CALGARY, AB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is providing lawyers to Calgary author and commentator Cory Morgan, who is fighting two trespassing tickets issued by Siksika Nation Protective Services after drawing attention to living conditions on the reserve.
Mr. Morgan is a columnist with the Western Standard known for his candid commentary on social and political issues. He has over 68,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and nearly 8,000 subscribers on YouTube.
In March 2025, he visited the Siksika Nation to film a narrated tour highlighting social challenges such as housing, clean water, crime, and poverty. His video has since received over 38,000 views and has generated both positive and negative feedback online.
While filming, Mr. Morgan remained on public roads and marked sites, including Sun College, historical landmarks, and a cemetery. Siksika Nation’s own bylaw confirms that “[a] Person travelling on a public road on or through the Reserve” has a right to access such areas.
Despite this, on April 9, 2025, Mr. Morgan was later served with two $1,000 tickets for alleged trespassing.
Constitutional lawyer Marty Moore says the tickets issued to Mr. Morgan appear to target his Charter-protected right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press under section 2(b), as well as his right to liberty under section 7 of the Charter.
“First Nations are government entities obligated to respect the Charter rights of Canadians,” states Mr. Moore.
“The trespass tickets issued to Mr. Morgan do not appear to be based on his presence on Siksika land, but rather based on opposition to the views expressed in his videos. Mr. Morgan did not violate the trespass bylaw, and these charges appear to be an attempt to limit his Charter rights and freedoms,” he remarked.
Mr. Morgan remains undeterred by the legal threat, continuing his work to draw public attention to the living conditions on Canadian reserves.
“I am committed to exposing the conditions on Canadian Indigenous reserves while seeking effective system solutions to the problem,” says Mr. Morgan.
“I will not let myself be intimidated by the Siksika Nation leadership, who appear to be more interested in hiding the realities of conditions on their reserve than improving them for residents,” he remarked.
Mr. Morgan added, “I am grateful for the support of the Justice Centre in this action to preserve press freedom and rights of mobility.”
