The association representing Alberta's prosecutors is sounding the alarm and demanding enhanced employment safeguards following the sudden and unexplained departure of two senior Crown attorneys in Edmonton.
Unexplained Departures Raise Concerns
The Alberta Crown Attorneys' Association (ACAA) issued a formal statement on Thursday, November 20, 2025, expressing deep concern over the sudden and unexpected departures of Scott Niblock, the chief Edmonton prosecutor for the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS), and Ryan Abrams, an assistant chief.
According to the ACAA, its members have received no official explanation for why the two experienced prosecutors are no longer in their roles. A source familiar with the situation revealed to Postmedia that Niblock and Abrams were escorted from their office the previous Thursday, a detail that has intensified worries within the legal community.
Calls for Protection from "Improper" Influence
The uncertainty surrounding the dismissals has had a significant and detrimental impact on the morale of prosecutors across the province. The association stated that the lack of transparency creates challenges for its members, whose roles require them to make fair and independent legal decisions.
"The recent actions of the government highlight the need for our members to have employment protections that insulate them from losing their employment without articulated cause," the ACAA's statement read. It emphasized that without such safeguards, Crown prosecutors are vulnerable to being dismissed for improper reasons, which could undermine the integrity of the justice system.
Backdrop of Controversial Plea Deal
While the ACAA did not directly link the firings to a specific case, a prosecutor who spoke anonymously suggested a possible connection to a recent high-profile event. In September, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) sent a public letter to the Crown, objecting to a plea agreement reached in a sensitive child homicide case.
The association underscored the fundamental principle that the justice system depends on prosecutors being able to perform their duties free from political or improper external influence. The circumstances of Niblock and Abrams's departure highlight an urgent need for a more transparent and fair employment relationship between prosecutors and the government, the ACAA concluded.
