Alberta became the first province to use the notwithstanding clause to end a labour dispute, rushing Bill 2 through the legislature early Tuesday to send 51,000 teachers back to work. The Back to School Act prevents teachers from bargaining or striking until September 2028 and blocks courts from overturning the law, CBC News reported. The government justified the move by saying it needed to prevent potential strikes at 61 individual school boards, though critics say the action undermines fundamental labour rights.

The Alberta Teachers' Association immediately vowed legal action. "Teachers will comply with the law, but make no mistake, compliance is not consent," said ATA president Jason Schilling. Amnesty International Canada and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association both condemned the decision, warning it creates a troubling template for other governments to follow.

The imposed contract includes three per cent annual raises and promises to hire 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants, but leaves the central strike issue—overcrowded classrooms—unresolved. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides pledged an additional $100 million per year and a new task force to examine class sizes, though NDP education critic Amanda Chapman told CBC News the measures are inadequate for Alberta's 750,000 students.