Chief Riley won a major victory in a Dartmouth courtroom today in appearing for four Mi’kmaw people charged after the Halifax Regional Police raided treaty truckhouse Amu Leaf.
The former National Chief raised a constitutional argument that the various provisions of the Treaty of 1752 meant that the conditions imposed on the defendants to not return to the Truckhouse, associate together, or have access to weapons, were all unconstitutional and should be thrown out.
In the course of court, the Crown agreed that the Treaty of 1752 was still in effect and protected by Section 35 of the Constitution. Informed at great length about the Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Mi’kmaq nation, the judge ruled that all conditions on the accused would be dropped except the one that they return to court and notify the court of any change of address.
The courtroom was packed with over 20 Mi’kmaw supporters who stood in solidarity with the defendants as the defendants stood in front of the judge, indicating that the Mi’kmaq nation is standing together for its rights.
The Amu Leaf Truckhouse and two other sovereign Mi’kmaw truck houses continue to operate in the greater Halifax area selling cannabis and a wide variety of other indigenous products. Now those charged are free to return to them as they prepare a constitutional challenge to their charges.