#calgary-bow

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 14, 2026

Mr. Nicolaides: I’ve also heard some criticism from the Alberta Teachers’ Association, who have said that this bill is a solution in search of a problem. However, the evidence from parents and concerned citizens tells a very different story. We have seen numerous instances where schools have been used as vehicles to promote social or political causes. I’ve heard directly from parents who feel that their primary role as the moral and social guides for their children is being undermined.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

October 29, 2025

Mr. Nenshi: This government has continually attacked teachers, and for a government that talks about freedom while curtailing it every day, perhaps they have forgotten that people have choices. Mr. Speaker, what trained professional teacher would ever – ever –sign up to work for this government?

Mr. Nicolaides: There you see it again, Mr. Speaker, using this kind of inflammatory language that does nothing to help solve the issues that we have in our education system. Suggesting that the government is attacking teachers is a complete mischaracterization and, I would argue, is totally irresponsible for a member of this Assembly to say.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

October 30, 2025

Mr. Nicolaides: Well, Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I reject the characterization that we engineered this strike. We’ve been bargaining with the Alberta Teachers’ Association for 18 months. At the very end we had invited the Alberta Teachers’ Association to participate in enhanced mediation, and they rejected.

...

Mr. Nenshi: You know, Mr. Speaker, I love hearing so much from this minister because he keeps telling on himself. He just said that we offered enhanced mediation. That enhanced mediation offer was: give up all your power, and we won’t talk about the things you want to talk about. What did they think the teachers were going to say?

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

October 27, 2025

Ms Hayter: Given that Alberta’s classrooms are more complex than ever and given that Katharina, a grade 10 student from Calgary-Edgemont, wrote, “My class size used to be 20 to 25 kids; now there are sometimes more than 40, and students like me cannot get the help we need,” when will the government stop denying what every parent, teacher, and student can see, that overcrowded, underresourced classrooms are failing Alberta students?

Mr. Nicolaides: Mr. Speaker, respectfully, I’m not sure what the member is talking about.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

March 11, 2026

Member Batten: Mr. Speaker, when a parent leaves their child in the hands of a care provider, they expect that they will be safe and they will be protected. While that is mostly the case in this province, multiple serious instances of child abuse events this past year have left parents feeling helpless. What’s worse is these shocking events have raised concerns about gaps in the Early Learning and Child Care Act, which this government has failed to do anything about. When can we expect the Minister of Education and Childcare to step up and do something about it?

Mr. Nicolaides: Mr. Speaker, the only people who have failed to do anything are the NDP.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

October 29, 2025

Ms Chapman: Given that in 2023 the NDP put forward a private member’s bill, Bill 202, that asked the government to return to collecting and publicly reporting data on class size and complexity and given that this government responded to the bill by saying that it “introduces burdensome reporting mechanisms that threaten to divert precious resources away from the core of our educational mission,” will the minister pinpoint for Albertans the exact moment he realized voting down Bill 202 was a huge mistake?

Mr. Nicolaides: Mr. Speaker, Albertans are interested in moving forward, not rehashing the past to try and score political points.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 28, 2025

Mr. Nicolaides: The NDP are shaking their head. Of course, one can ascertain for themselves what their position is on democratic accountability.

Mr. Sabir: So rich.

Mr. Nicolaides: One can also ascertain from their heckling what their view is of democratic accountability.

Ms Chapman: Come on. It’s the first night sitting. A little latitude for sass.

Mr. Nicolaides: Happy to always have some latitude and sass.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 28, 2025

The Speaker: Hon. members, if you’d like to have private conversations, I encourage you to do so in your respective lounges, the peace lounge. There are a number of places enabled to do. . . [interjections] Order. You’re being unhelpful.

Mr. Nicolaides: I’m sorry. I’ll try better.

The Speaker: The Speaker is displeased.