Legal challenge launched against Alberta’s critical infrastructure defence bill
Posted June 23, 2020 11:04 am.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Alberta’s largest public-sector union is taking on the UCP government’s ability to protect pipelines and other major projects.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) has launched a constitutional challenge on Bill 1.
The Bill known as the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act is aimed at protecting energy projects, highways and railways from protests.
BREAKING NEWS: AUPE launches constitutional challenge against government’s Bill 1
"Union says Bill 1 violates Charter of Rights and Freedoms in multiple ways"
Read the media release here:https://t.co/Fod5A1mzx4#ableg #abpoli #ablabour #canlab #cdnpoli
— AUPE (@_AUPE_) June 23, 2020
It was created following the protests and blockades that halted train shipments across the country earlier this year.
Those protestors claimed to be in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation in regards to the building of the Coastal GasLink natural gas line in B.C.
WATCH: Tensions run high at blockade on CN Rail line in Edmonton
The bill would make it illegal for protestors to gather on critical infrastructure land but the union claims it’s a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“It is an attack on our freedom to take part in peaceful protests, which is recognized as an essential part of democracy, said Guy Smith, president of AUPE. “This is the kind of law we would expect to see in an oppressive dictatorship.”
In a statement of claim being filed at the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, the AUPE claim the Bill breaches a number of important Charter rights and that it will hinder the union’s ability to engage in the collective bargaining process.
“In the past month, we have pledged to stand in solidarity with Indigenous Albertans and Black Albertans and we have always stood hand-in-hand with our fellow workers across sectors,” said Smith.
“This Bill attempts to criminalize that solidarity.”
There has been no comment yet from the UCP government on the challenge.
