As Ontario prepares for teacher walkouts and a possible strike, we take a look at member associations of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation to see what’s at or near the top of their agendas this month—quite a lot, it seems, from solidarity with First Nations’ pipeline protests, to mental health initiatives, to the Arctic Winter Games, to looming teacher strikes and walkouts in Ontario. The author notes that, over time, he has been a member in good standing of five of the associations/federations below.

  • British Columbia Teachers’ Federation – How does your pay compare? Check out teacher salaries across Canada on BCTF’s main page, where the union also offers solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs in their opposition to pipeline construction.
  • New Brunswick Teachers’ Association – From their website, a heads up about teachers’ health and wellness: “Winter may be the season when teachers face the greatest challenges to their health and wellness…we will be conducting ‘NBTA 4 Wellness 2019-20.’ Schools will be encouraged to organize events or programs that promote wellness.”
  • Newfoundland-Labrador Teachers’ Association – The Ontario Ministry of Education has argued recently that larger class sizes do not affect student achievement outcomes. The NLTA disagrees. See their initiative to draw attention to the effects of class sizes on children’s education.
  • NWT Teachers’ Association – The Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association is advertising an employment opportunity, which speaks to the continuing challenge of attracting educators to northern schools.
  • Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union – NSTU celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2020—which surely must make it one of the oldest, if not the oldest, teachers’ union in Canada. Their main page features a delightful short video, “Kids and their Teachers.”
  • Nunavut Teachers’ Association – The NTA is focused on mental health fitness, launching a project with British Columbia  – based Starling Minds Inc., to “provide a proactive mental health fitness resource for NTA members and their families to use,” which is also being used by other CTF members.
  • Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association – No mystery here. Their website lists picket locations for a one-day walkout. Note, this will have changed by the time you read this, but it’s top of the list today.
  • Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation – Here’s something long-term teachers could appreciate: the PEITF is once again offering Pre-Retirement Seminars, April 4th in Charlottetown and April 18th in Summerside.
  • Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers – On its page, the QPAT announces its annual 2020 teachers’ convention.
  • Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation – The STF would like to acquaint politicians with “the realities of classrooms in Saskatchewan.” Their initiative, “TELL THEM TUESDAY,” invites teachers, students, parents and concerned citizens to contact their MLA and the Minister of Education and clue them in by mail or via an online link.
  • The Alberta Teachers’ Association – What is an education voucher? The Alberta Teachers’ Federation answers that question as it raises the alarm about the provincial government’s proposal to “implement a ‘voucher system’ that will provide equal per-student funding regardless of their school choice, free from caveats or conditions.”
  • Manitoba Teachers’ Society – The MTS is disappointed in the government’s 2020-2021 education budget, arguing that it “…fails to keep pace…[M]ade against backdrop of K-12 Education Review For the fourth year in a row, the Manitoba government has announced a real dollar drop in funding for public schools.”
  • Yukon Teachers’ Association – Big news for Yukon: The Arctic Winter Games is coming to Whitehorse and Yukon schools are stepping up: “Beginning March 13th, 2020 [seven] schools with be transformed into venue facilities to host these athletes and cultural participants.”

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