Alberta Judge Quashes Separatist Petition Over Indigenous Consultation

An Alberta judge in Edmonton quashed a separatist petition on Wednesday, ruling that the provincial government breached its duty to consult First Nations before allowing the citizen-led initiative to proceed.

Justice Shaina Leonard declared the petition from the group Stay Free Alberta invalid, stating it should never have been issued. The group had submitted nearly 302,000 signatures last week, surpassing the required 178,000 threshold for a potential referendum question on separation this fall. Leonard halted signature verification last month pending the legal challenge brought by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy, representing the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani First Nations.

In her decision, Leonard wrote, "As a matter of logic and common sense, there can be no doubt that Alberta's secession from Canada will have an impact on Treaties 7 and 8." She determined that a December bill passed by Premier Danielle Smith's government, which amended the citizen-initiated referendum process, set off a series of steps that triggered the consultation requirement. "No consultation occurred. Alberta breached its duty to consult with the applicants," the judge...