EDMONTON & CALGARY—The Climate Action Coalition at the University of Alberta, Reboot Alberta, Animal Rebellion, and ABCan Institute have partnered to organize a rally against the UCP government’s controversial Bill 1, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act which received royal assent on June 17, 2020. This is also independent support for AUPE’s legal action on Bill 1. Under the banner “Kill Bill 1+”, we rally Albertans to support those protesting muzzling their ability to democratically disagree. During the event, a future action will be unveiled as well.

“Not only is this repressive but it strikes me as another tactic by this government to further divide Albertans,” reminds Ken Chapman, a retired lawyer from Reboot Alberta. Many other individuals and groups agree that this is a concern that does not discriminate based on party affiliation or economic status.

Concerns about the Bill are echoed by many groups across Alberta who use public spaces to protest. Section 1(2) deems the land on which essential infrastructure is located and any land used in connection with the essential infrastructure to be part of the essential infrastructure. This Bill is an attack on our fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, notes both Adam Quraishi and Stephanie Quesnel of ABCan Forward, a statement repeated by many Albertans and groups representing industry, not for profits, human rights, animal rights, environmental concerns and others.

It is not just unions stating this Bill and some related ones are an “attempt to criminalize opposition and criticism (that) is something of a dictatorship far beyond their attacks on the opposition in the Legislature doing their job of critically opposing when needed”, adds Adam who wonders if it will be used to scare off the majority of Albertans who want to see Alberta remain in Canada, improving year by year.

“This inclusion revokes constitutional protection for free expression on public streets, sidewalks, and parks,” continues Stephanie Gravel of Animal Rebellion. Her concerns are mirrored in Alberta’s capital; activists across the city are raising their concerns on social media, wondering what this will mean when the government uses regulations to strangle rights once these heavy handed, “omnibus” styled laws are made.

If the UCP’s own ‘backbenchers’ are silenced from representing their constituents in voting, what comes next? The Bill includes an extensive list of sites to be deemed essential infrastructure, including but not limited to highways & slaughterhouses. UCP bills continue to build in regulatory power and back doors for itself to use against Albertans without democratic checks and balances making it irresponsible for ourselves or media to ignore. The seemingly purposeful ambiguity in the Bill leaves Albertans fearing what is or is not critical infrastructure as well, so any MLA or premier not enshrining democratic values could use it to trump dissent. This Bill is only one of many new Bills introduced by the UCP government, giving them repressive control over Albertans. Bill 29, which opens the floodgates to more corporate money in politics and Bill 24, which permanently gives the government public health emergency powers even when no public health emergency exists have been criticized by many as undemocratic. Attacking parent groups such as Support Our Students while throwing away constituent “choice” in education letters shows there is no end to whom may be under the government’s legislative gun.

The UCP government is extremely skilled at using rhetoric to make us feel these Bills have been introduced to protect us, but upon further examination, this is clearly not the case. As Albertans, we need to stand against this, united.