Alberta court allows petition signature verification to resume in separatist case

An Alberta separatist group has won a partial court of appeal ruling that allows the province’s chief electoral officer to resume verifying signatures on its referendum petition and share the results publicly. The decision, issued Monday by Justice Alice Woolley, does not go as far as the group wanted. She declined to let the verified results move to the justice minister and then to the lieutenant governor, a step that could eventually lead to a constitutional referendum. Stay Free Alberta had asked the court to pause a lowercourt ruling that quashed its petition while appeals continue. In May, Justice Shaina Leonard set aside the petition, which the group says had gathered more than 300,000 signatures. Leonard found the province failed to consult First Nations and that Elections Alberta made a legal error in approving the petition. Premier Danielle Smith has criticized that ruling and later announced a separate referendum question for Oct. 19 on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or move toward a future separation vote. A hearing date for the appeal has not been set, and the court did not order an expedited process.