Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she stepped in today to fix a “glitch” that saw Indigenous Peoples erased from her official statement marking the province’s 121st birthday. Within an hour of sending Alberta Day statement recognizing Indigenous Peoples, the government sent an update removing the sentence in its English version. Smith says public servants made the move, and she urged them to revert to the original statement. Smith says she’s excited to celebrate everyone who built the province, including Indigenous Peoples. Nevertheless, the change drew concern from critics amid tense Indigenous relations and a looming fall referendum on Alberta separation. Treaty 8 Sovereign First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi says the omission was concerning since it comes at a time when he says Smith’s government is advancing separation-related initiatives that challenge Treaty rights. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2026. The Canadian Press
