Wednesday, March 18, 2026
ADVT 
National

Revised Alberta school book ban expected to be released today

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Sep, 2025 08:17 AM
  • Revised Alberta school book ban expected to be released today

The Alberta government is set to release its revised school library book ban today.

The government had promised an updated ministerial order Friday, but the announcement was rescheduled.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in an email after the postponement that officials were taking the time needed to ensure a  revised order was clear for all school boards.

Boards originally had until the end of the month to remove books containing images, illustrations, audio and written passages with sexually explicit content.

Edmonton's public school board issued a list of 200 books that it would have to remove, including Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," prompting widespread criticism and ire from Atwood herself. 

The government directed school boards last Tuesday to pause their work in complying with the initial order.

Premier Danielle Smith said the order would immediately be changed to only target books with images of sexual content, so literary classics could stay on school shelves.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Meet Poppy, an oil spill-sniffing dog and a scientific trailblazer

Meet Poppy, an oil spill-sniffing dog and a scientific trailblazer
Poppy, a six-year-old springer spaniel with floppy brown ears and a tail that never seems to stop wagging, is by all accounts a very good dog. Her white, brown speckled nose has also made her something of a trailblazer. 

Meet Poppy, an oil spill-sniffing dog and a scientific trailblazer

BC man arrested for hate crime

BC man arrested for hate crime
A Kelowna man has been arrested in Ontario in relation to a hate crime investigation in B-C. Police say the 41-year-old man is facing charges including public incitement of hatred and advocating or promoting genocide.

BC man arrested for hate crime

Quebec man sentenced to 30 years in U.S. prison for selling fake Xanax on dark web

Quebec man sentenced to 30 years in U.S. prison for selling fake Xanax on dark web
A Quebec man has been sentenced to 30 years in United States federal prison for his role in an international drug ring that imported millions of fake Xanax pills into that country. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says Arden McCann, 37, has been sentenced by a judge in Georgia for being "one of the largest drug vendors" on the dark web — a hidden part of the internet accessible through specialized software.

Quebec man sentenced to 30 years in U.S. prison for selling fake Xanax on dark web

Former chief trade negotiator says Alberta undermining Canada in U.S. tariff talks

Former chief trade negotiator says Alberta undermining Canada in U.S. tariff talks
Ottawa's former chief trade negotiator Steve Verheul says Alberta is undermining Canada's attempts to prevent the U.S. from levying damaging tariffs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rallied most of the premiers to agree that all sectors of the Canadian economy could be deployed to fight back against U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada.

Former chief trade negotiator says Alberta undermining Canada in U.S. tariff talks

42-year-old woman killed, son arrested in Montreal's first homicide of the year

42-year-old woman killed, son arrested in Montreal's first homicide of the year
A 42-year-old woman is dead and her 21-year-old son has been arrested in what Montreal police say is the city's first murder of the year. Police spokesperson Mariane Allaire Morin says a 911 call came in Thursday morning for a welfare check at a home in the LaSalle borough, west of downtown Montreal. 

42-year-old woman killed, son arrested in Montreal's first homicide of the year

Freeland says Liberal leadership candidates should pledge to run as MPs

Freeland says Liberal leadership candidates should pledge to run as MPs
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland called Friday for four Liberal leadership debates Friday and said the other leadership candidates should commit to running in the next election under the party banner — no matter who wins. In an open letter to the other candidates, Freeland said that the four debates, two in each official language, should be held as soon as possible.

Freeland says Liberal leadership candidates should pledge to run as MPs