Alberta Law Foundation: Ousted Member Sparks Political Firestorm

ALBERTA — A removed board member of the Alberta Law Foundation isn't going quietly. Moira Rose Vane, ousted on January 13, 2026, fired back with words the government won't forget: "If my removal is meant to send a message, let me return it loudly and clearly: this was an act of appeasement. And history is not kind to those who choose appeasement over courage."

New Democrat Shadow Justice Minister Irfan Sabir amplified Vane's shot on Thursday, ensuring the accusation lands where it stings. The question now: appeasement to whom, and at what cost?

The Money Machine Gets a New Boss

The Alberta Law Foundation controls millions in grant funding—cash pulled from interest on lawyers' trust accounts that keeps legal aid clinics and public legal education groups alive. It's quiet money with loud impact. But over the past year, the UCP government decided that setup needed fixing.

First came Bill 39 in April 2025, handing Justice Minister Mickey Amery control over the ALF's grants process. Then Bill 14 in December 2025 tightened the grip further, giving Amery oversight of the foundation's bylaws and—here's the kicker—immunity from Law Society of Alberta sanctions. Translation: the minister can play hardball without the ref blowing the whistle.

The Staff Walks Out

The response was swift and total. On January 5, 2026, all 14 ALF staff, including the executive director, resigned. Not a trickle. A flood. When an entire organization walks out the door on the same day, that's not coincidence—that's protest.

Eight days later, the Law Society of Alberta pulled Vane and fellow board member Paul Chiswell, replacing them with Ronald Sorokin and Kenneth Warren. Since then, administrator Optimus SBR has been running the show. What's happening with grant money under new management? The government hasn't said.

The Lawyers Push Back

An open letter dropped on January 21, 2026, signed by over 30 lawyers—including former PC Justice Ministers Verlyn Olson and Ken Rostad. Their charge: the government is bulldozing democratic safeguards and the rule of law. When your own party's former ministers call you out, that's not background noise. That's a warning shot.

Amery's office hasn't touched the "appeasement" allegation. The official line? They're ensuring the ALF's "long-term financial stability" and pushing funds toward "front-line legal services." Clean words for a messy fight.

The battle over who controls Alberta's legal funding pipeline is far from over. The staff is gone. The board's been reshuffled. And Moira Rose Vane just made sure everyone remembers why she was shown the door.