Last summer and fall, there was a lot of attention on Alberta's move to screen and limit books in schools after the gov't said people found graphic novels with explicit scenes on school shelves. Monday was the deadline for schools to follow the new rules. #AbEd #AbLeg www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

In a year-end interview, Premier Danielle Smith says her government used the notwithstanding clause to impose a new contract onto teachers because gov't worried an arbitrator would impose pupil-teacher ratios, as teachers said they wanted www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #AbEd #AbLeg

After years of rapid growth, Calgary's public school board breathes a sigh of relief when enrolment grew by one net student. By (the Blueskyless) Elise Stolte #yyc #AbEd www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Advocacy groups apply to keep court case against Alberta trans laws alive Egale and Skipping Stone say they plan to argue Alberta has effectively developed a criminal law — something outside of its jurisdiction. News from me this afternoon: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Awkwardly, the Alberta legislature TV channel has broken in the middle of debate (committee of the whole) for Bill 9, in which the government seeks to use the notwithstanding clause to shield three gender bills from legal challenges. The YouTube stream IS working www.youtube.com/live/ryA5Lq4...

I tallied the number of court cases or legal challenges Alberta’s government has recently stepped in to block or pre-empt. Was surprised how long the exercise took - they’re at like a one-per-week clip: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Acute Care Alberta has extended an ortho surgery contract with Alberta Surgical Group - one of the entities tied to health procurement probes #AbHealth #AbLeg

Alberta aims to curtail regulatory bodies from sanctioning workers for after-hours activities www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... by @jantafrench.bsky.social Me: plays on MYTH that many "brave voices" were "silenced by the overreach of regulators." "...health misinformation does grave, grave harm..."

Alberta's justice minister has tabled a bill to invoke the notwithstanding clause to shield a suite of legislation from legal challenges. The laws in question restrict the rights of transgender people in access to health care and sports, and affect K-12 education of all students. #AbLeg #Abed

The Alberta government says it will pay for 3,000 more teachers over three years to ease a classroom crunch. But the money didn't come as a result of the strike. It was already in last spring's budget before the Alberta teachers' walked off the job. #AbLeg #AbEd

#YegFunicularStatus lower elevator out of service still, funicular running fine at 9:30 am 🚲 #yeg

I regret to inform you that it is the second Wednesday of the month. Feels like there have been a lot of second Wednesdays of months lately. #YegFunicularStatus

There were many numbers shared during the Alberta teacher strike about the cost of contract proposals. But harder to find how much the govt planned to spend hiring new teachers and EAs. The education minister says some of the $ to hire 3000 new Ts is money already in the 2025 budget #AbLeg #AbEd

A UCP-majority committee refused to give Alberta’s chief electoral officer the funding he says he needs to administer recall and citizen petition applications. Campaigners say it’s a political move to thwart their efforts to hold the government accountable. #AbLeg

Corporate and union donations are back in Alberta politics. And as @markusoff.bsky.social found out, one party benefited from that change much more in the last quarter. #AbLeg

This morning at the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices...UCP majority introduces a motion starting a search committee for a new auditor general. NDP MLA David Sheppard says Doug Wylie wants to stay on two more years. Wylie is reviewing the allegations of inappropriate health contracting.

Unpacking the Alberta teachers' contract dispute, strike/lockout, back to work legislation and imposition of the notwithstanding clause, and the potential ramifications of this. (AKA, mostly me rambling, sorry). A weekend listen for you. #AbLeg #AbEd

We have live updates today as Alberta teachers and students return to school after a strike and lockout cancelled classes for more than three weeks. Follow along here: #AbLeg #Abed

Education experts say tackling classroom complexity isn’t just about adding more humans to schools but looking at their training and skill sets to handle increasingly varied student needs - by Jessica Wong ##AbEd #AbLeg

Lots of updates to share today as Bill 2, the Back to School Act, is now law in Alberta. Plenty of criticism of the government for stripping teachers of their charter rights. And pledges from govt to improve school conditions. #AbLeg #AbEd www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

At 2 a.m., the Alberta legislature passed a bill that will force 51,000 teachers back to work, impose a four-year contract and use the notwithstanding clause to stave off a legal challenge and suspend teacher bargaining at the local level. It includes fines for Ts and the ATA if they defy it. #AbLeg

Bill 2 is tabled. MLAs will debate it tonight with the aim of passing it tonight. We’ll be watching. #AbLeg #AbEd

Update from Elections Edmonton: "Voting has been suspended at St. Timothy Catholic Elementary School in Ward Anirniq due to a power outage. EPCOR is accessing the situation. Voters assigned to St. Timothy Catholic Elementary School can cast their ballots at Caernarvon School, 14820 118 St NW."

Re-upping my request for your voting station line-up experiences (if applicable) for the after-work crowd. Please describe how it went, how long you waited, and which municipality and location (Not just looking for city experiences!) #yql #yeg #yyc #yegvote

Municipal election day crowdsource: what municipality did you vote in today and how long did you wait to vote? I’m in SE Edmonton and have now waited one hour. The front of the line is close, though …. Don’t forget to vote for school trustee(s). Brussels sprouts for attention only. #yegvote

The ATA refused to engage in talks where pupil-teacher ratios were off the table. And the premier said to expect back-to-work legislation if there's no deal by the last week of October. What would such legislation mean for teachers and classroom conditions? #AbLeg #AbEd

Update: The ATA says they received a letter yesterday asking teachers to return to classrooms on Oct. 20 and engage in "enhanced mediation" -- but that any talk of a student-teacher ratio would be off the table in such talks. ATA president Jason Schilling says the association said no. #AbLeg #AbEd

Alberta teachers' strike, day 12 (day 9 of cancelled classes): 2 press conferences, short notice. Alberta Teachers' Association is up at 11 a.m. in Edmonton. Premier Danielle Smith and Ed. Minister Demetrios Nicolaides are up in Calgary at 1:30 p.m. to "provide an update on teacher bargaining."

Alberta teachers strike/lockout, Day 11 (day 8 of no classes): Premier Danielle Smith floats the idea of striking another commission on learning, like the 2003 effort that came out of a previous teachers’ strike. ATA: uh, no thanks #AbLeg #AbEd www.stalbertgazette.com/politics/alb...

#YegFunicularStatus All running smoothly right now

Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner says the ATA's latest proposal to employers included class-size caps and would cost $2 billion more than the province is willing to spend over 4 years. He asked teachers for an offer more "rooted in reality." #AbLeg #AbEd

This is the first publicly released polling on Alberta education issues from a professional pollster in a while, and the results are super interesting. ARI poll suggests contract dispute support for teachers: 58% Support for AB govt: 21 % Neither: 18 % #AbLeg #AbEd

Meanwhile, the city page about the funicular's status is full of dating app-level mixed messages www.edmonton.ca/activities_p... #YEGFunicularStatus

“The new research also ‘calls into question the idea that younger individuals and those without risk factors don’t need the vaccine,’ Viswanathan says.” #AbLeg #AbHealth

The Alberta government stopped tracking class sizes, and then the province's population growth really took off. @robsonfletcher.com set out to find out how the numbers of teachers compare to that growth, with the limited info available Class size/composition is a strike issue. #AbEd #AbLeg

Happy second Wednesday of the month, a reverent day for funicular users, as on this day, regularly scheduled funicular maintenance will occur. #YegFunicularStatus Proud of self for remembering this time.

Elections Alberta has approved a citizen-initiated petition application to gather signatures in support of the proposal to end public funding to independent/private schools. Calgary teacher Alicia Taylor says she brought it forward because it could help improve funding for public schools. #AbEd

#yegfunicularstatus The funicular isn’t working right now

Hi from a Ward D school trustee election candidate forum at the Cloverdale community league. I’m not live-posting but I’ll try to include some highlights. There are four candidates in Ward D, and no incumbent trustee. - Nickela Anderson - Colette Bachand - Nancy Hunt - Rufino Ranon #yegvote #epsb

Some non-unionized AHS staff are now required to take unpaid days off to save money, staff told in memo By @jenleecbc.bsky.social #AbLeg

The president of the ATA says teachers want the government to meet average class-size recommendations set by ACOL, which would require 5,000+ more teachers www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #AbEd #AbLeg

Is anyone at the Ward G EPSB trustee candidates forum tonight hosted by @epsanet.bsky.social? Would love to hear a recap or see some notes … #AbEd #YegVote #epsb

The ATA’s announcement of teachers soundly rejecting a contract offer and heading for a strike coincided with the last-in person Alberta Next panel in Calgary. A high school student tried to ask the panel about it … and what happened next sent everyone chasing after a 17 year old IB student #AbLeg

Full story: More than 89 per cent of Alberta teachers voted down a contract offer, setting the stage for the province's largest teacher strike on Oct. 6. #AbLeg #AbEd

Alberta Teachers’ Association members have voted 89.5 per cent to reject the latest contract offer. Turnout for the vote was 94 per cent. 51,000 teachers will go on strike across the province on Oct. 6. Here’s ATA president Jason Schilling announcing the vote result in Edmonton #AbEd #AbLeg

I’ve tried to pack a lot in here: TL;DR - Many AB teachers intend to vote against a contract offer - among them is a teacher who chaired the bargaining committee until last week - ATA internal comms says if they strike, the scale will be unprecedented; public pressure will affect outcome #AbEd

We are looking to interview teachers (on the record, with your name) today about how you're feeling about this offer -- positive, negative, or neutral. If you're willing and available, please get in touch! janet.french (at) cbc (dot) ca. #AbLeg #AbEd

Here's what we know about a tentative agreement reached between the Alberta Teachers' Association and employers: - same gen. wage increase offer: 12%/4 yrs - Adds 3,000 net new FT teachers over three years - Adds 1,500 net new EAs by 2028 - Unified wage grid by Sept. 2026 #AbLeg #AbEd

(Updated) #YEGvote info on Edmonton school trustee races: According to Elections Edmonton, there are 32 people running for nine public school trustee seats and 14 people running for the seven-seat Edmonton Catholic school board. www.edmonton.ca/city_governm... #AbEd

#YEGFunicularStarus It appears that the funicular is stuck part at and that someone and their bicycle is inside it