At a Glance - October 18, 2022
Cabinet Shuffle to be Announced on Friday
During Premier Danielle Smith’s first press conference after being sworn-in, she provided some insight into when we can expect to learn who will be invited into her first cabinet. The premier indicated that her cabinet would be announced on Friday, October 21st – just in time for the UCP AGM being held at the River Cree Resort in Enoch. Her cabinet would subsequently be sworn-in on Monday, October 24th.
Provincial Court to be Renamed
On April 1, 2023, Alberta’s provincial court will go by a new name. Next spring, the Provincial Court of Alberta will become officially known as the Alberta Court of Justice. While the name change is not required due to the demise of the Crown as was the case with the newly named Court of King’s Bench, the timing is to ensure that costs are saved.
Chief Justice of the Provincial Court of Alberta Derek Redman wrote in a provincial press release that “over the past five decades, Alberta’s front-line, trial-level court has grown in size and complexity, and has evolved to meet the changing needs of the province and its people. We have asked for this new name to reflect that growth and that evolution. The name Alberta Court of Justice more clearly communicates the nature, purpose, and independence of our work on behalf of Albertans.”
Minister Tyler Shandro’s Hearing Adjourned
The former minister of health was issued a three-day hearing in May with the Law Society of Alberta to speak to three allegations against him while he served in his previous cabinet capacity. Last week, the Law Society indicated that the hearing has been adjourned to an unknown date. He was originally scheduled to appear at the hearing from October 17th to October 19th.
The Law Society has said that Minister Shandro’s hearing will be rescheduled “as soon as practicable for all involved”.
Battle Over the Term Engineer
Some Canadian technology companies have written Premier Danielle Smith to intervene in a decision made by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). The Council of Canadian Innovators published an open letter with 88 signatories responding to legal action from APEGA against tech companies that use the term “software engineer” who indicates they have “the legal right and requirement” to restrict the use of titles connected to engineering.
The open letter claims that “this is a classic case of regulator overreach.” They indicate that “we recognize the importance of APEGA’s role in regulating professional certifications and designations in the interest of public safety. The term ‘software engineer’ is not itself a certification or designation, and it should not be the role of a regulator to determine who can and cannot use common language in the normal course of operating a business.”