The NDP is upset with how the UCP government handled Bill 9, the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act.
The government shut down debate on the bill shortly after midnight Tuesday, after only one NDP MLA had a chance to speak to the matter.
“Having something like this, that was a surprise and now having it rammed through and debated in the dead of night isn’t right,” said Christina Gray, NDP labour critic.
The bill would delay wage arbitration for a number of employees in the public sector until the fall.
“We’ll provide enough opportunity for all the opposition to debate in the house,” said Jason Nixon, Government House leader. “But if it appears we’re being bogged down, we’ll use time allocation if we think that the best way to proceed with our agenda.”
The government said it will revisit Bill 9 once a review of Alberta’s finances is complete.
