Alberta’s new parliamentary secretary for civil liberties has been tasked with fighting the federal government’s proposed Bill C-18, legislation that has been dubbed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “online censorship” bill.
The new role will be filled by United Conservative Party MLA Tracy Allard, who was appointed to the position last week.
According to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s office, Allard will report to Justice Minister Tyler Shandro as she determines what steps can be taken to challenge C-18. The province says the bill will “limit the Charter Rights and Freedoms of Canadians by affecting independent news outlets, content creators, and every Canadian who uses online media.”
Federal Conservative MPs have called C-18 an affront to the freedom of the press and an attempt by the Liberal government to stack the cards in their favour.
“Simply put, this law would force Facebook, Google and other Internet companies to prioritize CBC and other government-approved news outlets on our feed over the smaller alternative news media platforms that may be more critical of the NDP-Liberal view of the world,” Conservative MP Brad Redekopp said on Dec. 13, before the House sent the bill to the Senate.
Facebook has warned the Canadian government that it could block access to news sharing for Canadian users, should the bill become law.
Allard has also been tasked with looking into further steps to protect law-abiding firearms owners. The Alberta government is already recommending prosecutors don’t pursue charges against firearms owners whose guns were deemed illegal under the Trudeau government’s 2020 order in council.
But Smith wants Allard to find more protection for hunters, farmers and target shooters who face criminalization under an amendment to Bill C-21, currently being examined by a Parliamentary committee.
The position will fall under the Justice ministry’s purview, but Allard will report to Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis as she investigates potential police reforms. The new premier wants Allard to look into issues related to the use of force and police oversight with the goal of increasing transparency, accountability and fairness in the administration of policing services.
She’ll also assess whether amendments to legislation are required to better protect Albertans’ rights and civil liberties.
During the UCP leadership race, Smith was known for aggressively attacking Covid-19 restrictions. She promised never to lockdown the province again, to resist federal pressure to do so, and to do away with vaccine and mask mandates.
Last month, Smith made good on her promise to ban masks in schools through regulatory changes. She also announced that she won’t permit schools to move classes entirely online anymore.
