The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with Dr. Mike Bruised Head as he discusses what Alberta separation might mean to Indigenous lands and treaties.
What may happen to Indigenous lands, should Alberta decide to separate from Canada?
Alberta’s recent introduction of Bill 54 (The Citizen Initiative Act) which lowers the threshold for citizen-led referendums in the province, has sparked renewed concerns about the possibility of Alberta separating from Canada.
The speaker will contend that If Alberta attempted to separate, it could not maintain the treaty relationships established with the Crown. First Nations would have strong constitutional and international law arguments to reject inclusion in an independent Alberta. Under international law, particularly the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, they have the right to self-determination, which may mean First Nations could demand autonomy, remain with Canada, or negotiate new terms directly.
Speaker: Dr. Mike Bruised Head (in the Blackfoot language, Ninna Piksii)
Mike Bruised Head graduated from St Mary’s High School on the Blood Reserve in 1976. He received a Bachelors of Arts (BA) from the University of Lethbridge in 1980, served on Blood Tribe Chief and Council from 1981 to 1983, and was employed at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in 1984-85 as a college administrator. From 1986 to 1994, Bruised Head was executive director of Sikoohkotoki Friendship Center, and in 1996 he convocated with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) from ULethbridge.
Employed by the Kainai Board of Education as a high school teacher, vice-principal and principal from 1996 to 2011, Bruised Head then obtained a Master in Arts (MA) from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington (2003) in Administration and Supervision. He was elected to Blood Tribe Chief and Council from 2011 to 2016. He created Kainai Ecosystems Protection Agency (KEPA) and served as chair for KEPA from 2012 to 2016.
Bruised Head serves on the Oldman Watershed Council and participates on the Crown of the Continent Roundtable Leadership Committee and Crown Partners. He is involved in Kainai ceremonies and cultural events, speaks Blackfoot fluently, and is presently serving as president of the University of Lethbridge Iniskim Indigenous Alumni Chapter and Chairman of the Kainai Board of Education. Bruised Head defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Lethbridge in Cultural, Social and Political Thought (CSPT) at a public presentation on June 20, 2022.
Date/Time: Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The presentation begins at noon & concludes at 1 p.m.
Cost is free, donations however, are gratefully accepted.
Location: SACPA sessions are held at Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO), Atrium Dining Room, 500 - 11 Street South, Lethbridge
Lunch and Refreshments: If you like, please arrive early to patronize the LSCO cafeteria and enjoy its excellent variety of good-value food/drink options in the Atrium Dining Room ahead of the session.
For more informatioon on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, visit the SACPA web page.
Contact:
Trevor Kenney | trevor.kenney@uleth.ca | sacpa.ca