Calgary teachers rally in Edmonton as Alberta legislature returns

Nearly 30 buses carrying Calgary teachers and their families rolled into Edmonton Thursday morning, converging on the Alberta Legislature in a show of solidarity with the provincewide teachers’ strike, now in its third week.

The rally comes amid mounting financial strain for educators, many of whom say the prolonged work stoppage is taking a toll on their households.

Douglas Brandt, a Calgary teacher, shared the personal cost of the strike for his family.

“It’s been really tough,” he says. “I’ve got two boys in university at UBC, and trying to pay for their tuition and their cost of living has been a challenge. We’re about to go to the bank to get a loan.”

Melissa Melville, another teacher, echoed the hardship.

“Groceries are harder, and rent and insurance are harder. People are trying to find ways to make those things happen—knowing that we don’t have a paycheck this month,” she said.

Despite the financial pressure, teachers at the rally emphasized their commitment to the cause.

“A lot of the losses we’ve taken, some of us will never get back,” Melville added. “But we believe our kids deserve better.”

Brandt agreed, saying, “There is an element of hope as well.”

That’s why we’re here. We believe that we can make a change.”

The educators argue that improving their working conditions will directly benefit students.

“Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions,” Melville said. “If we don’t take care of the adults, the kids also aren’t okay.”

Grade 11 student Kara Tyliszczak joined the rally to support her teachers.

“We should be taken care of, we should have our educations,” she said. “We’re the next doctors, we’re the next teachers, we’re the next pilots. We should be prioritizing and investing in our future.”

Premier Danielle Smith said if the two sides can’t reach a deal at the bargaining table in the next few days, her UCP government will introduce back-to-work legislation Monday.

Smith made the announcement on the same day politicians returned to the legislature for the fall sitting to hear Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani outline government plans and priorities in the speech from the throne.

As Lakhani spoke to politicians and dignitaries in the chamber, the thousands of teachers and their supporters, dressed in red, protested the back-to-work order, banging drums, shouting and chanting.