A milestone anniversary is giving Lloydminster‘s proclamation of Treaties Recognition Week added weight this year – and council wants residents to understand it’s more than a formality.
Council voted unanimously Monday to proclaim May 18 to 24 as Treaties Recognition Week, a request that arrived outside the city’s normal proclamation schedule. The timing reflects the significance of the moment: 2026 marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6, the agreement that established the traditional territory on which Lloydminster sits.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers said the proclamation earned its place on the agenda on its own merits.
“Reconciliation is not a one day, one week, one month event,” Aalbers said. “There’s a lot of healing to be done, a lot of understanding.”
Aalbers pointed to the city’s relationship with Onion Lake Cree Nation – which looks to Lloydminster as its economic centre and for health care services – as well as multiple First Nations that have acquired property within or adjacent to the city in recent years. He noted that the Treaty 6 territory flag and the Métis Nation flag already fly outside city hall as a reflection of those relationships.
The anniversary is drawing national and potentially royal attention. A delegation of Treaty 6 chiefs travelled to Buckingham Palace in March to personally invite King Charles to attend the 150th commemoration at Fort Carlton, where the treaty was originally signed on Aug. 23, 1876. As of mid-March, the King had neither accepted nor rejected the invitation. Fort Carlton has planned a four-day commemoration from Aug. 20 to 23. Fort Battleford has a separate recognition event planned for June.
Councillor Michele Charles-Gustafson pressed administration on whether the proclamation risked feeling performative, particularly given it arrived outside the regular approval window.
“I think bringing this forward and your response shows that it isn’t just performative,” Charles-Gustafson said after Aalbers responded. “We have neighbours and we rely on each other, and at a special milestone, it’s something to be celebrated and recognized.”
Councillor Michael Diachuk said he wished the city had been in a position to do more in advance of the anniversary.
“I feel personally a little regret that we haven’t been able to anticipate this day in advance to be able to do something and contribute in some way,” Diachuk said.
Council committed to reporting back on what activities the city may support during the recognition week itself. The Heart of Treaty 6 organization, known locally as HOT6, has been active in Lloydminster schools on truth and reconciliation education and is expected to play a central role in community programming.
Treaties Recognition Week runs May 18 to 24.
