UCP’s Motion 5 is a threat to democracy in Alberta
By Lethbridge Herald on November 1, 2025.
Editor,
Regardless of how one feels about Alberta’s ongoing teachers’ dispute, Motion 5 should concern every Albertan.
The government’s decision to grant itself the ability to introduce, debate, and pass legislation all in a single day is not merely a matter of education or labour relations — it is a matter of democratic integrity.
Allowing any government to bypass the standard legislative process undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust. Today, it may be used to silence teachers. Tomorrow, it could be used to silence anyone who dares to dissent.
Supporters of Premier Danielle Smith may applaud this move, but one must ask — would the same be said if the roles were reversed and an NDP government had done the same?
This is not about partisan politics; it is about the concentration of power and the erosion of democratic safeguards.
Those who once rallied against government overreach under the banner of “freedom” should be the most alarmed. When governments can override rights at their convenience, freedom ceases to be a principle and becomes a privilege extended only when politically convenient.
Even if teachers are compelled to return to work, they continue to deserve our respect and support. Teachers form the foundation of our society — shaping the dreamers, thinkers, and doers of tomorrow. If we deny them fair treatment and basic rights, we set a precedent that devalues not only their profession but the future of the children they serve.
Democracy demands vigilance. Motion 5 is not just a legislative shortcut — it is a warning.
Terri Dillabough
Lethbridge
12-11
Democracy is under threat when we allow unelected and appointed judges to decide ruling and events. Democracy is not under threat as long as you can go to the polls and vote. When is the last time you voted for a judge.
Tin foil hat talk bucky.
“The bedrocks of democracy are weakening across the globe, with half of countries suffering democratic declines ranging from flawed elections to curtailed rights, such as freedoms of expression and assembly, according to a new report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Stockholm.
This deterioration has been exacerbated by the erosion of formal ‘checks and balances’—elections, parliaments and courts—that have struggled to uphold the law and hold politicians to account.”
https://www.idea.int/news/bedrocks-democracy-under-threat-across-globe
Faced with a militant teachers union’s ability to totally disrupt the lives of every family with children in school , the government used the notwithstanding clause to ensure a return to work that would prevent further disruptions to children’s education. It’s not as if other provincial governments have never used this action before.
“The preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause cannot be allowed to normalize. Neither should the curtailment of legislative debate become routine. Overuse of these extraordinary measures—especially when coupled with provisions that also set aside the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Alberta Human Rights Act—risks undermining the constitutional and human-rights architecture that protects all Albertans. We cannot take the Rule of Law for granted; if we do, it may not be there to protect our rights when we most need it.”
https://cba-alberta.org/news/cba-alberta-statement-on-the-use-of-the-notwithstanding-clause/
“If you’re a member of any of Alberta’s 22 regulated professions, Bill 40 (Professional Governance Act) has stripped your association of the ability to set independent standards and removed your legal right to collective bargaining. The UCP included a notwithstanding clause signal in debate and has given the Minister unprecedented power to override professional judgment when it’s politically convenient.”
https://www.reddit.com/r/alberta/comments/1oidgua/bill_40_removes_our_right_to_selfgovern_time_to/
“The rule of law is closely tied to both democracy and human rights. The erosion of the rule of law, within a rising number of countries and in international relations, places populations under increasingly authoritarian and rights-abusing governments and threatens to destabilize peaceful relations among states.”
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/rule-of-law-under-pressure/rule-of-law-under-pressure/4B514D895126DE8E573539620D442EEE