The System That Keeps Chiefs in Chains

They stand behind microphones in Calgary and Regina.

They issue statements from under the shadow of Parliament Hill.

They call Alberta separatism “a threat,” “a danger,” “a violation of treaty rights.”

But let’s cut the noise and call it what it really is:

Fear.

Not fear of injustice.

Not fear of colonialism.

Not even fear of Alberta independence.

No—what these chiefs fear most is losing the federal pipeline of cash and control that Ottawa uses to keep them compliant, dependent, and docile.

The System That Keeps Chiefs in Chains
Under the Indian Act, band councils—structured by the federal government—manage funding programs that keep First Nations in a bureaucratic chokehold. Education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure—all routed through Ottawa. In return, the chiefs sign forms, keep quiet, and toe the party line. This isn’t partnership. It’s puppetry.

The federal government administers funding mechanisms like the Band Support Funding (BSF) and Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB)—programs that provide essential services, yes, but also reinforce dependency on Ottawa. Source: sac-isc.gc.ca

But here’s what they won’t tell you:
These “essential programs” come with strings so tight they choke out local sovereignty. Communities aren’t free to build what works—they’re forced to comply with what’s approved. Councils are rewarded for obedience and punished for resistance.

The Truth Behind the Chiefs’ Opposition
In May 2025, four Calgary-area chiefs—Roy Whitney (Tsuut’ina), Darcy Dixon (Bearspaw), Aaron Young (Chiniki), and Clifford Poucette (Goodstoney)—issued a joint statement opposing Alberta separatism. They claimed to defend treaty rights. In reality, they were defending federal privilege. Source: Global News

They aren’t alone. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) in Saskatchewan did the same. They denounced the Alberta Sovereignty Act and declared that “any move to separate will be met with full opposition.”

Why such fierce loyalty to a federal government that continues to fail them?

Because it pays well.

Let’s not forget: the First Nations Financial Transparency Act—introduced to force bands to disclose spending and leadership salaries—was met with outrage by many chiefs. Why? Because it exposed unexplained payments, inflated salaries, and misused funds in communities suffering from poverty and neglect. Source: Wikipedia

Some chiefs—while their people live in overcrowded homes and boil-water advisories—are driving new trucks, taking “consultation trips,” and cutting ribbon at federal photo ops.

That’s not leadership.

That’s betrayal.

The Economic Opportunity They’re Afraid Of
If Alberta separated, Indigenous nations could renegotiate their own treaties, bypass federal bureaucracy, and secure direct revenue from land, oil, gas, and minerals. No more Ottawa middlemen. No more waiting for annual cheques. Just sovereignty—real, raw, and rightful.

But if that happens, the gravy train ends for those who’ve built careers as gatekeepers of federal dependency.

This Is Your Land. This Is Your Time.

To the brave Indigenous men and women reading this:

You are the first peoples of this land.

You were here before Ottawa.

Before Confederation.

Before the Indian Act, the Crown, and the carbon tax.

Your ancestors fought to survive colonialism—not to become administrators of it.

Now is your moment.
Reject the mouthpieces who claim to speak for you but only serve themselves.

Reject the politicians who trade your birthright for federal handouts.

Reject the lie that Ottawa is your only option.

Alberta is waking up. Saskatchewan is stirring. And if the native nations of this land rise with them—not under them, but with them—then the path to real sovereignty opens wide.

You don’t need Ottawa’s permission to be free.
You just need the courage to stand up.
—The Iron Quill

Because no treaty was ever signed to keep you silent.