At a Glance - Week of December 9, 2025
Justice System and Election Reforms Announced
The Government of Alberta has introduced the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, aimed at strengthening election integrity and modernizing the provincial justice system. The legislation increases candidate signature requirements, tightens rules around political party name registration, and reinforces safeguards in citizen-initiative and referendum processes. Additional updates affect the Law Society of Alberta, and expanded justice of the peace appointments are intended to improve court capacity and support timely proceedings.
Alberta Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mickey Amery, stated: “Albertans expect their government to ensure that democratic processes remain fair, transparent, and produce timely outcomes. These changes will strengthen public confidence in the ways that Albertans participate in democracy.”
Alberta Launches Police Review Commission
The Alberta government has established the new Policy Review Commission (PRC), creating a single, independent agency to oversee all police complaints in the province. Replacing the previous patchwork system in which police services often investigated their own members, the PRC will now handle serious incidents, statutory offences, and misconduct under one transparent framework.
“The Police Review Commission represents a new era in how Alberta addresses policing complaints. These changes are part of a broader paradigm shift where police are no longer seen as an arm of the state, but rather an extension and a reflection of the community they serve. As an independent agency, it is committed to fairness, accountability and public trust, ensuring every complaint is investigated impartially and resolved openly,” commented Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, Mike Ellis.
Province Moves to Oppose Federal Firearms Buy-Back
The provincial government has introduced a motion under the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act that, if passed, would direct all provincial entities, including police and other enforcement agencies, not to enforce the federal gun buy-back program. The motion asserts that law-abiding Albertans have the right to defend themselves, their homes, and their families, and emphasizes that provincial legislation such as the Alberta Firearms Act provides a framework for lawful firearm ownership.
“When someone breaks into your home, the law recognizes that you have enhanced rights to protect yourself and your family. Alberta is making that principle unmistakably clear: lawful, reasonable self-defense will be respected, not criminalized,” commented Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mickey Amery.
New Funding to Address Classroom Complexity
The Government of Alberta is investing $69 million over three years in a new Mental Health and Well-Being Grant to help schools better manage increasingly complex classrooms, especially as student mental health needs rise. The funding will help school boards expand support such as training for educators in trauma-informed practices, social-emotional learning, in-school counsellors and wellness coaches.
Minister of Education and Childcare, Demetrios Nicolaides, stated: “When students’ mental health needs aren’t met, classrooms become more complex. This money will give schools the tools they need to support student mental health, helping to reduce complexity and create a better learning environment for everyone.”