WATCH ABOVE: Premier Rachel Notley is promising First Nations all students in Alberta will be taught the deep history of residential schools. Michel Boyer with more.
EDMONTON — Friday marked an important day in recognizing Alberta’s history. The third annual Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day was held at Edmonton City Hall.
Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day commemorates the signing of the treaty between the Plains and Wood Cree people and the crown at Fort Carlton in Saskatchewan on Aug. 23, 1867, as well as the signing of the adhesion to Treaty No. 6 by local chiefs at Fort Edmonton on Aug. 21, 1877.
The event was hosted by the City of Edmonton. Mayor Don Iveson and First Nations Grand Chief of Treaty No. 6 Tony Alexis began the day with a flag-raising ceremony at Churchill Square outside city hall.
“Today is a celebration where we acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contributions of local First Nations people to the development of the region we call home,” said Iveson.
“As Chiefs of the Treaty No. 6 territory, we’ve been committed to building an open dialogue with the City of Edmonton and Mayor Don Iveson,”said Alexis. “I look forward to continuing to bridge the path the agreement was founded on as we look to new horizons and opportunities for the future.”
Part of the future is focusing on education and the economy, Alexis added.
“As we move forward as communities, we have more people educated then ever in history. We’re maintaining our customs and tradition, we’re organizing ourselves strategically so that we can participate in the economics and businesses that happen around us.”
Premier Rachel Notley used the ceremony as an opportunity to reaffirm the province’s declaration to make indigenous culture and history part of the school curriculum in Alberta.
“We need to renew our relationship, renew our acknowledgement of the respect that we owe to indigenous leadership and to First Nations and to the treaty leadership here in Alberta,” said Notley.
The premier has attempted to build a strong relationship with Alberta’s First Nations community since being elected. In June, she issued an apology for the province’s inaction against residential schools.
She also backed calls for an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women, reversing the former PC government’s position on the matter. It’s also something federal conservative leader Stephen Harper has resisted.
Edmonton City Council and Chiefs of the Nations within Treaty No. 6 also took part in the celebration.
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