daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics and Elections

Chris Henderson: How to Talk to the Temporary Strategic Alberta Separatist in Your Life

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 7, 2026

ScreenshotA long highway somewhere in southern Alberta, probably near Foremost. (photo credit: Dave Cournoyer)

Five practical messages to explain this isn’t a game worth the risk of playing.

From time to time I open up the Daveberta newsletter to guest writers who have perspectives and thoughts they would like to share that might interest readers of this Substack. My friend Chris Henderson wrote today’s guest article about how to talk about Alberta’s October 19 referendum with the temporary separatist and separation curious people in your life.

Here’s Chris Henderson.

With Alberta’s weird-as-hell 10-question referendum only weeks away, most people seem to have made up their minds about separation.

But one group sits in a paradoxical spot: people who don’t want Alberta to leave Canada, but are considering a strategic Option 2 vote to “send Ottawa a message,” believing it strengthens our hand down the road. Most of us know at least one—in the family, at work, or in the group chat. These are the only moveable voters in this debate, and if you’re voting against separation (which, spoiler alert: I already did, and I voted “No” on the other nine questions), they’re worth having a conversation with.

Tags Alberta Anti-Immigration Referendum, Alberta NDP, Alberta Politics Substack, Alberta Prosperity Project, Alberta Separation Referendum, Alberta Separatism, Alberta Separatists Rally, Canada Election Substack, Chris Henderson, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, Dennis Modry, Donald Trump, Jeff Rath, Jeffrey Rath, Mark Carney, Mitch Sylvestre, Naheed Nenshi, United Conservative Party

Rahim Jaffer is back, again, this time running for the UCP

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 6, 2026

Fresh from his run for Mayor of Edmonton in 2025, former MP Rahim Jaffer is running for the UCP nomination in Edmonton-North West. Jaffer, now a local restaurant owner, represented the Edmonton Strathcona federal riding from 1997 to 2008 and placed fifth with 4.3% of the vote in last year’s mayoral election.

I reached out to Jaffer’s campaign with some questions about why he is jumping into provincial politics but had not heard back at the time this newsletter was published.

Other candidates interested in the UCP nomination are Amit Batra, Iurie Boaghie, and Parker Royer. A nomination vote is scheduled for October 24, 2026.

Republican Party connections to Alberta’s separation referendum

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 5, 2026

Alberta separation supporters at the Alberta Legislature on August 29, 2026 (photo: Dave Cournoyer)

Another bombshell story dropped by Carrie Tait and the Globe & Mail

Globe and Mail Alberta correspondent Carrie Tait has been on a roll, with her name sharing the bylines of some of the biggest breaking stories in Alberta politics in the last few years.

Along with her Globe and Mail colleagues Grant Robertson and Nathan Vanderklippe, Tait dropped a bombshell story this past weekend about Alberta separatists going to Washington D.C. to offer fresh water and oil in exchange for American financial support for an independent Alberta Republic and Republican operatives providing tactical assistance to separatist organizers in Alberta.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack

Alberta Politics

Rewind: Danielle Smith’s Alberta Sovereignty Act is all about creating a political crisis

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 4, 2026

Danielle Smith and Rob Anderson in 2010 (source: Dave Cournoyer)

So much about what is happening in Alberta right now can be traced back to the Free Alberta Strategy

I’m working on a few new columns and a book review that I am hoping to publish soon, so I thought I’d share a piece I wrote that I keep coming back to as I write about what’s happening in Alberta politics today. In fact, it’s the very first column I published on Substack when I shifted Daveberta to this platform in September 2022.

So much about what is happening in Alberta right now, days ahead of the October 19 separation referendum, can be traced back to the Free Alberta Strategy that Danielle Smith promoted before and during her campaign for the United Conservative Party leadership in 2022.

Here’s my column from September 29, 2022.

Tags 1982 Olds-Didsbury by-election, Accurate News and Information Act, Alberta Anti-Immigration Referendum, Alberta Election 2023, Alberta NDP, Alberta Politics Substack, Alberta Prosperity Project, Alberta Separation Referendum, Alberta Separatism, Alberta Sovereignty Act, Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, Barry Cooper, Brian Jean, Canada Election Substack, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, Derek From, Free Alberta Strategy, Gordon Kesler, Jason Kenney, John Bowen, Justin Trudeau, Leela Aheer, Peter Lougheed, Pierre Trudeau, Rachel Notley, Rajan Sawhney, Rob Anderson, Travis Toews, United Conservative Party, United Conservative Party Leadership Race 2022, Western Canada Concept, Western Separation, William Aberhart

Alberta Politics

Mark Carney’s broad approval dwarfs Danielle Smith and Naheed Nenshi

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 27, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Albertans at a Forever Canadian event in Banff in September 2026 (source: Mark Carney / Facebook)

There’s nothing like a Janet Brown poll to shake up Alberta politics

There’s a lot to unpack in the new Alberta politics poll by Janet Brown Opinion Research commissioned by CBC, but before I dive into what one of the province’s most well-respected pollsters has to say about support for Alberta’s political parties, separatism, and AI data centres it’s worth spending a moment reflecting on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s popularity in Alberta.

Carney’s popularity continues to dwarf Premier Danielle Smith and NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and he might be the most popular Liberal Prime Minister in Alberta since Sir Wilfrid Laurier more than 100 years ago.

According to Brown’s poll, 52 percent of Albertans surveyed said they were very impressed with Carney and only 26 percent said they were not at all impressed. Only 30 percent of Albertans surveyed said they were very impressed with Danielle Smith and 51 percent said they were not at all impressed with her job as Premier.

Read the rest on the Daveberta Substack

Alberta Politics

UCP nominate MLAs Turton and Long, Sarah Geisler running for NDP nomination in Strathcona-Sherwood Park

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 26, 2026

Searle Turton was nominated as the UCP candidate in Spruce Grove-Stony Plain. Turton was first elected as MLA of the riding west of Edmonton in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023 with 56 per cent of the vote.

Turton currently serves as Minister of Children and Family Services.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack

Tags Alberta Election Candidate Nominations, Alberta NDP, Martin Long, Nate Glubish, Sarah Geisler, Searle Turton, Spruce Grove-Stony Plain, Strathcona-Sherwood Park, United Conservative Party, West Yellowhead

Alberta Politics

“Discriminatory” and unclear referendum questions discussed at MLA town hall in Calgary-Klein

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 25, 2026

Calgary-Klein MLA Lizette Tejada speaks to a crowd of constituents at her referendum town hall (source: Dave Cournoyer)

I stopped by Calgary-Klein MLA Lizette Tejada’s referendum town hall at the Winston Heights Mountainview Community Association this week in Calgary.

With about 70 people in attendance, the crowd was heavily pro-Canada and raised a lot of concerns about the lack of clarity in the government’s 10 referendum questions and the confusing voting process, and what happens after October 19.

Tejada raised serious concerns about the referendum questions that ask Albertans to give the government permission to limit access to health care and education for immigrant workers and their families. Tejada described the questions as discriminatory and pretending to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack

Tags Alberta Anti-Immigration Referendum, Alberta NDP, Alberta Separation Referendum, Alberta Separatism, Bronwyn Bragg, Calgary-Klein, Lizette Tejada, Parkland Institute, UCP AGM 2026, United Conservative Party

Alberta Politics

The UCP loss in Calgary-Shaw and the thin end of the separatist wedge

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 25, 2026

Premier Danielle Smith joined former Reform Party leader Preston Manning and former BC Premier Gordon Campbell on a zoom call-based Alberta and the West Assembly conference last weekend.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has had a rough few weeks.

Ten days ago, Smith’s United Conservative Party lost the by-election in Calgary-Shaw, a south Calgary riding that had been a stronghold for her party in the last two elections. The surprise win by NDP candidate Kyle Campbell has been widely interpreted as a backlash against Smith’s referendums on October 19, including a vote on Alberta’s separation from Canada.

Smith quickly blamed the loss on vote splitting with the Progressive Tory Party candidate who earned 6 percent of the vote, but that doesn’t explain the 22.2 point drop in UCP support in the riding since the 2019 election. The Progressive Tories may have been a dynamic in the race but they weren’t the reason why the UCP lost the Calgary-Shaw by-election.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack

Alberta Politics

Michael Janz: It’s time for a regional approach to public safety

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 23, 2026

Edmonton City Councillor argues it’s time to start pooling revenue and pooling protection in the Capital region.

From time to time I open up the Daveberta newsletter to guest writers who have perspectives and thoughts they would like to share that might interest the politically astute readers of this Substack. Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz wrote today’s guest column about the need for more regional sharing of responsibilities and resources when it comes to public safety and municipal policing in the Edmonton area.

Read Janz’s column on the Daveberta Substack

Tags Alberta Provincial Police, Edmonton City Council, Edmonton Police Service, Michael Janz, Public Safety in the Edmonton Region, Strathcona County, United Conservative Party

Alberta Politics

Canada is under attack, from within and from without. Saving an organ at the University of Alberta is one way to fight back.

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 16, 2026

The Memorial Organ at Convocation Hall at the University of Alberta (photo provided by Andy Grabia)

From time to time I open up the Daveberta newsletter to guest writers who have perspectives and thoughts they would like to share that might interest readers of this Substack. My friend Andy Grabia wrote today’s guest column about the decision by the University of Alberta administration to remove the historic Memorial Organ located in Convocation Hall and why the Alberta government should intervene to preserve this important war monument.

I have signed the open letter to Minister Andrew Boitchenko and Minister Myles McDougall calling on the government to use its legal authority under the Alberta Historical Resource Act to protect the Memorial Organ. Daveberta subscribers can sign the online petition here.

Visit the Daveberta Substack to read Andy Grabia’s column.

Tags Alberta Historical Resource Act, Alberta Separation Referendum, Alberta Separatism, Alberta War Memorials, Andrew Boitchenko, Andy Grabia, Bill Flanagan, Convocation Hall, Danielle Smith, Memorial Organ, Myles McDougall, Tanya Fir, United Conservative Party, University of Alberta

Alberta Politics

Wow! Just wow. NDP’s Kyle Campbell wins Calgary-Shaw by-election.

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 14, 2026

Calgary-Shaw NDP MLA-elect Kyle Campbell and NDP leader Naheed Nenshi on September 14, 2026 (source: Naheed Nenshi / Facebook)

The Calgary-Shaw by-election was supposed to be a sleepy race and an easy win for the United Conservative Party but it ended up being a nail-biter with a surprise NDP win.

The Alberta NDP’s Kyle Campbell did what many political watchers believed would never happen by beating UCP candidate Mike Derry to win the by-election in the south Calgary riding that was a UCP stronghold under former cabinet minister Rebecca Schulz.

Tags Alberta Liberal Party, Alberta NDP, Alberta Separation Referendum, Alberta Separatism, Calgary-Shaw, Calgary-Shaw by-election, Danielle Smith, John Roggeveen, Kyle Campbell, Kyle Joseph, Mike Derry, Naheed Nenshi, Peter Guthrie, Progressive Tory Party of Alberta, Rebecca Schulz, United Conservative Party

Alberta Politics

Dan Williams wins UCP nomination in Peace River

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 12, 2026

Minister of Municipal Affairs Dan Williams speaks to reporters on April 2, 2026 (screenshot: Government of Alberta / YouTube)

UCP MLA and Minister of Municipal Affairs Dan Williams fended off a challenge from local contractor and separatist-backed candidate Dave Long to win his party’s nomination to run for re-election in Peace River.

Williams was first elected in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023 with 72.8 per cent of the vote.

UCP’s Mike Derry the favourite to win the Calgary-Shaw by-election

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 12, 2026

Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary-Shaw UCP by-election candidate Mike Derry (screenshot: Mike Derry / Facebook)

Provincial cabinet ministers have poured into Calgary-Shaw to support UCP candidate Mike Derry and Danielle Smith has campaigned with him numerous times since the by-election campaign started last month.

Derry is the favourite to win the by-election but the vote is also a test for Smith, who has led a government mired in controversy and a party deeply divided on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

Smith’s absence from any visible pro-Canada campaigns ahead of her October 19 separation referendum has raised a lot of eyebrows, especially after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s full-throated support of Thomas Lukaszuk’s Forever Canadian campaign in Banff this week.

Naheed Nenshi delivers NDP health care pitch days before Calgary-Shaw by-election

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 12, 2026

Calgary-Shaw NDP by-election candidate Kyle Campbell (centre) with NDP leader Naheed Nenshi (left) and Dr. Luanne Metz (right) announcing the party’s “Future of Health Care” policy (screenshot: Alberta NDP / YouTube)

NDP pitches stability and investment over the UCP’s restructuring and privatization

With only days left before the September 14th by-election in Calgary-Shaw, Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi joined candidate Kyle Campbell to deliver his party’s health care pitch to voters with a pledge of stability and investment in a public system that has undergone massive bureaucratic restructuring and increased privatization since 2023.

Nenshi pledged that within three years of forming government after the 2027 election, the NDP would shorten emergency department wait times, cut surgical, diagnostic, and specialist wait times by 30 per cent, make sure every Albertan has access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and, a big one, re-form one single Ministry of Health.

Nenshi said the NDP would also launch a judiciary-led public inquiry into CorruptCare, a wide-ranging government corruption scandal that largely faded into the background over the summer.

Alberta Referendum Day is 41 days away.

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date September 8, 2026

Elections Alberta issued a statement correcting a series of errors and confusing instructions included in Special Ballot packages that have been mailed to more than 200,000 Albertans ahead of the October 19 referendums. The elections authority also announced the deadline for applying for a mail-in Special Ballot is now September 25 instead of the previously announced October 9.

There has been no shortage of attention on the Alberta separation question that Albertans will be asked on October 19, but a cadre of former and current municipal and provincial politicians have written an op-ed warning of the divisions created by the five referendum questions that frame immigrants as scapegoats for the strain on Alberta’s health care and education systems.

The op-ed published in the province’s Postmedia newspaper was penned by former premier Rachel Notley, former Edmonton mayor Don Iveson, former Lethbridge mayor Chris Spearman former St. Albert mayor Cathy Heron, former Brooks mayor Barry Morishita, former Slave Lake mayor Karina Pillay, lawyer Avnish Nanda, and current High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass (Premier Smith lives in High River).

The immigration referendum questions were a hot topic at the Edmonton launch of Public Interest Alberta’s referendum campaign at the Beverly Heights Community Hall on September 3. The well-attended event in the packed community hall featured a handful of speakers including PIA executive director Brad Lafortune, comedian Henry Sir, Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan, and Senator Paula Simons (who recently wrote about the “Noxious Nine” in Alberta Views Magazine).