‘You don’t get to call it a democracy when you write the questions yourself’: provincewide protest announced by AFL

Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan announced a province-wide day of protest May 29 against the UCP government's "increasingly radical and undemocratic agenda."

The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is calling for a provincewide day of protest on May 29, accusing the Smith government of pursuing what it describes as a radical agenda that lacks public support.

“Danielle Smith has made one thing clear: if we want to protect our province, it’s up to us,” AFL President Gil McGowan said in a release.

“And working people are stepping up. Enough is enough. On May 29, Albertans will stand up and fight back.”

Speaking Saturday, McGowan said the federation and its affiliates “are going to work together with any and all of our fellow Albertans who will join us in organizing a province wide day of protest on Friday, May 29th.”

“The Smith government has gone rogue,” he said.

“They’re implementing an agenda that Albertans didn’t vote for and which the majority of us don’t support.”

In its press release, the AFL outlined what it calls a “long list” of measures it says the government is planning to impose without consent.

Those include what the federation describes as two-tier health care compounded by chronic underfunding and understaffing of the public system, increased public funding for private schools while public schools face what it calls the lowest funding levels in Canada, and continued discussion about pulling Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan and the RCMP.

The AFL also points to proposed coal mines at the headwaters of rivers that supply much of the province’s water.

It further criticized what it calls increased use of the notwithstanding clause to override constitutional rights, including the right to strike, along with deeper economic and political integration with U.S. President Donald Trump’s America and referendum questions it says are designed to scapegoat immigrants and divide Albertans.

The federation went on to allege the government is blocking investigations into its own scandals while paving the way for a separatist referendum aimed at turning Alberta into the 51st state.

“Yes, the premier and her colleagues won a narrow majority in the last election,” McGowan said . “But they did not win a mandate for any of this.”

Additionally, McGowan criticized the government’s recent announcement of a nine-question referendum on immigration.

“You don’t get to call it democracy when you write the questions yourself and ignore what people are actually worried about,” he said.

The AFL argues the government is distracted by separatism and constitutional confrontations instead of addressing affordability and strengthening public health care and public education.

In its release, the federation said the government is failing to tackle issues it says are top of mind for Albertans, including out-of-control grocery prices, the highest auto insurance premiums and utility rates in the country, stagnant wages, a sluggish job market and growing anxiety about the impact of artificial intelligence on employment.

Clearly, the federation said, the government “would rather play political games than actually take steps to enhance the security and protect the wellbeing of its citizens.”

The May 29 protest will feature union leaders and workers in sectors including health care, education, construction, energy, retail and public services at coordinated demonstrations across the province.

It will mark the first in what the AFL describes as a series of pushbacks against the governing United Conservative Party, including a civil society summit later in the spring aimed at bringing together labour leaders, community organizations and advocates.

“In order to push through this agenda, the government is weakening the guardrails of our democracy,” McGowan said. “They sideline the courts, attack the media, and dismiss critics. That leaves ordinary citizens as the last line of defense.”

Union members speak out

Cori Longo, secretary-treasurer of the AFL, said the provincewide protests will rely on collective action.

“When we come together, there is nothing more powerful,” Longo said. “It’s called collective action, and history has been shaped by it.”

Karen Kaprys, second vice-president of the United Nurses of Alberta, also noted that health-care workers are exhausted.

“Workers are frustrated. They are working harder than they ever have before, and they’re sick of the chaos and uncertainty,” Kaprys said.

“The affordability crisis affects us all.”

Scott Payne, director of communications for UFCW Local 401, said workers are demanding change.

“We are in a moment right now where we are demanding better,” Payne said.

“We’re demanding better wages. We’re demanding better government. We’re demanding better treatment. We’re demanding a better quality of life.”

Wycliffe Oduor, president of Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 710, urged members to mobilize as well.

“Please let’s go out, organize and inspire others to join in this movement because we are not doing it for ourselves,” Oduor said.

“We are doing it for our next generation.”

Finally, Lee Easton, president of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations, said post-secondary faculties are ready to participate too.

“We’re tired of being bullied. We’re here and we’re ready to fight back,” Easton said.

Details about protest locations can be found online at fightbacknow.ca.

Premier Smith’s office responds

Sam Blackett, the premier’s press secretary, sent the following statement to CTV News.

“So, first Gil attempted to launch a general strike, and it was a failure. Then he moved on to Plan B, launching recalls against our UCP MLAs to topple this government, he again failed miserably. Now, Gil is on Plan C, a province-wide protest, and just like his previous ploys and his NDP leadership campaign, I expect it to be a colossal failure.”