Adoption bill proof MLAs can work together

Maybe there’s hope for them yet. Even though Alberta’s provincial politicians spend much of their time at each other’s throats, and even though the divisiveness seems to be getting worse with the rise of the United Conservative Party and the fall of the NDP in public opinion polls, they do at times work together.

We might not have peace on Earth, but sometimes, we get peace in the Legislative Assembly. In the fall sitting that ended just a week ago, we saw both sides happily working together to pass several private members bills. These are bills put forward by government backbenchers and opposition MLAs.

They’re often shot down in flames, especially those from the opposition. But sometimes, they pass with a majority vote from all MLAs. The assembly is not always a battlefield.

Take Bill 206, for example, the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement (Adoption Advertising) Amendment Act. Introduced by United Conservative Party MLA Leela Aheer last May, it slowly made its way through the legislative labyrinth into the fall. The bill aimed to bring the process of adoption into the digital age by allowing prospective adoptive parents to go online through licensed adoption agencies.

“It gives prospective parents a chance to be able to advertise who they are,” said Aheer during debate in November. “But it also gives the parents that are putting their children into the system, that are potentially looking at going into the system, that ability to be able to look at prospective parents, take the time in their own home, with the ability to have whatever supports they need around them to be able to make this decision.”

The November debate over Bill 206 was remarkable. No name-calling or yelling or insults. The only thing flying back and forth were helpful amendments. That’s in contrast to the stories that were making headlines at the time: the UCP demanding the premier call a byelection in Calgary-Lougheed and the bitter debate over government Bill 24 to protect gaystraight alliances in schools.

The Bill 206 debate was like taking a refreshing dip in clean water after rolling around in the mud. When MLAs got themselves in a muddle over the meaning of a particular amendment to Bill 206, they bent over backward to clear up the confusion.

“I’m not quite sure that I understand the question. Would you mind clarifying again? I’ll try better to answer that,” said Aheer at one point during debate with NDP MLA Lorne Dach. To which Dach responded, “Thank you, I’ll try to be clear in my clarity request.”

And this from NDP MLA Nicole Goehring, as she spoke across the floor to Aheer: “I would like to start by thanking the honourable member for Chestermere-Rocky View for bringing this important issue again to our House.”

It was like watching the Alberta legislature from an alternate reality. The universe of polite politics, where there really is peace on Earth.

The debate also gave us glimpses of the MLAs as real people, not attack dogs for their particular party.

UCP MLA Nathan Cooper, the parent of two adopted daughters, presented a profound perspective on the importance of the bill: “I have said on numerous occasions that strong families build strong communities, and strong communities build a strong province. Really, that’s what adoption is about. It’s about trying, wherever possible, to strengthen families.”

The bill passed with support from all parties Nov. 14. It has yet to be proclaimed into law, which makes Aheer a little nervous that it might be delayed. But she’s hopeful that will happen soon.

She says she still can’t believe her bill was passed. That’s not because she’s a cynic, but because she’s modest. She gives much of the credit to Cooper for helping her write the bill. And she’s not cynical about relations between the government and Opposition, saying we shouldn’t think our democracy is damaged just because debates often gets overly heated in the assembly.

“I want to thank the government from the bottom of my heart,” said Aheer about Bill 206. “We have to thank each other and call out when we do things right. We need to say those things.” If they can follow Aheer’s example, there is hope for them yet.