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First Nations Mobilize Alberta Referendum Voters Ahead of Oct. 19 Vote
First Nations leaders are running workshops, translation drives and ballot support as Elections Alberta sends out more than 652,000 mail-in ballots.
First Nations are actively organizing to mobilize voters for the Oct. 19 provincial referendum, which includes 10 questions on constitutional issues and potential separation from Canada.
The referendum triggered a consequential lawsuit between First Nations and Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party government, as leaders argue the province failed its constitutional duty to consult them.
Angel Houle, Municipal Affairs Coordinator for the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, is organizing workshops to boost turnout, while campaigner Tania Cameron helps communities show their "political muscle."
Communities are translating questions and assisting with voter identification, as Houle emphasizes that "silence could be consent in this referendum" while fighting to maintain a united Canada and respect existing treaties.
Elections Alberta has dispatched more than 652,000 mail-in ballots, with the agency expecting 85 per cent turnout as treaty chiefs across the country monitor this pivotal vote.