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Alberta Tables Bill to Shield Professionals’ Off‑Duty Speech, Curb DEI Mandates

The government cites Jordan Peterson’s Ontario case and other national examples as its rationale.

Overview

  • Justice Minister Mickey Amery introduced Bill 13, the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act, to limit regulators from disciplining members for lawful, off‑duty expressive conduct.
  • The proposal would apply to about 173 occupations across 79 regulatory bodies, spanning major colleges and smaller regulators.
  • Discipline for off‑duty expression would still be allowed only in narrow circumstances such as threats of violence, criminal convictions, misuse of professional position, sexual misconduct, or breaches of professional boundaries.
  • The bill would prohibit mandatory training unrelated to competence or ethics, including DEI programs, and it sets neutrality principles plus a consistent standard of review for appeals.
  • Premier Danielle Smith argued regulators have overreached into policing beliefs, though prior reporting found such cases rare in Alberta; the bill is introduced but not yet law and would take effect upon proclamation if passed.