SENT ON BEHALF OF RAJ UPPAL, CUPE ALBERTA PRESIDENT AND LYNDSEY HENDERSON, CUPE POLITICAL ACTION COORDINATOR:
Hello Everyone,
Thanks so much to everyone who participated in our healthcare privatization townhall this past Tuesday! We had a great presentation by Rebecca Graff from the Parkland Institute and Chris Gallway from Friends of Medicare. I have attached the slides from Rebecca, with her permission, so we can continue to share their excellent information about Bill 11 and the existential threat it poses to our public health system.
We saw a flurry of reactions to last Thursday’s budget with many groups frustrated about the lack of funding for critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare – many of which we have linked and highlighted below.
CUPE Campaigns, Calls to Action and Events
- Alberta Social Services Sector Committee Meeting – March 10th 10:00 AM -online – join the first meeting of our new Social Services Sector Committee
- CUPE Issues denouncing the use of the P3 model for building new schools – highlighting that the Government is returning to the failed model yet again and compromising the oversight and control that we will have of our schools.
- Applications are now open for the first National Wild in Leadership Development (WILD) Program – designed to provide leadership skills to Indigenous, Black and racialized and non-binary members of CUPE
- CUPE Save our Schools!
- Send a letter to the Minister and elected representatives to save Fulham School in Grande Yellowhead School District
- Send a letter to the Minister and elected representatives to save Delnorte School in Buffalo Trail School District
- Send a letter to the Minister and elected representatives to save Walter Niblock and Southview School in Medicine Hate
- CUPE Alberta Convention – March 18-20th – Edmonton
- CUPE Alberta Spring Schools – in Canmore April 26th – May 1st is filling up fast but still has some openings in some workshops.
- State of Emergency Health Care Crisis Stories – over 8000 stories have been shared through our State of Emergency Campaign – read them now and sign on!
- Don’t Touch CPP – Tell Danielle Smith and the Alberta Government that Albertans have made themselves clear, we want to stay in the CPP, and we don’t want any political interference in our pensions
- Friends of Medicare – Day of Action: No Two-Tier Health Care – calling in Liberal MPs to enforce the Canada Health Act and stop two tier health care in Alberta
- Monday March 16th 12:00 PM – Edmonton – MP Eleanor Olszewski’s Office – 12220 Stony Plain Road NW
- Monday March 16th 12:00 PM – Calgary – MP Cory Hogan’s Office – 1717 10 Street NW
- Friends of Medicare continues their “An Urgent Conversation: Public Health Care” tour with Dr. Paul Parks with events in
- Drayton Valley – Friday March 20th 6:30 PM – MacKenzie Conference Centre
- Grande Prairie – Sunday March 22nd 2:00 PM – Richmond Reception Centre
- Spruce Grove – Monday March 23rd 7:00 PM – Spruce Grove Pioneer Centre (Spruce Grove Golden Age Club)
- Southeast Edmonton – Tuesday March 24th 7:00 PM – Mill Woods Seniors Association
- Friends of Medicare – Stolen Time Film Screening Fort McMurray – Saturday April 11th 7:00 PM
- Alberta Federation of Labour Worker Town Hall Tour
- Worker Agenda Townhall – Medicine Hat – March 18th 6:00 – 8:30 PM
- Worker Agenda Townhall – Lethbridge – March 19th 6:00 – 8:30 PM
- Alberta Federation of Labour Mid-Term Forum – April 24th – 25th – Chateau Lacome, Edmonton
- Public Interest Alberta – Online CPP Townhall – March 11th 6:00 PM – online
- Public Interest Alberta – Annual Gala May 7th 5:00 PM – Chateau Louise Hotel and Conference Centre, Edmonton
- Public Interest Alberta – Annual Conference “Common Purpose, Collective Action” – May 8th– 9th – Barnett House Edmonton
- CUPE Health and Safety Conference – May 24th– 25th Edmonton – Delta Hotels Edmonton South Conference Centre
- Health Spending Store – asked us to share a free directory of services providers that are eligible for many health spending accounts(HSA)/Wellness Spending Accounts(WSA) for members with those available through their benefits
Week in Review
- CUPE AB issued a press release highlighting the UCP governments return to the failed model of P3s to build new schools.
- The Rural Municipalities Association issued a response to the budget highlighting the failure to address the $17 billion infrastructure deficit we’ve have in Alberta. “This combined with a substantial increase in the Education Property Tax rates, will reduce rural municipal capacity to maintain core infrastructure and provide essential services, resulting in increased risk of asset failure and missed opportunities for new investment and economic growth.”
- The National Police Federation criticized the $36.9 million in a single year directed toward the new Alberta Sheriff’s Police Service – they noted there was no clear business case, no transparent implementation plan and little evidence that communities are interested in policing Alternatives. The new Alberta Police Service was initiated out of the Alberta Next Panel, but it was decided they would move forward with this decision unilaterally to replace the RCMP, despite many municipalities and the public clearly stating they wanted to remain with the RCMP.
- Alberta Municipalities issues a press release denouncing the UCP Governments decision to offload a major property tax increase to municipalities, making life less affordable for Albertans with lower or fixed incomes.
- The Alberta Federation of Labour are planning a province wide Day of Protest across Alberta on May 29th to fight back against the anti-labour actions of the UCP Government.
- Dennis Modry, co-found and former CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project which is championing Alberta separatism was found to have misappropriated $1.3 million from the joint bank account of his aunt and uncle who suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia and has failed to pay back the funds despite being ordered to do so by the courts.
- Records show that as of February 2026 Alberta has had the deadliest flu season on record.
- Experts warn that Alberta is not ready to deal with the threat of online disinformation coming from foreign actors during a possible separation referendum in the fall. When asked about what the province would do to deal with foreign interference, Premier Smith replied that the Government is adding citizenship markers to driver’s licenses in May or June but had no response on dealing with disinformation campaigns or genuine foreign interference.
- The Albert Medical Association has pushed back against the Government’s assertion that they are the reason for the delay in placing Triage Physicians in Emergency Rooms. They state that they delay is not on their end and that it has been difficult to get the Government to the table for negotiations.
- The Alberta Teacher’s Association had two days in court seeking an injunction over back to work legislation (Bill 2), a ruling on the injunction is expected March13 th .
- The government has once again mused about getting rid of the time change and shifting permanently to day light time.
- Calgary Mayor Jeremy Farkas has been highly critical of the massive property tax increase that will be imposed on Calgarians due to the provincial government and has proposed the idea of a plebiscite to see if Calgarians feel they are getting a fair deal from the provincial government.
- Canadian Doctors for Medicare, the Canadian Health Coalition and University of Calgary Senior Associate Dean of Health Research at the Cumming School of Medicine Dr. Braden Manns held a news conference in Ottawa warning that two-tier health care brought into Alberta by Bill 11 will increase wait times and costs for healthcare.
- Major changes have been made to the eligibility for the Alberta Seniors Benefit meaning at least 5,800 people will be impacted by cuts to benefits.
- A six month cap has been introduced to Alberta’s income support benefit, concerns have been raised by anti-poverty organizations.
Alberta Regional Office
600 South, 10130 – 112 Street NW
P | 780-484-7644
E | jbrent@cupe.ca