AFN chief tells King Charles: Albertans can't take the land

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations delivered a sharp message to King Charles on Tuesday: if Albertans leave Canada, they're leaving without the land.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak met with the King at Buckingham Palace and made clear that First Nations' relationship with Canada cannot be altered by provincial politics. "That relationship will remain as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the river flows," she said, invoking treaty language that binds the nation's original partners.

Woodhorse Nepinak's statement comes as Alberta's government prepares a referendum for October asking voters whether the province should pursue separation from Canada. The question has sparked debate across the country about federal unity, provincial autonomy, and constitutional authority.

She also invited King Charles to Canada, noting that several historic treaties are nearing significant anniversary milestones. The gesture underscores First Nations' assertion of their foundational role in the country's structure—a role that predates and supersedes provincial boundaries.

While Woodhouse Nepinak acknowledged that Albertans are free to make their own political choices, her statement reinforced a legal and historical reality: the land itself is subject to treaty rights and First Nations sovereignty. The referendum may test political will, but it cannot override the nation-to-nation relationships that define Canada's constitution.