“It will be an opportunity for Albertans to say ‘NO!’ to the UCP’s Maple MAGA agenda and ‘Yes’ to an agenda that really puts Albertans first!” — McGowan

EDMONTON – The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and allies are organizing a “Resistance Rally” to be held at the Alberta Legislature on April 26, 2025. The rally is for all Albertans who are dissatisfied with the current direction being taken by the provincial government and who want to advocate for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada.

WHEN: Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Alberta Legislature Building, 9820 – 107 Street NW, Edmonton

“We’re holding this rally at a critical moment in history for Alberta and Canada,” said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. “The Resistance Rally will be an opportunity for Albertans to say ‘NO!’ to the UCP’s Maple MAGA agenda and ‘Yes’ to an agenda that really puts Albertans first!”

“We believe in a better deal for workers and all Alberta families. What Albertans most need right now is a government with a vision for the long-term—a government that will invest in public services, steward the environment responsibly, and, above all, commit to a vision of economic growth that builds enduring prosperity in Alberta within a united Canada.”

The AFL organized the rally as a response to the current government’s agenda:

• Stagnation of Alberta workers’ wages
• Stealthy privatization of vital public services in health care, education and social services
• Disregard for fundamental human rights, including those of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and Albertans living with disabilities
• Intransigence on climate change and environmental protection
• Divisive rhetoric designed to ignite Alberta separatism during a moment of great national peril

“It is no secret that Alberta’s premier is sympathetic to President Trump and that she prefers to undermine national unity rather than offer positive policy solutions for a stronger Canada,” said McGowan. “It’s very unfortunate. Now is the time to let go of old grievances and instead propose a forward-looking vision that will engage workers in nation-building projects that offer good jobs, develop the industries that will power our economy in the 21st century, and ensure a decent standard of living for all Albertans.”

The Resistance Rally is one of the highlights of a busy week for the AFL, coming on the second-last day the AFL’s 54th Constitutional Convention. Rally speakers will include Gil McGowan and Chris Smalls, founder of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), who is visiting Edmonton that week from New Jersey, USA.

“There is in the UCP’s leadership of Alberta a dangerous parallel to Trump’s chaotic leadership of the United States,” said McGowan. “These are leaders who are well versed in the politics of division and exclusion. But the current economic crisis calls for the opposite of MAGA-lite policies in Canada. Danielle Smith and Pierre Poilievre are not ‘big-tent’ leaders, advocating for all Albertans, all Canadians. The Resistance Rally is for everyone who wants a more positive vision than what they are offering. We want economic opportunity for all, no one left behind, and no one excluded from our vibrant, diverse society.”

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Laurence Miall
Director of Communications and Campaigns, AFL
Email: lmiall@afl.org