New Alberta bill would ban professional sanctions for employees’ off the clock comments

Alberta is taking steps to ensure employees who belong to professional regulators can’t be punished for what they say and do off the clock.

Bill 13, the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act, is about making sure regular professional can “freely express themselves while still being entitled to fair treatment by professional regulatory bodies,” the government said Thursday.

Premier Danielle Smith says Albertans who belong to professional regulatory bodies shouldn’t have to worry about getting in trouble with their union for saying what’s on their mind.

Examples provided by the premier Thursday included a doctor who she said indicated they were afraid to speak up on Bill 9 — which restricts healthcare for transgender youth, bans transgender girls from amateur girls sports, and requires par