Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.
Five things you need to know
Danielle Smith's government has ordered the 51,000 striking teachers in Alberta back to work after passing a bill using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms' notwithstanding clause. Her education minister, Demetrios Nicolaides, said there was an "undeniable moral imperative" to end the strike, which began three weeks ago, but the Alberta Teachers’ Association said the move represented "a sad day for teachers."
Earlier today, Alberta’s government announced that as teachers and students return to the classroom this week we will be taking immediate action to reduce class sizes and address classroom complexity.
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) October 28, 2025
We will be appointing a Class Size and Complexity Task Force, who will begin… pic.twitter.com/Izc2ui5Tl4
The prime minister is in Singapore today as his Asian tour continues. Mark Carney has meetings lined up with the head of the city state's sovereign wealth fund and will, according to his office, seek to encourage more investment in the likes of critical minerals, AI and green technology. A professor specializing in Southeast Asia, meanwhile, said Canada "probably needs" countries in the region "way more" than they need Canada. Stéphanie Martel added: "And they know it, but I don't think we necessarily do."
Prime Minister Carney's visit to Singapore focuses on attracting investment in Canada https://t.co/jmzOfzEk5v #nationlnewswatch via @natnewswatch
— National Newswatch (@natnewswatch) October 28, 2025
Two of Canada's most truculent premiers remain unrepentant in the face of American chastisement, with both Doug Ford and David Eby speaking fondly of their anti-tariff ad campaigns. Eby said he plans to go ahead with ads critiquing Donald Trump's economic policy, while Ford said his own ad campaign – which prompted a furious reaction from Trump – was a great success.
David Eby says British Columbia’s anti-tariff ads, aimed at Americans, will go ahead https://t.co/WjX1r9q5i7
— CP24 (@CP24) October 28, 2025
In more Eby news, the premier has been attacked by the Quw'utsun Nation over comments about the Aboriginal title case in Richmond. The nation, whose members include the Cowichan Tribes, said comments by politicians including Eby have been "at best, misleading, and at worst, deliberately inflammatory," and had stirred up "unnecessary fears" among landowners. It comes after the BC Supreme Court ruled that the Cowichan Tribes have title over part of Richmond, prompting Eby to say concerns among landowners were "totally reasonable."
First Nation calls B.C. Premier Eby's comments 'deliberately inflammatory' https://t.co/HSz4qCE6ot
— Russ Diabo (@RussDiabo) October 28, 2025
Ottawa combined with Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec have spent an estimated $143.6 billion dollars ($158 billion when adjusted for inflation) to support a low-carbon economy since 2014, according to a new report from a think tank. The Fraser Institute's study reckons its estimates are "very conservative," however, and says the colossal sums have created "at most" just 68,000 "clean" jobs.
