EDMONTON — The UCP's legislation aimed at protecting freedom of expression for Alberta workers in regulated professions began its staged rollout on Tuesday, as Premier Danielle Smith's government continues its fight to protect free speech. "This is common-sense legislation that would recognize that everyone should have the right to express their personal views freely,” said Smith when introducing Alberta's Regulated Professions Neutrality Act in November 2025. “No professional should fear losing their licence, their reputation or their livelihood because of a personal opinion, a social media post, an interview or open dialogue outside of working hours.”.The law is intended to allow workers in regulated professions to freely express themselves when off-duty, with few restrictions, without facing discipline or mistreatment from regulatory bodies. Professional bodies will only be allowed to censure workers when they use threats of physical violence, a criminal conviction, misuse of their professional status to harm an identifiable person, and misconduct relating to their professional boundaries. Individuals have nicknamed the law "Alberta's Peterson law" in honour of Dr. Jordan Peterson, who faced discipline from the College of Psychologists of Ontario for expressing his personal beliefs on his own X account. .“Instead of regulating competence, conduct and public safety, some professional bodies have begun regulating beliefs, personal opinions and off-duty expression,” said Minister of Justice, Mickey Amery, in November. “That's why this legislation is important. We do not want to see this trend continue here in Alberta, and we believe that this important piece of legislation draws a clear line.”The Peterson law’s phased enactment began on Tuesday with professions including lawyers, trades workers and transportation employees. Teachers and other educators will be protected by the law beginning in January, health care workers in August 2027, and other professions when their portion of the Professional Governance Act is enacted. .Peterson law also restricts regulator-mandated training unrelated to competence or ethics in the profession and prohibits mandatory training on cultural competency, unconscious bias, diversity, or equity and inclusion."If there is a push or a drive from a regulator to impose upon its professionals some sort of political, cultural or social ideology, and it has nothing that relates to the professional competence or ethics of that individual professional, then it will not be permitted to happen in this province,” Amery said in November. Regulatory bodies are also now prohibited from discriminating based on an individual’s personal views or political beliefs.
