Legislative session in Alberta reconvenes with plenty of items for the rural watchlist

The Alberta legislative building in an undated photo. (CTV News Edmonton)

Legislation around property rights, gun ownership, tourism and parental involvement in education should spark the interest of rural Albertans, the UCP's government house leader speculated in announcing plans for this week's reconvened session of the legislature.

But pleasing people who live beyond the province's cities is not driving his party's fall agenda, Joseph Schow said in advance of politicians' return to the floor of the house this week.

"We don't necessarily distinguish between rural and urban Alberta. We govern for everyone," Schow told reporters.

"So as a rural politician, I definitely know the interests of my constituency down south, and I trust that MLAs know the interests of their own," said the member for Cardston-Siksika.

• Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

The UCP highlighted 13 bills it plans to introduce this fall.

Among other things, the bills will affect rights, privacy and access to information; education, early learning and childcare; fairness and safety in sports; health care; meat inspection; justice; financial statutes; and tourism.

The All-season Resorts Act will "recognize there's a lot of Alberta to explore in a responsible and environmentally conscientious way," Schow said, responding to a question about legislation and rural Alberta.

"We have such a beautiful landscape, and Albertans want to share that story with visitors from around Alberta, around the country and around the rest of the world," said Schow, who is also the minister of tourism and sport.

In an opening statement to the press, Schow broached controversial topics around the increasing profile of transgender Albertans. The government plans to protect children from "potentially making life-altering and often irreversible adult decisions involving alteration of their biological sex," he said.

Legislation will "support students' success and well-being in school by strengthening the ties between parents and their children's education." It will make sports fairer by ensuring that biologically born women and girls can compete in biological-female-only categories, he said.

To make sure transgender athletes can also "meaningfully participate in sports," the government will support the creation of divisions for more than one gender, Schow said.

The government will continue to work with smaller municipalities in the creation of new legislation, the house leader said in response to a question about high-profile clashes with the Rural Municipalities of Alberta.

The association representing 69 counties and municipal districts in Alberta, the RMA has criticized the government on issues like the regionalization of victim services and increased control of municipal decision-making.

"It's important for us to make sure that we can continue to work (with municipalities) in a seamless way, but also understanding that sometimes our interests don't always align," Schow said.

"So when it comes to the RMA, they do good work on behalf of their members. And I personally interact with counties and municipalities all the time by constituency. But I know at a much higher level, (Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric) McIver is doing a tremendous job reaching out, consulting with the RMA and other municipalities, as they encounter challenges in our ever-evolving province."

Absorbing 200,000 new Albertans last year is putting pressure on rural and urban municipalities alike, Schow said.

"I do applaud Mr. McIver. He's done a great job consulting municipalities, to work with them and address their concerns."