Overview
- Justice Minister Mickey Amery tabled the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act on Nov. 20, with Premier Danielle Smith dubbing it the “Peterson law.”
- The bill bars discipline for lawful off-duty expression except in defined cases such as threats of violence, criminal convictions, misuse of professional position, or sexual misconduct crossing professional boundaries.
- Regulators would be restricted from mandating training on political, social or cultural topics unless it is directly necessary for competence or ethics, affecting DEI and cultural-competency programs.
- The proposal establishes neutrality principles for regulators and sets a consistent standard of review for internal appeals and court challenges.
- The government says the changes would cover roughly 173 occupations across about 79 regulatory bodies, with major colleges reviewing the bill and critics warning it could fuel misinformation; provisions would take effect upon proclamation.