Tag: Doug Schweitzer

Consultation, possible changes after pushback against conscience rights bill

Edmonton Journal

Lisa Johnson

Backbench UCP MLA Dan Williams continued to take heat from the NDP Opposition Monday for introducing conscience rights legislation and offered changes to the controversial bill meant to protect health-care access.

“My intention with offering these amendments is a genuine olive branch, a genuine attempt to say ‘the purpose of this bill is to protect conscience rights, and in no way has any desire to limit access,’” said Williams, MLA for Peace River, in a committee on private member’s bills. . . [Full text]

Calgary-area UCP MLAs say they won’t support conscience rights bill

Calgary Herald

 Zach Laing

A pair of Calgary MLAs say they won’t support a controversial private-member’s bill meant to extend protection for physicians’ conscience rights.

Introduced in the legislature last week by Peace River MLA and UCP backbencher Dan Williams, Bill 207 would prevent patients from submitting a professional complaint or suing a health-care worker for failing to provide a service if medical staff objects to it. The bill would also add “conscientious beliefs” as grounds protected from discrimination in the Alberta Human Rights Act. . . [Full text]