High school student’s microphone cut during Alberta Next town hall
By Alexander Howey, October 20 2025—
The moderator of the Alberta Next panel has been met with scrutiny on social media for his response to a High School student asking a question regarding the province-wide teachers’ strike at a town hall event.
These Alberta Next town halls have been held throughout the summer as a means of gauging public opinion around federal decision-making and whether the province should play a larger role in areas such as pensions and immigration.
Evan Li, a Grade 12 student at Sir Winston Churchill High School, was about to ask why the province allocates so much towards private schooling, given current concerns about funding and the public school system, when his microphone was cut midway through his question.
The same night, it was announced that Alberta teachers had overwhelmingly rejected an offer from the province, with teachers officially going on strike on Monday.
Li wanted to hear how the province plans to address this. For him and many other students, the looming strike is raising concerns around upcoming diploma exams and applications to post-secondary schools.
“I applaud you coming here to speak. I don’t applaud how you’re trying to speak, ” moderator Bruce McAllister said after cutting Li’s microphone. “It’s not making any sense.”
“I know you’d love some chaos, but your parents should turn you over your knee.”
McAllister is currently the executive director of the premier’s office, and Premier Danielle Smith’s senior aide on policy and communication.
After backlash online, McAllister released a statement the next morning on social media:
“Last night, while moderating the AB Next panel, I made an inappropriate remark to a participant. I regret saying it and I apologize. I’m committed to ensuring these conversations remain respectful and constructive.”
Smith characterized the comment as “offensive” but also indicated that she now considers the matter closed, given McAllister’s statement.
“I always take the view that we have to engage with people respectfully. That’s my expectation of my staff and I have asked him to do better next time.”
“He apologized, I consider it at an end,” she concluded.
Li has stated that he wants a more personal and direct apology from McAllister.
“I am concerned about what these standards are within this government and why this was so acceptable to say. And no one at the panel spoke out against him, either” Li explained.
“It’s just really deplorable and disappointing, and honestly embarrassing.”
Political scientist Keith Brownsey echoed Li’s sentiment.
“The premier was sitting right there and could have interjected right there and stopped this nonsense,” he said.
The leader of the opposition NDP Naheed Nenshi is calling on Smith to fire McAllister for his “reprehensible conduct” and issue her own personal apology to Li directly.
“This is not a one-off — all summer he’s been silencing, belittling and insulting Albertans he disagrees with,” Nenshi said, referring to McAllister.
“That was a disgusting thing to say to a citizen, especially a young citizen who’s brave enough to ask a question,” Nenshi asserted.
Li discussed the public attention this incident has brought forward, hoping it will spark change.
“I’ve been given this unique opportunity, and I’d like to use the public platform that I have right now to speak out on behalf of Alberta students and teachers, and on behalf of other groups who have not been receiving the attention they need.”
“I think if youth use their voices actively, those in power cannot ignore us,” Li concluded.
For more information on the effects of the teacher’s strike, read here.