Alberta premier says mistake corrected after First Nations removed from Alberta Day statement

A statement meant to mark Alberta’s 121st birthday triggered backlash after the province issued two different versions within an hour. The first highlighted inclusion, cultural recognition and community. The second placed greater emphasis on Alberta’s economic achievements, identity, freedom and sovereignty.

The revised version removed recognition of Indigenous Peoples and their role in Alberta’s development. It also deleted a line explaining whom the day recognized. The wording changed from celebrating “everyone who calls Alberta home and the people, stories and cultures that continue to shape our province” to celebrating “the people, stories and traditions that have helped make Alberta the most prosperous and dynamic province in all of Canada.”

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The public service posted one statement and then took it down and put up another one. I said, ‘Why didn’t you just put up the original one?’ I thought it was fine, so I’m not exactly sure what happened with that glitch.

Premier Danielle Smith later said she had intervened to correct what she called a “glitch.” She said public servants posted one statement, removed it and uploaded another. Smith said she did not know why the change happened and believed the original statement should have remained.

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At a time when First Nations people are facing increased hostility for standing up for Treaty, the government should be affirming our place and history prior to Alberta’s story, not deleting it.

The omission drew criticism during tense relations between the Alberta government and Indigenous communities, as well as ahead of a fall referendum on Alberta separation. Treaty 8 Sovereign First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said the change was concerning because, in his view, the government was advancing separation-related initiatives that challenged Treaty rights.

Mercredi said the government should affirm First Nations’ place and history before Alberta’s story rather than delete it. Opposition NDP politicians accused Smith and her staff of shifting blame, noting that the premier’s own social media account had published the version that removed the Indigenous references.

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The premier’s own Twitter account pushed the statement that had Indigenous folks removed from it.