You only have to listen to Nate Horner for a few seconds to realize he’s dead serious.

The man is not playing games. He vowed to stick to his guns and he appears to be doing just that.

Horner is the budget boss in Premier Danielle Smith’s government and he’s made it clear what is in the cards if striking teachers can’t agree to a deal with the province.

They will be ordered back to work.

Please read carefully.

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The politicians go back to the legislature in Edmonton later this month.

Will the government order the teachers back to work?

“We go back to session on Oct. 27 in earnest. I would expect we would begin that process almost immediately.

“That would mean we would be at three weeks with kids out of school. I think that meets the bar. If we’re this far apart I hope we are still talking but I think it will be seen as an inevitable thing.”

How far apart are the two sides?

“In a way I feel we are further apart than ever.”

There you have it. The Smith government is not caving to teacher demands. They are not........

© Calgary Herald