Advocacy Campaigns

The Association’s advocacy work centers on publicly advancing its Member approved advocacy goals and responding to current events that impact post-secondary education. The MRFA regularly distributes advocacy documents—including press releases, policy statements, and letters to the editor—to address critical issues such as government funding, institutional independence, and solidarity with other labor unions and community groups. To drive these efforts, we coordinate targeted annual advocacy campaigns, Fair Employment Week and Advocacy Week, which are intended to empowers faculty members to engage directly with the public, students, and legislators to champion accessible, high-quality education and defend academic rights.

• See the MRFA Membership Approved Advocacy Goals Here.
• See Press Releases, Media Coverage, and Union Support Letters that have been sent out over the years.
• Follow us on Twitter/X and Instagram @MRUfaculty

2025 – 2026

• Advocacy Week 2026 – Be an Advocate – March 2 – 6, 2026
• What’s the Matter with Bill 2 and Bill 9? (News Post from the MRFA’s EDI Committee)
• Opposing Bill 2 – Back to School Act – Recording of the November 3 2025 Rally and Recording of the January 22, 2026 Public Panel (Short on time? Watch a three minute highlight reel from this recorded session here) on the use of the Notwithstanding Clause to legislate away workers’ rights
• MLA Outreach Initiative – each initiative has a specific sign up form and related talking points provided by your Advocacy Committee to assist you in preparing for these meetings. Follow the links below to meet with your MLA on a topic you want to advocate for:
  • PSE Funding (Talking Points)
  • Fair Employment for Contract Academic Staff (Talking Points and Infographic)
  • Opposing Bill 2 (the Back to School Act) and impact on charter protected human rights (talking points)
  • 2025 Expert Panel Report on Post-Secondary Funding and Alberta’s Competitiveness (infographic and talking points)
• Fair Employment Week 2025

2024 – 2025

• MRFA Response on the Provincial Budget 2025 (March 20, 2025)
• Advocacy Week 2025 – Building on the Past, Advocating for the Future
• Rally in Opposition to Government Interference in Collective Bargaining, Institutional Autonomy, and Academic Freedom
• Fair Employment Week 2024

2023 – 2024

• Fair Employment Week 2023
• Advocacy Week 2024

2022 – 2023 

• Fair Employment Week 2022 
• Academic Unit Practices Survey 
• Winter 2023 Lobbying 
• 2023 AB Election Primer
• Teach in on AB PSE

2021-2022

• Advocacy Matters 
  • Unpacking Alberta 2030 (2021-09-27) 
  • Governance Under Assault (2021-10-25)
  • Faculty Salaries in Alberta (2022-02-06)
  • 2022 Provincial Budget (2022-03-04)
• Fair Employment Week – October 18 – 22, 2021 

2020-2021

• AB PSE 2030 Sector Review 
• Fair Employment Week (October 19 – 23, 2020)  – 2020 FEW Wrap Up Panel Notes
• Advocacy Week 2021 (Jan 25 – Jan 29) – AB PSE Sector Review 

2019-2020 Events

• Advocacy Week 2020 Page
• Faculty and Student Profiles highlighting the value of PSE (see twitter @MRUfaculty and Facebook)
• MRU Coalition Petition to Alberta Politicians
• CAUT Petition to the federal government on PSE
• CUPE Petition to the Federal Government to Support PSE
• AUPE Rally – Fight the Cuts
• Alberta Government Budget Consultations

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2018-2019 Events

Fifth Annual Advocacy Week January 28 – February 1, 2019

• Ask The Faculty Handout
• PSE Data Sheet – January 2019
• MRFA Regular Meeting 
• Get Cracking on How to #BeAnAdvocate

Fair Employment Week – October 22 – 26, 2018

• 10th Annual Canadian Labour International Film Festival 
• Main Street Information Table 
• Contract Appointment Information Sessions 
• Comparative Analysis of CAUT Report on Contract Faculty and MRU Data
• Out of the Shadows- Experiences of Contract Academic Staff – CAUT CAS Survey Report 2018

2017-2018 Events

Fair Employment Week October 23 – 27, 2017

• Information booth and Test Your Awareness game
• Postcard campaign
• Open Discussion in the RLLC
• Streaming tweets #MakeItFair on the RLLC Ideas Visualization Wall
• WAC²S – Wine and Cheese Contract Socials: October 25 and 26

Fourth Annual Advocacy Week, February 26 – March 2, 2018

• MRFA Advocacy Week 2018 Press Release
• Advocacy Week Events List
• Film Screenings 
• Art Exhibit – REMEMBER | RESIST | REDRAW – A RADICAL HISTORY POSTER PROJECT
• Breakfast Discussion on Provincial Taxes and Advocacy (Registration Page)
• MRFA Regular Meeting (Faculty Only)
• MRFA Social Event: Be an Advocate and Bring an Advocate (Faculty Only)