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Gil McGowan Profile picture
Gil McGowan
@gilmcgowan
Proud father of three. President of the Alberta Federation of Labour. My job is to stand up for Alberta workers. https://t.co/4947qWYT2G
2 subscribers
Oct 30 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
With her decision to strip teachers of their fundamental democratic rights, Danielle Smith has awakened a sleeping giant. Alberta unions are now united in one purpose: topple the UCP. Organizing a towards a general strike will be part of our strategy to make it happen. Image
Image “This government wants to take that power — the power of collective action — away from workers. We are going to find ways to take that power back.”
Oct 25 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
In an emergency meeting tonight, the leaders of almost all of Alberta’s public and private unions unanimously agreed to send a message to Premier Danielle Smith, warning her not to use the Notwithstanding Clause against striking teachers. See full text of the statement below 💥👇 Dear Premier Smith,
On behalf of the more than 350,000 working Albertans who we represent, we urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to rule out the use of the Notwithstanding Clause as part of your government’s approach to the teachers’ strike.
Aug 25 • 12 tweets • 3 min read
Can we please parse in detail some of the BS that our Premier puts forward as facts. Exhibit #1: “
“The guidance that Health Canada gives is that everybody get (flu shots) because influenza can impact negatively both the very young and the very old.” edmonton.citynews.ca/2025/08/23/pre… The implication here is that Health Canada has NOT given guidance suggesting that everybody get the Covid shot. But, that’s not true! Health Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization has CLEARLY recommended that EVERYONE should get Covid boosters.
May 6 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
Today, our Premier played the victim card and suggested that the federal government’s “attacks on our oil and gas industry” make consideration of separation from the rest of Canada justifiable. The problem is there is ZERO evidence that our energy sector is hurting. (THREAD) Image Smith is gaslighting Albertans in an effort to manipulate them into voting for separation. She’s doing this by spinning a web of lies, half truths and innuendo. The truth is we’ve never produced more oil — up by over a million barrels per day since 2014. Some “lost decade”! Image
Feb 16 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
I’ve been thinking a lot about JD Vance’s speech in Munich. It’s outrageous, yes. But it’s also important because it’s basically the MAGA crowd telling on themselves. Their strategy involves pulling out all the stops (misinformation, voter suppression etc) … … to win one election, then using that democratic mandate to basically make sure that there’s never a truly democratic election ever again. The fact that Europe has figured this out has the Trump/Putin crowd freaked out. So, by scolding the Europeans for cracking down on …
Jan 28 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Goodbye Alberta Advantage! A report released today shows that average wages in Alberta fell behind Quebec in 2024 after falling behind BC in 2023. This represents a shocking decline in Alberta wages, which used to be 17% higher than the Canadian average. #abpoli #abecon #ableg Image The report, prepared by economist @JimboStanford in cooperation with the @ABFedLabour, shows that Alberta has had the slowest wage growth in Canada since 2019. afl.org/press-release-…
Jun 30, 2024 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
This is complete BS, Don. Did you talk to a single labour relations expert before writing this column? You clearly want the government to order the mechanics back to work and won’t be satisfied with any other outcome. The disruptions caused by this LEGAL strike are West Jet’s fault. When the mechanics rejected a tentative agreement recommended by their own union, West Jet should have RUSHED back to the bargaining table. Instead, they wasted time trying to convince the Minister to step in.
May 23, 2024 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
The business community is starting to acknowledge that Covid is a BIG economic & workplace problem. Unfortunately, here in Alberta, Covid deniers are running the UCP and our government. Who do you believe: Harvard researchers or our Premier, #DenialSmith? hbr.org/2024/05/long-c… Check out these stats! Harvard University economists estimated that long Covid costs the U.S. economy between $160 billion and $200 billion per year in lost wages and increased medical costs.
May 21, 2024 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
UCP policies are depressing both living standards and economic growth in Alberta. That’s the conclusion of a new report, entitled Alberta’s Disappearing Advantage. Check out these alarming charts! We need to fight to repair our living standards! #abpoli afl.org/wp-content/upl…
Image The report, authored by one of Canada’s most prominent progressive economists, @JimboStanford, shows that since the UCP took over, Alberta has had the slowest rate of wage growth among all Canadian provinces. We’re number one at suppressing wages! Image
Feb 2, 2024 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
I wrote this column back in September, but it’s more important than ever. Danielle Smith’s new anti-trans policy needs to be seen for what it is: part of a global “culture war” being waged by extremists against public services … and democracy itself. thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/0… The activists behind these (policies) are part of a global network of right-wing extremists who have spent the past 10 or 15 years trying to foment rage and sow seeds of division — all in an effort to destabilize democracies around the world.
Nov 27, 2023 • 24 tweets • 6 min read
I just read the UCP’s cowardly pension workbook. I say “cowardly” because they’re offering this in place of the public town halls they initially promised. So, how bad is the government’s latest sales document dressed up as consultation? Let me count the ways. #AlbertaPensionScam Image First, there’s still no clear question,
like: “Are you in favour or leaving CPP and creating a stand-alone Alberta plan?” Instead we get a loaded question: “If those issues and concerns were addressed to your satisfaction, would you be supportive of moving from CPP to an APP?”
May 24, 2023 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
Thinking of voting UCP “because of the economy”? Think again! New study shows UCP’s “trickle down” policies have hurt, not helped the Alberta economy. Wage growth, economic growth, investment all dismal under UCP. #abvotes #FireTheUCP #abpoli #abvote action.afl.org/press-release-… Image Under the UCP, Alberta had the lowest wage growth in Canada. Image
Apr 19, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
A tale of two Premiers. Notley and Smith both sat down for separate chats with Calgary Mayor Gondek in front of crowd of 2,000 Calgary business people. In a nutshell: Notley shone; Smith flopped. I almost felt sorry for Smith. Almost. #AbLeg #abvotes #abpoli ImageImage I want to stress that this was a business audience. They didn’t give either politician a standing ovation, but the reception for Smith was positively chilly. And no wonder. When asked about downtown revitalization, Smith talked about the ring road and federal bail conditions.
Apr 17, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Glad to see this approach from the NDP. As a democratic society, we have to stop playing along with the fiction that outlets like the Western Standard, True North and Rebel Media are legitimate news outlets. They are simply right-wing extremists masquerading as journalists. To be clear, they should be free to continue publishing their nonsense, as long as it doesn’t cross the line into illegal hate speech. But that doesn’t mean that they should be accorded the privileges of real journalists.
Jan 27, 2023 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Global investment in clean energy tied fossil fuel investment in 2022, for the first time ever. More than a $1 trillion was spent on new projects. We’re in the midst of the biggest economic paradigm shift since the Industrial Revolution. #AbLeg #abpoli bloomberg.com/news/articles/… Here’s a great visualization. This isn’t something that’s “looming on the horizon,” it’s here and it’s happening right now. The question we Albertans need to be asking is this: will we seize the opportunities associated with this massive paradigm shift, or will we be left behind?
Jan 26, 2023 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
The gall of this woman! All of the many Albertans (business, labour etc) who have been meeting with the federal government for the past year have been suggesting these things. And we’ve already convinced the feds to do them, including renaming it the Sustainable Jobs Act. #AbLeg The UCP, under Kenney & Smith, refused to come to the table in good faith and now they’re attempting to take credit for the work done by others. My guess is the oil & gas industry folks told Smith to stop getting in the way of policies that will reduce emissions AND create jobs.
Oct 29, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Conservatives used to be all about upholding the rule of law. But Danielle Smith is the opposite. First, she said she would ignore federal laws she doesn’t like. Now it’s provincial laws. She’s Trumpian in her disregard for our democratic institutions. Alarm bells, folks. #AbLeg To be clear, we went to court to protect the health and safety of workers and kids in the context of a pandemic that’s still going strong. And the court ruled that public health decisions need to be made by experts, not conspiracy-addled politicians.
Oct 28, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Confirmed in Law: The Decision-Maker for COVID-19 Public Health Orders in Alberta is the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Period. Great summary and explanation of yesterday’s court decision overturning the UCP’s approach to ending mask mandates. #AbLeg ablawg.ca/2022/10/28/con… “The legislation does not authorize Cabinet or any individual Minister to issue those orders, and the legislation does not provide that the CMOH is merely an advisor to Cabinet on these public health orders.”
Oct 13, 2022 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
Are you tired of the Sovereignty Act & endless anti-vax rhetoric? Wouldn’t it be nice if our leaders talked about jobs & the economy, instead? Yesterday, we at the AFL released a report aimed at turning the spotlight towards things that REALLY matter. calgary.ctvnews.ca/bold-and-ambit… Here’s our news release and report. Basically, we’re saying that the biggest threat to the Alberta economy and Alberta jobs is the unfolding global energy transition. We can either prepare for change and prosper, or do nothing and be left behind. afl.org/ground-breakin…
Sep 21, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Thousands of kids in Alberta schools are sick and the number is growing. Many of these are almost certainly Covid, but we’ll never know because the provincial government has stopped testing. This is essentially a forced mass infection policy, with no thought for #LongCovid The government barely mentions Covid when communicating with parents, referring only to outbreaks of “respiratory illness.” But here’s the problem: Covid is not just another respiratory disease. It’s a multi-system illness that affects the brain, heart and all other organs.
Sep 21, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Hey, ⁦@PierrePoilievre⁩! Canada Pension Plan (CPP) deductions are NOT taxes — they’re contributions to only pension most Canadians will ever get (no, not everyone gets a huge MP’s pension). And EI is insurance against unemployment. Again, NOT a tax. ctvnews.ca/politics/poili… Workers actually fought long and hard to get CPP. And we’re the ones who called for the contribution increases, too. They will fund a 25%, inflation-indexed increase in monthly payouts to retired Canadians. What your proposing is an attack on the retirement security of millions.