First Nations win initial stay in separatism challenge, temporarily blocking Alberta election boss from certifying petition results Alberta's top elections official has been temporarily blocked from certifying the results of a provincial independence petition.

Breaking: two First Nations have won a limited initial ruling in their challenge of the Alberta separatist petition, with a judge pausing certification of signatures until her full decision in the case. edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Edmonton mayor hires former NDP MP as chief of staff Andrew Knack announced on Thursday Blake Desjarlais will become his new chief of staff next week.

Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack announced that Blake Desjarlais will become his new chief of staff next week. Desjarlais was the NDP MP for Edmonton Griesbach from 2021 to 2025.

www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...

Bill 28: Alberta introduces municipal code of conduct, bans vacancy tax, expands influence to public libraries Bill 26 was introduced in the legislature Thursday morning and also introduces a province-wide code of conduct for municipal politicians.

In sweeping new omnibus legislation, the Alberta government is introducing a series of changes, including giving itself more influence over public libraries, instituting a universal municipal code of conduct, and banning vacant home taxes

#ableg #abpoli

Danielle Smith’s referendum question asked our blessing to negotiate with other provinces re federal judicial appointments. Now, she’s preempting her own ? & demanding a constitutional amendment to let Alberta’s cabinet to select nominees. Here’s constitutional law expert Pat Paradis’s take. #abpoli

Alberta bill would bar school boards from taking political positions, restrict flags and classroom discussion Alberta bill would bar school boards from taking political positions, restrict classroom discussion and will limit displayed flags.

Nicolaides said based on the Education Act, students and school divisions should “avoid social and political causes” and avoid discussing them in classrooms.

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Alberta stiffens animal protection laws, increases maximum fines to $250K The new bill proposes increasing the maximum fines for breaching animal protection laws by more than 12-fold: from $20,000 to $250,000.

The new bill proposes increasing the maximum fines for breaching animal protection laws by more than 12-fold: from $20,000 to $250,000.

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Alberta seeks constitutional amendment in renewed call for judicial appointment changes The Alberta government is seeking a constitutional amendment to gain control of the appointments of superior court judges in the province.

From @matthewblack.ca — The Alberta government is seeking a constitutional amendment to gain control of the appointments of superior court judges in the province. #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

In Oct '24, I went through 21 months worth of AHRC rulings and of 41 COVID-related complaints only 3 were upheld (1 was later dismissed and 2 others were sent for further adjudication)
#ableg #abpoli

Ex-Alberta justice minister Jonathan Denis battling human rights tribunal, jewelry store over discrimination complaint Denis maintains the commission did not inform him its decisions in the case would be made public.

Ex-Alberta justice minister Jonathan Denis battling human rights tribunal, luxury jewler over discrimination complaint
"Denis claims he was discriminated against when he was asked to leave a Tiffany & Co store in Calgary in 2022 for not wearing a mask"
by @jonnywakefield.bsky.social
#ableg #abpoli

Police search Sam Mraiche firm’s HQ in Alberta procurement probe MHCare Medical, a government supplier, is one of the companies under scrutiny for its ties to public servants at AHS and provincial politicians

SCOOP: RCMP execute search warrants tied to Alberta's health procurement controversy; at least a dozen officers were at MHCare Medical Corp.'s headquarters on Wednesday
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

Three out of the gate: Dale Aalbers, Erin Averbukh, and Ray Donnelly running for UCP nominations Dale Aalbers, son of Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers, running for UCP nomination in Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright

At least three prospective candidates have announced their plans to seek UCP nominations to run in the next provincial election, including Dale Aalbers, a Conservative staffer and son of Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers. He’s running in Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright.

A judge said Edmonton police may have obstructed justice with 'veiled threat' over sentence. What happens now? The fallout from a police service's public criticism of how prosecutors handled a shocking child abuse case.

New from me: a judge said Edmonton police may have obstructed justice by making a “veiled threat” to speak out about the sentence he imposed in a child homicide case.

Not a lot of precedent for whatever comes next edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/e...

Judge rejects Alberta teachers' bid to pause back-to-work legislation Alberta Court of King's Bench Justice Douglas Mah took around 75 minutes to deliver his oral ruling in a downtown Edmonton courtroom Friday.

"Suspending the Back to School Act will almost certainly create chaos and uncertainty for parties, parents and students,” Justice Mah wrote in denying the Alberta Teachers' Association's injunction application to pause Bill 2.

Teachers will challenge the law in court again in Sept
#ableg #abpoli

Updated file here:
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Judge to rule Friday on Alberta teachers efforts to pause back-to-work legislation Teachers are seeking to suspend the government's back-to-work legislation imposed in October, with a ruling expected to come Friday morning.

An Alberta judge has rejected a bid by teachers to suspend the provincial government's back-to-work legislation

"Suspending the Back to School Act will almost certainly create chaos and uncertainty for parties, parents and students,

Background here:
#ableg #abpoli

By the book: Alberta schools pull at least 160 titles from shelves to meet provincial order | CBC News Alberta school divisions complying with a provincial order have removed dozens of graphic novels from their shelves, from illustrated versions of literary classics to coming-of-age memoirs and dramati...

What books did Alberta schools *actually* pull off the shelves in response to a provincial order? It took a lot of work to find out. We still don't have a complete picture. And some schools are still pulling material.

Free speech advocates say it's ban unmatched in Canadian history. #AbLeg By me.

Alberta may follow B.C. on making daylight time permanent: premier asdf

Alberta may follow B.C. on making daylight time permanent

"Our government will take these recent developments under consideration and evaluate whether a similar change would be in the best interest of Albertans," said Danielle Smith's office

(Clocks are to go ahead 1hr this weekend)
#ableg #abpoli

Old Royal Alberta Museum building: The wrecking ball is paid for, but will it be used? The provincial government has put aside $30-million in Budget 2026 for the demolition of the old Royal Alberta Museum ... just in case.

"The provincial government has put aside $30 million in Budget 2026 for the demolition of the old Royal Alberta Museum ... just in case"

#yeg #abpoli #ableg

Who is ready for some charts.

*Debt to rise $17.9B (up to $128.7B)
*Per capita inflation adju spending $15.9K in 24/25, $16.2K in 25/26
*WTI forecast US$60.50 (down US$10 from budget)
*Expenses to rise 12% ($88.4B) in next 3 years
*Revenue to rise 8% ($81.5B) over same time

#ableg #abpoli

Alberta Budget 2026: Province delivers $9.4B deficit that breaks its own fiscal rules The Alberta government has delivered its second straight multi-billion dollar deficit, one that is poised to flout its own fiscal rules.

Alberta has unveiled a $9.4B deficit in a budget that breaks its own fiscal rules and forecasts four straight years of fiscal shortfalls.

“I recognize this is a tough pill to swallow," Finance Minister Nate Horner said
#ableg #abpoli

ANALYSIS | Danielle Smith says court 'skewed' to Liberal donors, but UCP picks have political ties just as often | CBC News CBC analysis suggests about one-fifth of federally named judges match with Liberal donor lists. About as many judges picked by the province likely gave to UCP.

When Danielle Smith claimed 80% of federally picked judges had donated to Liberals, that was way higher than any figure I'd researched.
I dug into it. Could confidently write here:
"It is not true. The single media source Smith got that fact from has since corrected it."
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Former Alberta justice minister Madu appeals law society reprimand Former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu is seeking to overturn the reprimand imposed by a Law Society of Alberta tribunal.

"Former AB justice minister Kaycee Madu is seeking to overturn the reprimand imposed by a Law Society of Alberta tribunal, arguing his call to the then-Edmonton police chief shortly after receiving a traffic ticket was motivated by concerns of racial profiling and police surveillance"
#ableg #abpoli

Alberta health authority destroys remaining pediatric drugs imported during 2022 shortage Pediatric medicine was due to expire soon, prompting authority to abandon donation plans

SCOOP: Alberta Health Services destroyed roughly half of the children's medication imported from Turkey, paying $718,000 to dispose of the hazardous waste.

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

Alberta traffic fines set to increase next month, some by more than 25 per cent Most speeding fines will increase by nine per cent but fines for more egregious traffic offences are set to grow by up to 50 per cent

Alberta is hiking traffic fines across the board with the most severe speeders facing the biggest increase, up to 25% (max $620) for those 50 km/h over limit.

Fines for 1-30km/h violations rising 8-9%

Careless drivers see 50% hike (from $473 to $710)
#ableg #abpoli

Alberta traffic fines set to increase next month, some by more than 25 per cent Most speeding fines will increase by nine per cent but fines for more egregious traffic offences are set to grow by up to 50 per cent

Latest from @matthewblack.ca — "Most speeding fines will increase by between eight and nine per cent but fines for more egregious traffic offences are set to grow by up to 50 per cent." #ableg #abpoli

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Province broke its own access to information laws in withholding Alberta Next survey results The Alberta government wrongly withheld hundreds of pages of results from its Alberta Next surveys an adjudicator has ruled.

An adjudicator's ruling merely confirms what was already obvious. The UCP gov't broke its own laws and went to great lengths to avoid disclosing politically unfavourable public records. Taxpayers paid for these records; they do not belong to a party. #ableg

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Thanks!
The order gives GOA 50 (business) days to get me the records but it's already processed them so it may be sooner than that.
I also filed a new ATI asking for the same last month (30 biz days). Hoping to get by month's end.
Will write a news story and post publicly somehow
#ableg #abpoli

Province broke its own access to information laws in withholding Alberta Next survey results The Alberta government wrongly withheld hundreds of pages of results from its Alberta Next surveys an adjudicator has ruled.

Last week, I learned an adjudicator had sided with me in 5 inquiries re: the province refusing to release results of its Alberta Next surveys

GOA published the multiple choice results in Dec but has been ordered to give me 213 pages of open-answer replies that haven't yet been shared
#ableg #abpoli

Province broke its own access to information laws in withholding Alberta Next survey results The Alberta government wrongly withheld hundreds of pages of results from its Alberta Next surveys an adjudicator has ruled.

Latest from @matthewblack.ca — Province broke its own access to information laws in withholding Alberta Next survey results #ableg #abpoli

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Sinclair to remain as independent MLA, not joining Progressive Tory Party Lesser Slave Lake MLA Scott Sinclair says he will continue to sit in the Alberta legislative assembly as an independent member.

“This decision was not made lightly, it comes from a firm belief that my responsibilities first and foremost are to the people of Northern Alberta"

Sinclair has also spoken out about the proposed elimination of his Lesser Slave Lake riding in the new electoral map

#ableg #abpoli