First Nations voters lean heavily 'no' on Alberta referendum immigration questions - CBC

Calgarians turn up to polling stations for Alberta's referendum on Oct. 19. (Zazak Bouarab/Radio-Canada)Social SharingPreliminary counts from First Nations polling stations show a stark contrast between those communities and the overall Alberta result in terms of support for the first five questions on immigration in last Monday's referendum. 

For example, the Siksika Piiksapi Memorial Arbour voting station southeast of Calgary saw about 80 per cent of people vote "no" to the first five questions.

Comparatively, between 52 and 58 per cent  of Alberta residents overall voted "yes" to the same questions. 

Matthew Wildcat, an associate professor and director of Indigenous governance in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, said he believes there are three possible reasons why First Nations voters said "no" to the immigration questions.

They include the importance of First Nations sovereignty, a worldview that all people are connected, and anti-UCP sentiment.

"[First Nations] people view those questions as mean-spirited, when you look at it from Cree ethics, Dene or Blackfoot ethics, and you think about something like denying people health care with really no good evidence in hand for why you would be denying the most vulnerable people in our society health care," said Wildcat, who is from Ermineskin Cree Nation south of Edmonton.

"I just don't think it jives with ... relational ethics for Cree people and the understandings of wahkohtowin."

Wahkohtowin is the Cree word for "kinship" and represents a foundational law that everything on Earth is interconnected, based on duties, responsibilities and respect for one another. 

Matthew Wildcat says the questions on immigration didn't align with the worldviews of First Nations. (John Ulan/Ulan Photography)

He said the wider results on the immigration questions are alarming.

"People are buying the idea that [their struggles are] the result of immigration," Wildcat said.

"There's no indication to suggest that is the result of excessive immigration." 

He said only two years ago UCP Premier Danielle Smith supported immigration to increase Alberta's population and combat labour shortages. 

Last Wednesday, Smith told reporters she will prioritize adjusting Alberta's approach on economic migrants and "proceed with caution" on the rest of the immigration questions. 

She said immigrants who came to Alberta have expectations based on current rules and it would be difficult for her government to change the rules midstream.

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"So I want to be very cautious about that and try to interpret a little bit of the result that we got back," said Smith.

Smith said changes to immigration would be coming next spring. 

Chief Sheldon Sunshine from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation said First Nations need to be included in the conversation on whatever changes are proposed.

Chief Sheldon Sunshine says whatever direction the Alberta government takes on immigration in the future, First Nations need to be consulted. (Submitted by Sheldon Sunshine)

"For far too long governments have left First Nations out thinking we're minorities, but yet we're the original inhabitants of this land and when it comes to anything that's going to impact us we have to have a seat at the table and have those discussions," he said. 

"Whether it's the provincial government or Canadian government, First Nations are here and we're not going anywhere."

Tania Cameron, an Ojibway advocate from Ontario who was tapped by chiefs in Alberta earlier this summer to help get First Nations people to vote in the referendum, said she was proud of all the Indigenous communities that "decided to stand up and vote and send a message."

Numbers Cameron calculated from Elections Alberta's unofficial vote counts showed 15,811 ballots were counted at polling stations in Indigenous communities. She calculated that 11,525 votes were counted at polling stations in Indigenous communities in Alberta in the 2025 federal election.

She said the overall results on the immigration questions raise questions about how welcoming the province is for new Canadians. 

"Some immigrants have left very harsh countries and Canada has saved a lot of lives," said Cameron.

"I believe [Indigenous people are] very welcoming to the point that we have a treaty in place." 

Tania Cameron says she's proud of the Indigenous communities who sent a message to the Alberta government with their votes last week. (Jaison Empson/CBC)

Sunshine said he was not surprised by the overall results — or the unity First Nations voters showed.

"First Nations are not in support of this process and we showed up in droves to show our position," he said. 

Sunshine said the challenges First Nations face with UCP government policies will continue.

"There is so much legislation that has been passed over the last couple of years that has been adverse to First Nations," said Sunshine.

"With this referendum behind us, I think we can now focus on what those challenges are." 

Creeson Agecoutay is a Nehiyaw/Cree senior reporter with CBC Indigenous based in Calgary. He is from the Cowessess First Nation in Treaty 4 territory in southeastern Saskatchewan.