Tag: Al Biel

Quashing Alberta separatism debate could spark fireworks at UCP AGM

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date November 28, 2025

Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary on November 27, 2025 (source: Government of Alberta / Flickr)

Danielle Smith’s pipeline deal with Mark Carney could get more jeers than cheers by some at the UCP AGM

The United Conservative Party’s most dedicated activists and supporters will gather in Edmonton on November 28, 29 and 30 to debate a swath of policy resolutions and elect members of its provincial board at the party’s annual general meeting.

Since the UCP was founded in 2017, the party’s AGM has become one of the most interesting and closely-watched political events of the year. It’s an annual reminder the delegates attending the meeting — the UCP’s most enthusiastic activists — are as a group among the most influential people in Alberta politics today.

Read all about it on the Daveberta Subtack

Tags Abigail Johnson, Adam Doyle, Al Biel, Albert Biel, Alberta Pipeline Memorandum of Understanding, Alberta Politics Substack, Alberta Prosperity Project, Alberta Separatism, An Injection of Truth, Andre Grondin, Battle River-Crowfoot, Benjamin Gill, Brian Golka, Brian Mulroney, Calgary-Lougheed, Canada Election Substack, Cardston-Siksika, Dan Harder, Danielle Smith, Darby Crouch, Darrell Komick, Daveberta Substack, David Eby, Donna Kennedy-Glans, Ed Vandenberg, Gordon Reynen, Heather Yourex-West, Helen Holder, Irma Roberts, Jaspreet Saggu, Jeff Rath, Jeffrey Rath, Jodie Gateman, Justin Trudeau, Mark Carney, National Energy Program, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, Pamela Davidson, Peter Lougheed, Pierre Poilievre, Richard Asselin, Richard Mallett, Rob Smith, Samantha Steinke, Scott Payne, Stacey Vanderveen, United Conservative Party, United Conservative Party AGM, Vicki Kozmak-LeFrense

Alberta Politics

Danielle Smith leaves Canada, flies to Saudi Arabia after invoking Notwithstanding Clause

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date November 2, 2025

Albertans’ negative reaction to the government’s handling of the teachers strike was probably a big reason why Premier Danielle Smith was scheduled to leave the country before her UCP MLAs passed Bill 2.

We don’t know exactly what Smith was looking at on her phone when she was photographed sitting at the Calgary International Airport while her UCP MLAs were still in the Legislature on Monday night, but her conveniently scheduled week-long trip to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates means that she will not face questions from reporters about suspending constitutional rights of citizens.

Danielle Smith’s job approval drops, Naheed Nenshi gets a bump

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date November 2, 2025

United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith’s own approval rating took a beating as well. The Premier saw her job approval drop from 44 per cent in May to 38 per cent this month. And, for the first time, that puts Smith below NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, who saw his approval jump up to 43 per cent in the same period.

Taking his seat in the Legislature this week, it definitely felt like Bill 2 gave Nenshi an opportunity to step into the spotlight and he didn’t disappoint.

UCP fumbling primed Albertans to support the teachers’ strike

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date November 1, 2025

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith (right) was photographed sitting at the Calgary International Airport while UCP MLAs were still in the Legislature pushing through Bill 2 on Monday night. Smith is spending the week in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. (photo: publicinterestalberta / Instagram)

Danielle Smith left for Saudi Arabia before invoking Notwithstanding Clause

The fall session of the Legislature started on Monday and Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party government wasted no time pushing through its legislation to force striking Alberta teachers back to work.

In a severely time-limited debate that took less than 12 hours in total, UCP MLAs voted on third reading to pass Bill 2: Back to Work Act at around 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

The bill imposed a new contract on 51,000 striking teachers until 2028, threatened hefty fines for any teachers who dared defy the UCP’s rushed law, and used the constitutional sledgehammer known as the Notwithstanding Clause to suspend teachers’ and the Alberta Teachers’ Associations’ rights to collective bargaining under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.