Bill 1 is Dangerous.

The UCP's Bill 1 wants to stop you from protesting.

This bill received royal assent on June 17, 2020*. Under Bill 1, you can be fined or jailed for exercising your constitutional right to peaceful assembly. You can even be fined or jailed for inviting others to exercise their right to peaceful assembly.

We need to urge our elected officials to #RepealBill1.

*An earlier version of this page said that the bill received royal assent on June 5th. The source for that statement was Minister of Justice Doug Schweitzer's automatic email responder. This statement has since been disproven by the CBC.

What Can I Do?

Our Elected Officials Need to Know We Won't Stand for Bill 1—and They Shouldn't Either.

You can use our phone call template or email template (or try our automatic email generator) to call or send an email to any elected official. It is recommended to use this as a template only. A personalized letter—even if just a few sentences—is most effective.

After you have called and/or emailed...

If you receive a response, try to engage in a conversation! Encourage the representative to hold their colleagues accountable and pressure them to act on behalf of their community. If you don't receive a response, call or email again. Why not ; )

Please feel free to send screenshots or forward any follow up emails from government officials to [email protected] so we can keep track of which elected officials are engaging with the community (and who is ignoring us). We will keep your information private. And we will keep the pressure on them.

We must encourage our government to publicly acknowledge our demands. It's their job!

THANK YOU.

Post to Social Media

Here are some assets to use to post to social media. On your phone, long press on the image, and then click the "save" or "share" button. On a computer, right-click on the image to "Save As."

Easy-to-use Letter Template

Copy and paste the text below into the body of your email, or use it to help craft your own letter.

It is recommended to use this as a template only. A personalized letter—even if just a few sentences—is most effective.

Subject: Bill 1 Must Be Repealed Now

To Her Honour Lois E. Mitchell and Elected Officials,

I am writing today to express my outrage at Bill 1, also known as the Critical Infrastructure Defense Act, which now only needs royal assent to become law. This Bill will undoubtedly limit the political freedoms of Albertans. Bill 1 not only infringes on our constitutional right to assemble and protest, it is in direct violation of section 2C of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I urge you to repeal Bill 1 and to use your power to advocate for the citizens of this province, and their right to protest and be heard.

Let’s be clear, this Bill is decidedly not about trespassing; it is about suppressing dissenting voices. Regardless of political ideology, Bill 1 is a threat to all who choose to exercise their right to protest, because its punitive power can apply to almost any action in almost any space broadly designated to be ‘critical infrastructure’. It’s also important to point out that due to the documented prejudices of Canada’s law enforcement agencies and judicial system, a bill such as this will disproportionately target and punish Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) land and water defenders, Black people, and marginalized groups.

Will you remain silent and supportive of such a dangerous piece of legislation? Or will you stand up and defend my right to protest?

Bill 1, alongside the defunding of anti-racist grants and initiatives, not only creates barriers to the ways Albertans can pursue equity, justice, and human rights, but actively works against these principles. I fear that through Bill 1, the government will legally enforce the suppression of voices that urgently need to be heard. These two issues are only the latest in a string of UCP policies and budget cuts that draw a picture of a government more concerned with maintaining its own agenda than the well-being of its citizens.

I hold you, as an elected official in Alberta, accountable to promote, do equity work and facilitate justice for Albertans. Will you stand with me and openly oppose Bill 1?

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME]

[POSTAL CODE]

Call Your MLA to effectively express your feelings about Bill 1

You can find out if your MLA supported Bill 1, as well as their contact information, via our Elected Officials Contact Info page.When you call, ask to speak to your MLA. If you can’t, ask that you be able to leave a message for them which includes your contact details.Consider copying and pasting the script below into a new document, filling it out, personalizing, and even practicing it ahead of time. This will take some pressure off during the call.

Phone Call Script

Hello,

My name is your name and my postal code is your postal code. I am calling to speak with name of your MLA about Bill 1, also known as the Critical Infrastructure Defense Act.

I am calling to express my outrage at the passing of this bill, which needs to be repealed now.

It is unacceptable that anyone organizing, discussing or participating in peaceful protest could be punished under Bill 1’s unfairly broad definitions of “critical infrastructure.” Bill 1’s threat of fines and prison sentences will have a chilling effect on Albertans’ right to protest and free speech.

Space to talk about Bill 1's specific impact on you.

As my elected official, I am urging you to speak out and commit to repealing Bill 1. I’m not interested in supporting the platform of an MLA that won’t stand up for my democractic rights. An MLA who won’t stand up for these rights won’t have my vote in the future.

I ask that you use your power to advocate for the citizens of this province, and their right to protest and be heard.

Thank you. I look forward to hearing back from you. You can reach me at your phone number and/or email address.

Elected Offcials' Contact Information

Our MLA list contains each MLA's contact info, plus whether the MLA voted for Bill 1, against Bill 1, or wasn't present for the vote.

NEW: Please also contact the Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell, as this bill awaits her royal assent.

Lieutenant Governor and the Minister of Justice

Lieutenant Governor Her Honour, the Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, CM, AOE, LLD (is who would give the bill royal assent). Phone: (780) 427-7243 and Email: [email protected] Schweitzer, Doug, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, Calgary-Elbow MLA (present, voted for Bill 1). Phone: 780 427-2339 and Email: [email protected]

MLAs

Aheer, Hon. Leela Sharon (UCP), Chestermere-Strathmore (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.962.0126
Allard, Mrs. Tracy (UCP), Grande Prairie (not present) [email protected]
780.538.1800
Amery, Mr. Mickey (UCP), Calgary-Cross (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.248.4487
Armstrong-Homeniuk, Ms. Jackie (UCP), Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (not present) [email protected]
780.632.6840
Barnes, Mr. Drew (UCP), Cypress-Medicine Hat (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.528.2191
Bilous, Mr. Deron (NDP), Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (not present) [email protected]
780.476.6467
Carson, Member Jon (NDP), Edmonton-West Henday (not present) [email protected]
780.414.0711
Ceci, Mr. Joe (NDP), Calgary-Buffalo (present, did not vote for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.244.7737
Cooper, Hon. Nathan (UCP), Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (not present) [email protected]
403.556.3132
Copping, Hon. Jason (UCP), Calgary-Varsity (not present) [email protected]
403.216.5436
Dach, Mr. Lorne (NDP), Edmonton-McClung (not present) [email protected]
780.408.1860
Dang, Mr. Thomas (NDP), Edmonton-South (not present) [email protected]
780.643.9153
Deol, Mr. Jasvir (NDP), Edmonton-Meadows (not present) [email protected]
780.466.3737
Dreeshen, Hon. Devin (UCP), Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.865.7580
Eggen, Mr. David (NDP), Edmonton-North West (not present) [email protected]
Ellis, Mr. Mike (UCP), Calgary-West (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.216.5439
Feehan, Mr. Richard (NDP), Edmonton-Rutherford (not present) [email protected]
780.414.1311
Fir, Hon. Tanya (UCP), Calgary-Peigan (not present) [email protected]
587.392.8850
Ganley, Ms. Kathleen (NDP), Calgary-Mountain View (present, did not vote for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.216.5445
Getson, Mr. Shane (UCP), Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland (not present) [email protected]
780.967.0760
Glasgo, Ms. Michaela (UCP), Brooks-Medicine Hat (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
587.270.5110
Glubish, Hon. Nate (UCP), Strathcona-Sherwood Park (not present) [email protected]
780.416.2492
Goehring, Ms. Nicole (NDP), Edmonton-Castle Downs (not present) [email protected]
780.414.0705
Goodridge, Ms. Laila (UCP), Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche (not present) [email protected]
780.588.7979
Gotfried, Mr. Richard (UCP), Calgary-Fish Creek (not present) [email protected]
403.278.4444
Gray, Ms. Christina (NDP), Edmonton-Mill Woods (not present) [email protected]
780.414.1000
Guthrie, Mr. Pete (UCP), Airdrie-Cochrane (not present) [email protected]
587.493.2050
Hanson, Mr. David B. (UCP), Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.826.5658
Hoffman, Ms. Sarah (NDP), Edmonton-Glenora (not present) [email protected]
780.455.7979
Horner, Mr. Nate (UCP), Drumheller-Stettler (not present) [email protected]
587.774.0306
Hunter, Hon. Grant (UCP), Taber-Warner (not present) [email protected]
403.223.0001
Irwin, Member Janis (NDP), Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (present, did not vote for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.414.0682
Issik, Ms. Whitney (UCP), Calgary-Glenmore (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.216.5421
Jones, Mr. Matt (UCP), Calgary-South East (not present) [email protected]
403.215.8930
Kenney, Premier Jason (UCP), Calgary-Lougheed (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.238.1212
LaGrange, Hon. Adriana (UCP), Red Deer-North (not present) [email protected]
403.342.2263
Loewen, Mr. Todd (UCP), Central Peace-Notley (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.835.7211
Long, Mr. Martin (UCP), West Yellowhead (not present) [email protected]
780.712.7790
Lovely, Ms. Jackie (UCP), Camrose (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.672.0000
Loyola, Member Rod (NDP), Edmonton-Ellerslie (not present) [email protected]
780.414.2000
Luan, Hon. Jason (UCP), Calgary-Foothills (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.216.5444
Madu, QC, Hon. Kaycee (UCP), Edmonton-South West (not present) [email protected]
780.415.8692
McIver, Hon. Ric (UCP), Calgary-Hays (not present) [email protected]
403.215.4380
Milliken, Mr. Nicholas (UCP), Calgary-Currie (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.246.4794
Nally, Hon. Dale (UCP), Morinville-St. Albert (not present) [email protected]
780.572.6161
Neudorf, Mr. Nathan (UCP), Lethbridge-East (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.320.1011
Nicolaides, Hon. Demetrios (UCP), Calgary-Bow (not present) [email protected]
403.216.5400
Nielsen, Mr. Chris (NDP), Edmonton-Decore (not present) [email protected]
780.414.1328
Nixon, Hon. Jason (UCP), Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre (not present) [email protected]
403.638.5029
Nixon, Mr. Jeremy (UCP), Calgary-Klein (not present) [email protected]
403.216.5430
Notley, Ms. Rachel (NDP), Edmonton-Strathcona (not present) [email protected]
780.414.0702
Orr, Mr. Ronald (UCP) Lacombe-Ponoka (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.782.7725
Pancholi, Ms. Rakhi (NDP), Edmonton-Whitemud (present, did not vote for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.413.5970
Panda, Hon. Prasad (UCP), Calgary-Edgemont (not present) [email protected]
403.288.4453
Phillips, Ms. Shannon (NDP), Lethbridge-West (not present) [email protected]
403.329.4644
Pitt, Mrs. Angela (UCP), Airdrie-East (not present) [email protected]
403.948.8741
Pon, Hon. Josephine (UCP), Calgary-Beddington (not present) [email protected]
403.215.7710
Rehn, Mr. Pat (UCP), Lesser Slave Lake (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
825.219.1000
Reid, Mr. Roger (UCP), Livingstone-Macleod (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
825.212.2000
Renaud, Ms. Marie (NDP), St. Albert (not present) [email protected]
780.459.9113
Rosin, Ms. Miranda (UCP), Banff-Kananaskis (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.609.4509
Rowswell, Mr. Garth (UCP), Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.842.6177
Rutherford, Mr. Brad (UCP), Leduc-Beaumont (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.929.3290
Sabir, Mr. Irfan (NDP), Calgary-McCall (not present) [email protected]
403.216.5424
Savage, Hon. Sonya (UCP), Calgary-North West (not present) [email protected]
403.297.7104
Sawhney, Hon. Rajan (UCP), Calgary-North East (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
587.318.2946
Schmidt, Mr. Marlin (NDP), Edmonton-Gold Bar (present, did not vote for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.414.1015
Schow, Mr. Joseph (UCP), Cardston-Siksika (not present) [email protected]
403.653.5070
Schulz, Hon. Rebecca (UCP), Calgary-Shaw (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.256.8969
Schweitzer, Doug, Calgary-Elbow, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780 427-2339
Shandro, QC, Hon. Tyler (UCP), Calgary-Acadia (not present) [email protected]
403.640.1363
Shepherd, Mr. David (NDP), Edmonton-City Centre (not present) [email protected]
780.414.0743
Sigurdson, Ms. Lori (NDP), Edmonton-Riverview (not present) [email protected]
780.414.0719
Sigurdson, Mr. R.J. (UCP), Highwood (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.995.5488
Singh, Mr. Peter (UCP), Calgary-East (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
587.496.2052
Smith, Mr. Mark (UCP), Drayton Valley-Devon (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.542.3355
Stephan, Mr. Jason (UCP), Red Deer-South (not present) [email protected]
403.340.3565
Sweet, Ms. Heather (NDP), Edmonton-Manning (not present) [email protected]
825.412.2050
Toews, Hon. Travis (UCP), Grande Prairie-Wapiti (not present) [email protected]
825.412.2050
Toor, Mr. Devinder (UCP), Calgary-Falconridge (not present) [email protected]
403.280.4022
Turton, Mr. Searle (UCP), Spruce Grove-Stony Plain (not present) [email protected]
780.962.6606
van Dijken, Mr. Glenn (UCP), Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock (not present) [email protected]
780.674.3225
Walker, Mr. Jordan (UCP), Sherwood Park (not present) [email protected]
780.417.4747
Williams, Mr. Dan (UCP), Peace River (not present) [email protected]
780.928.5100
Wilson, Hon. Rick (UCP), Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
780.360.8003
Yao, Mr. Tany (UCP), Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (not present) [email protected]
780.790.6014
Yaseen, Mr. Muhammad (UCP), Calgary-North (present, voted for Bill 1) [email protected]
403.274.1931

Source for votes: The 30th Legislature, Second Session, Alberta, Hansard Page 869

Mass Email All Elected Officials by Copying and Pasting This List in the "TO" Field of Your Email

Note: depending on your email program, you might need emails separated by commas or by semicolons. We have provided you with both below.

Commas

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Semicolons

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

What is Bill 1 and what does it mean for Albertans?

In February of 2020, the Government of Alberta introduced Bill 1, also known as the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act. The Bill received royal assent on June 17, 2020.

Bill 1 seeks to make peaceful protest punishable by law. Peacefully gathering on any road, street, sidewalk, driveway, square, field, or land (public or private) beneath essential infrastructure like power lines or radio towers, can now be punishable by law. Posting or talking about a protest, strike or other gathering will also stand to be a violation under this act. For a full list of what’s included in Bill 1, read it here.

The United Conservative Party claims that the Bill will “protect critical infrastructure from blockades, protests and illegal activities” by forbidding citizens to enter, interrupt, or disrupt critical sites. Make no mistake, this conceals the true nature of this bill. Bill 1 criminalizes fundamental freedoms stated under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, such as freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, freedom to peacefully assemble and freedom of association.

Under Bill 1, anyone participating in or organizing peaceful protests, marches, or assembly on streets or sidewalks anywhere could be found guilty of an offence. An individual could be arrested and charged with a fine of $1,000 to $10,000 or imprisoned for up to 6 months, or both. The Bill also states that each day that an offence occurs counts as a separate offence, potentially racking up much higher fines of up to $25,000 and additional imprisonment of up to 6 months for convicted individuals.

It gets worse. Bill 1 also states that “No person shall aid, counsel or direct another person to commit an offence under subsection (1), (2) or (3), whether or not the other person actually commits the offence.” That means that even texting, planning a protest, or having a conversation with a friend can be regarded as an offense.

Regardless of political ideology, Bill 1 is a threat to all who choose to exercise their right to protest, because its punitive power can apply to almost any action in almost any space broadly designated to be ‘critical infrastructure’. It’s also important to point out that due to the documented prejudices of Canada’s law enforcement agencies and judicial system, a bill such as this will disproportionately target and punish Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) land and water defenders, Black people, and marginalized groups.

According to Huffington Post Canada, “[t]he bill is likely targeted at recent rail blockades in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs’ opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline. During the bill’s tabling Tuesday, Kenney called the protests a ‘mockery of the principle of rule of law.’”

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney introduced this legislation against the backdrop of protests across Canada, in which groups blockaded rail lines, commuter train routes and roadways in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs' opposition to the construction of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline through their territory in northern B.C. "When we brought this in, it was at a time of turmoil in Canada," Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said in the legislature at the end of May 2020. "We had lawlessness across this country, where critical infrastructure was being obstructed. That is simply unacceptable. Here in the province of Alberta we expect the rule of law to be upheld."

Urgent action is required to protect the fundamental right to protest and voice dissent in Alberta. We need to contact our elected officials, and hold them accountable to get Bill 1 repealed now.

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