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About

Dave Cournoyer (photo by Daniel St. Louis)
Dave Cournoyer (photo by Daniel St. Louis)

Dave Cournoyer is an award-winning writer, podcaster, and communications professional based in Edmonton, Alberta.

Dave launched Daveberta.ca in January 2005 and it quickly became one of the best read political websites in Alberta. In 2017, he started the Daveberta Podcast with his friends Ryan Hastman and Adam Rozenhart. He launched the Daveberta Substack in 2022.

Dave is a past member of the programming committee for Edmonton’s Litfest, the board of directors of the Gateway Student Journalism Society, the Kokopelli Choir Association, and the Central Edmonton News Society. He is also a regular member of CTV’s Alberta Primetime politics panel.

In 2003, he was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of his volunteer work with the WarAmps of Canada and in 2010 he was named as one of Edmonton’s Top 40 under 40 by Avenue Magazine.

Dave was recognized in 2015 at the Edmonton New Media Awards (the Yeggies) with the Best Political/Current Affairs Award and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award for a full decade of online writing about Alberta politics.

In 2020, the Daveberta Podcast was recognized as an Outstanding News and Current Affairs podcast by the Canadian Podcast Awards.

Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Alberta and has presented lectures about Alberta politics to classes at the University of Alberta, Carleton University, MacEwan University, King’s University College, and Nerd Nite Edmonton.

He has presented Alberta politics scans and communications workshops to numerous organizations, including the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, Canadian University Press, Canadian Association of Labour Media, Public Interest Alberta, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, Next Up, Alberta Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress, Alberta Teachers’ Association, Health Coalition of Alberta, and Homeward Trust Edmonton.

He currently works as a Communications Advisor with the United Nurses of Alberta.

You can follow his tweets at @davecournoyer, his posts on Facebook, and peruse through his photos on Instagram. Fan letters can be mailed to david.cournoyer@gmail.com.

The opinions expressed on this blog represent my own and not those of my employer or any organization I may be affiliated with.

In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time. I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of the various ideas running around my brain, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today.

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20 replies on “About”

Love your insight and website, but is there any chance that hyperlinks to other websites would open in a new window so one doesn’t have to constantly keep clicking back to your website before clicking on another hyperlink? HTML coding would be along the line of: ““

Hi Dave,

There is a candidate name Hakin Isse running for ward 3. His represents change and sign of prosperity for people living in that ward. If you are interested, i can set-up a meet with him to ask questions.

I had Harvey Panesar at my door the other evening and there were a couple of concerns that came about in how he was comparing himself with other candidates for this ward. Harvey went on to use other candidates ages and health conditions as to why he was a better person to vote for such as one candidate being 65 and being diabetic. I am not certain as to why as person older age and being a diabetic would make a difference. What is the rest of this persons resume, perhaps it is full of experience, more than what Harvey may have.
Also, on Harvey’s website he makes mention of his wife in this paragraph “Panesar, 37, alongside his wife, Taranjeet, daughters, Arya and Riya, and newborn son, Jujhar announced his candidacy Saturday at Pind Punjab Restaurant in front of his supporters.” yet on his brochure he is handing out door to door it shows his wife’s name as Sundeep.
Then the guy is showing his support for violence against women on his web page yet he owns a business by the name of Aggression Fighting Championship… really?

Good morning, Dave. On the wider civic election front, I have a name for you who knows something about Grande Prairie: Dr Daryl White. Dr White is an instructor in the Faculty of Arts & Education at Grande Prairie Regional College, and he has started a high-quality, unbiased civic election website describing the issues, and about the candidates for Mayor & Council (unfortunately, he has not yet been able to post any information about the County of Grande Prairie No 1).

The site is at http://gpvoters.ca/dir/

– Jerry

Proud to see you on television tonight as well as reading about you over the years. I am so happy to see you doing so well. Good luck!
Maurice

Great website Dave. Keep up the good work!

If you’re ever interested in reading some old documents from the UFA and Social Credit governments, let me know.

It’s name confusion on your website regarding the NDP candidate in Calgary-Lougheed. It seams to be two different persons in Calgary with the same name.
The NDP candidate is a Civil Engineer working in the Construction Industry not the Oil and Gas person working for Husky Energy.
Please do the appropriate correction in your website.

Hello, David.

You can remove other PC candidates’ names from Calgary-Fort. I will be the nominated PC candidate for that riding. Thanks.

Andy Nguyen

Wondering why when the economy was good a few years ago and oil was 120.00 a barrel why didn’t they pay more royalties then??? That money could have helped when problems did arise in later years. Getting tired of the same old excuse that more taxes to corporations will kill business!

Just reviewed the platforms of all 4 parties. Who knew that the NDP and the Wildrose had so much in common? Huh! Guess the “Wilds” aren’t so “extreme” after all.

Think I’ll give them a “whirl”

Dave.. Love your blog , good commentary on the Alberta Election.
What I have found to be very interesting.. Is no party or candidate has addressed the real issues about corporate taxes. Change takes fortitude. why.. it would mean a change in law, affecting Justice dept. Specifically law around collections on Corporate debt. CRA has collection law, if the Corporation does not pay CRA Siezes Corporate Assets and FINES the Directors responsible and or Put’s them in JAIL. Essentially ALBERTA FINANCE has no Defined Corporate Tax Collection Law. SO bottom line Instead of raising the rate.. Collect the Corp taxes rather than writing them off.
Why has no one made an issue of the Corporate tax Write offs, and Corporate tax Dormant (non Collected ). Older than 3 years in age.
The next issue, is MEP (maintenance enforcement) has the legal right to suspend all human rights, and charter rights within it Examination process. The quasi judicial bodies (human right commission and MEP ) both need serious Public Oversight and restrictions on the position of Suspending Charter Rights.

Has anyone come across a concise comparison of the parties’ for/against stances on the issues? This would help people make more informed choices, even if they don’t have time to read through the published platforms.I assume it’s out there somewhere.

I am wondering why you do not bring up the or discuss further the plan for more refineries by the ndp. Who would pay for that? I don’t not think the oil companies would invest and the raise in corporate taxes would not pay for refineries to be built. I would like to see more information on ndp affiliation with the unions. Ms. Notley’s husband is th communication officer for CUPE. Building refineries is a plus for the AFL. The candidate for our riding is a union president! Yet Rachel Notley says the ndp will ban corporate and union donations. How exactly would that work?