The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled Canada’s lawmakers do not have a duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples before introducing legislation in Parliament that may affect Aboriginal and treaty rights — a decision that will be welcomed by the federal government, which argued such an obligation would be far too onerous.

In its 7-2 decision, the top court has ruled against the Mikisew First Nation.

The band argued that two omnibus budget bills introduced by the former Conservative government in 2012 affected their constitutionally-protected treaty rights because it amended regulatory protections for waterways and the environment, threatening their established right to hunt, trap and fish on their traditional territory.

More to come.

Source link