Smith says mistake fixed after First Nations removed from Alberta Day statement Politics 8 hours 3 min read 01.09.2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith faced backlash on Tuesday after two different Alberta Day statements were released within an hour. The first, issued at 10 a.m., focused on inclusion, cultural recognition, and community, and acknowledged Indigenous Peoples. The second statement, released less than an hour later, was longer and emphasized Alberta’s economic achievements, identity, freedom, and sovereignty, but removed any mention of Indigenous Peoples. At an unrelated news conference, Smith said she stepped in to fix a "glitch" caused by public servants, urging them to revert to the original statement. However, the Opposition NDP questioned this explanation, noting that Smith’s own Twitter account promoted the revised statement. Treaty 8 Sovereign First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi condemned the omission, saying it comes at a time when the government is advancing separation-related initiatives that challenge Treaty rights. Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams said the damage is already done, adding that the error gives the impression that respect for Indigenous communities is secondary. As of Tuesday afternoon, Smith’s statement on social media still did not recognize Indigenous Peoples, though the government’s website was updated with the original statement.















