A friend and I were talking about the UCP MLA and staff vacation fiasco of the last few days, and she asked me if I was surprised by it all, my response was I wasn't. The UCP has shown a lack of leaderships and respect for Albertans for several months now. /1

It all starts when the UCP rolled back LGBT+ rights in the Education Act, then cut school budgets, cut AISH, cut parks, laid off 25,000 education workers, the blunders around COVID, lack of support for a re-entry to school, with several distractions along the way. /2

This is just a partial list of course, so I wasn't surprised. However, my focus is on the return to school after the holidays. The majority of students and teachers begin school online tomorrow then return to in person classes January 11. With no extra support. /3

The concerns teachers, students and parents had before the holidays are still there--larger class sizes, inability to social distance, support needed for teachers and principals, support needed for subs--teachers want to be in school but schools need more help. /4

However, like most things with this government, there is no action to address these issues. We've presented reasonable and attainable solutions to these concerns but the government has failed to address them frustrating teachers, students and their parents. /5

Like many of you, I am frustrated, angry and extremely disappointed when I see our Premier deflect responsibility about vacationing MLA's and staffers, but I am not surprised, they've been doing it all along. We deserve better from our leaders. /6