Blackfoot Confederacy

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

WELCOME TO ISSUE 003 OF OKI COLLECTIVE // QUARTERLY.

Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council is pleased to release Issue 003 of OKI COLLECTIVE // QUARTERLY, covering the work, leadership and activities from January through August 2026.

This edition captures a period of continued Treaty advocacy, national engagement, economic partnership and community work. From meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal ministers to Blackfoot Confederacy participation at the 2026 Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly, the issue highlights the ongoing work to advance Treaty rights, strengthen Nation-to-Nation relationships and ensure Blackfoot Nations have a direct voice in decisions affecting their lands, rights and future.

Issue 003 also highlights important work taking place closer to home, including the annual Blackfoot Guardians Gathering, the Sacred and Significant Sites Tour led through Education and Language, coordinated health planning, new staff and leadership appointments, and initiatives supporting Blackfoot youth. The issue also celebrates the 2026–2027 Siksikaitsitapi royalty and the continued work of programs and teams across the Confederacy.

The publication also addresses Alberta’s 2026 referendum and the information Niitsitapi need as Treaty people, including the separation question, voting eligibility and important dates. Alongside this, readers will find stories highlighting new economic relationships, including the joint economic implementation plan established between Blackfoot Confederacy and the Iroquois Caucus.

OKI COLLECTIVE // QUARTERLY continues to serve as a record of the work being carried out across Siksikaitsitapi. Issue 003 brings together the people, programs, decisions, gatherings and initiatives that have shaped the first eight months of 2026, providing members and partners with a look at the continued work of Blackfoot Confederacy and the collective priorities of the four Nations.

To view issue 003 visit out website here: https://blackfootconfederacy.ca/welcome-to-issue-003-of-oki-collective-quarterly/

09/04/2026

We are honoured to welcome Aakaota'si (Eugune J. Chreighton, KC) as a panelist at Loving Justice 2026.

Only 12 days to go!

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

As an electorate, we are entitled to a neutral referendum process and a government that invokes that process fairly.

The instincts that have sustained you and your family are spot on when you detect this is not the case in this separatist-led October 19th referendum.

As of late, the promise of prosperity by any means necessary has been an effective ploy by hollow opportunist politicians out for their own gain. The world over is now living through the disastrous results of voting for such a ploy by our once dependable neighbours, the United States.

You are not alone in untangling the twisted words of this separatist government and fringe group echoing their messaging.

The fulcrum of this referendum is the last question, with the first 9 questions pandering to the racist and protectionist sentiments of an elitist white supremacist group.

The last question asks if you support the Alberta Government pursuing another costly referendum for separation.

Although many goalposts have been shifted by the Alberta Government to invoke this referendum, your participation, voice, and vote matter.

We are descendants of residential school survivors, and culturally rich people whose stewardship of this land far predates Canada and the provinces it is comprised of.

Our land is under threat and our stewardship is being invoked by a government that has overstayed its welcome.

Vote October 19th.

Piikani Nation Chief and Council

Full statement: https://piikanination.com/posts/2026-09-02_vote-october-19/

09/02/2026

Registration for the 2026 Blackfoot Confederacy Conference Now Open!

Oki Siksika,

Join us for an inspiring gathering of leaders, professionals, researchers, community members, and partners as we come together to explore innovative ideas, share knowledge, and strengthen collaboration.

This year’s host Nation is Siksika Nation!
We respectfully acknowledge that this conference is being held on the traditional territory of Siksika Nation. We honour the history, culture, and ongoing contributions of the Nation and its Peoples.

Conference Highlights
- keynote speaker: Author Bob Joseph
- Panel Discussions
- Interactive Workshops
- Cultural Presentation
- Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council/Chiefs Society Update
- Networking Opportunities
- Resource & Vendor Exhibits
- Community Success Stories

Date: September 21-23, 2026
Location: The Westin Calgary Airport Hotel (671 Aero Dr NE, Calgary, AB)

Registration for participants and vendors is now open!
*Pre-registration is required*

Registration Deadline: September 18, 2026
Vendor Registration Deadline: September 18, 2026

Please send all registration forms to Mariah Little Chief at [email protected].

To download the registration forms, and for more information, please visit: https://siksikanation.com/blackfoot-confederacy-conference-2026/

Kiitakitamaatsin!

MORE INFO: https://siksikanation.com/registration-for-the-2026-blackfoot-confederacy-conference-now-open/

09/01/2026

As Alberta marks 121 years since becoming a province, Blackfoot Confederacy is reminding Albertans that Blackfoot history and Treaty 7 predate Alberta itself.

On September 1, 1905, the Alberta Act came into effect, officially establishing Alberta as a province. Nearly three decades earlier, in 1877, Blackfoot Treaty 7 was signed between the Blackfoot Nations, the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani and the Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations and the Crown. Alberta’s provincial history therefore exists within a much older history of Blackfoot Nations, governance, laws, relationships and Treaty rights.

The timing of this year’s Alberta Day also brings renewed attention to how Indigenous Peoples are represented in the province’s public history. Premier Danielle Smith’s original Alberta Day statement included a reference to Indigenous Peoples and their enduring connection to and stewardship of the land. An updated version released by the Alberta government removed that reference. Smith later said the removal was a “glitch” and that she had intervened to have the reference restored.

For Blackfoot Confederacy, the issue goes beyond whether Indigenous Peoples are mentioned in an Alberta Day statement. The history of this province cannot be separated from the Nations and Treaties that existed long before Alberta was created.

Blackfoot Nations were not established by Alberta, and the relationship between the Blackfoot Nations and the Crown did not begin with Alberta joining Confederation. Treaty 7 predates Alberta by nearly 30 years and remains part of the relationship between the Blackfoot Nations and the Crown.

Alberta’s 121-year provincial history is one part of a much longer history. For Blackfoot people, the story of this place extends beyond provincial borders, political governments and commemorative dates. It is rooted in our Nations, our laws, our languages, our lands and our Treaty relationship.

As Alberta celebrates its 121st year, Blackfoot Confederacy calls on Albertans to understand the history that existed before the province and to recognize that Treaty 7 is not a historical footnote. It is an agreement that predates Alberta and continues to shape the relationship between the Blackfoot Nations and the Crown today.

The history of Alberta did not begin in 1905.

Niitsitapi are here. Still here. And will always be here 👣

08/31/2026

ALBERTA REFERENDUM 2026 | WHAT NIITSITAPI NEED TO KNOW

Blackfoot Confederacy is launching a weekly voter information campaign for Blackfoot Niitsitapi in the lead-up to the Alberta referendum on October 19, 2026.

Each week Blackfoot Confederacy will share clear information about the referendum, the questions being asked, voting eligibility, important dates, voting options and what Blackfoot people need to know as Treaty people.

WHAT IS BEING VOTED ON?

There will be 10 referendum questions on separate, numbered and colour-coded ballots. Questions 1–9 are Yes/No questions. Question 10 is the separation question.

It asks whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada, or whether the Government of Alberta should begin the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a future binding provincial referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

Question 10 is not the final vote on separation. A Yes vote would not itself separate Alberta from Canada. It would support beginning the legal process toward a future referendum. Elections Alberta states that the result of Question 10 is not binding.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO NIITSITAPI?

For Blackfoot people Alberta's constitutional future raises important questions about Blackfoot sovereignty, Treaty rights, jurisdiction, lands, waters and the Nation-to-Nation relationship with the Crown.

Blackfoot Nations and our Treaty relationships existed long before the Province of Alberta. Blackfoot Treaty 7 is a Nation-to-Nation agreement, and Blackfoot Confederacy has stated that Blackfoot Nations are Treaty partners, not simply stakeholders in decisions concerning our lands, rights and future.

In May 2026, the Alberta Court of King's Bench ruled in litigation concerning the earlier citizen-led separation petition that Alberta had breached its duty to consult First Nations. Blackfoot Confederacy was one of the First Nations parties involved in that legal challenge.

WHO CAN VOTE?

If you are a Canadian citizen, 18 years of age or older, and ordinarily resident in Alberta, you may be eligible to vote. Being First Nations does not prevent an eligible Blackfoot person from voting. Elections Alberta also provides identification and attestation options for certain circumstances, including electors residing on a First Nation.

Advance voting is scheduled for October 13–17, 2026. Referendum Day is Monday, October 19, 2026, with voting places scheduled to be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Eligible electors can also vote by mail through the Special Ballot process. Applications close October 9, 2026, and completed ballots must be received by Elections Alberta before 5:00 p.m. on October 16, 2026.

KNOW THE QUESTION. KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. KNOW HOW TO VOTE.

This is Week 1 of Blackfoot Confederacy's Alberta Referendum 2026 campaign. Follow Blackfoot Confederacy communications each week as we provide information to help Blackfoot Niitsitapi understand the referendum and participate in the voting process.

For information about voter eligibility, identification, registration and voting options visit: www.elections.ab.ca/voters

For official referendum information visit: www.elections.ab.ca/elections/referendum

For more information about this campaign and other communications, statements, news and updates from Blackfoot Confederacy visit: www.blackfootconfederacy.ca

08/28/2026

Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot people) refer to yesterday's full moon as Iitamatapapittssko, meaning “when leaves change colour”.

It is pronounced: EE-Dom-Ma-Da-ba-Bits-Go.

We thank the Piikani and Kainai Knowledge Keepers for sharing Niitsipowahsin (Blackfoot language) with us, including pronunciations, phonetic spellings and translations.

Parks Canada fosters partnerships with local Indigenous Peoples. We value the continued stewardship, knowledge-sharing, culture, and history shared with this sacred place.

Discover more about Siksikaitsitapi at the Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton/activ/accueil-visitor

08/27/2026

Blackfoot Confederacy Announces Kirby Smith as New Director of Siksikaitsitapi Ohkin’niinaiks Society

Mohkinstsis (Calgary, AB) | August 27, 2026 — Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Kirby Smith of Piikani Nation as the new Director of the Siksikaitsitapi Ohkin’niinaiks Society (Blackfoot Confederacy Chiefs Society) effective August 26, 2026.

Smith brings eight years of dedicated service with Blackfoot Confederacy to his new leadership role. Throughout his career with the Confederacy, he has served in senior intergovernmental relations and leadership capacities, supporting the Chiefs and the organization in advancing the collective priorities of Siksikaitsitapi.

Most recently serving as Director of Inter-Governmental Relations, Smith has been actively involved in strengthening relationships between Blackfoot Confederacy and governments, municipalities, organizations and other partners. His work has included supporting government-to-government dialogue, advancing Blackfoot priorities through intergovernmental engagement, and representing the Confederacy in important regional and national discussions.

Smith has also played an important role in advancing Blackfoot presence and relationships throughout southern Alberta, including work connected to the Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow and Princess Pageant and the Confederacy’s relationship-building with municipalities such as the City of Calgary and the Town of Banff.

As Director of the Siksikaitsitapi Ohkin’niinaiks Society, Smith will provide senior operational leadership for the Society and support the implementation of its strategic priorities. The Society brings together the leadership of Kainai, Siksika Nation, Piikani Nation and Amskapi Piikani, working collectively to advance the priorities of Siksikaitsitapi through strategic coordination, advocacy and government relations.

Blackfoot Confederacy leadership recognizes Smith’s extensive experience, knowledge of the organization and longstanding commitment to the collective work of the Confederacy as important strengths as he takes on this new position.

Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council extends its congratulations to Kirby Smith on his appointment and looks forward to his continued service in advancing the collective priorities and interests of Siksikaitsitapi.

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Media Contact:
Theoren Royal
Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager
Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council
[email protected]