The Lavigne Show: Professor Bruce Pardy and Leighton Grey, an Alberta lawyer and King’s Counsel, examine the recent proposed amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights (BoR). On the surface, Bill 24 is good news but will Alberta seize the opportunity to establish a robust framework that sets the pace for other provinces to follow? The discussion looked at key concerns, including how to return an effective system of checks and balances to ensure separation of powers between the executive branch, the legislature, and the judiciary. Leighton Grey highlights a need to restore the supremacy of the legislature with a statement of rights based on natural law and the Christian principles our society was founded on. Professor Pardy argues for a rethink of our expectations of government and a means of restraint. If Bill 24 can’t rise to the call for change, what actions can Albertans (and all Canadians) take as individuals to safeguard our rights and freedoms and strengthen the communities we live in?
Professor Pardy drafted his own version of a proposal for an amended Alberta Bill of Rights to address concerns about the potential for rights violations under the guise of reasonable limits, the collusion between the three branches of government, and the need for term limits for all state employees to prevent a permanent professional ruling class from becoming embedded, as is the case now. To hear Professor Pardy explain his proposal in more detail, see here.