Alberta proceeds with Bill 13 to safeguard speech rights of regulated professionals.
ALBERTA— Alberta’s Justice Minister recently introduced Bill 13, the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act.
The bill’s core provision states that a professional regulator or appeal panel may not impose sanctions on a regulated professional for expressive conduct that occurs entirely outside the practice of the profession. In plain terms, Bill 13 would prevent regulators from punishing members for personal or public statements unrelated to their professional duties. The legislation preserves the authority of regulators to discipline members for clear professional misconduct, including physical violence, sexual impropriety with clients or students, or criminal convictions.
Additionally, the bill prohibits regulatory bodies from mandating training or education programs unrelated to professional competence or ethics, explicitly barring compulsory courses on cultural competency, unconscious bias, diversity, equity, or inclusion. It further requires all regulators to adhere to principles of political and ideological neutrality in their governance and decision-making.
The Democracy Fund supports this initiative. TDF lawyers regularly defend professionals facing investigation or disciplinary action by their regulators for off-duty expression on matters of public concern. These professionals have included public school teacher Chanel Pfahl, pathologist Dr. Roger Hodkinson, and physician Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill, among many others.
TDF Litigation Director Mark Joseph stated: “Limiting the power of professional regulators to regulate matters of competence and ethics, rather than personal beliefs or public commentary, is essential to preserving open debate on issues of public importance. Regulators exist to protect the public by applying professional standards, not to police the private speech or political views of their members.”
TDF will monitor the progress of the Bill and any changes to the language to ensure it is both clear and effective in application.
About The Democracy Fund:
Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education and relieving poverty. TDF promotes constitutional rights through litigation and public education. TDF supports an access to justice initiative for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed by government lockdowns and other public policy responses to the pandemic.