Thursday, April 9, 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

Officers in B.C. make dozens of seizures of methamphetamine bound for Australia

Officers in B.C. make dozens of seizures of methamphetamine bound for Australia
Canadian border officers in British Columbia made 60 seizures of methamphetamine destined for export to Australia between March and August. The Canadian Border Services Agency says the seizures totalled nearly 400 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and close to 1,300 litres of a liquid form of the drug.

Officers in B.C. make dozens of seizures of methamphetamine bound for Australia

Fire spreads to multiple Vancouver homes

Fire spreads to multiple Vancouver homes
It took several dozen firefighters more than seven hours to put out a fire that spread to multiple homes in East Vancouver last night. Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry says the blaze in the Strathcona neighbourhood had quickly spread from one home to four others nearby.

Fire spreads to multiple Vancouver homes

Suspect in violent assault needs to be ID'd

Suspect in violent assault needs to be ID'd
Police in Vancouver are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in a violent assault on a woman near Vancouver's Oakridge SkyTrain station. They say a woman in her 30s was walking near West 41st Avenue and Ontario Street at around 7:50 p-m Sunday when a man grabbed her from behind. 

Suspect in violent assault needs to be ID'd

Fatal collision in Abbotsford 

Fatal collision in Abbotsford 
A 60-year-old pedestrian is dead after being hit by a vehicle in Abbotsford. Police say they responded just after 6 a-m to the collision on Gladys Avenue and found the woman suffering from serious injuries.

Fatal collision in Abbotsford 

Global Affairs Canada chartering more flights from Lebanon for Canadians this week

Global Affairs Canada chartering more flights from Lebanon for Canadians this week
Global Affairs Canada says it's chartering more flights from Lebanon this week to help Canadians leave the country as conflict escalates between Israel and Hezbollah. In a statement Monday evening, the department says it has almost 600 seats available on planes leaving Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Global Affairs Canada chartering more flights from Lebanon for Canadians this week

B.C. Conservative leader reveals plans to address toxic drug crisis ahead of debate

B.C. Conservative leader reveals plans to address toxic drug crisis ahead of debate
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has laid out his solutions for the toxic drug crisis in the province, which include cutting wait times for voluntary treatment, a virtual program to connect people with addiction specialists and building "regional recovery communities" that would allow for 12-month live-in treatment.

B.C. Conservative leader reveals plans to address toxic drug crisis ahead of debate