‘Peterson law’: Alberta bill to limit power of regulatory bodies on member behaviour

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government plans to limit what behaviour professional regulators can police in the interest of strengthening freedom of expression.

A bill introduced in the house Thursday aims to narrow what kind of behaviour regulated professionals — from architects to welders — can be disciplined for by their regulators.

Smith is calling it Alberta’s “Peterson law,” after Ontario psychologist and social media personality Jordan Peterson , who was sanctioned by his province’s professional regulator for controversial public statements.

“When regulators begin disciplining people for simply speaking their mind on their own time, that’s overreach and, at its worst, it becomes an outright threat to free expression,” Smith told reporters before the bill was introduced.

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