Censorship

Alberta library staff and boards face a serious dilemma. How should their libraries respond to the provincial government's unprecedented steps to override a long and unblemished tradition of local governance of Alberta’s public libraries which began 119 years ago?

It’s decision time. The Alberta government is directing you to abandon what has made your public library what it is today – locally governed, with collections based on the needs and interests of your community, local policies, and competent staff to ensure that everyone in your community finds material that is of interest to them.

The government of Alberta has imposed unprecedented censorship on all public libraries in the province – a first in Canadian history. In May, the government pushed through Bill 28, giving the Minister of Municipal Affairs virtually unlimited authority over almost all aspects of all Alberta public libraries – an extreme and unwarranted attack on the province’s public library boards, staff, and administration that a recent poll found were trusted by 82% of Albertans.

With the precipitous decline of democracy in the United States, it is all too easy to ignore that Canada’s democracy is in decline as well. We ignore the signs at our peril.

On May 13, the Alberta government passed Bill 28 which amends the Libraries Act to grant the Minister of Municipal Affairs, currently Dan Williams, authority over “management, administration or operation” of every public library in the province. The Bill gives the Minister unprecedented power to issue “any order that the Minister considers appropriate.” 

Responses to each paragraph of Alberta MLA Nate Glubish’s letter to a constituent publicly defending Government Bill 28 that authorizes provincial takeover of Alberta public libraries.