
Alberta legislature reporter for @CdnPressNews in Edmonton | Frmr. city hall reporter for @stalbertgazette | byline(s) elsewhere too | (he/him)
amiskwaciwรขskahikan | Edmonton
Joined September 2021
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Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
News: AHS & the Alberta gov. are on the clock to produce records about whether they told ex-AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos she was at risk of being fired for poor performance. AM says she was axed for probing dodgy contracts, gov says she was bad at her job edmontonjournal.com/news/polโฆ
We got our first peak into what the ridings could be for next Alberta election today. NDP says hybrid ridings in Calgary and Lethbridge are on the way, tipping scales in UCP way.
Smith didnโt address the NDPโs criticisms, but admonished them for speaking on it before Monday.๐๐๐ป
Monday is when the second attempt at redrawing the boundaries is expected to be tabled in the legislature โ after which everyone can see for themselves whatโs being proposed.
By @reportrix and me today:
ca.news.yahoo.com/cp-newsaleโฆ
Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
From colleague Cindy Tran: Albertaโs ethics commissioner has suspended his investigation into MLAs accepting playoff hockey tickets, saying that under the act, he cannot probe an issue that is under active law enforcement investigation edmontonjournal.com/news/locโฆ
News: Alberta government tables bill to create provincial lemon law, right-to-repair framework and clamp down on ticket resellers.
Bill gives gov the power to put a cap on ticket reseller markups, but Nally says he needs to talk to the platforms first.
ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/alโฆ
Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
Well, an admission here from the premier's chief of staff that redrawing the electoral map is, at least partially, to "level the playing field" with the NDP seems notable.
Total garbage. @DonBraid is literally just regurgitating exactly what is NDP buddies are telling him. Would be nice if he represented both sides of an issue for once.
One of the most respected court of appeal justices in Alberta history is chairing the boundary committee. Itโs a lie to say that itโs the UCP. The maps arenโt even available yet (though clearly leaked to the NDP by someone).
In addition, Judge Miller and half the NDP caucus complained that there should be 2 additional seats added to account for population growth. So that was done and left to the independent judge-led committee to figure out how to do it. I assume they have done so.
Further, last election the NDP lost the popular vote by almost 10 percent and still almost ended up winning the most seats. So obviously they donโt want any change whatsoever that could level the playing field.
How do you explain that Don? Did the NDP gerrymander the map last go around under Notley? Was the 2023 election undemocratic too?
The UCP isnโt making that claim because itโs disrespectful of the people - including the judge - who did the hard work of determining those past boundaries.
Your bias is so clear Don. Itโs disturbing.
Alberta Opposition NDP says UCP cooking riding boundaries ahead of election
Updates coming, including a fiery exchange in QP between the premier and Nenshi.
thecanadianpressnews.ca/poliโฆ via @CdnPressNews
Edmonton Public School Board trustee Julie Kusiek (Ward F) resigned her seat today.
Says sheโs joining a new organization next week.
Kusiek, board chair from 2023-25, was 1 year into her second term.
NEWS: Albertaโs government tabled a bill today that would forbid public sector hiring based on DEI policies, with the premier saying jobs should go to those. meritorious enough.
โPure dog whistle politics,โ says AUPE president Sandra Azocar.
ca.news.yahoo.com/cp-newsaleโฆ
NEWS: Alberta's governing UCP introduces pro-Canada pledge form for board candidates
Smith told reporters a similar form or affirmation will be required of UCP election candidates too.
ca.news.yahoo.com/albertas-sโฆ
For further reading on this I highly recommend @markusoffโs piece today โ he has reaction from board candidates who say they donโt mind signing the oath despite being separatists at heart.
cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/uโฆ
Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
SCOOP: The RCMP is investigating fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering in connection with Alberta's health care procurement controversy, according to a letter filed in court
theglobeandmail.com/canada/aโฆ w @tom_cardoso
Alberta UCP MLA Shane Getson has officially resigned his seat.
(Much speculation about who it was that resigned, and Getson was high โ but not too high โ on my list.)
Story coming obviously, but you can read him bid adieu here on page 3:
com-voice.com/Papers/2026/20โฆ
Story here:
By @reportrix
ca.news.yahoo.com/newsalert-โฆ
Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
Under the Legislative Assembly Act it says a byelection does not need to be called if the assembly is in its last year. The next provincial election will be on (or before) Oct. 18, 2027.
Jack Farrell ๐ retweeted
First Nations leaders gathered for ceremonies ahead of a historic meeting Monday with some premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney, while grassroots activists planned their strategy to protest the meeting while heavily invoking the Idle No More movement.
thecanadianpressnews.ca/natiโฆ
U.S. ambassador offers Canada help almost a week after Wainwright tragedy ctvnews.ca/canada/article/usโฆ
NEWS: Bills on bike lanes; ticket reselling; used cars; auto insurance tweaks; data centres; "merit-based" hiring in the public sector; report card standards; heavier fines for illegal dumping and more all coming this fall, gov says.
thecanadianpressnews.ca/poliโฆ via @CdnPressNews
โSat down with Mayor Jeromy Farkas to refocus the relationship between the province and Calgary.โ
Notable phrasing here โ I know for a fact some around the premier werenโt too pleased with the mayorโs speech at the Lukaszuk/Carney rally last week.
A packed last 24 hours across Calgary.
Attended the launch of the Alberta Business Alliance, a new voice bringing industries and entrepreneurs together to help keep Alberta the most competitive place in Canada to do business.
Sat down with Mayor Jeromy Farkas @JeromyYYC to refocus the relationship between the province and Calgary. And for the record, Calgary got it right by pressing pause on blanket rezoning and listening to its residents first.
Finished tonight with the CEOs at the Business Council of Alberta @BizCouncilAB, talking about what comes next. Alberta is leading the country in economic growth, job creation and housing starts, and the largest pipeline buildout in decades is underway. The job now is to keep that momentum going.














