Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tyler Shandro recently tabled legislation allowing the Legislative Assembly Security Service to carry firearms and passed second reading..Alberta's government claims it will reduce red tape and increase access to the justice system..The bill was announced in the house for first reading on December 6..On Monday Bill 5, the “Justice Statutes Amendment Act” passed second reading..The act will update the Provincial Court Act, the Legislative Assembly Act, the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, the Sales Goods Act, the Referendum Act, and the Trustee Act.."Happy to rise on this bill," MLA for Calgary-Hays Ric McIver said during the second reading debate.."The Alberta government will be enhancing the court’s ability to fulfill its duties to provide fair, accessible, and timely resolutions for Alberta. It will be achieved by allowing more claims to be dealt with through the Provincial Court, which uses a simplified and more cost-effective process than the Court of King’s Bench.".The Provincial Court (Civil Claims Limit) Amendment Act Amendments would allow more claims to be dealt with through the provincial court, which uses simplified and effective processes and is located in 72 communities throughout the province..Alberta’s government says the last time the civil claims limit for the provincial court was increased was in 2014. These proposed amendments are supported by the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of King’s Bench..The proposed improvements will allow future increases to the civil claims limit in the provincial court. Currently, the limit is $50,000..Amendments will permit the provincial government to adjust the limit by regulation up to a maximum of $200,000..Members opposite voiced concerns about access to justice as an important issue.."I certainly would agree that’s an important issue, and I guess the change from $50,000 to $200,000 for Provincial Court claims instead of going through the Provincial Court bench, should actually, I believe, provide more access," McIver said.."Now, it is arguable: what is the right number? I suppose that’s something that’s the perfect argument, Madam Speaker, because we could argue about that for six days and not agree: is the right number $1 or $10 million? Well, it’s highly likely to be somewhere in between, and we’ve chosen something in between, and what was here before is something in between. I think that’s a fair thing to comment on.".Following the 2014 shooting on Parliament Hill and a 2019 suicide at the Alberta Legislature, the sergeant-at-arms and speaker of the legislative assembly initiated a security review..The review concluded the Legislative Assembly Security Service should be allowed to carry firearms in the legislature building and surrounding precinct..The Alberta government said the change would better protect the hard-working staff at the legislature and help bring Alberta in line with many other jurisdictions..“With this legislation, members of the legislative assembly and citizens alike will continue to feel safe and secure as they work, serve and visit the legislative grounds," said Alberta Legislature Speaker Nathan Cooper.
