THE MIGRATION - Mount Rushmore Visitation Rights
THE MIGRATION — Mount Rushmore Visitation Rights
Version: 3
Date: 2026-02-08
Sources synthesized: 11 (1 posts, 7 comments, 1 summaries, 0 ripples, 2 echoes)
Indigenous affairs
THE MIGRATION - Albertan Independence
THE MIGRATION — Albertan Independence
Version: 4
Date: 2026-02-09
Sources synthesized: 11 (10 posts, 0 comments, 1 summaries, 0 ripples, 0 echoes)
THE MIGRATION - Indigenous Courts & Gladue
THE MIGRATION — Indigenous Courts & Gladue
Version: 4
Date: 2026-02-07
Sources synthesized: 3 (0 posts, 1 comments, 1 summaries, 1 ripples, 0 echoes)
RIPPLE - Indigenous Courts & Gladue
This thread documents how changes to Indigenous Courts & Gladue in Alberta may affect other areas of civic life.
Share your knowledge: What happens downstream when this topic changes in Alberta? What industries, communities, services, or systems feel the impact?
Guidelines:
- Describe indirect or non-obvious connections
- Explain the causal chain (A leads to B because...)
- Real-world examples from Alberta strengthen your contribution
Comments are ranked by community votes. Well-supported causal relationships inform our simulation and planning tools.
First Nations Treaties and Sovereignty: The Often-Ignored Factor
The Issue
Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 cover virtually all of Alberta. These are agreements with the Crown of Canada, not with the Province of Alberta.
Constitutional Protection
Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms aboriginal and treaty rights. These cannot be extinguished without consent.
The Constitutional Question: Can Alberta Actually Leave?
The Legal Framework
The Constitution has no secession clause. The Supreme Court's 1998 Reference re Secession of Quebec established key principles.
Key Findings
- No province can unilaterally secede
- A clear majority on a clear question creates duty to negotiate
- Secession requires constitutional amendment
- No guarantee of success
The Clarity Act (2000)
Parliament determines whether the question and majority are clear. Federal government won't negotiate unless both conditions are met.
Resource Control: Who Should Govern Alberta's Energy Future?
The Issue
Under the Constitution, provinces have jurisdiction over natural resources. Yet federal powers over trade, taxation, and environment create overlapping authority.
Historical Context: The NEP
The 1980 National Energy Program remains a defining grievance. It set Canadian oil prices below world rates and increased federal taxation. Estimated lost revenue: $50-100 billion.
Albertan Independence: A Framework for Informed Debate
Welcome to the Albertan Independence Forum
This forum section is dedicated to thoughtful, evidence-based discussion of Albertan independence. Whether you support separation, oppose it, or remain undecided, you will find resources here to inform your thinking.
CanuckDUCK does not advocate for or against independence. Our role is to facilitate informed civic discourse by presenting facts, multiple perspectives, and the strongest arguments from all sides.
The Dakota Question: Why Two States, and Does It Still Make Sense?
A Brief History of Division
North Dakota and South Dakota weren't always separate. From 1861 to 1889, they were simply "Dakota Territory"—a vast expanse of prairie, badlands, and Black Hills that stretched from Minnesota to Montana.
The split, when it came, was largely political. In 1889, the Republican-controlled Congress faced a dilemma: Dakota Territory was ready for statehood, but admitting it as a single state would add only two senators (likely Republican). Splitting it would add four. The math was compelling.
Mount Rushmore: American Monument, Indigenous Sacred Site, and What Happens Next
The Complicated Mountain
Mount Rushmore is many things simultaneously: