Overview
- Bill 2, the Back to School Act, is now in force with Section 33 invoked to suspend Charter protections tied to striking.
- Teachers returned to classrooms as the Alberta Teachers’ Association said it will comply with the law while exploring legal options.
- Section 33 prevents courts from striking down the law for up to five years, though judges could still declare Charter breaches.
- Recent Quebec and Saskatchewan appellate rulings diverge on courts’ powers when Section 33 is used, with further appeals pending at the Supreme Court.
- The CCLA signaled interest in intervening in any challenge, the CBA’s Alberta branch criticized the pre-emptive override, and opinion writers defended it as a legitimate political response to the 2015 ruling recognizing a right to strike.