Treaty 8 First Nations leaders are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to establish formal bilateral negotiations with Ottawa and implement resource revenue sharing, arguing First Nations must become full partners in major resource development projects across Northern Alberta.The demands were presented during a Saturday meeting in Calgary between chiefs from Treaty 8, Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and the Blackfoot Confederacy and Prime Minister Mark Carney, Crown-indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty and Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski.According to Treaty 8 First Nations, chiefs identified two immediate priorities: creating a permanent bilateral table with the federal government to address treaty implementation and establishing resource revenue sharing as a key component of Canada's economic reconciliation agenda.The chiefs said both measures are necessary if First Nations are to participate fully in what governments have described as a new generation of nation-building projects.Treaty 8 leaders noted that much of Alberta's oil, gas, forestry and mining development occurs within Treaty 8 territory and argued First Nations should receive a share of the public revenues generated from those resources.While the chiefs said they support responsible resource development, they rejected the idea that First Nations should rely solely on borrowing money to acquire equity stakes in projects.Instead, they called for direct revenue sharing with governments..The chiefs also asked Carney to direct federal ministers and senior officials to establish bilateral implementation tables with Alberta treaty nations to address issues including resource revenue sharing, major infrastructure projects, treaty implementation, health care, education and other treaty obligations through an ongoing government-to-government process.Treaty 8 leaders also raised concerns about Alberta's independence movement during the meeting, emphasizing that treaty rights are protected under the Constitution and cannot be altered through provincial legislation or any future separation initiative.According to Treaty 8, Carney reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to uphold the Constitution and acknowledged that First Nations would have an important role in any future constitutional process."Treaty 8's message to the Prime Minister was straightforward: if Canada is serious about nation-building, then Treaty Nations must be nation-building partners," Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said in a statement."That means establishing a formal bilateral table and finally advancing resource revenue sharing so our Nations share in the prosperity generated from our Treaty lands. These are long-standing Treaty issues that require action, not further study."Treaty 8 leaders said they welcomed what they described as a constructive discussion with the prime minister and federal ministers and expressed hope that formal negotiations on resource revenue sharing and treaty implementation will begin in the near future.
