Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA)

Democracy Under Siege We are living through extraordinary times — times that would have seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. Around the world, autocracy is on the rise. The new U.S. regime threatens the sovereignty of these lands currently called Canada. Here at home, misinformation and corruption have taken hold in Alberta’s government. The pillars of liberal democracy are crumbling under the strain of growing authoritarianism. This year’s Parkland Institute conference confronts these urgent threats head-on. We’ll take a hard look at the political institutions meant to act as guardrails against autocracy and ask how well they are faring in this role. More importantly, we’ll start a conversation about how we can strengthen those institutions, defend our struggling democracy, repel the current threat, and create a future that is built on the foundations of equality, justice, and solidarity.

One week to go! “Democracy Under Siege” opens next Friday, Nov. 21, at the University of Alberta.

Register today to join the discussion on how we can confront the new face of fascism and strengthen democratic power.

Learn more at parklandconference.ca

17th CLiFF Edmonton Airing – Edmonton District Labour Council Please join us for the 17th Annual Canadian Labour International Film Festival here in Edmonton. If you attend in person we will have some pizza, donuts & solidarity to go along with the movies. Guest...

On Monday, join the Edmonton & District Labour Council for a free screening of films from the 17th Annual Canadian Labour International Film Festival!

Nov 17 | 5:30-6:45 pm
Ironworkers 720 Hall (10512 122 St NW)

RSVP at edmontonlabour.ca/events/cliff...

Alberta Funds Public Schools A Citizen Initiative petitioning the Government of Alberta to improve its Public Education funding model.

The group collecting petition signatures for a citizen's initiative to defund private schools in Alberta seem well organized. They have a website with a professionally shot video that seeks to highlight the disparity between public and private school funding.
abfundspublicschools.ca/cgi-bin/publ...

Students at #UAlberta get it! Labour rights are human rights! Students and unions stood together today to say no to Bill 2 and yes to our fundamental rights.

Today at noon on the #UAlberta campus! Be there.

Braid: UCP faces mounting challenges from its own Recall Act Danielle Smith and her Alberta UCP face a wave of recall challenges that could threaten her majority. She could repeal the law.

Nicolaides in 2015:
“I prefer recall that is available regardless of the motivation. It should be available with no strings attached . . . recall should be legislated at all levels of government.”
Sounds great, until it’s aimed at you.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...

Keeping up with the UCP government's democratic transgressions can be difficult.

But not impossible.

Here’s a running list since Danielle Smith became premier. 🧵👇

Statement by Bishop Stephen Dear Friends in Christ, Greetings. I have not issued many public letters in my ministry as Bishop. However, with the Provincial Government’s use of the Notwithstanding Clause to send teachers back to ...

Statement by Bishop Stephen | Anglican Diocese of Edmonton - Alberta Govt use of notwithstanding clause

edmonton.anglican.ca/news/stateme...

Green-filtered photo of the Alberta Legislature building from below. Text reads: "Firing of Auditor General Reaffirms Need for a Public Inquiry Into Corruption Allegations. Read FOM's response: friendsofmedicare.org/news"

Between a government-controlled third-party process, limitations, delays & now: the ousting of the Auditor General during his investigation, Albertans are STILL waiting for answers on major health care corruption allegations.

We need a public inquiry NOW!
www.friendsofmedicare.org/firing_audit...

Join the Edmonton & District Labour Council for a free screening of films from this year's Canadian Labour International Film Festival!

November 17 | 5:30-6:45 pm
Ironworkers 720 Hall (10512 122 St NW)

RSVP at edmontonlabour.ca/events/cliff...

RALLY FOR ALBERTA TEACHERS!

Wednesday, November 5 at noon
Main Quad, U of A
Bring your signs, banners, and voices

Stand with #UAlberta students as they rally on campus in support of Alberta teachers and in opposition to the UCP government's use of the notwithstanding clause!

Can they? Must they? Should they? Three questions to answer about the UCP's use of the notwithstanding clause

"Just because something is possible doesn’t mean we have to do it, and just because we do it doesn’t make it a good idea."
drjaredwesley.substack.com/p/can-they-m...

"The preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause cannot be allowed to normalize. Neither should the curtailment of legislative debate become routine."
cba-alberta.org/news/cba-alb...

YouTube video by CTV News 'Prolonged outages affect students academically': Alta. minister on ending teachers strike

"Minister, why does your government's failure to plan for population growth have to be rectified on the backs of teachers?"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaqG...

Braid: An appalling, unjust law drives Alberta teachers back to work Alberta teachers are going back to work, but the law that drives them lingers as a dangerous attack on rights, writes columnist Don Braid.

"The UCP’s back-to-school bill is one ugly piece of reading.

To call it undemocratic is far too tame."

calgaryherald.com/news/braid-a...

Let's be clear about what happened today.

Premier Smith introduced a bill to strip Albertans of Charter rights,

denied MLAs the opportunity to debate it and the courts the ability to scrutinize it,

and did all of this from her seat on a jet to Saudi Arabia.

Alberta unions urge provincial government not to use notwithstanding clause in back-to-work legislation | CBC News The Alberta Federation of Labour, which represents unions across the province, held an emergency meeting Friday to discuss the province’s upcoming back-to-work legislation.

“An unprecedented action is going to lead to an unprecedented response from our labour movement.”
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Inspiring to see tens of thousands of people rallying in support of our teachers and proper funding for public education.

With the UCP government set to force through back-to-work legislation on Monday, we all need to continue to stand in solidarity with Alberta's teachers!

Today at 2:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Stand with Alberta's teachers on Thursday afternoon as MLAs return to the fall sitting of the Alberta Legislature!

The Shift to Rotating Strikes On Saturday, October 11, CUPW transitioned from a nation-wide strike to rotating strikes. The decision to move to rotating strikes was a strategic one. Throughout this round of bargaining, CUPW has u...

The Shift to Rotating Strikes

https://www.cupw.ca/en/shift-rotating-strikes

#SupportCUPW #canlab #cdnpoli @CanadianLabour

"Teachers make enough money as it is": 15% strongly agree 24% agree 31% disagree 25% strongly disagree 5% not sure / can't say

Do you think private schools should... 10% receive more public funding than they do now 23% receive about the same 25% receive less public funding than they do now 35% receive no public funding at all 8% not sure / can't say

"Do you think the provincial government under Danielle Smith has done a good job or a poor job handling public education?" 10% very good job 22% good job 14% poor job 48% very poor job 7% not sure / can't say

(Among those aware of the teachers strike): In this dispute between the Alberta government and the teachers, would you say your sympathies are more with ... 58% the teachers 21% the government 18% neither 3% not sure / can't say

New Angus Reid polling on Alberta teachers' strike, private school funding, etc.:

Members of the NASA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity committee are wearing purple today to mark #WorldMentalHealthDay, which is celebrated every October 10 to remind us all of the importance of good mental health and the need to prioritize and invest in mental health.

Tens of thousands of Albertans came together to show that we support our teachers! Fair deal now!

#UAlberta Campus & Community Recreation is hosting RecMix October Day Camps! Kids ages 6–8 and 9–11 can enjoy safe, supervised fun on campus with games, activities, and new adventures. Oct 6–10 & Oct 13–17, 8:15 am-4:30 pm on North Campus.
www.activityreg.ualberta.ca/UOFA/public/...

Alberta's teachers need your support to get a deal that addresses the crisis in the province's classrooms!

Join them as they fight for public education on World Teachers' Day.

Sunday, October 5 at 11:30 am
Alberta Legislature (10800 97 Ave)

See you there!

NASA was proud to join our friends in @hsaalberta.bsky.social for their Day of Unity rally at the University Hospital to call for a better deal for the health-care professionals who keep our public health care system running. Solidarity!

Tomorrow! A reminder to bring your non-perishable Campus Food Bank donations to the #UAlberta Protective Services (UAPS) annual "Pack a Patrol Car" event on Oct. 2 between 10 am and 2 pm outside UAPS headquarters, just south of Education Car Park on 87 Ave on North Campus.

We hope you'll join us at the @hsaalberta.bsky.social Day of Unity!

Let's support HSAA members in their call for a better deal for health-care professionals!

Rallies are happening across the province, including at
the U of A Hospital (8440 112 St). Details at: hsaa.ca/events/day-u...

Canada Post “lost” 1 billion dollars last year?

How about, “it cost Canadians 1 billion dollars to have a national postal service” which works out to costing about $25 a year per person (population of Canada in 2024 = 40 million). Seems like a pretty reasonable cost to me.