The True Post (Web News)Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government has introduced a controversial bill ordering 51,000 striking teachers to return to work immediately. The legislation invokes the Canadian Charter’s notwithstanding clause, allowing the suspension of certain constitutional rights for up to five years.
If passed, students will return to class by Wednesday. Smith said the measure is necessary to prevent further learning loss, as over 740,000 children have been out of school due to the strike.
Teachers or their union refusing to comply could face heavy fines up to $500 per day for individuals and $500,000 per day for the union. The bill also enforces a previously rejected deal offering a 12% pay raise over four years and the hiring of 3,000 new teachers and 1,500 support staff.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association argues the real issue is overcrowded classrooms and a lack of support for students with special needs, not salaries.
Smith said the government will collect new data on class sizes and create a panel to address classroom challenges, but ruled out imposing size limits.
The “Common Front,” a coalition of 30 labor unions, has warned of a strong response if the government continues to use the notwithstanding clause to suppress worker rights.
Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi called the move “a nuclear option” to escape a self-made crisis, accusing the government of trampling on civil rights. Analysts warn the decision could spark province-wide labor unrest similar to Ontario’s 2022 protests.
