A Nova Scotia Acadian rights group will continue the fight to restore protected electoral ridings.
In January, the provincial Court of Appeal declared the abolition of a number of Acadian ridings in 2012, including Argyle and Clare, unconstitutional.
They consulted with their legal team, who proposed a series of orders.
They also met with the three main political parties for feedback and consulted with member organizations.
Now, the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse is looking at next steps.
FANE President Ghislain Boudreau says they reached out to Premier Stephen McNeil last week to initiate discussions.
“To obtain Court of Appeal orders. If government doesn’t do that, then we’ll move forward and ask for these orders on our behalf.”
McNeil has not yet responded to the request.
Boudreau says FANE can’t ask for all the orders, because some can only be asked by government.
He says FANE would ask for two orders, one confirming the unconstitutionality of the abolition, the other suspending the implementation of the first order for two years.
Boudreau says they want the ridings re-established, and a commission to be developed before the next election.
“For the government, it’s their decision to call the election when they want. But we have a mandate to present what Acadians want, and what our communities want. The majority of them, this is what they want.”
