Politicians, Indigenous leaders hope next 150 years of Treaty 6 better than the past

DUCK LAKE — Standing in the same place where it was signed, politicians, Crown representatives, Indigenous chiefs and elders marked the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6 on Sunday by saying they hoped the future would be nothing like the past.

“This treaty recognized a shared relationship with the land, the waters, and the living things,” Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour told a crowd at Fort Carlton, about 100 kilometres north of Saskatoon.

“History, unfortunately, tells a very different story.”

The treaty was the sixth of 11 treaties signed in the years after Canada was established through Confederation. It covers most of what’s now central Alberta and Saskatchewan, though the treaty is older than both provinces.

Like the treaties signed before and after it, Treaty 6, by all accounts, is an agreement towards coexistence and collaboration between First Nations and the Crown.

But dignitaries and federal officials agreed on Sunday that the first 150 years were marred by broken promises and unrealized dreams, ranging from the historic medicine chest clause being unfulfilled to the pain and trauma of residential schools.

They also agreed that it was time to right historic wrongs and move forward together.

“The next 150 years must be more than about remembering treaty. They must be about implementing it,” said Christine Longjohn, chief of Sturgeon Lake First Nation.

“Our children should inherit healthy communities, strong nations, thriving languages, safe homes and a treaty relationship grounded in honour and respect.”

Those on hand representing the Crown, including Arbour, Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty, and Buckley Belanger, secretary of state for rural development, said they understood what was being asked of them and promised to deliver.

“More than ever, our collective well-being depends on the trust that we place in one another. Today marks our commitment to keeping that trust alive,” Arbour said.

On the Alberta side of the border, the signing anniversary comes as relations between Indigenous chiefs and Premier Danielle Smith’s government are strained over the Oct. 19 referendum on whether the province should hold a separation vote.

First Nations in Alberta have vehemently opposed the separatist movement and have fought in court efforts to hold a binding vote. Some chiefs have gone as far as to accuse the premier of acting treasonously.

Kelsey Jacko, chief of Cold Lake First Nations, one of the few Alberta-based First Nations leaders to attend the events at Fort Carlton, called on Arbour to not let Indigenous communities fight on their own, though he acknowledged she’s largely a “figurehead.”

“I will tell you right now, the nations in what is now Alberta sometimes feel like they are under attack from all sides despite trying to work with our neighbours,” he said.

“For 150 years, His Majesty’s government’s policies have done us harm, but we are still here, and we’re still going to be working towards the treaty partnership that our ancestors promised.”

Smith has defended the referendum by arguing that the hundreds of thousands of Albertans who have signed petitions on either side of the debate deserve to have their voices heard.

The fractured relationship recently made headlines again when Joey Pete, grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, called out Smith’s government for missing an event in Edmonton commemorating the treaty anniversary.

Jacko brought up the issue again on Sunday by thanking Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who was in attendance and also spoke, for not skipping the event.

While the relationship between Indigenous leaders and the government of Saskatchewan isn’t under as much strain as in Alberta, Moe told reporters there is more work to do in his province.

He said the province has some success stories when it comes to major resource projects getting the green light with the support of First Nations communities, and he highlighted efforts to have signs marking treaty boundaries on highways as a positive step forward.

“Many responsibilities that the provincial government has in this space, but I think more importantly are our individual responsibilities to walk the path and the spirit of the treaties in every day of our lives,” he said.

Alberta Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney said in a statement Sunday that the signing anniversary was a time to reflect on Treaty 6’s importance and the need to respect the treaty relationship now and moving forward.

Sunday’s program marked the end of four days of events and ceremonies at Fort Carlton to commemorate the anniversary, including hand games, leadership forums, traditional dancing, feasts, and more.

The original Treaty 6 parchment was also on display.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2026.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press