A right and responsibility—go vote!

Getting out the vote can be a challenge, whether for municipal, provincial or federal elections, various plebiscites in your local communities, or our own Provincial Executive Council (PEC) election. Explanations for this can include lack of information, apathy, busy lives at work and home, or even the feeling that one vote won’t make a difference. Your vote does matter, though. And there is an important vote approaching that I encourage you all to take part in: the provincial referendum vote on Oct. 19.

As we have seen in some elections locally and internationally, a low voter turnout can result in an unexpected candidate winning an election. Just a few votes can make a difference. The same can hold true for a referendum, which is why it is important that you, your family members and your neighbours go out and vote on Oct. 19. 

Back in June, President Jason Schilling released a statement on the referendum, which read in part

“The Alberta Teachers’ Association opposes any ballot questions in the Alberta referendum that refer to restricting access to provincially funded public education based on a child’s immigration status. Children do not choose their immigration status, and they should not be denied an education because of it. Every child in Alberta deserves access to publicly funded education. Period. … Other Canadian provinces have already acted to ensure that no child is denied public education based on immigration status. Alberta should be doing the same.”

The outcomes of this referendum may have a direct impact on what happens in our classrooms and schools. As teachers, we want to do what is best for students and part of that is ensuring they have access to public education. It is time to make your vote count.

If you requested a special ballot, remember to submit your mail-in ballot sooner rather than later—these ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 16. As long lines are expected on referendum day, you may also consider taking part in advanced voting in your electoral division from Oct. 13–17. If you choose to vote on Oct. 19, voting locations are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. However you decide to vote on the 10 questions being posed, one thing is important: vote! More information on the questions and the process is available at www.elections.ab.ca/elections/referendum.

There is another vote on the horizon that will also impact you as teachers: the Association’s PEC election. 

You might be thinking, “What the heck is PEC?” PEC is composed of your elected representatives for the Association. PEC members represent your views at the provincial level and, collectively, are charged with creating and setting Association policies and practices. PEC also creates standing and ad hoc committees to advise and assist representatives on various education-related matters. Some of PEC’s duties are to help draft the Association’s budget and provide input on fees, set objectives and priorities and help develop high-level strategies for the Association and identify issues affecting teachers and the profession. Their most important role is to maintain ongoing contact with you, the members, to ensure your ideas, successes, suggestions or challenges are brought forward to the rest of PEC and to staff. 

If you want to learn more about how PEC is representing members, you can find a record of any of their recorded votes on the ATA website. More insights into PEC’s meetings are also available in “PEC Points,” a recurring item in the ATA News, and Precis, a brief account of PEC meetings now available to members. These reports create transparency and help members better understand the decisions made and their impact on you and the profession. 

In March 2027, the biennial general election for PEC will be held. The positions to be filled in that election are the president, two vice-presidents and 15 district representatives. More information on the PEC election, including nomination deadlines, will be distributed in October, but if you want to find out more about PEC in the meantime, information is available on our website at teachers.ab.ca/about/ata-governance/provincial-executive-council. 

We live in a democratic society, and each of us has the right and responsibility to participate fully in the voting process. Please exercise yours.

I welcome your comments and questions. You may reach me at robert.mazzotta@ata.ab.ca.