Alberta Municipalities say proposed provincial bill will create chill effect
The organization representing Alberta's cities, towns and villages says a bill that would grant the province sweeping new powers over local governments is creating an atmosphere of fear.
Tyler Gandam, president of Alberta Municipalities, said Monday his members are worried about potential repercussions if they disagree openly with the provincial government.
“Alberta Municipalities is concerned that the bill will intimidate and even silence legally-elected officials who dare to criticize the provincial government,” Gandam told reporters, adding the bill sets a dangerous precedent that could undermine the power of local voters.
The proposed law, introduced last week by Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party government, would give cabinet broad authority to dismiss councillors and overturn local bylaws.
Cabinet conversations are confidential and conventionally exempt from public disclosure. That means under the law, the public may not be privy to why a councillor is dismissed.
“The possibility of locally elected officials being removed at any time for any reason is deeply unsettling and likely to have a chilling effect,” Gandam said.
Earlier Monday, Smith said the aim of the proposed legislation is to ensure municipalities are not enacting policies that are out of step with provincial priorities or creep into provincial jurisdiction.
“We would use it very sparingly,” said Smith at an unrelated news conference in Calgary.
The bill would also allow political parties to run in municipal elections - for now in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta's two largest cities.
If passed, the law would also open the door to corporations and unions being able to donate in municipal elections, which was banned by the previous New Democrat government under former premier Rachel Notley.
Smith said the aim is balance, and existing rules on third-party advertisers have so far failed to bring proper oversight or discourage “big money” in local elections.
Still, Gandam said the bill proposes “almost nothing” to improve transparency over financial donations, and independent candidates risk being outspent and drowned out by party candidates who enjoy the financial backing of corporations and unions.
“Bill 20 puts local governments up for sale to the highest bidder,” said Gandam.
The bill came more than two weeks after Smith's government introduced other legislation that would give it the power to veto any deal between the federal government and provincial entities, including municipalities and post-secondary schools.
The Opposition NDP called Monday for the UCP to withdraw the municipal affairs bill from the legislature, echoing reaction last week from elected officials in Edmonton and Calgary, who called it an authoritarian overreach on local democracy.
NDP house leader Christina Gray said it would upend long-standing political norms.
“When people want change in municipal bylaws, do they - instead of talking to their city councillor - now go straight to Danielle Smith?”
Gray also disputed Smith's claim that corporate and union donations are currently flying under the radar.
“We're going to see a flood of money from corporations influencing our elections rather than what Albertans have asked for, which is to have the local voters be the ones who elect their governments,” said Gray.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From collapsing ecosystems to artificial intelligence running wild, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the coming years.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.