Alberta teachers speak out against UCP’s use of notwithstanding clause
Education leaders say governments should not use Section 33 to bypass courts in labour disputes and launched a petition seeking federal review.
- On Monday, June 1, 2026, teacher organization presidents representing over 420,000 educators met in Banff, Alberta, to condemn provincial and territorial governments' use of the Notwithstanding Clause in labour negotiations.
- Premiers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec have increasingly invoked the Notwithstanding Clause, including in legislation like the 2025 'Back to School Act' and 2023 'Parents' Bill of Rights', to bypass judicial review.
- Union leaders contend that using the clause to end labour disputes tells workers their rights are conditional, threatening protections for every citizen by blocking courts from providing recourse.
- A petition launched by the Canadian Teachers Federation board of directors calls on the federal government to annul or repeal future provincial legislation restricting collective bargaining before July 24, 2026.
- Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms should serve as a safeguard, teachers argue, rather than a routine tool for bypassing courts during legitimate labour disputes.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Canada teacher group urges government to engage in good-faith labor negotiations
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation called on governments to engage in meaningful labor negotiations and refrain from invoking the notwithstanding clause on Tuesday. The statement urged all governments to respect teachers’ labor rights, including the right to association, collective bargaining and strike. The group called on the government to engage in good-faith negotiations with education workers and refrain from shutting down negotiations by us…
Joint Statement from Canada's Education Leaders In Opposition to the Use of the Notwithstanding Clause in Labour Negotiations
BANFF, Alberta, June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teacher organization presidents from across Canada, representing more than 420,000 educators, met in Banff, Alberta, on June 1, 2026, to discuss the potential use of the Notwithstanding Clause (Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) by provincial/territorial governments for issues it was never intended for, as it has been in Alberta.
The Toronto Star
Joint Statement from Canada’s Education Leaders In Opposition to the Use of the Notwithstanding Clause in Labour Negotiations
BANFF, Alberta, June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teacher organization presidents from across Canada, representing more than 420,000 educators, met in Banff, Alberta, on June 1, 2026, to discuss the
Canadian Teachers' Federation - Joint Statement from Canada's Education Leaders: In Opposition to the Use of the Notwithstanding Clause in Labour Negotiations
Teacher organization presidents from across Canada, representing more than 420,000 educators, met in Banff, Alberta, on June 1, 2026, to discuss the potential use of the Notwithstanding Clause (Sectio. . .
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