The Alberta legislature sat until about 2 AM on Tuesday morning to pass their bill to end the teacher’s strike with the invocation of the Notwithstanding Clause, with time allocation limiting debate at each stage of the bill to a mere hour apiece, which makes this an affront to both parliamentary democracy, and the very notion of rights in the province given that Danielle Smith has decided there is little to fear from her tramping over them. Oh, and while the legislature was sitting until 2 AM, Smith herself was in an airport lounge on her way to Saudi Arabia.

There are too many disingenuous arguments made to justify invoking the Clause for me to rebut here, but suffice to say, merely saying that the Clause is part of the constitution therefore that justifies its use is horseshit, or that the Supreme Court of Canada invented a right to strike, therefore the Clause is justified to pushback against judicial activism is also motivated reasoning. Even more than that, Smith’s government is claiming they can’t meet the teachers’ demands because they’re too expensive is also risible—they’re the richest province in the country, but they made the choice to double down on resource royalties (whose value has been plunging) in order to cut taxes once again. This is self-inflicted, ideological, and one has to wonder when Albertans are going to wake up that their government is quite literally undermining the entire public sector in the province quite deliberately.

https://bsky.app/profile/lindsaytedds.bsky.social/post/3m4azh342fk27

Populations on whom Canadian governments have used or threatened to use the notwithstanding clause, allowing them to override Charter rights: – trans and nonbinary kids- religious minorities – homeless people – teachersedmontonjournal.com/news/politic…

— Anna Mehler Paperny (@mehlerpaperny.bsky.social) 2025-10-28T00:33:22.757Z

We’ll see what the next steps are in terms of responses, given that the teachers’ union has decided against work-to-rule, but for the moment, say goodbye to extra-curricular activities as teachers exempt themselves from them. There is talk of mass protest from other labour unions in the province, and a general strike is always a possibility. But can I just take a moment to say that those of you who are bringing out the “No Queens” stuff already to please just not. We live in a constitutional monarchy and we have a Queen, and aping American protests is lazy and gauche. Find a different slogan.

Guys. Come on.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-10-28T12:56:29.934Z

effinbirds.com/post/7810977…

— Effin' Birds (@effinbirds.com) 2025-10-28T21:22:02.896Z

Ukraine Dispatch

President Zelenskyy says that he won’t cede land in any future peace talks, just in case you were wondering.

https://twitter.com/KI_Insight/status/1983180684031349128

Good reads:

• Mark Carney’s stopover in Singapore was dedicated to meeting with potential investment partners, particularly for major projects.
• Neither Carney nor PMO will say if they saw the Reagan ad before it went out.
• Sources™ say that Carney’s “climate competitiveness” plan hinges on the industrial carbon price, but details won’t come until the budget.
• The CRA says they are looking to digital asbestos and better training to help provide more accurate answers…which digital asbestos won’t provide. (Seriously, guys).
• Shell companies in Hong Kong have been smuggling Canadian tech to Russia, and there are concerns the RCMP isn’t doing enough to enforce sanctions.
• CBC has an explainer of how the various trade actions affect major industries in each of the provinces.
• A report in the Lancet suggests that some 1400 deaths between 2020 and 2024 were attributable to wildfire smoke.
• Former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin says that the rule of law remains a strength for Canada as we decouple from the US and look for new economic relationships.
• The Conservatives made a push for their private member’s bill on domestic violence, with the family of one BC victim behind them to make the pitch.
• Doug Ford is limiting debate and avoiding public input on his bill to outlaw speed cameras, because of course he is.
• Thomas Lukaszuk’s “Forever Canada” petition has surpassed the required number of signatures, and looks set to initiate a provincial referendum in Alberta.
• Mike Moffatt’s Missing Middle Initiative takes a closer look at the data on falling housing starts, and why the numbers may be misleading to federal authorities.
• Shannon Proudfoot posits that Trump’s meltdown over the Reagan ads wasn’t just a tactic, but that it’s a reminder that it’s a bit of reality he can’t control.
• Matt Gurney suggests that Doug Ford stop trying to play Captain Canada and focus on fixing his own province, which is an absolute omnishambles at this point.
• Andrew Coyne reminds us that the only way to win the negotiations with Trump is not to play (because there is no deal to be had).
• Susan Delacourt looks at how Americans are reacting to the latest tantrum tariffs, and how it also forces Pierre Poilievre to walk an uncomfortable tightrope.
• Paul Wells talks to Alex Marland about his new book on party discipline, and the way party loyalty works in Canadian politics.

Odds and ends:

https://bsky.app/profile/emmettmacfarlane.com/post/3m4bdqw5fok2g

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