians to deal with water, real estate, health, education and facilities.
For more details, see: https://chiefssteeringcommittee.net/
SOURCE Chiefs Steering Committee on Technical Solutions