Invoking notwithstanding clause is a Trumpian tactic
By Lethbridge Herald on October 29, 2025.
Editor,
I always thought that the provision of the notwithstanding clause was to avoid something catastrophic. That it would be used as a last-ditch effort to save our portion of the planet. How wrong I was!
Politicians have now decided that if they don’t like something, they can just supersede what a high court decides because “they know” what’s best for our slice of the planet. No need to negotiate, no need to use rational thought, no need for anything, really!
When you get tired of losing an argument, just invoke it and forever silence those who are making the noise?
When you get parties of all political stripes racing to the fringe this is what you get. Of course readers will think I am NDP because I say this.
Not so, the left were the first to move to the extremes, spurring the creation and opportunity for those on the extreme right! Suddenly there is no centrist or left/right centre party in Alberta! In the early days nutbars were all too busy being “offended” by everything centrist so something had to occur!
I honestly never thought I would see the day where parties occupied the extreme left and right and the moderates/centrist not having a party would decide to move in the same direction. Prior to the “offended” it was the extremists/radicals that would have to join the centrists or they had no party. The animals are now running the zoo!
What you can be assured in Alberta politics is that the farther right the UCP go to compensate for the extreme left of the NDP will result in more wierdos coming out of the woodwork declaring with great pride they are farther left or right and their thought process should be followed.
Hence the popularity of the separatist among us. If everything offends you, then we should all just pack up and leave?
Using the notwithstanding clause on teachers is a “Trumpian” tactic that demonstrates that all parties in Alberta have entered the nutbar zone! The days of negotiated settlement are over and the political hammer of this clause will be used for anything that an extreme left or tight party doesn’t like.
I fully expect in the near future that if a popular cheeseburger is dropped that the notwithstanding clause will be invoked to stop it! We criticize Trumpian tactics and suddenly……we are one!w
Dennis Bremner
Lethbridge
14-13
While I agree with you that the use of the notwithstanding clause could be classified as an authoritarian “Trumpian” tactic, it is erroneous to suggest that the ANDP represents an “extreme left” political position in this province.
More correctly, since Rachel Notley’s leadership of the party, the ANDP has moved towards a more centrist position much in line with the politics of former Progressive Conservative Premier Peter Lougheed.
Currently, the NDP Socialist Caucus is an unofficial left-wing faction within the federal NDP. They have put forward Yves Engler as a candidate for the leadership of the federal NDP. Yves Engler’s platform would be more in keeping with your notion of “extreme left”.
In contrast, since Danielle Smith’s tenure as premier of Alberta, the political needle has continue to move towards an extreme right authoritarian position. For example, proof lies not only in Bill 2 Back to School Act, but also in Bill 18 The Provincial Priorities Act, Bill 20 Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, Bill 21 The Emergency Statutes Amendment Act, Bill 26 Health Statutes Amendment Act.
In his booklet, On Tyranny, historian Timothy Snyder provides 20 strategies citizens can employ in defending democracy against an authoritarianism. Snyder’s first rule: “Do not obey in advance.”
Because tyranny functions by winning obedience and then implementing oppressive and antidemocratic policies that harm the same people who are passively obeying, it is important to understand how democracy and the rule of law are systematically eroded under authoritarian rule.
It is also important to understand, as Snyder warns, that a key turning point on the road from freedom to tyranny is the point at which authoritarians stop gradually accumulating power in the background and instead start taking huge steps to topple democracy all at once.
Snyder asks his readers to “Listen for dangerous words.” He points out how the Nazis and other tyrannous governments have used propaganda words like “extremism,” “terrorism,” “emergency,” and “exception” to suspend the rights and freedoms that allow democracy to function. For instance, an authoritarian leader will declare that citizens must give up their rights for the sake of the matter at hand. But this is usually a trap, and authoritarians usually never give these rights back, even long after the emergency has passed. Does this not echo the reality of Bill 2?
In reflecting on the poem of Pastor Martin Martin Niemöller, one can hardly dismiss a litany of legislation under the UCP designed to centralize power and control:
What do you anticipate might be next?
“……………..it is erroneous to suggest that the ANDP represents an “extreme left” political position in this province.”
I have lived in 4 different provinces, this NDP is the most Left of all. I will not argue your position because much like my position…its my position.
This provinces NDP works Unions and Churches to thier advantage. There are about 6 big players in this city who quickly realized that working minorities and churches they could establish a social services niche that is a huge money maker and a downtown destroyer. Those 6 people of course will insist that the UCP wanted this disaster in our downtown, when the truth is the 6 with church groups volunteered to sacrifice our downtown for the allmighty dollar.
Its rather amusing to see the same Contractor that is fulfilling the NDP social services demand by expanding and building in our downtown was directed by Medicine Hat to build their services OUT OF TOWN!
The NDP and Churches aren’t as strong in Medicine Hat, so common sense was allowed to prevail ! Lethbridge and Lethbridge citizens….duh I guess it’ll be ok.