After days of growing, vocal opposition to a controversial piece of legislation, the Alberta government has announced amendments to it.

Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, was originally tabled in the legislature on Tuesday, November 17.

Opposition to the legislation has grown in the days that followed – the province saying the legislation would enact protections for the tens of thousands of farm and ranch workers in Alberta, while farmers and ranchers throughout the province saying it could destroy their livelihood.

In Edmonton, hundreds of farmers and ranchers and their families protested at the Alberta legislature Friday, while hundreds more gathered in the same place the following Monday – demonstrations were also held in Nanton, Welling and near Fort Macleod.

On Monday, the provincial government suspended debate on the bill.

On Tuesday, a community meeting was held in Red Deer – Minister Oneil Carlier, Agriculture and Forestry Minister and Whitecourt-Ste. Anne MLA also attended, and he had an apology for those against the legislation.

“Our whole caucus, we are sorry,” Carlier said.

“We should have provided the details on how we plan to protect farm and ranch families.”

Those also in attendance gave their own opinions on Bill 6.

“They’re basically saying ‘Trust us, we are from the government, we’ll help you’, but we don’t want their help,” Farmer Erin Wall said.

In a telephone news conference Tuesday, Premier Rachel Notley insisted the legislation is meant to give farmers the same protections afforded to workers in other industries.

“What I want Alberta farmers to know is that their kids will continue to work on the farm as they always have, and they will continue to be educated on the farm through 4-H programs, as they always have,” Notley said.

Later Tuesday, the province said amendments will be made to the legislation before it’s passed during the fall session. Changes include exempting family members from Workers Compensation, and some farms from safety laws.

In its current form, Bill 6 forces workplace rules on family farms, where kids and neighbours help out – something farmers said would hurt their culture and way of life.

However, Labour and Jobs Minister Lori Sigurdson stopped short of calling the government’s actions back-pedaling.

“We aren’t back-pedaling, it’s just that we were going to have all this in the regulations, because farmers and ranchers told us very loudly and clearly,” Sigurdson said.

The opposition said their actions didn’t go far enough.

“It’s very important to stop right now, kill Bill 6, and go back to farmers and ranchers and do proper consultation,” Opposition Leader Brian Jean said.

With files from Joshua Skurnik