The Alberta government has introduced legislation to ensure children and young teens won’t be able to access sexually graphic images in books at public libraries.
At a news conference on Friday, Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams emphasized that the government is not banning books before holding up a sexually explicit example of the graphic images they seek to restrict.
“We will require that they are put behind a counter in a place that children cannot find them,” Williams said Thursday after tabling the bill in the house.
“When a family walks into a public library, they should feel confident that appropriate safeguards are in place, that their children will feel comfortable there,” he added.
“It’s a reasonable expectation to balance the needs of the family along with the ability for libraries to continue offering services.”
The bill looks at measures to make sure children ages 15 and under can’t access visual depictions of sex. Options include having such material controlled by library staff or put in separate areas.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government previously made rule changes to ban graphic sexual material in school libraries, resulting in some books being pulled from shelves.
Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi mocked Williams’ bill.
“This government with its $9.4-billion deficit, its inability to spend any money correctly, is now building a team of library inspectors,” Nenshi told reporters at the legislature.
“Can you imagine? What do they wear? What are their uniforms? Do they read every book? Are they librarians?
“This is insanity, and it’s taking away the ability of people to make their own decisions.
“This government doesn’t believe in human rights,” he added. “It believes in dictating what people read, what people see, what people think.”
In Calgary, Mayor Jeromy Farkas told reporters, “We’re still reviewing the exact legislation and what the impacts would be.
He added, “My understanding is the intent, at least from the various conversations I’ve had with ministers as well as public statements, was this was not intended to capture standalone libraries and that municipal autonomy would be respected.”
The library changes are one part of the bill. It also proposes changes to create a provincewide councillor accountability framework the includes enforceable standards of conduct and third-party investigations for serious misconduct.
It will also require municipalities to publicly disclose salaries above a specified threshold.
Farkas said he is happy to give the bill his “endorsement” especially on accountability measures and code of conduct.
