In Canada, judge rules proposed separatism referendum is unconstitutional

The Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations is lauding a Court of King’s Bench ruling in a court case which has struck a blow to Alberta separatists referendum efforts. Justice Colin Feasby’s decision affirmed that a referendum would violate Treaty Rights, Section 35 of the Constitution Act,1982 and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, according to the Confederacy in a news release. [ . . . ] In his decision, Feasby wrote that “Treaties 6, 7, and 8…are part of the Canadian constitution, made the creation of Alberta possible, remain part of the legal foundation for the complex society that now exists in Alberta, and govern the ongoing relationship between Canada, Alberta, and First Nations. The Numbered Treaties are legally binding on First Nations, Canada, and Alberta.”  Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, referred the proposed question to the court in August, asking a judge to determine whether it violates the Constitution, including treaty rights.
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