The Alberta Legislature had first reading on Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act, Bill 207 on November 7, a private members bill that is sponsored by MLA Dan Williams, a backbench government member from Peace River.

Bill 207 seeks to protect the conscience rights for healthcare providers and organizations. The bill states:

"Conscience-based objection to provision of health care service

If a health care provider or religious health care organization determines that their conscientious beliefs would be infringed by providing a specific health care service to an individual, the health care provider or religious health care organization is not required to provide that health care service to the individual."

The bill also protects health care providers from possible penalties being imposed on them by regulatory bodies.

Bill 207 passed its first vote, on November 7, along party lines with 36 UCP members voting in favour of the bill while the 15 NDP opposition members voting against the bill.

The bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills.

Link to Bill 207: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act

Read Alberta debates conscience rights protection bill 207 on www.epcblog.org