New ways to celebrate and recognize special dates

Proposed legislation would create a new way for Alberta’s government to recognize dates that hold significant meaning for Albertans.

Alberta’s government recognizes many special dates throughout the year to promote greater cultural awareness, inspire Albertans to take action on important causes or remember historic events.

Bill 3, the Special Days Act, would introduce a standardized process for these dates to be recognized, making it more efficient to acknowledge important occasions and keep track of the corresponding dates.

Currently, Alberta’s government most commonly recognizes special dates through proclamations or declarations. Proclamations establish a date in perpetuity while declarations only recognize a date in the year they are issued. Neither of these methods has any legal protection.

If passed, Bill 3 would give ministers the authority to recognize dates in perpetuity through a Ministerial Declaration. These declarations will be tracked on a new web page on alberta.ca to help more Albertans learn about these dates and prevent duplicate requests.

Consolidating them in one place, where all Albertans can find them, will support fair process and a more organized presentation.

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