Alberta “Peterson Law” pushes law society to end DEI committee
The Law Society of Alberta has scrapped its DEI committee as a direct result of the province adopting its new “Peterson Law,” which mandates neutrality for professional regulators.
Author: Quinn Patrick
The Law Society of Alberta has scrapped its equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) committee as a direct result of the province adopting its new “Peterson Law,” which mandates neutrality for professional regulators.
The legislation prohibits professional regulation bodies from offering preferential treatment to meet diversity, equity and inclusion targets.
The legislation received Royal Assent in December and applies not only to lawyers and health professionals, but also engineers, tradespeople and architects.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said regulators must “stay in the workplace” and stop policing personal beliefs. She referenced national cases, including Jordan Peterson’s dispute with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, as examples of political overreach.
“If there is a push or a drive from a regulator to impose upon its professionals some sort of political, cultural or social ideology, and it has nothing that relates to the professional competence or ethics of that individual professional, then it will not be permitted to happen in this province,” said Justice Minister Mickey Amery in December.
Additionally, the Act bars such bodies from subjecting professionals to mandatory training, such as unconscious bias or cultural competency, unless the training relates directly to professional competence or ethics.
Exceptions are narrowly defined, such as for threats of violence, criminal convictions, misuse of professional position or sexual misconduct.
The LSA may still pursue certain DEI targets through other committees, but it will no longer have a committee devoted to that as a sole cause.
Colin Brandt, a spokesperson for the association told Canadian Lawyer that the LSA’s decision not to re-establish the committee was a “result of the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act” and that committees must be reviewed and approved by benchers each year.
The legislation received Royal Assent in December and applies not only to lawyers and health professionals but also to engineers, tradespeople and architects.
“Permissable initiatives will be advanced though other strategic committees,” noted Brandt.
This is good and encouraging news for a change.
Oh my goodness.... a law society that practices what it preaches!!!!! Are we in the end times, or is this another b.s. carrot that someone is dangling in front of us citizens??? I really, really hope this is true. We need to END THE INSANITY OF THE LIBERAL-NDP brain-dead mob!!