EDMONTON — Students are rallying at the Alberta legislature to protest the province’s decision to order striking teachers back to work.

They rallied at the plaza in front of the legislature, carrying signs and wearing red, a colour that has come to symbolize unity with their instructors.

Social media platforms shared among students are urging walkouts in schools across the province.

The move comes after Premier Danielle Smith’s government severely curtailed debate rules to pass through the house in just hours a bill ordering 51,000 teachers back to work.

Smith’s government used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to override teachers’ right to strike and shield the bill from legal challenge.

The province has said the strike was causing students irreparable harm, while the teachers union believes the use of the notwithstanding clause is a gross violation of rights.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2025.

The Canadian Press