Alberta is looking to end public sector hiring practices aimed at diversity, equity and inclusion.
A government bill tabled Tuesday, if passed, would prohibit a number of public bodies from using DEI policies to make hiring decisions.
Premier Danielle Smith said hiring needs to be based on merit and qualifications so that everyone has a fair chance at getting jobs.
“Albertans expect public institutions to hire and promote the best qualified people and ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed based on their skills, experience and qualifications,” Smith told reporters in Edmonton.
“These changes will help to ensure that fairness is at the heart of hiring.”
The bill covers public agencies, Crown corporations, post-secondary schools, school boards and municipalities. However, government officials said provincial employees are already hired based on merit.
The officials also said the change could apply to non-profit agencies receiving government grants, but that would be determined through future regulations.
They said there would be some exceptions to the prohibition but didn’t provide examples.
The proposed legislation would further prohibit public bodies from having mandatory DEI training for staff, except when necessary for the job. Other mandatory training would be required to be “ideologically neutral” and focus on job duties and skills.
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The bill, tabled by Justice Minister Mickey Amery, specifically targets the Alberta Human Rights Act.
The government said it’s changing a section of the act that allows for policies and programs aiming to uplift those who may be disadvantaged because of their race, disability, gender or gender expression, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age or other personal circumstance, including marital status.
Officials said hiring and promotion practices would continue to be subject to other protections or provisions under the act.
Opposition NDP member Kathleen Ganley said the NDP hasn’t heard any concerns about DEI hiring practices, leaving her to think the changes are more aimed at distracting from issues that are far bigger priorities for Albertans, like affordability and health care.
“This is a solution in want of a problem,” Ganley said.
Sandra Azocar, the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, agreed with Ganley, saying public sector employers already hire the best candidates.
Azocar, whose union represents nearly 100,000 workers that are mostly in the public sector, said she believes Smith is trying to appease the “extreme factions” within her party.
“This is pure dog whistle politics.”
It’s not the first time Smith’s United Conservative Party government has cracked down on DEI policies.
Last year, it passed legislation prohibiting professional regulatory bodies, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, from making members undergo training around diversity initiatives.
That legislation also limits what behaviour regulatory bodies can police their members on. The government said at the time that it was inspired by Ontario psychologist and social media personality Jordan Peterson, who was sanctioned by his province’s professional regulator for controversial public statements.
Amery’s bill also aims to make changes to other provincial laws, including added penalties for the distribution or threat of distribution of digitally altered intimate images without consent.
While the issue is mainly a federal Criminal Code matter, Alberta has laws that allow residents to take civil court action.
The bill aims to capture other types of content, including audio recordings, livestreams and images created using artificial intelligence.
The government said those who violate the law could face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. It also said the bill would allow the courts to give community service sentences.
Ganley said the NDP supported these change but said the government’s choice to tie the bill to ending DEI hiring practices was “inappropriate.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2026.
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Changing landscape of DEI in Workplaces
Good to hear.More progressive Liberal insanity being thrown in the trash where it belongs
What a novel concept-hire by merit and qualifications.
@734 pm, bendover Ben frightens nobody except maybe himself and his parents, why would a dumdum frighten someone?
@Ben 542pm. Another one obsessed with Ben. He must frighten you.
omg i keep talking to my self on here omg i am so emo! so handsome man please notice me i am lonely here!!
@On the side lines. With respect, I want to equalize opportunity for those who are discriminated against. Studies have shown that people with non white names on their resume/CV are much less likely to be chosen for an interview. This is holding qualifictions, experience and education constant. The system is rigged, that’s my point-so we have to ensure it’s fair to all.
@Ben 1113. Forgot to add we can’t be friends or acquaintances either, so don’t get your hopes up. Just accept it.
@Ben 1113 am. Sorry you are obsessed with me-not interested. I have a wife and kids and quite frankly your personality is childish and repulsive. Maybe find someone else? Good luck in your search-maybe try a MAGA dating site? I truly don’t want to be mean but your obsession is unhealthy. Sorry.
Close the border and end foreign aid now.
DEI is dead motherfuckers!
A step away from racism and toward equality! Well done Danielle!
This sucks I am a 3 spirited lesbian trans drunk ass chug with grade 3 education and I want the job as Prime minister …..surely I’m as qualified as Trudeau and Carnage ? Total discrimination!
Truth to be known .I am a man but I do enjoy wearing silk ladies panties .at work or play .I just love the sensation on my butt hole .This limits my abilities on a work site. It’s not right my employer can hire an actul person that is more qualified then me .
It’s Danielle Smith, it’s the UCP. Their idea of “merit” is 1) you have to be white, 2) you have to be loyal to the USA not Canada
Thats a good thing cause you need to hire who is qualified for the job.
Ben @8:55am
Your comment below ” a disabled person being accomodated”… ?…you got it backwards Ben. DEI was created by the LEFT to give people jobs who never should gave been considered for the job in the first place. Hire people on skin colour. Bonus points if you show up in a wheelchair. So what if they ca’t do the job. Right Ben ? GET RID OF DEI ASAP !
Now, when someone is hired into the public service, there will be NO accommodation in hiring, or when you start work, if one is disabled. Is that what they did 75 years ago? Or was this in the middle ages? Good grief!
The way it really works both in government or the private sector, is usually nepotism. Uncle so and so is a big wig and so little Johnny is hired. Like when Colin Thatcher hired a guy to kill his wife, then gave him a government job as payment
This should be done all across Canada, one should be hired on merit and qualifications for the job not because of race or religion.
@Incontinentia. I’m referring to DEI in hiring. Now they don’t have to accommodate people when they hire them with, for example, a desk. Nice name calling-“idiot,” “communist.” Good grief!
@Ben 8:55 am
Don’t be an idiot if you can help it. This is about DEI in hiring – not in the workplace. Freaking communists always gaslighting.
Let’s do away with ‘land acknowledgments’ next.
Good. You let these ideas take root, soon enough we’re France… burning, while the far-left cheers.
Doug Ford. Do the same, as Quickly as possible.
@Kathy 834 am. With respect, focusing on the word “racist” in your post is very applicable if you added a mirror and looked into it.
People who support DEI are naive fools easily manipulated by meaningless slogans and vacuous virtue signalling. Any “science” used to support the need for DEI is the product of researchers who’s brains have been broken by a woketard infested university system. Yes Ben, I see you.
So this means that a disabled person doesn’t have to be accommodated in the workplace to do their job, such as being provided with a different desk? DEI is about equalizing opportunity. Good grief!
She never learns. Bye bye, you vile wench.
But I’m an indigenous lesbian. You’re a racist homophobe if I don’t get the job.
Good its completely unconstitutional and everyone will follow suit or lear to fly.
@rob h….trust me so are we !
i do not like Danielle or even women , that a fact, if its got a set of hair nuts , now you are talking to me baby!! that i like!!
Good. End DEI. The USA used affirmative action and it was a disaster for employers and the people looking for jobs.
No surprise Danielle Smith is going backwards.
DEI is one of the worst concepts that were belched out from the left wing lunatic liberals. Liberals should wake up. This left wing crazy way of thinking will be the demise of your party. Get rid of it once and for all and any boss or teacher that starts to puke out DEI rhetoric should be fired, as they clearly are not the best person for the job.
Extreme gender identity/ideology should be denounced fully. I like where Smirh is going.
Peer reviewed discrimination studies!!! Of all the nonsense to come from the looney left, that takes the cake!
Way to go Ben! Just when I thought I heard them all….
Now go ahead and tell us all which reputable source it comes from…..stats Can?
@Ben
…and we abhor yours…
NDP: It isn’t happening, and if it is, it’s a good thing
Why was it there on the first place? Sounds racist.
Despite the fact that peer reviewed studies show discrimination is alive and well, Danielle, the wily politician, throws red meat to her far right crowd to ensure she hangs on to power. One must admire her intelligence. I do abhor her politics.
G Ingraham : Agreed. She’s trying very hard to imitate Dementia Don and his cronies. This is what many Conservatives do, change laws to push their personal agendas. Or in some cases, change laws to protect themselves. BC will find out in short order what disaster they chose.
I’m disappointed it took this long, after the progressive Brookfield government of Canada gets rid of the LIMA rules, what jobs will be left for Canadians, actual Canadians to do?
Oh I bet the alphabet brigade is clutching their pearls….
Just imagine all the feelings that are going to be hurt….better reach for that pet therapy hamster, going to be a bumpy ride!
I guess when you are the head of the White, rich man’s party, this is a natural progression.
Long overdue
Now put an end to tfw asap
Want to know who will be big supporters of ths- the 25 % that voted to separate. Not good politics.
Years overdue.
Has anyone interviewed Justin Trudeau yet ?
Jobs/hiring based on merit?!? D. Smith should be the first one fired.
“RCMP investigating Alberta health procurement for possible fraud, money laundering”
Popcorn in the oven.
Wrapped in a blankie.
Lets get to it.
Que the Liberal tears…
All the liberal clowns will be clutching their pearls once again.
Ed will probably have jammer.
JOE Sell @6:50pm.
First Nations won’t object as they don’t work silly boy.
DEI. stands for “Didn’t Earn It ” enough said.
Uceepeepee about to self destruct in the process of throwing meat at their lapdogs….
How is the tylenol scandal investigation coming along?
Danielle will take a dump down her enemies throat
Danielle turds are smarter than any liberal or BC NDP voter
TIME JEZABEL ( WOMAN IN BIBLE ) WENT TO PRISON ! TRAITOR
Bye bye Ugly baby!!
So who’s gonna tell her she’s the first to go? Then how do we break the news to the rest of Alberta?!
Wish this govt did this back in the 80’s when alberta and this country were in a huge kind of “recession” and no jobs to be found in Alberta when we got transferred here so I applied at every kind of job that was posted, casual, part time etc.etc. and the hospital and the university would not hire a canadian born albertan because they were told by the govt of the time in Alberta to HIRE NEW IMMIGRANTS to this country instead so, asians were hired over born albertans.
I am shocked Alberta did not already have this. This is something all provinces should have. Hiring should be merit based.
So glad I live in Alberta.
Excellent. Just wait until the First Nations object.
Great law, one that every province should adopt
Any bets on how long before Ben is upset?
DEI cam into effect about the same time UCP came to power. The big question is why has it taken so long to recognize it is wrong to hire a lesser candidate just because of race, gender, or other discrimination.
“In January 2025, the University of Alberta announced it was dropping the language of “equity, diversity and inclusion” in favour of “access, community and belonging.” The move was presented as reform. It isn’t. The hiring policies remain. The administrative structures remain. The underlying framework remains.”
You mean hiring practice based on merit alone?
Wow, what a concept!
Next thing you know we’ll be talking about proper immigration policies…..
I hope, nobody’s feelings get hurt in the process…
This is good news. The U of A was the first to get rid of their DEI policy because their quality of education took a steep header.