US EditionHearing on injunction filed by First Nation to stop Alberta separation to begin today
The nation says Bill 14 and the petition process violate Treaty 8 rights, while Stay Free Alberta says it has gathered 177,732 signatures.
- On Tuesday, the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation appeared in Edmonton's Court of King's Bench seeking an injunction to halt the Stay Free Alberta petition urging the province to leave Canada.
- The community alleges the independence push violates Treaty 8 rights, claiming it was never consulted and "never made treaty with Alberta, nor did they consent to Canada's creation of Alberta in 1905."
- In its legal filing, Sturgeon Lake demands $250,000 in costs, alleging that Bill 14 "knowingly and recklessly" contradicted the community's right to consent to the province's separation.
- Stay Free recently collected approximately 178,000 signatures to trigger a vote; if Elections Alberta verifies them, Premier Danielle Smith has committed to placing the question on an October 19 referendum.
- Should a majority of Albertans vote "yes," it would trigger negotiations between Alberta and the Crown to determine separation terms, which legal experts say could take years to finalize.
39 Articles
39 Articles
First Nation goes to court to kill Alberta independence petition
Google Maps (Court of King’s Bench)Author: Cosmin DzsurdzsaAn Alberta First Nation is in an Edmonton courtroom today arguing for a judge to shut down a massive citizen petition on Alberta independence.The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation is seeking an emergency injunction with the Court of King’s Bench to halt the campaign, claiming the push for separation is allegedly an “unconstitutional” threat to Treaty rights. Lawyer Orlagh O’Kelley will represent…
Hearings Begin in First Nation’s Bid to Stop Alberta Separation Referendum
An Alberta First Nation is heading to court this week to challenge a petition advocating for the province’s secession from Canada. The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation is scheduled to appear in court on April 7, where it will seek a ruling from a Court of King’s Bench judge in Edmonton to suspend the separatist petition campaign on the grounds that consent from First Nations is required first. The judge will hear from the First Nation and the organizer…
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