“On this day in 1877 – at the Blackfoot Crossing of the Bow River – Treaty 7 was signed, bringing Siksika Nation, Kainai Nation, Piikani Nation, Stoney Nakoda Nation and Tsuut’ina Nation into an agreement with the Crown.
“Treaty 7 covers 130,000 square kilometres of land – from the Rocky Mountains to the Cypress Hills in the east and from Red Deer River south to the U.S. border – in what we now call southern Alberta. First Peoples have inhabited these lands for thousands of years with distinct and diverse cultures rooted in a deep connection to the land that endures to this day.
“Alberta’s government is committed to upholding treaty rights and obligations in an enduring spirit of friendship and collaboration. We are neighbours as much as we are partners in prosperity, and we share a common dream to build a strong future today and for generations to come.
“Today, Premier Kenney and I are joining leadership of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Piikani Nation to advance the priorities at the heart of the protocol agreement between Alberta’s government and the Blackfoot Confederacy.
“A protocol agreement meeting with the Stoney Nakoda-Tsuut’ina Tribal Council will follow in early October.
“Alberta’s government remains steadfast in our commitment to build strong government-to-government relationships with First Nations. Together, we continue to take meaningful action to build a better future.”