Merit-based hiring, stronger protection for victims and justice system reforms

Key changes to the Alberta Human Rights Act would:

• put merit first in public-sector hiring, training and education by ensuring that hiring decisions by provincial bodies are neutral, fair and based on merit and competence.
• prohibit provincial bodies from using programs, policies or activities under section 10.1 of the Alberta Human Rights Act when making hiring or promotion decisions, except in limited circumstances set out by regulation
• ensure hiring or promotion decisions by provincial bodies will continue to be subject to existing human rights protections and provisions regarding the duty to accommodate and the ability to rely on bona-fide or good faith occupational requirements
• ensure mandatory workplace training and education within provincial bodies will be ideologically neutral and focused on job related duties and skills
• prohibit mandatory workplace training and education content, within provincial bodies, that addresses diversity, equity and inclusion, among others, while allowing training and education that is reasonably necessary for employees to perform their jobs competently to continue
• allow future regulations to define terms, clarify which entities are considered provincial bodies and establish exemptions

Key changes to the Protecting Victims of Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images Act would:

• rename it the Intimate Content Protection Act to reflect its broader scope
• replace the definition of ‘intimate image’ with ‘intimate content’ to capture more media formats, including audio recordings and live-streamed content
• add a definition of ‘altered intimate content’ to address altered, modified or artificially generated media
• allow a person to take legal action when someone threatens to distribute intimate content, even if it has not been distributed
• allow a person to withdraw consent to the distribution of intimate content
• hold people accountable for negligent behaviour that causes intimate content to be distributed
• allow courts to order community service as an alternative to some or all punitive damages
• create a provincial offence punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 2 years, or both

Key changes to the Legal Profession Act would:

• remove certain ministerial authorities related to Alberta Law Foundation bylaws, directives and approval of large grants and funding commitments
• strengthen the foundation's operational independence while maintaining expectations for annual reporting to the Minister
• address details related to appeals of Law Society of Alberta decisions to the Court of King’s Bench, including the appeal period, confidentiality requirements, hearing materials and fresh evidence
• change the threshold for requesting a special meeting of the Law Society of Alberta to better reflect the size of the legal profession
   

Key changes to the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act would ensure a public sector body can disclose combined compensation for employees who continue working for that body after a reorganization, including employees transferred to it.

A public sector body would report the total amount an employee earned that year from both their previous and current employers. 

A reorganization could include the division of one public sector body into multiple new ones, or the transfer of a power or responsibility from one public sector body to another. 

Key changes to the Court of King’s Bench Act would clarify that Applications Judges can hear any matters assigned to them that they are constitutionally allowed to hear, which will enable them to more effectively resolve issues, including in family proceedings.

Key changes to the King’s Counsel Act would:

• clarify eligibility requirements
• clarify that applicants must have at least 5 years of active membership in the Law Society of Alberta
• expand eligibility to include former office holders