Alberta must respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and individual freedoms if it wishes to hold an independence referendum, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday, one day after an Alberta judge struck down a separatist group’s petition. Separatist leader Mitch Sylvestre’s petition aimed to force a provincewide vote this fall. But Court of King’s Bench Justice Shaina Leonard blocked it on Wednesday, saying Alberta failed to consult with First Nations about how seceding from Canada would affect treaty rights. The decision also hinged on recent changes to provincial law by Premier Danielle Smith’s government, which sought to sidestep a prior court ruling. That decision found residents don’t have the power to initiate an independence referendum under Alberta’s citizen-initiative laws. Mr. Carney referred to Justice Leonard’s decision when asked if he believed an independence referendum should proceed. “We have standards and an ability for provinces to hold referenda on a variety of subjects. Obviously, we support that,” Mr. Carney said. “That means respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples, respecting the rights of people to privacy.” Ms. Smith and petitioner Mr. Sylvestre said they will appeal the decision. At a news conference on Wednesday, Ms. Smith called the decision “incorrect in law and anti-democratic.” #Alberta #AbPoli #CdnPoli #separatism