Gay-straight alliances, gas-and-dashes top NDP government's fall agenda

NDP government house leaderBrianMason outlined the government's legislative agenda for the fall session that will focus on protecting gay students and vulnerable employees, Mason said at a news conference on Friday.

The government listed several bills it intends to pass in the fall session.

They include:

• Bill 19:An Act to Protect Gas and Convenience Store Workers
• Bill 20: Beaver River Basin Water Authorization Act
• Bill 21: Agencies, Boards and Commissions Review Statutes Amendment Act, 2017
• Bill 23: Alberta Human RightsAmendment Act, 2017
• Bill 24: An Act to Support Gay-Straight Alliances
• Bill 25: Regulated Forestry Profession Amendment Act, 2017

Bill 19 is intended to prevent gas-and-dash thefts by making customerspayup front for fuel,Mason said.

"What we need to focus on fundamentally is to protect these people who are working in these places of employment,"Mason said.

Two people in Alberta have died during gas-and-dashes, a54-year-old station owner was killed in Thorsbyearlier this month and a female employee was killed inCalgary in 2015.

The same legislation will also bring in new safety measures for employees workinglate at night in convenience stores, but Mason did not offer anydetails.

Illegal to outstudents

The government will also make it illegalfor anyone, includingteachers, to disclose a student's sexual orientation without permission.

"I know that it's been frustrating for a lot of people, myself included, that we're still having to fight this fight," Mason said.

The measure is aimed at preventingstudents being outed to their parentsif they choose to joina gay-straight alliance.

"We aren't going to let anyone out gay kids," Mason said.

GSAsare clubs for gay and straight students, but are particularly intended to provided a safe space forstudents who identify as lesbian, gay or transgender.

"We'll protect the identity of any student who joins a gay-straight alliance because every student deserves a school that's welcoming, caring and a safe place to learn," Mason said.

New legislation will also cover the legalization of cannabis.

Public consultationon how government shouldhandle the legalization of cannabis in Alberta ends Friday night.

The legislation will come in two parts, Mason said.

The first willfocus on general regulations of cannabis and its distribution, while the other will amendthe Traffic Safety Act to include enforcement around cannabis impairment while driving a vehicle.

More consumer protection will also be introduced this session to shield buyers from high-pressure sales tactics, said Mason.

1st session for united party

When the spring session ended on June 6, the NDP government faced two right-of-centre parties across the aisle.

The Wildrose and the Progressive Conservatives have since merged into the United Conservative Party.

Members of the new party will gather in Calgary this weekend to elect a leader.

With the fall session set to open on Monday, Premier Rachel Notleycould befacing off against that new leader.

The spring session closed with Notley and Mason holdinga 35-minutenews conference slamming theopposition for being unco-operative and showing a decided lack of ideas.

"It's sad to say that they're getting more and more extreme with their beliefs,while at the same time less and less serious about the jobs they were elected to do," Mason said.

Mason said he'll be watching the UCP leadership results "just for fun."