Alberta Premier Apologizes After Indigenous References Removed From Statement

The Government of Alberta issued a revised statement celebrating the province's 121st birthday on September 1 that removed references to the stewardship of Indigenous peoples. The original message was replaced within an hour by a version that omitted the acknowledgment and instead added text regarding the province's energy sector and economy, replacing specific Indigenous references with a general mention of people from many backgrounds.

Premier Danielle Smith described the removal as a glitch caused by the public service and stated she urged officials to revert to the original text. Government spokesperson Yonathan Sumamo apologized for the error, asserting that the original statement stands. While the government website was updated to the original version, reports indicated that the revised statement remained on the Premier's social media accounts as of Tuesday afternoon.

Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi of the Treaty 8 Sovereign Nations called the omission deeply troubling, arguing that First Nations are not a footnote to the province's story. Mercredi linked the incident to broader tensions, including government efforts to challenge treaty rights and an upcoming October 19 referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada. Opposition NDP member Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse also criticized the move, stating that Indigenous peoples cannot be erased from their land.