Question: I’m outraged that the Alberta Teachers’ Association gave the UCP leadership candidates prime time at Summer Conference to talk to members and even sell UCP party memberships. What were you thinking?
Answer: I’m actually very pleased that six of the seven candidates for the hotly contested leadership of the United Conservative Party took the time to come out to Banff at their own expense to talk to teacher leaders gathered there for the ATA Summer Conference. The “odd man out” was Travis Toews who, having previously accepted the invitation to attend, begged off citing a scheduling issue. Toews sent a milquetoast greeting video instead.
The reality is that one of the seven candidates will, on Oct. 6, become premier of Alberta and occupy that office at least until the provincial election, scheduled to take place on May 29, 2023. The other potential candidate for premier is Rachel Notley, leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, who was also invited to attend Summer Conference, but was not available. The NDP did not accept an offer to accommodate them by hosting a meet-and-greet with MLAs representing the party, but Notley did send along her own video that was shared with attendees the day after the UCP leadership candidates’ forum.
Given the way our parliamentary system has evolved, the premier has considerable influence over critical policies across all ministries. For teachers then, the opportunity to understand the intentions and orientation of the next premier with respect to education issues is of critical importance. That is why the Association has routinely invited leadership candidates for parties represented in the legislature to address teachers at various events.
In past years, candidates for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative, Liberal, Alberta and New Democratic parties have all been invited, with most leadership candidates choosing to make an appearance. Furthermore, the Association has encouraged and facilitated its members to take out a party membership in whatever party they may wish to involve themselves.
It is mistaken, and a bit arrogant, to assume that teachers are, collectively, a political monolith. While the vast majority share a broad common commitment to public education and advancing the interests of the profession and their students, our members reflect the diversity of the province in their personal political allegiances.
I’ll note that observers of Alberta’s political scene credit teacher involvement with playing a critical role in several notable leadership races in the past. In 2006, in an appearance at the Political Action Seminar, Ed Stelmach announced his intention, if he were to become premier, to fund the $2.2 billion unfunded liability of the teachers’ pension fund. In 2011, Alison Redford similarly sought teacher support by promising to walk back a $107 million cut in education spending. Both subsequently were elected to the leadership of their parties and became premier. Both kept their promises. We can only speculate, and many have, what role teacher mobilization played in those outcomes.
I encourage teachers to view the video of the UCP leadership forum that was posted shortly after the event. It was no walk in the park for the candidates. The questions posed by moderator Kelly Cryderman were developed with input from attendees and covered a range of tough issues including curriculum, education funding and the transfer of the ATRF to AIMCo.
Interestingly, almost all candidates were all highly critical of Education Minister LaGrange’s new curriculum and particularly how it was being rolled out. Even Danielle Smith was lukewarm at best in her support, saying while the math and language arts programs were improved (the audience vocally disagreed, particularly with the former), in other subject areas more work and additional support for implementation was required. All said that Toews’ unilateral hijacking of the teachers’ pension fund was unacceptable and each further committed to rebuilding the government’s relationship with the Association, which has deteriorated severely over the last three-and-a-half years.
Whether an individual chooses to support the UCP or any one of the leadership candidates is their business, but it is in the interests of all teachers to understand what the aspiring premiers think about public education, what commitments they are willing to make, and to hold them individually and collectively to their promises.
ATA Executive Secretary