This is the scrum with Brandon Lunty and reporters today in the Alberta legislature. He’s the UCP MLA tasked with overseeing the Alberta government’s re-do of the Electoral Boundaries commission report, with the help of a new panel.

Alberta government takes aim at Globe reporter over coverage of procurement scandal United Conservative Party House Leader compares Globe reporting to ‘dietary advice from Jabba the Hutt’

Alberta government takes aim at Globe reporter Carrie Tait over coverage of procurement scandal. UCP House Leader compares Globe reporting to "dietary advice from Jabba the Hutt." //by me @theglobeandmail.com #ableg

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

Alberta government takes aim at Globe reporter over coverage of procurement scandal United Conservative Party House Leader compares Globe reporting to ‘dietary advice from Jabba the Hutt’

Shooting the messenger: Alberta government takes aim at Globe reporter Carrie Tait over coverage of procurement scandal. UCP House Leader compares Globe reporting to ‘dietary advice from Jabba the Hutt,’ by @mattscace.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... via @theglobeandmail.com

Alberta government takes aim at Globe reporter over coverage of procurement scandal United Conservative Party House Leader compares Globe reporting to ‘dietary advice from Jabba the Hutt’

Alberta govt takes aim at Globe reporter over coverage of procurement controversy:

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... By @mattscace.bsky.social

NEW:

A court has issued a stay in any certification of petition results or making referral to the Justice Minister until the court has ruled on applications by ACFN/Blackfoot nations.

Decision does not impact the continued collection of signatures for the sovereignty petition

Alberta Justice Minister curtailed election regulator when Sam Mraiche was under investigation Mickey Amery’s legislation shortened watchdog’s window of time to pursue sanctions for alleged political finance violations

SCOOP: Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery curtailed Elections Alberta's power to penalize when Sam Mraiche was under investigation.
www.theglobeandmail.com/appview/cana... w @tomcardoso.bsky.social

Alberta separatists making alternative plans to force referendum if they lose court challenge Judge set to hear demand by Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation to shut separatist campaign down

Alberta separatists making alternative plans to force referendum if they lose court challenge www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Find out more at nationalnewswatch.com

Alberta premier and education minister had private meeting with groups behind push to ‘conservatize’ Alberta school boards and ban LGBTQ books Private and faith-based schools, along with right-wing think tanks and parental rights groups, were invited to discuss education

NEW: Alberta premier and education minister had private meeting with groups behind push to ‘conservatize’ Alberta school boards and ban LGBTQ books

theijf.org/article/albe...

Alberta to restrict public library access to books it deems sexually explicit Government says it’s a bid to shield children from what it calls ‘pornographic material paid for by the taxpayer’

The Alberta government will restrict access to books in public libraries that it deems sexually explicit in a bid to shield children from what it calls “pornographic material paid for by the taxpayer.” //re-upping this, by me #ableg #cdnpoli

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

Alberta to restrict public library access to books it deems sexually explicit Government says it’s a bid to shield children from what it calls ‘pornographic material paid for by the taxpayer’

Alberta is making it a crime to interfere with the inspector in charge of banning library books. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... via @mattscace.bsky.social

Alberta to regulate employers seeking to hire temporary foreign workers Proposed bill would create an employer registry, license immigration consultants and set penalties for violations

Alberta plans to regulate employers seeking to hire TFWs and give itself more control over which employees are welcomed into the province. It is Premier Danielle Smith’s first move toward asserting greater autonomy on immigration. //by me #ableg

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

Alberta separatists say they've collected enough signatures to trigger a referendum EDMONTON - Two Alberta separatists say their group has collected enough signatures from citizens to trigger a referendum on the province quitting Canada.

I asked Minister Jason Nixon if he thought the committee he sits on could finish the work of the Lukaszuk committee in ten sitting days. Nixon: "I am very, very confident that we will be able to complete our work." He did not answer a chorus of "but when?" www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Higher oil prices could drastically reduce Alberta’s budget shortfall In a place where resource royalties dictate finances, a lot can happen in a month – and it has

After projecting a $4.1B deficit for the current fisc just one month ago, high oil prices are expected to cut that number in half when Alberta reaches year-end on Tuesday. #ableg #abpoli

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

Former Alberta cabinet minister accuses government of killing key tool for scrutiny | Globalnews.ca New rules are now in effect in the Alberta legislature that one opposition member has warned will effectively allow the government to duck some queries for years.

New rules are now in effect in the Alberta legislature that one opposition member has warned will effectively allow Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government to duck some queries for years. //by pal @reportrix.bsky.social #ableg #abpoli

globalnews.ca/news/1174288...

Accounting firm owned by Smith government appointee searched by RCMP Business owned by Sam Jaber, who was appointed to the board of Invest Alberta in 2023, searched in continuing probe

SCOOP: RCMP search accounting firm owned by appointee of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, police attend home of former AHS procurement official
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... w @tomcardoso.bsky.social @mattscace.bsky.social @janapruden.bsky.social @alannasmith.bsky.social

Smith defends UCP government in first appearance in legislature since RCMP searches Premier made the remarks after police searched the head office of MHCare Medical Corp., one of the government suppliers at the centre of the AHS controversy

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith defends her government following RCMP searches tied to the province's health care procurement controversy:
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... w @mattscace.bsky.social @tomcardoso.bsky.social

Alberta construction company alleges Sam Mraiche played hidden role in building of addiction sites Mraiche, who is central to the province’s health care procurement controversy, denies involvement

SCOOP: Two companies involved in building some of Alberta's addiction recovery centres are mired in litigation, including accusations of forgery on one side and allegations of intimidation involving Sam Mraiche, of MHCare
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... By @tomcardoso.bsky.social and friend

Lawsuit against The Globe for investigative work thrown out of Ontario court Judge rules there is important public interest in protecting journalists’ confidential sources

An Ontario judge has thrown out a lawsuit launched against The Globe and Mail by a former Ontario provincial Liberal cabinet minister, ruling there is an important public interest in protecting an investigative journalist’s use of confidential sources. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Tumbler Ridge shooting highlights rural northern B.C.’s mental health deserts Residents reported significant barriers to accessing supports and services long before tragedy struck

Spoke w/ a Tumbler Ridge mom whose kid received psychiatric care alongside shooter in Prince George. She described Tumbler prior to the shooting as a "mental health desert," where access to supports are often long waits and hundreds of kms away.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Smith pins Alberta deficit on Ottawa’s immigration policies, but the budget doesn’t Provincial Finance Minister Nate Horner said he didn’t have the numbers on how newcomers impacted Alberta’s bottom line

From me last week: Smith pins Alberta deficit on Ottawa’s immigration policies, but the budget doesn’t #ableg #abpoli

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

Alberta immigration trends and Danielle Smith's rhetoric: a visual timeline.

Alberta Premier defends fall referendum plans Danielle Smith stumbles when asked about costs of providing health care and education to newcomers; NDP says referendum proposals designed to inflame

Premier Danielle Smith said she doesn't know how much newcomers cost Alberta’s health care and education systems, despite scheduling a referendum to ask whether social services to those residents shd be limited b/c of cost

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... By @mattscace.bsky.social and friend

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

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 cuts access to health care for some temporary workers, raising concerns in the Bow Valley | CBC News Alberta has stopped offering provincial health coverage to some people on working holiday and young professional visas, a change that came into effect earlier this year without a public announcement. ...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has mused about cutting or limiting public services for temporary residents. It turns out that already happened last month with public health insurance www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #AbLeg #AbHealth

Smith says Alberta will withhold funding for judges without more input on selection EDMONTON - Premier Danielle Smith says her government will withhold funding to support new judicial appointments in Alberta if the federal government doesn't give the province a say on who

The Alberta government didn't volunteer a timeline for its ultimatum, released today but sent more than a week ago, and the federal justice ministry's statement focused almost entirely on the general importance of an independent judiciary. From me today: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

In which colleague Dave Ebner notes that Albertans have been named to the Supreme Court in five of the past seven openings for Western Canada. And more— #ableg #abpoli