So, Queen Dani Doesn’t Like Courts?
In a year-end interview, Premier Smith of Alberta complained that "judges aren't accountable", and elected politicians are. Like everything else that comes out of today's conservative politicians, this is 1…
Danielle Smith
Having opened door to Alberta separation vote, UCP changes rules to block competing referenda
Having made sure its secessionist wing’s Alberta separation referendum will have an easy time getting on a ballot, Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party cabinet has moved to ensure no…
With UCP separatists in the driver’s seat, Alberta’s likely to face the biggest disinformation campaign since Brexit
Jeffrey Rath, the caricature of an Alberta separatist who happens to be Alberta’s best-known separatist at the moment, isn’t right about much, but he was right when he got up…
Danielle Smith among the targets of the latest recall petitions approved by Elections Alberta yesterday
And then there were 21! Twenty-one petitions acceptable to Elections Alberta to recall members of the Alberta Legislative Assembly, that is. Twenty of them are directed at MLAs from the…
Danielle Smith Just Forced Detransition On Trans Youth In Alberta
Last night, the UCP slammed down the Notwithstanding Clause to bolster its anti-transgender legislation.I'm not going to spend my time talking about my objections to Bill 9 and Bills 26,…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.- Cathy Young and Cas Mudde each discuss how the Trump regime's "national security strategy" is based on pushing cronyism and bigotry over democracy and…
Governments Seizing Powers They Have No Right To
In Alberta recently the UCP government has written a number of laws which undermine the role of the courts as a check on power. There are several strategies that are…
May I Introduce The Phrase "Ultra Vires"?
Alberta plans to invoke its "Sovereign Alberta" legislation as part of "fighting back" against federal firearms legislation that bans firearms that are commonly seen as "military-style". As the first application…
The Frankenparty stitched together by Jason Kenney spawns a separatist monster in its ranks
The Frankenparty stitched together in 2017 by Jason Kenney from the Wildrose Party and the Progressive Conservatives has spawned a monster. Hard-line Alberta separatists who were tolerated by Mr. Kenney…
The UCP Is Not A Reasonable Party
So, Danielle Smith was booed at the UCP annual convention last night. Why? Because she signed a deal with Ottawa. Nobody should be surprised by this - least of all…
Expect an Alberta election call shortly, before anyone realizes that pipeline to Prince Rupert is unlikely ever to be built
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith must have experienced a strong feeling of déjà vu yesterday as she announced her grand pipeline bargain with Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney – after all,…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.- Robert Reich talks about the glaring gap between the wealthy elite who are being catered to by the U.S.' economy and the many…
Danielle Smith doesn’t need a pipeline to Prince Rupert – she just needs Mark Carney to promise she can have one
Danielle Smith doesn’t need a pipeline to Prince Rupert, she just needs Mark Carney to promise she can have one, with sketchy details to follow. Then, just like that, Alberta’s…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.- Bruce Campbell discusses how Canada continues to be both a laggard in its own climate action, and an obstacle to international cooperation. And Patrick…
Bill 9 and Smith’s Justification For Invoking S33
Over at the Government of Alberta website, we have the government's propaganda piece trying to justify using S33 to stomp all over the rights of transgender Albertans, their parents, and…
Danielle Smith dared Eastern Slopes coal mine opponents to start a citizen initiative petition – so Corb Lund did
Albertan country music icon Corb Lund showed up in Edmonton yesterday to drop off a citizen initiative application at the offices of Elections Alberta for a referendum petition seeking permanent…
An Open Letter To Premier Smith
Dear Premier Smith, It wasn't that long ago that you were standing at the podium telling us that Bills 26, 27, and 29 were so well crafted that you were…
Are Mark Carney and Danielle Smith playing Grey Cup football footsie about that bitumen pipeline scheme?
Is it just me, or are Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney suddenly acting like a couple of kids from rival high schools who’ve noticed they…
The Charter Is Far More Complex Than This
So, over at Macleans, we have an opinion writer who thinks the Notwithstanding Clause (S33) is a "Good Thing". The author largely is making the argument that "too much power…