Protecting the public from the politicization of Alberta’s regulatory bodies

To ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca,

The Honourable Mickey Amery, Q.C.
Minister of Justice of Alberta
Bowker Building, 2nd Floor
9833 109 Street NW,
Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2E8

Dear Minister Amery,

RE: Protecting the public from the politicization of Alberta’s regulatory bodies 

Professional regulatory bodies in Alberta, such as those governing medical staff under the Health Professions Act, engineers under the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), and lawyers under the Legal Professions Act, play a vital role in creating and maintaining standards of technical proficiency. 

These regulatory bodies were never intended to adopt a political agenda of any kind, or to regulate the personal beliefs or political expression of the members of the profession. To the contrary, “professionals” are supposed to exercise independent judgment and provide independent advice to Canadians. 

Unfortunately, in recent years, most of these same regulatory bodies have expanded their authority far beyond their original mandate. Instead of simply upholding professional standards, many of these regulatory bodies are now advancing political causes, advocating for ideology, and disciplining members who express disagreement.

Regulated professionals now find themselves compelled to say or endorse things they do not believe, which violates their freedoms of expression, conscience and religion – protected by sections 2(b) and 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If this trend continues, the professions will be increasingly populated only by members who are ideologically compliant and hostile to client-centred decision-making.

When regulators directly or indirectly compel speech, or otherwise pursue political objectives by embedding ideology into mandatory courses or codes of ethics, they undermine both public trust and the critical independence of the professionals who are required to be members of the regulator.

I therefore urge you and all Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to support the introduction of legislation that will: 

1. Expressly prohibit all regulatory bodies in Alberta from adopting or pursuing any political objectives;

2. Expressly prohibit all regulatory bodies in Alberta from monitoring and controlling the speech of their members, such that members will be free to express their opinions privately and publicly;

3. Expressly prohibit all regulatory bodies in Alberta from including political and ideological content in their regulation, including in definitions of competence and ethics.

This legislation, as outlined above, will make it abundantly clear that regulatory bodies in Alberta can no longer monitor or control the speech of their members, nor require (directly or indirectly) their members to adopt or to live by any political position or ideology. Regulatory bodies must focus only on competence and ethics.

Alberta should lead the way on addressing this Canada-wide problem, and show other provinces how to restore integrity and professionalism in regulated professions. Further below, you will find a full list of regulated professionals in Alberta that would benefit from the legislation being proposed:

Architects Act – regulates architects (via the Alberta Association of Architects); Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act – regulates engineers and geoscientists (via APEGA); Health Professions Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. H-7) – umbrella statute regulating most health-related professions through individual colleges; Legal Profession Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. L-8) – regulates the practice of law through the Law Society of Alberta; Acupuncturists (College of Acupuncturists of Alberta); Audiologists (Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists); Chiropractors (College of Chiropractors of Alberta); Combined Laboratory and X-ray Technologists (Alberta College of Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technologists); Dental Assistants (College of Alberta Dental Assistants); Dental Hygienists (Alberta College of Dental Hygienists); Dental Technologists (College of Dental Technologists of Alberta); Dentists (College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta); Denturists (College of Alberta Denturists); Dietitians (College of Dietitians of Alberta); Hearing Aid Practitioners (College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta); Licensed Practical Nurses (College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta); Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists (Alberta College of Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists); Medical Laboratory Technologists (College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Alberta); Midwives (College of Midwives of Alberta); Naturopaths (College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta); Occupational Therapists (Alberta College of Occupational Therapists); Opticians (College of Opticians of Alberta); Optometrists (Alberta College of Optometrists); Paramedics (Alberta College of Paramedics); Pharmacists & Pharmacy Technicians (Alberta College of Pharmacy); Physiotherapists (College of Physiotherapists of Alberta); Physicians, Surgeons, Osteopaths & Physician Assistants (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta); Podiatrists (College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta); Psychiatric Nurses (College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta); Psychologists (College of Alberta Psychologists); Registered Nurses (College of Registered Nurses of Alberta); Respiratory Therapists (College of Respiratory Therapists of Alberta); Social Workers (Alberta College of Social Workers); Speech-Language Pathologists (Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists).

cc: Premier Danielle Smith

Sincerely,