Alberta Reviewing Regulatory Bodies, Considering Legislation to Protect Free Speech

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced a review of professional regulatory bodies to determine if they’re hindering members’ freedom of expression.
“Professional colleges and other regulating bodies have been exerting their authority far beyond their legitimate mandate by attempting to regulate the personal beliefs and political opinions of the doctors, lawyers, psychologists, and other professionals,” Smith said.
“What a doctor or lawyer believes or says about politics or religion is not a reflection of their competency to practice medicine or law.”
Smith also said the province will consider legislation to govern regulatory bodies.
“We will bring legislative changes next year to ensure that professional regulatory bodies are limited to regulating their members’ professional competence and conduct, and not for speech,” she said in the video.
The review will look at whether regulatory bodies are going too far in monitoring members, Amery said.
“There are some troubling trends that we’re seeing around the world where several governments and governing bodies believe it is appropriate for them to determine what is true and what is misinformation and to restrict the speech of those who disagree with them,” he said in the video.
The minister also mentioned the case of a Saskatchewan nurse who was fined $26,000 by the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (SRNA). The organization accused her of professional misconduct over social media posts questioning the care her grandfather received at a long-term care facility in that province.
“Eventually, that decision was overturned,” Amery said, “but she had to fight all the way to the Court of Appeal to do so.”
Alberta’s Law Society told The Epoch Times it supports the review.
“We believe this is an important conversation and look forward to participating in the review and engaging with the government and legal stakeholders through the consultation,” chief executive officer and executive director Elizabeth Osler said in an email.
The society is encouraging members to participate through the online survey, she said.
“As the regulator of the legal profession, our duty is to uphold and protect the public interest in the delivery of legal services and we are optimistic this will be reflected in the outcome of this process.”