The provincial Conservative government passed its controversial Bill 46 in the middle of the night December 5 by invoking closure and restricting the amount of time MLAs could debate the bill in the legislature.

The bill, which splits the scandal-ridden Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) into two separate regulatory bodies, has been widely panned by landowners and opposition parties as undemocratic. The bill says only those who are “directly and adversely” affected by an energy project can participate in a hearing. (Originally, the bill said only those affected “in a material way” would be allowed to participate, but the government said it “listened to landowners” and axed that requirement in late November.) At around 3 a.m. December 5, the bill passed its third reading.

The Liberals say the Stelmach government’s use — they call it an “abuse” — of a parliamentary tool to restrict debate on an important bill is a throwback to the Klein era. “It does reflect the current premier’s lack of commitment to democracy,” said Edmonton MLA and Liberal House Leader Laurie Blakeman in the legislature.

“It’s a slap in the face for those rural Albertans that have raised an issue around this, and if this is a showing of how this premier wants to go forward with democracy in this legislature, I think we’re all in for a very bumpy ride.”

The NDP also ripped into the Conservatives for rushing the bill. “It’s just so ham-handed,” said NDP MLA Ray Martin. “I just don’t understand — as I say, baffled is probably the word — why we’re approaching this bill at this time in this way.”