Government House Leader and Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow responds to questions from the press ahead of the resumption of legislature Thursday.--SCREENSHOT
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The fall session of legislature opens Thursday. Government House Leader and Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow outlined the Alberta government’s priorities heading into the second session of the 31st provincial legislature in a media availability Monday.
Minister Schow highlighted a few priority pieces of legislation, including the Justice Statutes Amendment Act. The proposed legislation follows a federal byelection that saw more than 200 candidates run in Battle River-Crowfoot in August. The ballot was part of an ongoing protest from a group seeking election reform.
The Office of the Minister of Justice however, says this policy will not involve capping the number of candidates on the ballot.
“There are no plans to limit the number of people on a ballot. If 100 people meet the requirements under the new rules in the legislation, then they can run,” said Heather Jenkins, press secretary to the Minister of Justice, in a statement to the News.
“The Justice Statutes Amendment Act will prevent long-ballot protests by increasing the number of signatures required for nomination and prohibiting electors from signing more than one nomination paper or inducing others to sign more than one nomination paper,” she said.
“I think it’s important that when it comes to elections that Albertans have a clear understanding of who’s on the ballot, and a clear ability to go and have timely results delivered to them,” said Schow in a press conference Monday.
“We’re making sure that the ballots are clear, that those who are running are genuinely serious about running for office, and we’re making appropriate changes so we meet those necessary goals.”
Schow also pointed to the legislation announced earlier this month, which will require the display of citizenship markers on provincial identifications and driver’s licences.
Schow also fielded several questions related to the ongoing teacher strike.
“I think it’d be a bit early for me to comment on that, but I think everyone would agree that kids belong in the classroom, so we’ll wait and see what is necessary. But we are going to take whatever steps are needed to make sure that kids are in the classroom and getting education,” he said in response to a question about the possibility of the government tabling back-to-work legislation.
“I think the operative word there is ‘if necessary,'” he said. “I’m not going to wade into hypothetical waters at the moment. Again, if necessary, we’ll do what’s required to get kids back in the classroom.”
Premier Danielle Smith wrote in a mandate letter to Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides last month that the government was prepared to use “all available legal and constitutional means necessary” to pass the controversial Bill 27, which would impose new regulations regarding the use of pronouns or preferred names in classrooms and the participation of students in lessons about gender identity and sexuality.
In response to a question about whether the government intended to use the not-withstanding clause, as was reported by The Canadian Press last month, Schow said the government is prepared to use whatever legislative tools are available to them to make sure those bills stand.
The legislation this fall is also expected to include the complete implementation of the new health agencies, which include Acute Care Alberta and Primary Care Alberta.
The UCP government expects to table at least 15 pieces of legislation in the coming session.
The first session of this parliament saw the passage of 55 government bills.
