Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Unlike the police or hospitals parents have alternative options to provide education to their children if an individual school board is facing a labour dispute. If schools were essential to the wellbeing of a child home schooling wouldn’t be allowed and one would think they would be open everyday, like all hospitals, police/fire departments, care homes, etc that are deemed essential. Are you suggesting schools should be open every single day for the welfare of children?

I think this is the best answer to the essential service question. According to the government, anyone is qualified to teach their own children - public schools are a convenience, not essential. If that is challenged with "people have to work", then why isn't daycare fully subsidized like the public school system is? or if it needs qualified teachers, why is homeschooling allowed without a fully qualified teacher?

If learning outcomes are so important, why are we not giving teachers the resources they need. If someone wants to complain that a strike is damaging the children, then the argument that overworked and underpaid and understaffed teachers are also damaging the children is equally valid.

[woob]

Learning outcomes are only important if there's a gap that people disagree with. Otherwise it's irrelevant.

[puffnstuff]

What would you do if you want to hide info from the Auditor General? Or delay the reporting?

https://bsky.app/profile/ctheriault..../3lmibryxjjk2k

Alberta NDP claims a leaked email from Alberta Health shows that the government is impeding the AG's health care scandal report.
The email tells employees to redirect the AG to lawyers should they be contacted by the AG.

[GGG]

That is probably a reasonable course of action given there is a wrongful dismissal suit in front of the courts.

The behaviour of the innocent and the guilty in this case would likely be the same.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GGG

That is probably a reasonable course of action given there is a wrongful dismissal suit in front of the courts.

The behaviour of the innocent and the guilty in this case would likely be the same.

No, it's not. The AG has a responsibility and a mandate to investigate. Stonewalling the investigation makes it a pointless exercise, thus defeating the purpose of an AG. This is, at absolute best, an admission of guilt.

It's also a garbage bag full of bull#### from Smith, who one hand claims to support the investigation, and on the other is clearly doing the opposite. If the goal is to hide facts from being used at a wrongful dismissal trial, that, to me, is even worse.

The government works at the behest of it's citizens, not the other way around. And if it believes it dismissed her properly, no facts revealed should counter that. If they are concerned facts would jeopardize their case, that, too, is an admission of guilt. You know, if you are innocent you have nothing to hide, right? Right. Sunlight this ####, now. Reminder we only know this today because someone had some morals. We can in no way trust this government.

[puffnstuff]

According to this from the AG he is not looking at the firing so the govt saying it has to do with the dismissal suit is false.

EDMONTON, AB—February 6, 2025—The following statement was issued by Auditor General Doug Wylie today:

“I recently commenced an examination of the Procurement and Contracting Processes at the Department of Health and Alberta Health Services,” said Auditor General Doug Wylie. “At this time, the examination pertains to Chartered Surgical Facilities, Medication (ibuprofen or acetaminophen), and COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment.”#

The examination is looking at the effectiveness of management and control processes—including governance and oversight—ensuring value for Albertans while addressing concerns or allegations related to contracting and potential conflicts of interest.

If necessary, the examination may extend to other organizations.

Results of this work will be made available to all Albertans when the report(s) are tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

https://www.oag.ab.ca/statement-from...al-of-alberta/

[Reggie28]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Since 2013, teachers have received 0%, 0%, 2%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 0.5%, 1.25% and 2%. Not sure how that compares with other jobs such as accountants, plumbers, etc.

AB Nurses got a 20% raise. Mediator recommended 12% for teachers.

The IBEW took a 20% pay cut in 2018 due to a slow economy. In 2023 they signed a new 2 year deal with 7.5%, 4% and 4% increases. Now of course, the 20% pay cut only affected you if you had still had a job to go to. So maybe we are comparing apples to oranges.

https://albertaworker.ca/news/4000-a...wage-increase/

Canem unionized workers just received their first increase since 2020. 0%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 6.85%, 0%, 0%. If you work out of Red Deer, you received a 3.03% increase in 2024, instead of the 6.85%. Of course, you still had to have a job get the raise in 2024.

https://albertaworker.ca/news/electr...20respectively.

How it compares with other jobs? I would say you are doing better than these guys.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Reggie28

The IBEW took a 20% pay cut in 2018 due to a slow economy. In 2023 they signed a new 2 year deal with 7.5%, 4% and 4% increases. Now of course, the 20% pay cut only affected you if you had still had a job to go to. So maybe we are comparing apples to oranges.

https://albertaworker.ca/news/4000-a...wage-increase/

Canem unionized workers just received their first increase since 2020. 0%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 6.85%, 0%, 0%. If you work out of Red Deer, you received a 3.03% increase in 2024, instead of the 6.85%. Of course, you still had to have a job get the raise in 2024.

https://albertaworker.ca/news/electr...20respectively.

How it compares with other jobs? I would say you are doing better than these guys.

Cherry picking comparables can work both ways so it’s generally best to avoid doing that

[Reggie28]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Cherry picking comparables can work both ways so it’s generally best to avoid doing that

It’s been a tough go for Tradespeople in the Alberta oilfield the last 5-10 years, I didn’t realize how bad for some and I didn’t mean to cherry pick. There were stretches with more jobs than people and you had to raise rates to hire anyone.

I hope some have transitioned into more stable specialties.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

According to this from the AG he is not looking at the firing so the govt saying it has to do with the dismissal suit is false.

EDMONTON, AB—February 6, 2025—The following statement was issued by Auditor General Doug Wylie today:

“I recently commenced an examination of the Procurement and Contracting Processes at the Department of Health and Alberta Health Services,” said Auditor General Doug Wylie. “At this time, the examination pertains to Chartered Surgical Facilities, Medication (ibuprofen or acetaminophen), and COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment.”#

The examination is looking at the effectiveness of management and control processes—including governance and oversight—ensuring value for Albertans while addressing concerns or allegations related to contracting and potential conflicts of interest.

If necessary, the examination may extend to other organizations.

Results of this work will be made available to all Albertans when the report(s) are tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

https://www.oag.ab.ca/statement-from...al-of-alberta/

Well they fired her because she was investigating the corrupt procurement, so once again the UCP is probably just too stupid to realize they are admitting that the dots are connected

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I’m saying schools should be considered an essential service because we have a wealth of studies showing that kids missing school has a serious impact on their welfare. Do you think child welfare advocates are right-wing, anti-union troglodytes?

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...fba44fa0f.html

School is an essential service... but kids also have two months of summer vacation, two weeks of easter break, two weeks of winter break, and countless P/D days.

And personally, my parents took me on a two month vacation during the school year in first and second grade, and a one month vacation in sixth grade, and i still understood the ultimate course material just fine, despite not doing any of the takehome course material. And I was also in school during the 2002 teacher's strike loving the time off.

That all may be anecdotal. But I am skeptical that the teachers going on strike is doing to do permanent, irreversible damage. And studies focused exclusively on the covid lockdowns are problematic because there were countless other factors at play.

If we want good, qualified teachers, it needs to be a lucrative career. Which it used to be in Canada.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

What would you do if you want to hide info from the Auditor General? Or delay the reporting?

https://bsky.app/profile/ctheriault..../3lmibryxjjk2k

Alberta NDP claims a leaked email from Alberta Health shows that the government is impeding the AG's health care scandal report.
The email tells employees to redirect the AG to lawyers should they be contacted by the AG.

So much for 'directing her officials to be fully transparent with AG Wylie'

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Good education = good economy.

It's also a pretty good place to start if you want to reduce the future outflow of meth addicts and criminals

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

It's also a pretty good place to start if you want to reduce the future outflow of meth addicts and criminals

That and maybe addressing the labour code so that we can reduce the amount of bad jobs out there so more people feel as though they actually have opportunities to better their lives.

[puffnstuff]

Maybe they arent being transparent like they said theyd be. K I ndaseem to be lying about it too

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/arti...-health-probe/

The issue arose after the Opposition NDP revealed a leaked email this week from Alberta Health that directs public servants to contact a lawyer to co-ordinate if auditor general Doug Wylie requests an interview as part of his investigation.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says funnelling interview requests through a lawyer amounts to a gag order and runs counter to the government’s promise to be open and transparent.

Alberta Health says it’s a standard process and that the auditor general’s office OK’d it, but Wylie’s office says it was surprised by the move.

“We were not aware of, nor did we endorse, that proposed action. This is not a standard practice our office typically encounters in the course of its work,” said Cheryl Schneider, a spokesperson for Wylie’s office.

“We want Albertans to understand that the auditor general will do everything necessary within his powers to ensure he has access to the information and the individuals required for his work,” she said in a Friday statement.

[Fuzz]

So Alberta Health just straight up lied about getting the AG's OK? Maybe those are the people who should be fired, with cause?


Oh, right, no consequences unless you are trying to do the right thing for Albertans.

[malcolmk14]

Won't say too much about teacher bargaining but I will say the focus on salary is a red herring. The government is offering what they are offering to take the focus off what teachers actually want, which is better classroom conditions, support for students, and fewer administrative demands dictated to them by their employers that don't contribute to good teaching and learning. The government knows that these things are unlikely to be awarded in arbitration so they are strategically lowballing teachers with an offer that looks acceptable to the public and directing the public narrative towards salary.

I've been teaching for 11 years, have a Masters, been in leadership positions, worked in all areas of the city, and worked with and talked to hundreds of different teachers. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that most teachers do not care about the 3% if they can't do their job effectively. Everyone is hung up on the salary but that's one small piece of the puzzle.

We'll see if teachers have the stomach to vote down the mediators recommendations on May 6th. I'm voting no because this is just more of the same for 3% more money. Unfortunately I think even a no vote doesn't get teachers too far, because the government is holding all the cards and there is not a ton of public support for teachers. The only way teachers gain any leverage is something like 90% turnout and 90% no, which I think is pretty unlikely. The government only has to offer something good enough that 51% of teachers are fine with it.

[Major Major]

It's a complex issue but money is a big part of the equation for me. That being said, I may feel differently if the government didn't actively try to attack public education.

The raise needs to be substantial to attract out of province teachers, which was the advantage of the Redford raise. It worked.

With 50 000 alberta teachers and only 1500 yearly additions from Alberta universities, nearly half of which don't stick, there will be a teacher shortage. We are already seeing the signs of it.

The flow of teachers from BC and Ontario has dried up. Frankly, the ones who still make it to alberta out of some circumstance think our system is wholly laughable. Which it is.

Right now, in Quebec, there are 10 000 unlicensed teachers in schools. We will be there too without a massive raise in the area of 20%. If UCP hold power, that may not even matter.

[puffnstuff]

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/pol...ruption-claims

Lawyers for the Alberta government accused ex-Alberta Health Services CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos of hiding from questions and showing a “Trumpian” disregard for rules as the case that has rocked provincial politics landed in court for the first time.

Her lawyers fired back, saying the government is trying to sneak a peek at what Mentzelopoulos has told investigators probing allegations of corruption in health-care procurement.


Wanna see the height of irony? The ucp accusing someone else of hiding from questions just might be it.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Major Major

It's a complex issue but money is a big part of the equation for me. That being said, I may feel differently if the government didn't actively try to attack public education.

The raise needs to be substantial to attract out of province teachers, which was the advantage of the Redford raise. It worked.

With 50 000 alberta teachers and only 1500 yearly additions from Alberta universities, nearly half of which don't stick, there will be a teacher shortage. We are already seeing the signs of it.

The flow of teachers from BC and Ontario has dried up. Frankly, the ones who still make it to alberta out of some circumstance think our system is wholly laughable. Which it is.

Right now, in Quebec, there are 10 000 unlicensed teachers in schools. We will be there too without a massive raise in the area of 20%. If UCP hold power, that may not even matter.

Is this because of a capacity cap, or that's all they have applying?