Schow reviews spring session agenda and details proposed legislation

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Taber Times

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On February 24, Joseph Schow, Government House Leader, Minister of Tourism and Sport, and MLA for Cardston-Siksika, spoke about the work that the Government of Alberta plans to do during the spring session of the legislature, which reconvened on February 25.

Budget 2025, MLA Schow explained, will be tabled on February 27 and stated that the introduction of a new budget is always ‘exciting.’

In addition to Budget 2025, MLA Schow stated, this session will see the introduction of a suite of around 20 pieces of legislation that will allow for the implementation of measures announced in Budget 2025.

MLA Schow explained that the pieces of legislation will allow the implementation of measures announced in Budget 2025, and that work will ‘increase clarity, efficiency, and accountability’ within the Province of Alberta so that the government can better meet the challenges and burdens that all are facing. 

MLA Schow provided assurances that the government was going to use the spring session to table legislation that will ensure the province’s laws remain relevant, easy to understand, and responsive to the changing needs of an ever evolving geopolitical and economic landscape, such as the Red Tape Reduction Act and the Financial Statutes Amendment Act, along with legislation that provides a uniform governance framework for professional regulatory organizations while simultaneously recognizing the unique needs of the diverse professions that they represent.

Bill 38: the Red Tape Reduction Amendment Act, MLA Schow explained, is the ninth one introduced since Fall 2019 and the Bill includes amendments to improve the lives of Albertans, and contribute to the province’s prosperity in modernizing legislation.

“These changes ensure Alberta’s laws remain relevant, easy to understand, and straightforward for businesses and citizens to comply,” said MLA Schow.

MLA Schow further stated that amendments to the Mental Health Services Protection Amendment Act will also be proposed, with said alterations intended to help addiction providers meet the needs of Albertans and ensure that appropriate levels of regulations are in place for services provided, and giving Albertans confidence that service providers are aligned with standards set out by the Alberta Recovery Model.

“The Mental Health Services Protection Amendment Act is proposed amendments to modernize the Mental Health Services Protection Act by establishing new regulation classes for addiction treatment providers,” said MLA Schow. “These amendments will help Albertans have a better understanding of addiction treatment services across the province and give them the confidence they need to know the provider is aligned with the Alberta Recovery Model by meeting standards set forth by the province.”

The Compassion Intervention Bill, meanwhile, was briefly referenced in connection to the Alberta Recovery Model, but MLA Schow hesitated to provide a precise timeline in regard to when that Act will be further addressed, as the government’s priority regarding that particular Bill is ‘getting it right, not getting it fast.’

“The Compassionate Intervention Bill is a central pillar of the Alberta Recovery Model, a model that has been saving lives, changing lives,” said MLA Schow. “We believe strongly that there’s two ways out of addiction: there’s death and there’s recovery, and we believe in recovery.”

The government, MLA Schow stated, will also be introducing legislation to help address the rising cost of living, including the Utility Statues Amendment Act, which will ensure that Albertans have access to power when and where they need it and at an affordable price. The Automobile Insurance Act, MLA Schow stated, is another piece of legislation that will be introduced during the spring session, and it is intended to provide Alberta drivers will better, faster, and cheaper automobile insurance. 

The proposed Public Safety and Emergency Act, MLA Schow stated, will also improve accountability and the protection of freedoms during emergencies.

“I am happy to say that the government is updating its emergency management legislation to better handle complex disasters and crises, enhance community resilience, and ensure the government has the right tools to protect Albertans,” said MLA Schow of the Public Safety and Emergency Act.

MLA Schow stated that other legislation that will be tabled during spring session also include the Agriculture and Irrigation Statutes Amendment Act, the Professional Governance Act, and the Wildlife Amendment Act.

“It is important to note that this session is not occurring within a bubble,” said MLA Schow. “We are in the midst of a moment of global uncertainty with geopolitical change and shifting markets, and we are saddled with a federal government that’s so focused on internal party politics that they seem to have forgotten their duty to Canadians, forcing provinces to fill the gaps where they have failed. As such, in addition to our work in the Assembly, Alberta’s government will continue our tireless effort to ease border and trade tensions with the United States and break down barriers to inter-provincial trade, ensuring Alberta is in the best position possible to meet challenges as they come. We will continue to enact business friendly policies that attract investment, continue our work to refocus the healthcare system, and as wildfire season inches closer, we will continue our preparations to protect our burdens and communities from the impacts of wildfires because our government is dedicated to ensuring Alberta remains the best place to live, to work, and to raise a family.”

Alberta, MLA Schow stated, will always defend its own interests, and Premier Danielle Smith has done ‘a fantastic job’ with that by spending countless days in the United States, working with legislators down there and also meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to help them all understand the important role that Alberta plays as a trading partner in a global market.

“I’m happy to say that our province is focused on the best interests of our province, our important industries like agriculture, oil, gas, and of course things like tourism,” said MLA Schow. “I’m very proud of the work our premier has done and as a Minister and supporting the premier, I’m going to continue to help her as we try to make sure we continue to make the case for Alberta.”

MLA Schow also touched upon what the province can expect from the UCP government in terms of breaking down interprovincial trade barriers, including ‘more advocacy.’

“We have a federal government that has been missing an action for quite some time who has failed to understand, or at least failed to respond to the needs of our province,” said MLA Schow. “It’s only now that some of the members of Cabinet and the Trudeau government are recognizing the importance of an East-West pipeline, something they’ve denied for years, and I guess it has taken a lot of public pressure and recognizing that this is a good idea, so breaking that interprovincial trade barrier is navigating for our burdens is our number one priority. Our Premier has been at the front working tirelessly day in and day out, coming to this building, sitting in the legislature being what I believe is a true leader, someone who’s leading this province ahead. As we see the turmoil and really the self-interest happening within the Liberal party, we’re not going to let that distract us from defending Alberta’s best interests.”

In further reference to supporting the premier, MLA Schow also expressed support for Premier Smith in the face of the recent wrongful dismissal lawsuit that was filed by the former CEO of Alberta Health Services against the Government of Alberta, stating that the work that the government was doing ‘very important work’ to refocus the healthcare system to ensure that ‘Albertans deserve access to world class front-line workers.’ In addition to that, MLA Schow provided reassurances that the lawsuit from the former CEO of AHS ‘would not be a distraction from their work.’

“We have a mandate from Albertans to make sure that we are delivering healthcare in a responsible, timely manner,” said MLA Schow. “We have a responsibility to make sure that our agriculture producers are supported, that our oil and gas sector are supported, that our entrepreneurs are supported, and legislation coming forward this spring will support Albertans and reaffirm Alberta as the best place to live, to play, to work, to visit, and all the above, so that is what we’re focused on and nothing is going to distract us from that.”