Alberta government pauses ban on school library books with sex content

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Sep, 2025 12:25 PM

Alberta's education minister is directing school boards to pause a government order to remove books with explicit sexual content from libraries.

Demetrios Nicolaides says in an email to school divisions and officials that they should pause any development or distribution of lists of books that are to be removed.

He says the pause is in effect until further notice.

A draft list from Edmonton Public Schools of books to be removed from libraries was leaked online last week.

It contains more than 200 titles, including Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," which prompted the author to condemn Premier Danielle Smith online over the weekend.

Smith has said the Edmonton school division was too heavy handed in crafting its list and criticized it for not following the government's intention with the policy.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Inflation slows sharply to 1.7% in April as consumer carbon price ends

The end of the consumer carbon price at the start of Aprildrove inflation down sharply, Statistics Canada said Tuesday, but there were signs of pressure building at the grocery store.

Inflation slows sharply to 1.7% in April as consumer carbon price ends

Netanyahu says Canada, U.K., France offering 'huge prize' to Hamas with Gaza letter

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Canada, the United Kingdom and France of giving Hamas "a huge prize" by threatening to take action against Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Netanyahu says Canada, U.K., France offering 'huge prize' to Hamas with Gaza letter

Here's what you need to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Ottawa

People in Ottawa will have several chances to get a glimpse of the King and Queen during next week's royal visit to Canada, their first since King Charles's coronation.

Here's what you need to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Ottawa

Poll finds most Canadians keen on tariff retaliation as Ottawa walks a different path

Canadians are showing a lot of enthusiasm for retaliation against the U.S. over President Donald Trump's tariffs — even as many of them fear that the country has slid into a recession already.

Poll finds most Canadians keen on tariff retaliation as Ottawa walks a different path

Inquest rules B.C. student's overdose death accidental, recommends naloxone training

A coroner's jury in British Columbia has recommended high schools provide resuscitation training and demonstrations of how to use naloxone after ruling that the overdose death of a University of Victoria student last year was accidental.

Inquest rules B.C. student's overdose death accidental, recommends naloxone training

B.C. winner of record $80M lottery jackpot quits job, vows to give back to community

The winner of what the B.C. Lottery Corp. calls the biggest jackpot ever awarded to a single person in Canada says that winning the $80 million prize is "life-changing."