By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation The Cree Nation has joined other First Nations leaders, civil liberties groups and legal experts in condemning legislation that would establish a Quebec constitution. On February 12, Cree leadership appeared before the Parliamentary Committee in Quebec City to express grave concerns regarding the proposed document’s failure to recognize Indigenous rights. The Quebec Constitution Act, known as Bill 1, has drawn intense criticism since even before it was tabled in October for the governing Coalition Avenir Québec’s failure to consult the public before releasing a draft. Legal experts warn it would centralize power, weaken judicial oversight and infringe on individual freedoms. Indigenous leaders denounce the legislation as assimilationist and colonialist, only mentioning “ancestral and treaty rights” in a brief preamble. The document…
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