CALGARY — An Alberta judge has granted permission to Elections Alberta to count and verify the petition signatures for Alberta independence. Announced Monday, Jeffrey Rath, a lawyer for Stay Free Alberta applied for a stay, the ability to temporarily suspend the effects of the previous judge's decision, by Justice Shaina Leonard, who found in May, by allowing the petition, the government had incorrectly interpreted legislation, failed to follow previous court rulings, and lacked Crown consultation. Rath argued Elections Alberta should be able to verify the over 300,000 signatures collected in support of a referendum on independence.“In my view, the appellant will suffer irreparable harm if the verification process does not take place until the final resolution of this legal dispute, particularly bearing in mind the possibility of an appeal to the Supreme Court, or the constitutional questions being remitted to the Court of King’s Bench for further consideration,” stated Justice Alice Woolley in her decision on Monday as reported by CTV News..“Accurate verification will become more difficult as time passes. People who signed the petition may move or die. They may change addresses or phone numbers.""Trust and confidence in the security and integrity of the collected sheets will begin to erode.”Rath posted the official notice he received from the judge on X: "ALBERTA COURT OF APPEAL GRANTS STAY OF JUSTICE LEONARD’S DECISION!""ELECTIONS ALBERTA MUST COUNT, VERIFY AND COMMUNICATE THE SIGNATURES AS REQUIRED UNDER THE CITIZEN’S INITIATIVE ACT."Wooley also added in her decision the petition cannot advance until the appeal is determined. .At a press conference Monday, Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides was asked about the judge's decision."We've made it clear that a significant number of Albertans have expressed a desire to have a debate and a referendum on the question of Alberta's place in Canada, and so, of course, that's proceeding in October, and I think that's incredibly important, that Albertans be able to have a say on something so important, and provide this government with direction," stated Nicolaides.
