Sunday, March 22, 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

Liberal endorsements start to trickle in as Carney launches leadership bid

Liberal endorsements start to trickle in as Carney launches leadership bid
Liberal MPs are starting to reveal which candidates they're backing in the race to replace Justin Trudeau, just as the presumed front-runners get ready to declare they're running. Health Minister Mark Holland, Liberal MPs Ben Carr, Ken McDonald and Stéphane Lauzon, and former cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault say they're supporting former finance minister Chrystia Freeland.

Liberal endorsements start to trickle in as Carney launches leadership bid

Resources minister says many Republicans don't know Trump's plans for tariffs

Resources minister says many Republicans don't know Trump's plans for tariffs
Exactly what president-elect Donald Trump plans to do with tariffs on Canada remains a mystery not just to Canada but to most Republicans, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Thursday.

Resources minister says many Republicans don't know Trump's plans for tariffs

Professional association of B.C. bylaw workers releases cheeky top calls list

Professional association of B.C. bylaw workers releases cheeky top calls list
The professional association for B.C. bylaw workers says among its top 10 "interesting" calls received last year included a resident complaining about  a neighbour "purposefully" flatulating in their general direction as a form of harassment. The Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Association of BC released a list of top "interesting, unique and funny calls" received by bylaw departments in the province last year. 

Professional association of B.C. bylaw workers releases cheeky top calls list

Victoria police use-of-force data shows Indigenous 'overrepresentation'

Victoria police use-of-force data shows Indigenous 'overrepresentation'
The Victoria Police Department on Wednesday released race-based data showing an "overrepresentation" of Indigenous people in cases involving police use of force over a six-year period from 2018 to 2023. 

Victoria police use-of-force data shows Indigenous 'overrepresentation'

Man, woman facing arson charges after Calgary home explosion that injured six people

Man, woman facing arson charges after Calgary home explosion that injured six people
A man and woman are accused of lighting their Calgary home on fire, triggering an explosion that injured several people last fall. Calgary police and firefighters were called in early October to a residential neighbourhood shortly after the explosion happened.

Man, woman facing arson charges after Calgary home explosion that injured six people

Forestry 'transition' sets off review of BC Timber Sales, province says

Forestry 'transition' sets off review of BC Timber Sales, province says
The "significant pressures" on British Columbia's forest industry have prompted a review of BC Timber Sales, the organization that manages about 20 per cent of the annual allowable cut. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a statement that the review will ensure the sector can continue to evolve to overcome challenges and create a more resilient industry in the future. 

Forestry 'transition' sets off review of BC Timber Sales, province says