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Tag: Halvar Johnson

Teachers used to be part of the PC Party big blue tent

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 12, 2025

Teachers used to be an important part of the big blue voter coalition that made the old Progressive Conservative Party an electoral juggernaut from 1971 to 2015.

There was even a former ATA President, Halvar Johnson, who served as a PC MLA under premiers Peter Lougheed and Don Getty and later as a cabinet minister in Premier Ralph Klein’s government. The relationship between teachers and the PC government had its rocky moments, but it was still common for teachers and even ATA officials to attend and participate in debates and votes at PC Party conventions.

Read more on the Daveberta Substack

Tags Alberta PC Party, Alberta Politics Substack, Alberta Teachers, Alberta Teachers' Association, Alberta Teachers' Strike, Alison Redford, Canada Election Substack, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, Don Getty, Halvar Johnson, Ian Brodie, Peter Lougheed, Rachel Notley, Ralph Klein, Stephen Harper, United Conservative Party, University of Calgary, Wildrose Party

Teachers on strike in Alberta!

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 9, 2025

Teachers and supporters after their daily morning picket near the Walterdale Bridge in Edmonton (photo credit: Brad Lafortune)

More than 51,000 teachers launched the largest strike the history of their profession in Alberta

Schools are empty this week as more than 51,000 Alberta teachers in public, Catholic and Francophone schools launched the largest strike the history of their profession in Alberta.

The strike comes shortly after members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association overwhelmingly rejected a new contract for a second time in less than six months, with more than 90% voting against the proposal in the final days of September.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack