Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has criticized Edmonton Public Schools for its banned book list of more than 200 titles, including classics like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Color Purple. The move sparks national debate over censorship, education, and age-appropriate content.
Edmonton, Alberta – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith publicly condemned the Edmonton Public School Board on Friday morning after it released a banned book list featuring more than 200 titles, sparking intense debate across the country.
The list, obtained by CBC News, was created in response to a provincial directive requiring schools to remove materials deemed not age-appropriate. However, the titles include celebrated classics and internationally recognized works such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, and Peter Benchley’s Jaws. Books by George R. R. Martin, Sarah J. Maas, and Maya Angelou also appear on the list.
Premier Smith suggested the school board was engaging in “vicious compliance” with the directive.
“The point of this work is to keep graphic, sexually explicit content out of elementary schools. If Edmonton Public needs us to hold their hand through the process, we’re more than happy to go through their list one by one and make it clear what we’re trying to do,” Smith said during a press conference.
School board response
The Edmonton Public School Board confirmed the accuracy of the list on Friday, with board chair Julie Kusiek acknowledging concerns raised by parents and the public. She admitted that “several excellent books” would be removed from shelves this fall, but noted she would contact Smith directly regarding compliance with the ministerial order.
Authors and advocates push back
Margaret Atwood, whose The Handmaid’s Tale has become a global symbol of resistance against censorship, reacted with characteristic irony. In a social media post, she wrote:
“Don’t read it, your hair will catch on fire! Get one now before they have public book burnings of it.”
Meanwhile, PEN Canada president Ira Wells called the move “the first — and largest — book ban of its kind in Canada.”
“What the government of Alberta is doing here is book banning. It is literary censorship and we should use those words,” Wells said. “This is a Rubicon we don’t want to be crossing.”
Government stance
Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides defended the directive, insisting it was not about banning books but about shielding children from explicit material. The ministerial order, signed on July 4, sets standards for school library collections, banning clear depictions of sexual acts but making exceptions for religious texts and non-explicit content.
Still, Nicolaides admitted he had “questions about some titles” on the Edmonton list and planned to meet with the board.
For now, the controversy has ignited a national conversation about the fine line between protecting children and engaging in censorship — a debate that shows no signs of quieting down.