Alberta Labour Leader Speaks Out on Back-to-School Order

Calgary students streamed back into classrooms on October 29, 2025, after a provincewide teachers' strike, which began on October 6, 2025, was abruptly ended by the enactment of Bill 2. But the return to normalcy for Calgary's 740,000 students comes with a heavy dose of controversy.

Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) leader Gil McGowan wasted no time voicing strong concerns on October 29, criticizing Bill 2, known as the "Back to School Act." The legislation not only ended the 22-day strike but also legislated a collective agreement for teachers, overriding collective bargaining rights by invoking the notwithstanding clause. Experts have called this one of the most aggressive labour moves in Canadian history.

For Calgary, a city where a well-educated workforce is vital to its diversifying economy—spanning booming tech, healthcare, and construction sectors—the implications are significant. The Alberta Teachers' Association noted Calgary alone needs approximately 2,600 more teaching staff to align with class size ratios in other major cities. This bill lands at a crucial time, with Calgary schools already grappling with post-pandemic challenges like learning loss, mental health impacts on students, and existing staffing shortages. McGowan’s comments reflect a deepening rift, with labour leaders warning of damaged morale among teachers and a dangerous precedent for all organized labour.