Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[WideReceiver]

Teacher certification question for anyone who knows…

Talking with a retired teacher today. We agree that the government will likely reduce the education requirements. Maybe by a year because of the teacher shortage (now or expected in future).

If someone has a masters degree in, say, psychology, can they get credit for, say, two years if they go into education? Wouid the end result be a BEd degree or a Ed diploma?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by WideReceiver

Teacher certification question for anyone who knows…

Talking with a retired teacher today. We agree that the government will likely reduce the education requirements. Maybe by a year because of the teacher shortage (now or expected in future).

If someone has a masters degree in, say, psychology, can they get credit for, say, two years if they go into education? Wouid the end result be a BEd degree or a Ed diploma?

https://werklund.ucalgary.ca/undergr...n-after-degree

This exists.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by GGG

https://werklund.ucalgary.ca/undergr...n-after-degree

This exists.

But it isnt a 9 month program at Bow Valley College. Yet.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by BagoPucks

so anyone have any good resources for home schooling kids?

I used Khan Academy for a few weeks early in the pandemic before remote learning was up and running. It doesn’t align exactly with the Alberta curriculum, but they have grade-appropriate lessons in every subject. And once remote learning was up and running, some of the lessons my kids’ teachers used were straight out of Khan. So it’s credible content.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by BagoPucks

so anyone have any good resources for home schooling kids?

The government is now offering families $450 to sign up for homeschooling with a supervising independent (private) school

[Fuzz]

"Sort and stack" hand counting sees ballots divided into piles for each candidate, then counted. That will take place in mayoral races, where voters make one selection each from a relatively small field of candidates.

But it is exponentially more difficult in "at-large" elections, like non-ward council and school board contests in which multiple candidates are elected by voters filling out a single ballot.

Medicine Hat is an extreme example, but all of Alberta's mid-sized cities stage "at-large" elections.

With electronic vote tabulators banned in this month's municipal vote, they all searched for a solution.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...647743?cmp=rss

Remember to than your Premier for this completely unnecessary waste of time, money, and common sense. Why? Because she bought into US conspiracy theories pushed by her puppet master, David Parker. Who makes sure she stays exactly where he wants her.

Any UCP supporters want to step forward to defend this wise spending of our taxpayer dollars? Come on, man up. You're gonna vote for these ####holes again next time no matter what, so have a ####in' backbone and step up and defend your choices. Or prove to use how feckless you all are by staying silent. Alternatively, you can apologize and vow to never support this #### again.

[Fuzz]

Parker Vows He and Take Back Alberta Will Escape Punishment

Oh? Has the premiere promised to use her pardon powers?

David Parker is supremely confident that he will never pay $112,500 in fines levied by Elections Alberta against himself and Take Back Alberta, the political activist organization he leads.

Nor does he think he will ever be prosecuted for failing to file third-party advertiser financial information to Elections Alberta.

“They haven’t contacted me in any way to try to get the money, which is interesting,” Parker said in a recent telephone interview.

Parker may have reason to be confident.

Recent inquiries by The Tyee found neither case against Parker and Take Back Alberta is currently being legally pursued, and there is confusion about whether the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service is even responsible for prosecuting the Elections Alberta case.

https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/10/02/P...pe-Punishment/

Well on our way to becoming America, I see. No repercussions for subverting democracy, premier glad handing with the perpetrator, criminal emboldened to #### around further. Awesome work, guys.

Kinda like Kenney and crew got away with their own malfeasance. If there is one thing I'd wish for, it would be for our democracy to be better protected, and for swift investigations and justice to happen no all political related cases. Otherwise we don't really have a democracy, do we?

[Harry Lime]

Alberta shuts down 5 instruction schools and 13 carriers for safety infractions. Good.

Alberta shuts down five unsafe truck driver training schools, 13 carriers - Truck News https://share.google/y5Ojxy8QuW4zsr1d6

[metallicat]

Know what else is a farce? Medical testing for class one drivers. I know because I have a class one. I don’t drive truck anymore. But the medical place is cash only and the driving school sent me to this particular doctor. I literally read the top line, the big letter, on an eye chart and was passed. The doctors were totally in cahoots with the driving school. The second time I had a medical was only slightly better, but in no way is it designed to ensure I was medically safe to be behind the wheels of a semi.

[fotze2]

So strike is happening tomorrow. My wife said teachers cleared out their stuff Friday. She gets paid for a bit because not with the union. Gotta admit, she doesn’t sound to devastated about this.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by fotze2

So strike is happening tomorrow. My wife said teachers cleared out their stuff Friday. She gets paid for a bit because not with the union. Gotta admit, she doesn’t sound to devastated about this.

All teachers I know are pretty devastated, including myself.

[malcolmk14]

I’m not devastated. I’m pissed off. The lies and gaslighting by the government in the media just set me off.

[Wolven]

I missed this before.. but apparently there is a Solidarity Pact that was signed by the various unions of Alberta back in March.

Basically if they see the UCP try to break the union or legislate the teachers back to work there is a promise that all of the unions will take action.

This is a powerful message from workers to a corrupt government looking to flex it's authoritarian muscles on the people of Alberta.

Considering how tone deaf the UCP are, I wonder which move they make will trigger the solidarity pact. I expect it'll happen quickly as the UCP seem to have no qualms disregarding other people.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by fotze2

So strike is happening tomorrow. My wife said teachers cleared out their stuff Friday. She gets paid for a bit because not with the union. Gotta admit, she doesn’t sound to devastated about this.

Well...at least traffic on my commute wont be as bad.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

I’m not devastated. I’m pissed off. The lies and gaslighting by the government in the media just set me off.

Count your blessings. The government’s shenanigans are bad but they’ve got nothing on the private sector companies that are coaching them.

Wishing you and all of the other teachers the best in this fight!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

I’m not devastated. I’m pissed off. The lies and gaslighting by the government in the media just set me off.

Well then show them! Get on that picket-line and devastate them with clever slogans on cardboard!!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

I’m not devastated. I’m pissed off. The lies and gaslighting by the government in the media just set me off.

So, in all seriousness, whats your general sense of this situation?

From reading various articles it doesnt appear that the two sides are really close at all. Is this, in your opinion, going to be a quick one or is this going to be a long and drawn out slug-fest?

My view of it is long slug-fest, but I hope not. I just dont trust this Government. I think they'll stick to their guns because they've been getting away with it so far.

[The Big Chill]

Just my speculation, but it seems like the sides are close, but it’s going to be a nasty situation anyway. I think something like 2-3 percent over four years would be enough to agree on the wages, and a pinky swear of adding 4-5000 teachers would get a deal done. But I don’t think Smith will budge at all unless public pressure gets to her.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Just my speculation, but it seems like the sides are close, but it’s going to be a nasty situation anyway. I think something like 2-3 percent over four years would be enough to agree on the wages, and a pinky swear of adding 4-5000 teachers would get a deal done. But I don’t think Smith will budge at all unless public pressure gets to her.

The additional teachers element is one that I think has to go along with additional schools. They're saying that they're teaching in Gyms and hallways and such, so just adding teachers isn't the whole solution, they have to find places to put all these people.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by Locke

So, in all seriousness, whats your general sense of this situation?

From reading various articles it doesnt appear that the two sides are really close at all. Is this, in your opinion, going to be a quick one or is this going to be a long and drawn out slug-fest?

My view of it is long slug-fest, but I hope not. I just dont trust this Government. I think they'll stick to their guns because they've been getting away with it so far.

For a few years people have been raising concerns and the tide has significantly shifted since Covid. In 2023 the ATA ran their regular pulse survey of members and one of the staff officers summarized the survey results as, “Everything is bad, and it’s getting worse.”

Teachers are desperate, begging for something to change, and collective bargaining is really the only place it can happen. For many teachers, myself included, this round of bargaining is a “last stand”. I have been seriously considering leaving the profession and a #### deal here will accelerate that/exacerbate that feeling.

I can’t share exact results or comments from the survey but the number of teachers actively seeking other work more than tripled between 2019 and 2023. There is a crisis in the workforce. Over 60% of survey respondents said they would leave teaching at the drop of a hat if they were offered something else with the same salary and benefits. That number was under 30% in 2019.

So I don’t see teachers budging here. The government is going to have to force us back and I don’t see DS doing that until the 27th, barring a change of heart because of immense public pressure.