Skip to Main content

14.64°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Nov 3, 2023 6:03 PM - The Canadian Press

Alberta proposes changes to Public Health Act after COVID court ruling

Share On

alberta-proposes-changes-to-public-health-act-after-covid-court-ruling

In August, several health charges were dropped against an Edmonton-area pastor and church as well as a central Alberta man who hosted a rodeo in protest of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Alberta government is proposing changes to the Public Health Act to allow politicians to make final decisions in public health emergencies.

Justice Minister Mickey Amery says elected officials have a responsibility to act in the best interest of Albertans and the amended legislation would make sure they can make decisions.

In August, several health charges were dropped against an Edmonton-area pastor and church as well as a central Alberta man who hosted a rodeo in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.

The cases were quashed after a court decision a month earlier found the Alberta government under then United Conservative Party premier Jason Kenney improperly imposed the orders under the Public Health Act.

The judge found that Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who was the province's chief medical officer of health at the time, had not made the decision to impose the orders instead leaving it up to provincial cabinet.

The decision said the orders would have been constitutional had they been properly enacted by Hinshaw.

Latest news

victim-identified-in-fatal-langley-shooting

Victim identified in fatal Langley shooting

The victim of Friday’s fatal shooting in Langley has been identified as 24-year-old Taran Pandher. IHIT’s Integrated Gang Homicide Team (IGHT) has taken conduct of the investigation. Background: On September 5, 2025, at approximately 10:28 p.m. the Langley RCMP responded reports of a shooting around 200 Street and 53 Avenue, Langley. Frontline officers arrived promptly, located the victim and initiated lifesaving measures. Despite their efforts, the victim succumbed to their injures at the scene. The shooting occurred while the victim was inside a taxi and there is only one victim and no o

albertas-smith-says-tight-budget-means-teachers-face-a-stark-choice-in-bargaining

AlbertaSep 11, 2025

Alberta's Smith says tight budget means teachers face a stark choice in bargaining

With a provincewide teachers strike looming, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says their union has a stark choice between heftier pay hikes and more teachers. Smith suggests they can have one or the other, but they can't have both. Smith made the comments today to reporters when asked about stalled contract talks between her government and the Alberta Teachers' Association, the day after the union set a strike date of Oct. 6. Alberta has offered wage hikes starting at 12 per cent over four years, with a promise to hire 3,000 teachers over three years. The union says that's not e

here-are-the-first-major-projects-on-ottawas-fast-track-list

CanadaSep 11, 2025

Here are the first major projects on Ottawa's fast-track list

Prime Minister Mark Carney named the first five projects on the federal government's fast-track list on Thursday — part of his plan to attract outside investment and bolster the Canadian economy.The projects include planned energy development, mining and port infrastructure projects from the West Coast to Central Canada.The government also released an expanded list of projects not quite ready for prime time that includes additional initiatives in Eastern Canada and the North.The first five initiatives will be referred for review to the new Major Projects Office, which the government says wil

one-dead-in-burnaby-shooting

One dead in Burnaby shooting

A man was killed in a shooting in a parking lot in Burnaby yesterday. Police said they received multiple reports of shots fired in the 4400 block of Still Creek Drive around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Homicide investigators remained on scene late into the night examining evidence. Burnaby RCMP said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said about 15 minutes later officers received a report of a vehicle on fire near Nursery Street and Lakefield Drive and investigators are trying to determine if the two incidents are linked. Police said while the investigation is still in its early

conservatives-plan-to-introduce-their-own-bill-on-bail-reform-this-fall

CanadaSep 11, 2025

Conservatives plan to introduce their own bill on bail reform this fall

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will introduce a bill this fall that would make it harder for peopleaccused of certain crimes to get bail. Poilievre says the proposal would create a new category of major offences that includes things like sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, home invasion and firearms charges. The Conservative bill would impose a reverse onus on people accused of such crimes requiring that they prove they should be released on bail.Premiers, police associations and the federal Tories have been calling for stricter bail laws in recent months.

Related News

Alberta's Smith says tight budget means teachers face a stark choice in bargaining

Alberta's Smith says tight budget means teachers face a stark choice in bargaining

With a provincewide teachers strike looming, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says their union has a stark choice between heftier pay hikes and more teachers. Smith suggests they can have one or the other, but they can't have both. Smith made the comments today to reporters when asked about stalled contract talks between her government and the Alberta Teachers' Association, the day after the union set a strike date of Oct. 6. Alberta has offered wage hikes starting at 12 per cent over four years, with a promise to hire 3,000 teachers over three years. The union says that's not e

Alberta Next panel reconvenes in Lethbridge as southern leg of tour continues

Alberta Next panel reconvenes in Lethbridge as southern leg of tour continues

Premier Danielle Smith's Alberta Next panel is in Lethbridge tonight as she continues to take the public's temperature on the province's relationship with Ottawa. The panel's town halls are aimed at addressing grievances Smith says are allowing separatist sentiments to fester and the results are to inform which questions would be put to a referendum next year. The panel was recently in Medicine Hat, in Smith's home riding, where the crowd gave overwhelming approval to the panel's six proposals. Those include taking greater control of immigration by withholding social services fr

Alberta government to release revised school library book ban

Alberta government to release revised school library book ban

The Alberta government is set to release this afternoon its revised school library book ban. The new version would come three days after the government directed school boards to pause their work in complying with the original ministerial order. School boards initially had until the end of the month to remove books containing what the province deemed sexually explicit content, including images, illustrations and written descriptions. That led Edmonton Public Schools to compile a list of over 200 books it needed to remove, including literary classics such as Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tal

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital