Photo Credit: Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta

By Curtis Galbraith

Treaty 8

Treaty 8 Chiefs reject pipeline MOU

Dec 4, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Treaty 8 chiefs say they “strongly reject” the Memorandum of Understanding between the federal and provincial governments that calls for a new pipeline to the west coast.

A release from the Sovereign Chiefs of the Treaty No. 8 First Nations of Alberta says that “Treaty No. 8 territory holds the resources” covered by the memorandum.

The statement goes on to say that Treaty 8 Nations are rights-holders, not “stakeholders to be informed after the fact.”

The release from the Sovereign Chiefs of the Treaty No. 8 First Nations of Alberta says they are putting both governments on notice that there would be “immediate consequences” if any more attempts were made to build projects “without the full involvement, direction, and consent of the Treaty 8 Chiefs.”

Those consequences would include not cooperating and legal action.

“Our Nations were shut out of decisions involving our own lands and resources. That is unacceptable, and it will not be ignored. Treaty No. 8 holds the resources these governments are discussing, and no government will decide the future of Treaty No. 8 territory without the Treaty 8 Chiefs. We are not spectators to our own lands. We are the authority,” says Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi in that same release.