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The federal government does not have a duty to consult with Indigenous groups prior to introducing legislation, Canada’s top court ruled Thursday.

But the 7-2 Supreme Court decision, ending a court challenge launched in 2012 by the Mikisew Cree First Nation against two pieces of legislation they argued infringed on treaty rights, only strengthens the resolve of Indigenous groups to be consulted prior to new laws being introduced.

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“This is not the end, this is only the beginning because we’re going to rally,” former Mikisew chief Steve Courtoreille, who initiated the 2013 court action, said at a Thursday news conference in Edmonton.

“So what does reconciliation mean to the rest of Canada, to the federal government? All the nice words are meaningless, don’t mean nothing … I ask you to reach out and stand together as we should.”

The Mikisew Cree had argued that two omnibus bills introduced in 2012 by the Conservative government affected the band’s treaty rights by changing waterway and environment protections, threatening its members’ right to hunt, trap and fish.