Janet French
@jantafrench.bsky.social
Provincial affairs reporter, CBC Edmonton 📻📺📝👩💻 Mildly obsessive about reporting on education. #AbEd
Bikes. Knitting. Parenting. Books. Plants. Did I mention bikes? 🚴🏽♀️🚲
Bikes. Knitting. Parenting. Books. Plants. Did I mention bikes? 🚴🏽♀️🚲
I regret to inform you that it is the second Wednesday of the month.
Feels like there have been a lot of second Wednesdays of months lately.
#YegFunicularStatus
Feels like there have been a lot of second Wednesdays of months lately.
#YegFunicularStatus
November 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I regret to inform you that it is the second Wednesday of the month.
Feels like there have been a lot of second Wednesdays of months lately.
#YegFunicularStatus
Feels like there have been a lot of second Wednesdays of months lately.
#YegFunicularStatus
There’s more. The September offer that teachers voted down, according to this ATA memo, was worth $750 million over three years.
The offer teachers rejected in May proposed $405 M/3y.
And what I confirmed today is that the actual spend coming is $400M in 3 years. #AbEd #AbLeg
The offer teachers rejected in May proposed $405 M/3y.
And what I confirmed today is that the actual spend coming is $400M in 3 years. #AbEd #AbLeg
November 8, 2025 at 3:33 AM
But that is not what the ATA proposed to employers to reach that Sept. 2025 tentative deal.
The ATA proposed 3,000 teachers *in excess* of whatever the funding formula said schools should have - presumably so staffing ratios could improve while enrolment continued to rise.
Ts voted it down. #AbEd
The ATA proposed 3,000 teachers *in excess* of whatever the funding formula said schools should have - presumably so staffing ratios could improve while enrolment continued to rise.
Ts voted it down. #AbEd
November 8, 2025 at 3:26 AM
But that is not what the ATA proposed to employers to reach that Sept. 2025 tentative deal.
The ATA proposed 3,000 teachers *in excess* of whatever the funding formula said schools should have - presumably so staffing ratios could improve while enrolment continued to rise.
Ts voted it down. #AbEd
The ATA proposed 3,000 teachers *in excess* of whatever the funding formula said schools should have - presumably so staffing ratios could improve while enrolment continued to rise.
Ts voted it down. #AbEd
The promise of 3,000 more new Alberta teachers has confounded me. We don't know how many teachers the government planned to hire over 3 years, but the 2025 budget documents (from Feb. 2025) tell us the gov't intended to pay for 1,045 more FTE teaching positions this year compared to last
November 8, 2025 at 3:10 AM
The promise of 3,000 more new Alberta teachers has confounded me. We don't know how many teachers the government planned to hire over 3 years, but the 2025 budget documents (from Feb. 2025) tell us the gov't intended to pay for 1,045 more FTE teaching positions this year compared to last
We also asked Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery yesterday whether he has plans to amend or repeal recall legislation as a result of concerns about alleged misuse against MLAs, and he said there are no plans to amend or repeal it.
#AbLeg
#AbLeg
November 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
We also asked Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery yesterday whether he has plans to amend or repeal recall legislation as a result of concerns about alleged misuse against MLAs, and he said there are no plans to amend or repeal it.
#AbLeg
#AbLeg
Also getting a first look at the bill (we get advanced info under embargo but not the actual text):
The notwithstanding clause would allow the govt to override the Charter, the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Alberta Human Rights Act.
You may recall UCP members pushed hard to bolster the BoR.
The notwithstanding clause would allow the govt to override the Charter, the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Alberta Human Rights Act.
You may recall UCP members pushed hard to bolster the BoR.
October 28, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Also getting a first look at the bill (we get advanced info under embargo but not the actual text):
The notwithstanding clause would allow the govt to override the Charter, the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Alberta Human Rights Act.
You may recall UCP members pushed hard to bolster the BoR.
The notwithstanding clause would allow the govt to override the Charter, the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Alberta Human Rights Act.
You may recall UCP members pushed hard to bolster the BoR.
Municipal election day crowdsource: what municipality did you vote in today and how long did you wait to vote?
I’m in SE Edmonton and have now waited one hour. The front of the line is close, though ….
Don’t forget to vote for school trustee(s).
Brussels sprouts for attention only. #yegvote
I’m in SE Edmonton and have now waited one hour. The front of the line is close, though ….
Don’t forget to vote for school trustee(s).
Brussels sprouts for attention only. #yegvote
October 20, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Municipal election day crowdsource: what municipality did you vote in today and how long did you wait to vote?
I’m in SE Edmonton and have now waited one hour. The front of the line is close, though ….
Don’t forget to vote for school trustee(s).
Brussels sprouts for attention only. #yegvote
I’m in SE Edmonton and have now waited one hour. The front of the line is close, though ….
Don’t forget to vote for school trustee(s).
Brussels sprouts for attention only. #yegvote
Meanwhile, the city page about the funicular's status is full of dating app-level mixed messages www.edmonton.ca/activities_p... #YEGFunicularStatus
October 14, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Meanwhile, the city page about the funicular's status is full of dating app-level mixed messages www.edmonton.ca/activities_p... #YEGFunicularStatus
#yegfunicularstatus The funicular isn’t working right now
October 6, 2025 at 3:14 PM
#yegfunicularstatus The funicular isn’t working right now
Hi from a Ward D school trustee election candidate forum at the Cloverdale community league.
I’m not live-posting but I’ll try to include some highlights. There are four candidates in Ward D, and no incumbent trustee.
- Nickela Anderson
- Colette Bachand
- Nancy Hunt
- Rufino Ranon #yegvote #epsb
I’m not live-posting but I’ll try to include some highlights. There are four candidates in Ward D, and no incumbent trustee.
- Nickela Anderson
- Colette Bachand
- Nancy Hunt
- Rufino Ranon #yegvote #epsb
October 3, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner has issued a statement saying he’s disappointed in the result and questions if the ATA leaders know what teachers want.
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
September 30, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner has issued a statement saying he’s disappointed in the result and questions if the ATA leaders know what teachers want.
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner has issued a statement saying he’s disappointed in the result and questions if the ATA leaders know what teachers want.
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
September 30, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner has issued a statement saying he’s disappointed in the result and questions if the ATA leaders know what teachers want.
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
ATA has said they took the latest offer to members b/c they couldn’t get traction at the bargaining table on class size/composition #AbLeg
Alberta Teachers’ Association members have voted 89.5 per cent to reject the latest contract offer.
Turnout for the vote was 94 per cent.
51,000 teachers will go on strike across the province on Oct. 6.
Here’s ATA president Jason Schilling announcing the vote result in Edmonton #AbEd #AbLeg
Turnout for the vote was 94 per cent.
51,000 teachers will go on strike across the province on Oct. 6.
Here’s ATA president Jason Schilling announcing the vote result in Edmonton #AbEd #AbLeg
September 30, 2025 at 12:40 AM
#YEGFunicularStarus
It appears that the funicular is stuck part at and that someone and their bicycle is inside it
It appears that the funicular is stuck part at and that someone and their bicycle is inside it
September 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
#YEGFunicularStarus
It appears that the funicular is stuck part at and that someone and their bicycle is inside it
It appears that the funicular is stuck part at and that someone and their bicycle is inside it
NEW: The Alberta Teachers' Association and employers are returning to the bargaining table Friday.
See short decision from the LRB, to resolve the complaint the government filed earlier this week.
Note the outstanding issues: two pay items and coverage of COVID vaccines. #AbLeg #AbEd
See short decision from the LRB, to resolve the complaint the government filed earlier this week.
Note the outstanding issues: two pay items and coverage of COVID vaccines. #AbLeg #AbEd
September 18, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Hot damn! #YegFunicularStatus I caught the last ride.
It is the third Thursday of the month, not the second Wednesday, but the funicular just closed for maintenance.#yeg
It is the third Thursday of the month, not the second Wednesday, but the funicular just closed for maintenance.#yeg
September 18, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Hot damn! #YegFunicularStatus I caught the last ride.
It is the third Thursday of the month, not the second Wednesday, but the funicular just closed for maintenance.#yeg
It is the third Thursday of the month, not the second Wednesday, but the funicular just closed for maintenance.#yeg
#YEGFunicularStatus Funicular running fine. Lower elevator still out of service. Starting to wonder if it needs parts shipped from Uzbekistan? #yeg
September 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM
#YEGFunicularStatus Funicular running fine. Lower elevator still out of service. Starting to wonder if it needs parts shipped from Uzbekistan? #yeg
#YEGFunicularStatus Funicular running smoothly. Lower elevator still working through its problems. Cool new mural going in up top.
September 11, 2025 at 3:31 PM
#YEGFunicularStatus Funicular running smoothly. Lower elevator still working through its problems. Cool new mural going in up top.
#YegFunicularStatus Funicular appeared stalled halfway up the hill at around 9:15 am. Up Grierson Hill it was 🚲 😅 #yeg
September 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
#YegFunicularStatus Funicular appeared stalled halfway up the hill at around 9:15 am. Up Grierson Hill it was 🚲 😅 #yeg
#YEGfunicularstatus Lower elevator is kaput
September 4, 2025 at 3:38 PM
#YEGfunicularstatus Lower elevator is kaput