The Assembly of Treaty Chiefs of Treaty Nos. 6, 7, and 8, and the Blackfoot Confederacy, has passed an emergency resolution supporting Saddle Lake Cree Nation’s exercise of its Treaty rights to provide a safe haven to anyone seeking gender-affirming care. “This support from Treaty relatives sends an important message: Saddle Lake is not standing alone. When one Treaty Nation exercises its jurisdiction, we strengthen Treaty for all of our Nations and future generations,” the Nation said in a news release. Saddle Lake Cree Nation announced last week that it is seeking to create a new law to protect clinicians providing gender-affirming treatments currently banned by the Government of Alberta. It said it aims to do so under a provision in Treaty 6, which states “that a medicine chest shall be kept at the house of each Indian Agent for the use and benefit of the Indians.” “This is what it means for Treaty to be alive — exercising the promises our ancestors made to protect all of our children, families, and future generations,” Chief Dale Steinhauer of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation said in a news release. “Our definition of protection is very different than Premier Smith’s understanding of what protection is. Protection should not harm.” The Nation is also announcing it will advance a pan-Canadian clinician licensure approach, which will allow Canadian health-trained professionals to provide health services to the Nation without provincial licensing barriers. “This transformational approach immediately increases access to health professionals, which all First Nations desperately need and have been unable to recruit and retain under existing colonial systems,” Saddle Lake Cree Nation said. “Several physicians and other health professionals across the country have expressed interest following Saddle Lake’s announcement and have inquired with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta about receiving their licenses. “Saddle Lake intends to use this model for gender-affirming care, as well as primary care, specialist care, and access to all allied health professionals.” Saddle Lake Cree Nation says it’s committed to sharing its planned health law governance framework and health-care model with any interested Treaty Nations.
