The Alberta government plans to introduce back-to-work legislation on Monday aimed at ending the ongoing teachers' strike. Premier Danielle Smith announced the move during a news conference on Thursday. The proposed legislation, referred to as Bill 2, the Back to School Act, was formally noted in an order paper published on the Alberta Legislature’s website. Smith emphasized the urgency of getting students back to school, stating, "The precondition has to be getting kids back to school and so far, [the teachers’ union has] been unwilling to do that." She expressed hope for a potential agreement within the next 72 hours but noted that recent negotiations have not been productive. "They came back with an offer that moves even further apart rather than closer together," she said. The strike, which began on October 6, has affected approximately 51,000 public, separate, and francophone school teachers across Alberta. As a result, around 750,000 students have been out of school for more than two weeks. The strike commenced while the legislature was on summer break, but the fall session is set to begin with a throne speech on Thursday. House Leader Joseph Schow is expected to propose a motion that would allow the bill to advance through multiple stages in one day. The order paper indicates that debate on the bill will be limited to one hour during subsequent readings. Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized the government's approach, stating, "This is an attack on teachers, on public education, on all workers and their unions." He added, "Everyone wants students to be back at their desks and teachers want to be at work, but this is not the way to do it." The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has acknowledged the government's plan but is taking a cautious stance. In a statement, the ATA said, "We need to see the legislation to fully understand what it means for teachers." The introduction of the back-to-work legislation coincides with Alberta’s Throne Speech, which marks the start of the second session of the 31st Legislature. Thousands of teachers and their supporters are expected to gather outside the Legislature to rally during this time.