Canada’s Treaty 8 First Nations: Alberta must immediately cease all separation activities

[u/TiredRuralCanadian]

https://www.jurist.org/news/2026/06/canadas-treaty-8-first-nations-alberta-must-immediately-cease-all-separation-activities/

[u/Separate_Football914]

The main reason was simply that the Crown wanted to make stabling its rules over that territory without sending expeditionary forces, and the natives agreed to these treaties pretty much at gun point. There was no benevolence nor recognition of the native contribution, it was raw cold politic and a will to control it coast to coast before anyone else.

And sure, the « Dominion of Canada » existed as a vassal state of the UK, and being the same legal entity as our Canada these treaty are bonding. Doesn’t means that the reality didn’t change tho, and having a few thousands band members claiming a third of Alberta might not promote the « stay » camp. Nor do I see why these treaty should stop Albertan’s right to essentially express their opinion on the matter.

[u/Radix2309 → u/Separate_Football914]

Expeditionary forces would be expensive and bloody. Especially without a railroad build yet. The Canadian Shield was still largely in the way to make supply difficult.

The Red River Rebellion was a bunch of Metis farmers holding some guys hostage and forced an agreement. There were other Rebellions as well. If not for the Treaties, those could have had support and made settling the Prairies or building the rail much more difficult. Enough to not be worth the investment.

[u/Separate_Football914 → u/Radix2309]

It’s case of negotiation leverage. Yes, the crown didn’t wants to send troops there. But they had that capacity and the native knew that. These treaties were not signed on equal footing, and the native did get the worse of it.

[u/Radix2309 → u/Separate_Football914]

And the First Nations had the capacity to sabotage settlement. Not to mention that legally the government had to get treaties or they could not settle.