Conservative MP says First Nations votes will be critical in Alberta referendum
Conservative MP Billy Morin says he will spend the summer talking to Indigenous leaders about encouraging people to vote in the Alberta referendum.
Albertans are set to vote in October on whether they want to stay in Canada or prefer to hold a future binding referendum on separating from the country.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he and his caucus will be campaigning across Alberta this summer and encouraging people to stay in "the Canadian family."
Morin, who was chief of Enoch Cree Nation before entering federal politics, says he understands many First Nations people are hesitant to vote — but this referendum is different.
He says he sees chiefs in his home province fighting for treaties.
First Nations in Alberta are fighting back against separatists in court and in May, a judge quashed a citizen petition for a referendum on the basis that the province didn't fulfil the duty to consult.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.
— With files from Alessia Passafiume
By Sarah Ritchie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.