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Alberta judge quashes separation petition, cites First Nations

newsMay 13, 2026352,087

Justice Shaina Leonard quashed a petition that sought to trigger a province-wide referendum on Alberta separating from Canada. Leonard ruled the provincial government failed its duty to consult First Nations and did not address how secession would affect Treaties 7 and 8. Petition backers said they had gathered enough signatures to force a vote, and Premier Danielle Smith called the ruling incorrect in law and announced the government will appeal. The decision blocks immediate steps toward a referendum and makes Indigenous consultation and treaty rights a legal prerequisite for any future separation effort.

Jason Markusoff
@markusoff.bsky.social

HUGE: Alberta judge quashes the separatists' referendum petition, in major victory for Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Blackfoot confederation. Justice Shaina Leonard: "the Crown failed to meet its duty to consult"

5105h ago
Jason Markusoff199

This basically kills 301,000-signature petition separatists delivered to Elections AB to force referendum on independence. Premier Smith could still call referendum as gov't act, like separatist groups want her to. But lack of Indigenous consultation would still be problem. bsky.app/profile/mark...

Johnny Ehm56

The Separatists are confident this will be overturned by the US Supreme Court.

Jane Austen's Political Tweets38

Headlines from the Future, Today! This from a couple of days from now... "Danielle Smith proposes new legislation to allow separatist petition to proceed."

🍁🛸Waiting For The Mothership🛸🍁10

Should happen anyway because there is no way at least half of those signatures aren't fraudulent. They very likely used that data leak to pad it.

e46kzr67.bsky.social9

DaniQ Smith will still find a way to hold the referendum because Parker-brat is her best bud.

Rugged Broad9

Ha!! How’s the blow up over on the former bird site going?

thirdmonti.bsky.social6

Thanks for sharing (In the future, please use Alt Text 🙏)

ph0enix4

Did I misunderstand this article? www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...

Warren Brazier4

Good. Rule of Law prevails.

Richard Price 🇨🇦3

Great news. Only in Canada Could Indigenous groups defend the sovereignty of country that took there land from people who want to make a new country within a country so those people who originally took the indigenous land could take the indigenous territory back again. CDN needs to chill out.

writerjcw.bsky.social2

This is confusing given a) the crown is not running the petition and b) i’m pretty sure the Supreme Court decision places the duty to consult before separating not before a referendum. This decisions go onto the top.

Catomama 🇨🇦2

So, I assume this will be appealed to an Alberta court of appeals, if/when they lose there also, is the Supreme Court next?

Cheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁
@minibubbly.bsky.social

It was never going to happen, but this makes the court decision even more delicious 🤣 Decision to approve #Alberta separation petition was 'unreasonable,' judge rules Justice finds Crown didn’t meet duty to consult www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

2074h ago
🇨🇦 NanaGale10

They must be livid. I am waiting for the whining to start up. They can blame smith. That would be fun

Chasing Sunshine7

I always wondered if they didnt have the votes, with their need to show off the 'boxes of signatures' like props. But glad it was knocked down another way. Dani acts above the law and will of the people so I hope this ends here.

Flux Liner7

You can bet your Silver Dollar (if you have any) that these F*CKERS wont stop.

Gwenda4

Hopefully, now we won't have to hear about this nonsense anymore.

TheRealDee4

I'm so glad our Courts still work.

Jim T4

Awesome Alberta belongs to Canadians.

🇨🇦SgC🇨🇦3

What laws will Dumpster Dani try and change?

LLFella 🇨🇦 🇺🇦3

A good day for Alberta

Leeta 🇨🇦3

Danielle Smith could still appeal, change legislation, or just put the separatist question on the referendum anyway. Albertans can act: Write to Premier@gov.ab.ca and call 780-427-2251 to demand she scraps the entire referendum since the separatist petition is now null & void.

Lanab 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 ☮️💙2

It’s not over yet. She’s already talking about an appeal and saying that Quebec will have an interest. So grateful for the First Nation indigenous leaders rising up against the trumpet premier.

Montreal Mike🇨🇦2

I told them so. I posted this just over a year ago and got so much rage from it how I was wrong.

🍁 Christine 🍁2

I said if they'd bothered to get a legal opinion before even starting all this, they never would have started it to begin with. The courts in this country are non-political and Scandal Smith, Fraud Ford and Moron Moe can't change that. Carney can try. He'll fail.

Sharon Chisholm2

Finally, the King’s Court acknowledges the territorial rights of Indigenous Canadians. It’s only taken 158 years.

Kam W. Teo 🍁2

Alberta will appeal, which is its right. This will go to the Supreme Court of Canada. The SCC cannot ignore the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Duty to Consult, which is in the Charter. 💙❤️💜The far right will start complaining about "judicial activism."

KimFromNovaScotia2

Well, it kept them busy and out of trouble for a little while.

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