SADDLE LAKE — Saddle Lake Cree Nation says it will assert its Treaty rights to provide transgender medical interventions to children and youth despite restrictions imposed by the Alberta government.

The Nation announced Wednesday that it intends to develop its own health law under the Medicine Chest clause of Treaty 6. Its plan would allow Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients to access puberty blockers, opposite-sex hormones and other transgender medical services on Saddle Lake lands.

The move could create a major legal dispute over whether First Nations jurisdiction can override provincial restrictions and rules governing medical professionals licensed in Alberta.

Okimawskwew Chief Dale Steinhauer said the Nation intends to offer protection to transgender and Two-Spirit children and their families under Treaty 6.

Alberta prohibits sex reassignment surgery for anyone under 18. Provincial rules also prohibit puberty blockers and hormone treatments intended to alter a child’s sex characteristics for patients under 16, with limited exceptions for those who had already begun treatment.

Youth who are 16 or 17 may begin hormone treatments or puberty blockers with approval from a parent, physician and psychologist.

The Alberta government maintains the restrictions protect children from making potentially permanent and life-altering medical decisions before they are old enough to fully understand the consequences.

In late 2025, the province invoked the notwithstanding clause to protect the legislation from challenges under certain sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Saddle Lake Cree Nation argues that health services fall under its inherent and Treaty-protected jurisdiction. It plans to recruit Canadian-trained medical professionals and establish virtual health hubs serving patients from across Alberta.

The Nation has also claimed medical professionals providing otherwise restricted treatments on its lands would be protected from discipline by provincial regulatory bodies.

That claim has not been tested in court. It remains unclear whether Saddle Lake Cree Nation could exempt provincially licensed physicians and other professionals from Alberta law or the standards imposed by their regulatory colleges.

Steinhauer compared the restrictions to earlier government interference in Indigenous families, including the removal of children through the residential school system. He said the Nation now intends to offer support and jurisdiction to people affected by Alberta’s legislation.

Friends of Medicare welcomed the announcement and argued that decisions involving transgender medical interventions should be left to patients, families and medical professionals.

The advocacy group also supports Saddle Lake Cree Nation’s interpretation of the Medicine Chest clause as an ongoing promise of comprehensive health services.

Saddle Lake Cree Nation has launched an online fundraiser to help draft its proposed law and cover legal expenses arising from the jurisdictional challenge.

The Alberta government had not publicly responded to the announcement at the time of publication.