Competing referendum signs line a boulevard in Calgary, Oct. 15.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Some First Nations in Northern Alberta are concerned that their voter turnout could be a challenge in the referendum, an issue that’s been exacerbated by a lack of advance polling stations.
Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said 800 eligible voters from his community haven’t had access to the referendum’s advanced polling, which should have started on Tuesday, because of an Elections Alberta staff shortage.
On Thursday, Elections Alberta told him that advanced polling would be available on Saturday.
“My people want to go out and vote, and there’s no place to vote right now. So where’s our democracy when it comes to these things?”
What about Alberta’s nine other referendum questions?
A Friday afternoon virtual news conference is planned in which Indigenous leaders will demand answers from Elections Alberta, including why First Nations and Metis in the province, who they say are the most opposed to the referendum, have the least access to voting.
Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi from the Treaty 8 Sovereign Nations told The Globe and Mail that 18 out of 22 First Nations in the Northern Alberta treaty territory, are set up with polling stations. And that only five communities had advance polling stations, three of which are expected to be open for the entire five scheduled days.
“It seems to me that Elections Alberta is failing to comply to their own standards due to lack of employees, and they’re actually asking our nations to facilitate that need. And you know it’s not fair to our nations to have to move polling stations, to move them ahead, move them back. All this confusion that’s happening within our territory, on our nations is unacceptable. And Elections Alberta has to answer for that,” he said.
Elections Alberta did not respond to The Globe’s request for comment. However, The Globe obtained an e-mail sent on behalf of Elections Alberta to the affected First Nations, including Athabasca Chipewyan, late Thursday evening notifying them of the rescheduled advanced polling date for Saturday.
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Mr. Mercredi calls the referendum an attack on his people and says voting against a separatist agenda will protect treaty rights that are being threatened in the referendum.
“When we come together, we’re very strong. We have large numbers, and we could have impact on this referendum,” he said in a video message on social media.
While campaign efforts include info graphics explaining what each of the 10 referendum questions mean and possible impacts, it’s the 10th question that has Indigenous people and communities thinking about what a separation referendum would mean for the treaty territories that cover most of the province.
Some are choosing not to vote because the treaties that cover most of the province were signed with the Crown in the late 1800s before Alberta became a province, tabling the proposition of secession as illegitimate.
“It is understandable why many of our people have traditionally chosen not to vote. Provincial elections and referendums are not our systems of governance, and our treaties do not depend on a provincial ballot,” Mr. Mercredi said.
“Voting does not take away our rights. First Nations are voting against separation to ensure treaty rights are protected,” he said.
Doreen Cardinal-Somers is a Haudenosaunee and Cree treaty adviser living in Fort Chipewyan, part of Treaty 8 territory. She won’t be participating in the referendum vote because she says the treaty relationship with the Crown is not up for debate.
“The fact that this province has made it easy to put a question on a ballot that will, or they’re presupposing, will determine what the treaty relationship is going forward is so offensive to me on so many levels. Like our treaties are not provincial policy; they are solemn agreements that were entered into before Alberta even existed, and I think that distinction is really important,” she said.
Tania Cameron, who is running a “Rock the Vote” campaign for the Treaty 8 nations, said the point of voting is to make a political statement that a separation will never happen.
“I think everyone is of the consensus that you can’t undo treaty by separating,” Ms. Cameron said.
She’d like to see 25 per cent more voters turnout in this election than the last federal election when 11,500 Indigenous people voted in Alberta.
Ms. Cameron said a successful “Rock the Vote” campaign would see a 75-per-cent voter turnout for a total of 14,400.