Alberta moves to restrict public boards’ power to police trustees, councillors

Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver speaks in Edmonton on April 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.

Edmonton — The Alberta United Conservative government introduced two bills Tuesday to reduce the self-policing powers of elected public school boards and municipal councils.

One bill, if passed, would cancel local councils’ codes of conduct and put an end to any ongoing complaints or sanctions that aren’t before the courts.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver, before introducing the legislation, told reporters that in some cases, codes of conduct had been weaponized to silence dissent on municipal councils.

“We need a better, more impartial system to deal with conduct issues, one that can’t be misused for political gain or personal rivalry,” McIver said.

Asked to provide an example, McIver urged reporters to “Google Medicine Hat.”

In that southern Alberta city last year, code of conduct allegations led to Mayor Linnsie Clark being stripped of certain duties and part of her salary. Later, a court decision restored her pay and most of the powers she had lost.

Instead of municipalities establishing their own rules, the bill would see McIver’s ministry create standard council meeting procedures across the province after consulting with them. There may also be a new ethics commissioner to act as an independent referee.

McIver said he expects mixed reviews from municipal leaders over his proposed bill, but said it is based on what municipalities have asked for.

“Some municipally elected people will love it, and other people will say it’s completely paternalistic,” he said.

Alberta Municipalities president Tyler Gandam said he’s pleased to see the province take over, agreeing with McIver that in certain cases the codes are misused.

But Gandam, who is also the mayor of Wetaskiwin, said he’s concerned about the legislation’s stipulation that current complaints and sanctions will be discontinued immediately.

He said that leaves municipalities with no process to deal with current conduct issues along with future issues that may arise before the new process is sorted out.

The second bill, introduced by Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, would ban school boards from disqualifying or removing an elected trustee over code of conduct breaches.

If that bill passes, boards would still be able to have codes of conduct and punish trustees who break them, but a trustee could only be removed through a recall.

“We want to strengthen the principle of democratic accountability and thus ensure that a school board cannot just fire a trustee on its own volition,” Nicolaides said.

Earlier Tuesday, education officials told reporters in the bill’s briefing session that while there was no public engagement on the issue prior to the bill, there had been one public petition calling for changes.

That petition came after Red Deer Catholic’s school board disqualified trustee Monique LaGrange in 2023. LaGrange had posted an image to social media comparing children waving LGBTQ+ Pride flags with children holding swastika flags.

In its decision to dismiss her, the board said LaGrange had violated the trustee code of conduct and refused to comply with sanctions.

Nicolaides declined to comment on LaGrange’s case specifically because it is still before the court, but said he’s responding to a “noteworthy” volume of emails and public feedback.

“I think most people would agree that the voters should always have the final say over who their representative is or is not,” he said.

Lawyer James Kitchen is representing LaGrange, who is seeking to overturn her dismissal at the Court of Appeal.

He said the UCP is right to remove a process that was “ripe for abuse” by ideological and political opponents.

“She lost her position over standing on an unpopular position that she took because of principle,” Kitchen said, adding for her the legislation is a win, even if she wasn’t directly involved.

“I think her case is the impetus for it.”

NDP Opposition education critic Amanda Chapman called it “a little bit disturbing” that LaGrange’s case was the only example provided by officials.

She said despite Nicolaides’ comments, Alberta parents have not been clamouring to restrict school boards’ disciplinary power and said the bar to remove someone by recall is difficult to reach.

“What they’re doing is ensuring that under no circumstances and with no kind of violation could a trustee ever be removed from office,” Chapman said.

-- with files from Jack Farrell

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press