AMC Stands in Solidarity with First Nations in Alberta: Asserting the Right to Self-Determination Beyond Provincial Boundaries
May 3, 2025
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) affirms its unwavering support for First Nations in Alberta who continue to assert their inherent and internationally recognized right to self-determination.
Under international law, provinces like Alberta are not recognized as nations. They are administrative regions within the Canadian federation and do not possess the right to self-determination. In contrast, First Nations are distinct Nations with rights that predate Canada and are affirmed through treaties, the Constitution, and international instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
This foundational truth was clearly demonstrated during Quebec’s 1995 referendum when the Cree Nation held their own vote. An overwhelming 98% of Cree voters chose to remain in Canada, declaring that their Nation could not be forced out by a provincial decision. This historic act remains a powerful example of First Nation self-determination in action.
“A Nation’s right to self-determination cannot and will not be erased by provincial policies or political agendas,” said AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “First Nations within Alberta, like all First Nations across Turtle Island, have the inherent right to choose their own path and future. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our relatives asserting their sovereignty, their voices matter, and their Nations cannot be ignored. The Alberta government should speak to the Nations whose people have been there since time immemorial before making such political posturing.”
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs calls on all levels of government to respect the inherent rights of First Nations and to uphold Canada’s commitment to reconciliation, which includes honouring First Nations sovereignty.
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For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs:
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.