NDP MP and federal leadership candidate Heather McPherson criticized Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s handling of the province’s ongoing teachers’ strike, saying the government has failed to negotiate in good faith with educators.Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, the Edmonton–Strathcona MP said she was “appalled” that Smith’s government planned to introduce back-to-work legislation instead of reaching a fair deal with the Alberta Teachers’ Association. “Those teachers deserve fair wages, fair class sizes, and safe working conditions,” McPherson said. “Instead of doing that, she’s going to force them back to work.”.The province’s teachers have been on strike for three weeks, leaving roughly 750,000 public school students out of classrooms.The United Conservative government has signalled it intends to recall the legislature to end the strike through legislation.McPherson, whose son is a Grade 12 student affected by the work stoppage, said she sympathizes with parents but supports the teachers’ right to strike..“I am very aware of the impact this is having on students, but I stand with workers,” she said. “The danger to my son’s education lies with Danielle Smith, not with teachers demanding fairness.”She argued that the dispute reflects a broader pattern of governments undermining collective bargaining rights.“Whether it’s Liberals or Conservatives, we see governments using back-to-work laws to weaken workers’ ability to negotiate fair wages and conditions,” McPherson said..“It’s a continuation of the same problem — a lack of respect for the collective bargaining process.”The Alberta Teachers’ Association has said it is seeking improvements to class size limits, workloads, and compensation amid what it describes as worsening conditions in the public education system. The province maintains that its latest offer is fair and sustainable.McPherson’s comments came as part of a broader press conference announcing her proposed Fair Representation Act, legislation aimed at ensuring unions remain democratic and independent..However, her strongest remarks were reserved for the Alberta government, which she accused of putting political expediency ahead of fair negotiation.“This government has chosen confrontation over cooperation,” she said. “Teachers deserve better — and so do Alberta families.”
