Thousands of teachers and supporters descended on the Alberta legislature Thursday, chanting, jeering, and – in a bold escalation of starch-based protest – dumping sacks of potatoes at the doors of power. The tubers, according to organizers, symbolize both solidarity and the average teacher’s current grocery budget.
Premier Danielle Smith, unfazed and possibly already planning a potato-themed press conference, has given unions until Monday to “end the strike or be mashed.” Critics called the ultimatum “boil or bust” politics.
The protest, which briefly turned the legislature steps into a carbohydrate avalanche, left cleanup crews muttering about “root-based chaos” and “democracy soufflé.” One teacher yelled, “If we can’t afford food, at least we can throw it!” before tossing a russet with alarming accuracy.
As Monday’s deadline looms, negotiations remain stuck – like fries at the bottom of the bag – somewhere between cold and overcooked.
