An Alberta judge has struck down a petition for an independence referendum in response to a legal challenge by First Nations.

Justice Shaina Leonard of the Court of King’s Bench has issued a ruling on Wednesday that quashes a decision by the province’s chief electoral officer to approve separatist leader Mitch Sylvestre’s question on independence.

Alberta separatists last week submitted more than 300,000 signatures to Elections Alberta, but the case had prevented the agency from counting the signatures.

More to come.