Hatter rally outside Premier Danielle Smith's Brooks-Medicine Hat constituency office in opposition to numerous policy choices by her UCP government. Civic action ramped up in 2025, with no signs of slowing down, as protests, petitions and strikes dominated headlines.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
A movement began this year, one that looks to continue to build momentum not just in Medicine Hat, but province wide.
It was early this year that weekly demonstrations began outside Premier and Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Danielle Smith’s constituency office. Protesters cited various issues that had driven them to brave the winter weather every weekend, from coal mining in the Rockies’ Eastern Slopes to the confusing re-structuring of the provincial health-care system and anti-trans legislation.
These rallies migrated outside Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright’s office later in the year, but there is no intention of them stopping any time soon, say organizers.
“It’s been really heartening to see us grow to around 65 people out there,” said organizer and AwareMHAB member Shelley Ewing. “We started with maybe 10. But it makes people look and realize that maybe something is wrong, and it makes them think.”
This moved beyond rallies throughout the year, to canvassing and collecting signatures for the Forever Canadian petition, which asked Albertans if they agreed that Alberta should remain in Canada as a citizen initiative petition. Over the course of 90 days, 456,388 Albertans signed the petition, sparking a growing sense of power.
Medicine Hat was reported to have collected more signatures than expected for the population, as well as raising more then $900 for the cause on top funding their own efforts.
Ewing says she believes that it was the start of a conversation as well as an opportunity to get many people more comfortable standing up to the province when need be, though she is disappointed to hear that another petition regarding separation will be going forward and costing taxpayers for the same subject.
This year has also been noteworthy for union workers such as Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Alberta Teacher’s Association and the Alberta Union for Provincial Employees, who have all seen strike or near-strike action following issues reaching an agreement.
For AUPE and CUPW, this would see some results. AUPE’s AHS Nursing Care members reached an agreement in late November after an overwhelming strike vote, only nearly missing the point in which they would take active strike action.
“This year we had the general government sector bargaining as well. While we did get a very high strike mandate, we were able to settle that one before we actually had to to take strike action,” said AUPE president Sandra Azocar.
She added that this has come from two years of lead-up, and they would be continuing to push in the months to come for other groups in their unit as more collective agreements come due in 2026, such as the general support services staff who will be in bargaining.
“We know what our value is and sometimes the employer doesn’t necessarily recognize it, but we do,” said Azocar. “We did manage to move the needle somewhat when it comes to at least health care, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
CUPW did see strike action this year, though they have reached a tentative agreement as of late December. This has been another year with some strike action, as CUPW had been actively working on reaching an agreement for most of 2025.
Tentative agreements include higher wage increases, enhanced benefits and a weekend parcel delivery model. These agreements are in effect until January 2029 for both the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier) bargaining units.
As 2026 looms ahead, AwareMHAB members indicated their work would continue, both in rallying, collecting signatures for causes they believe in, as well as their most recent initiative: providing aid to those experiencing homelessness in the city.
“Three Fridays ago, we went to the park across from Tim Hortons and took sweets and hot drinks and scarves and other gear over to them,” said community member Michelle Sauve. “It was so upsetting to me to hear that so many of them don’t have anywhere to go when it’s this cold. I think we have to normalize homelessness. Houselessness is not going away, not until we have the right support systems in place. Nobody chooses this.”
They hope to raise money to provide supplies at least once a month, if not more often.
Looking forward, with the recall petition for premier Danielle Smith in full swing here in Medicine Hat alongside 25 other recall petitions throughout the province, it seems that the momentum for collective and civic action in Alberta is only picking up speed.
