AK: What do you think such an unprecedented rollback of union rights could mean for workers in other provinces? Do you think this could encourage other conservative premiers to try something similar?

JF: I do. I think what we’ve learned about right populist politicians is that these people learn from one another. They watch what governments are able to get away with and they attempt to emulate it.

We’ve seen it recently in terms of gutting protections for transgender kids in schools, first in New Brunswick and then in Saskatchewan. If it looks like the UCP isn’t paying a political price for these attacks on labour, maybe [Saskatchewan premier] Scott Moe tries something similar. I could see Pierre Poilievre doing this on a national scale with a Conservative federal majority.

It comes down to what they think they can get away with, politically. The evidence shows that the right is pretty consistent on its desire to hamstring labour, especially when it comes to labour’s capacity to advocate politically and be part of public debate on key issues. I think, if they get an opportunity, they’ll take it.