Alberta legislature sitting raises questions on rule of law and political authority, political watcher says

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government has wrapped up a fall legislature sitting featuring landmark legislation that a political commentator says has raised questions on where political authority should end and the rule of law should begin.

Smith's government invoked the Charter's notwithstanding clause on four pieces of legislation, to shield them from successful court challenges.

The government first used the clause when it legislated 51,000 teachers back to work after a three-week provincewide strike and put into force a contract that educators had previously rejected.

The use of the notwithstanding clause on teachers drew widespread criticism from advocacy organizations, civil liberty associations, lawyers groups and religious officials, such as Edmonton's Anglican bishop. WA