The first news stories about the “exceptional tuition increases” in 12 University of Alberta programs Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides has quietly approved are bound to focus on the startling percentages – 100 per cent or more in the case of a couple of programs. But what’s needed beyond that kind of shock coverage is […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
With bill banning municipal mask mandates, Kenney Cabinet tries to toss its foundering leader a political life preserver
The Kenney Government introduced legislation yesterday to prevent Alberta municipalities from imposing their own mask requirements and proof of vaccination rules to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, in particular, COVID-19. By doing so, Premier Jason Kenney has flip-flopped about as much as you can flip-flop on what he was saying not so long ago […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Citing soaring prices, but with eye to shielding retailers’ profits, UCP stops collecting 13-cent-per-litre provincial fuel tax
If the United Conservative Party Government was serious about protecting Albertans from soaring fuel prices, it could move to temporarily control the retail price of gasoline and diesel fuel. Big fuel retailers would scream bloody murder, and market fundamentalist think tanks would suffer the vapours, but there wouldn’t be much they could do about it. […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
What’s with all this chatter about the Canadian Bill of Rights? The latest far-right talking point explained
There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the Diefenbaker-era Canadian Bill of Rights, especially on social media. While it doesn’t seem to have hit mainstream commentary in a big way yet, social media is full of references, usually by commenters in the darker corners of the right-wing Internet, about the Canadian Bill of Rights, […]
Posted inBestsellers
Perennial favourite, Five Little Indians, returns to top of independent bookshops’ Alberta bestseller list
Here are the lists of the top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles sold by independent booksellers in Alberta during the week ended Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The lists are compiled by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, and include sales at Audreys Books and Glass Bookshop in Edmonton. It’s mildly disturbing to see an anti-vaxx screed trending on […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Unauthorized recording dramatically illustrates the deep rift in Alberta’s United Conservative Party
“Let’s be clear, this premier is a bully. And the people around him are jerks. And they will come after you, and they’ll come after your family, and they will come after your business, and they will spread any secret or any lie that they can get on you.” The speaker quoted above is Vitor […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
‘Best Summer Ever’ again? Jason Kenney says ‘Alberta’s on a roll’ at newser announcing end to most COVID-19 mitigation measures
There was a familiar, frenetic vibe to Jason Kenney’s news conference in Red Deer yesterday, called to announce that happy days are here again because Alberta is dropping most of its remaining public health measures related to COVID-19. But the Alberta premier’s arm-waving enthusiasm and the car salesman’s frozen grin pasted on his face were […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Russian vodka disappears from Alberta shelves – but what about Russian pipeline steel and AIMCo’s Russian investment fund?
On Sunday, Premier Jason Kenney announced the provincial government has directed the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission to stop accepting Russian-made liquor products and to quit selling current stock to retailers. The announcement also indicated without details that retailers had been instructed to stop selling Russian vodka and the like. “Alberta stands in […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Police association’s 24 complaints to integrity commissioner, all found to be without merit, were retaliatory: Edmonton City Councillor
Twenty-four complaints by the Edmonton Police Association claiming Councillor Michael Janz broke City Council’s code of conduct have all been dismissed as completely without merit by Edmonton Integrity Commissioner Jamie Pytel. “The complaint was retaliatory, as I have raised a number of concerns about police spending and conduct, and designed to put a ‘chill’ on […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Job swap between justice and labour ministers illustrates shallow talent pool, low ethical bar in Jason Kenney’s government
Friday’s announcement of the job swap between Alberta’s justice and labour ministers illustrates just how shallow the talent pool of potential cabinet ministers still trusted by Premier Jason Kenney has become. It also shows how low the ethical bar now is for ministers in the United Conservative Party cabinet. Faced with the need to fire […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Budget 2022: Petroleum prices are up and Alberta’s back on the fiscal rollercoaster
Alberta never learns. If you doubt me, consider Finance Minister Travis Toews’s provincial budget yesterday. Dubbed “Moving Forward,” the Budget Speech read by Mr. Toews in the Legislature would be better called “Back on the Rollercoaster.” Promising to get the province off the rollercoaster of volatile petroleum prices is a hardy perennial of Alberta politics, […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
PM Trudeau revokes national emergency declaration – Conservative hive mind’s message discipline immediately crumbles
Most of the day yesterday, the voices of Canada’s Conservative hive mind were screaming in unison for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lift the emergency and lift it now. Some of them, like would-be United Conservative Party leader Brian Jean, even had scheduled tweets set up to automatically demand an end to the state of […]