Teachers' groups condemn use of notwithstanding clause

Organizations representing more than 420,000 teachers across Canada have jointly denounced the use of the notwithstanding clause to force workers back to work and terminate labour disputes — a move directly targeting Alberta's October use of the clause to end a three-week public school teachers' strike.

In a statement Tuesday, Clint Johnston, president of the Canadian Teachers' Federation, and Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to annul or repeal future provincial use of the clause to restrict workers' rights to strike.

Alberta's UCP government invoked the notwithstanding clause to pass legislation ending the strike that had pulled 51,000 teachers from classrooms and affected more than 740,000 children. Premier Danielle Smith defended the move at the time as necessary for "ongoing labour stability."

"The erosion of trust, the damage done to a profession, the message sent to workers is that their rights are somehow conditional, temporary, and negotiable when politically convenient," Schilling said Tuesday. He noted the ripple effects are still being felt — young people questioning whether public service is worth the sacrifice, and experienced professionals leaving the field.

The statement pointed to similar provincial moves in Saskatchewan and Ontario as evidence of a broader pattern of using the clause to override Charter rights. The Canadian Teachers' Federation has launched a petition open until July 24, 2026.