By Jack Farrell Lawyers for the Alberta government say collecting signatures for a potential referendum on separation doesn’t violate treaty rights, and they argue holding a vote on leaving Canada wouldn’t be a violation either. “There’s no adverse harm,” Neil Dobson told an Edmonton courtroom Thursday in a hearing over challenges on the constitutionality of the province’s citizen-initiated referendum process. Multiple First Nations launched the challenge. They argue the referendum process and its use by separatists in their ongoing petition campaign to force a vote violates treaty rights, including the duty to consult. Dobson said there’s no need for consultation because the province isn’t taking policy action yet. “The collection of signatures and the ability to put forward the petition in the first place is really the commencement of that…
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