LAA Letter to Minister of Education on Action4Canada’s involvement in the province’s announcement about school libraries

June 1, 2025

The Library Association of Alberta (LAA) has written to Demitrios Nicolaides, Alberta’s Minister of Education and Childcare, expressing concern about the stated involvement of Action4Canada in the recent announcement about school libraries and requesting a meeting to ensure librarians are consulted re new policies for school libraries.

May 29, 2025

The Honourable Demiotrios Nicolaides
Minister of Education and Childcare
Legislature Building
10800 – 97 Avenue NW
Edmonton AB T5K 2B6

Re: Provincial announcement regarding school libraries

The Library Association of Alberta is surprised and concerned by the provincial government’s announcement that it intends to introduce a policy to limit materials available in school libraries in our province. This is a step that no other province in Canada has taken. It is an explicit form of censorship as decisions that require the expertise of educators and librarians will be made by politicians.

Furthermore, the May 26, 2025 website article by Action4Canada makes clear that their organization advocated successfully for your announcement and this policy direction. Their statement is unambiguous:

“Action4Canada is pleased to announce A MASSIVE WIN in Alberta against the pornographic books! Most importantly, this is a victory for our precious children. PRAISE GOD! Thank you to the Alberta Minister of Education, Demitrios Nicolaides, for meeting with Action4Canada’s team, responding to our concerns[…]”

“Action4Canada’s Calgary team has been working very hard behind the scenes, communicating with government officials over several months through serving the SOGI 123 Notice of Liability and providing evidence—some of which was submitted by concerned citizens—of sexually explicit books found throughout Alberta.”

We would like to meet with you at your earliest convenience. Action4Canada’s position and recommendations are informed by their religious and extreme political ideologies and are not the basis on which any government should act without careful consideration and discussions with the provinces’ librarians and educators. We appreciate your recognition of the expertise of librarians, administrators and school staff at your May 26 press conference, and we are eager to ensure policy decisions are informed by consultation with these expert groups.

We will be contacting your office next Monday to arrange a meeting at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Laura Winton, President
Library Association of Alberta
On behalf of the LAA Board of Directors

cc

The Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
The Honourable Amanda Chapman, MLA, Shadow Minister for Education, Assistant Deputy Whip

(Via Library Association of Alberta)