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Tag: Lesley Thompson

Alberta Politics

Danielle Smith threatens a national unity crisis if Canadians re-elect Mark Carney’s Liberals

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date March 31, 2025

Liberal Party leader Mark Carney on the campaign trail (source: Mark Carney / Facebook)

UCP MLA writes that Canada is broken and Team Canada is a “fake team”

Mark Carney has only been Prime Minister of Canada for 17 days but last week he may have made one of the most consequential statements by a Canadian political leader in recent memory.

“The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over,” Carney said in response to American President Donald Trump’s almost daily threats against Canada.

Trump backed down on his threats last week to level 25 percent tariffs against the Canadian automobile manufacturing industry, probably temporarily, after Carney announced retaliatory tariffs, but this week could feature Trump’s next big intervention in a federal election campaign where he has become the biggest villain. April 2 is what the Trump is calling “Liberation Day.” It’s the day he says he plans to level more huge tariffs on products being imported into the US.

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Tags Adriana LaGrange, Alberta Federal Candidate Nomination Update, Alberta NDP, Alberta Separatism, Alberta Sovereignty Act, Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, Ben Shapiro, Calgary-Confederation, Calgary-East, Canada Election 2025, Chris Brown, Chris Spearman, Conservative Party of Canada, Danielle Smith, Derek Chauvin, Devin Dreeshen, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Tariff, Edmonton Centre, Edmonton Manning, Eleanor Olszewski, Fair Deal Panel, Free Alberta Strategy, George Floyd, Gina Rinehart, Jagmeet Singh, Jared Wesley, Jason Stephan, Lesley Thompson, Liberal Party of Canada, Liberation Day, Mark Carney, Naheed Nenshi, Nathan Svoboda, PragerU, Priti Obhrai-Martin, Rachael Thomas, Red Deer-South, Rob Anderson, Sayid Ahmed, Searle Turton, Shannon Phillips, Thomas Keeper, Trisha Estabrooks, United Conservative Party, Western Alienation

Alberta Politics

UCP cuts the “length” off arms-length AIMCo

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date November 15, 2024

Minister of Finance Nate Horner and Premier Danielle Smith on February 29, 2024 (photography by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta/Alberta Newsroom)

Alberta’s $160.6 billion investments now under a government controlled cone of silence

Secure in her party’s leadership after earning the support of 91.5 percent of members at the United Conservative Party AGM earlier this month, Premier Danielle Smith isn’t skipping a beat in implementing her government’s political agenda.

The firing of the CEO and the entire board of directors of AIMCo, the arms-length Alberta Investment Management Corporation, was confirmed through a short 9:47 am press release from Finance Minister Nate Horner last Friday.

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Tags AIMco, Airdrie-Cochrane, Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission, Alberta Federal Candidate Nomination Update, Alberta Firewall Letter, Alberta Investment Management Corporation, Alberta Pension Plan, Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund, Alex Williams, Amarjeet Sohi, Avni Soma, Brian Thiessen, Bruce McAllister, Calgary Municipal Election 2025, Canada Pension Plan, Carla Beck, Chris Nielsen, Chrystia Freeland, CUPE Alberta, CUPE Strike in Fort McMurray, Dale McFee, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, Dj Kelly, Edmonton Municipal Election 2025, Edmonton-Decore, Edmonton-Manning, Elliot Weinstein, Evan Siddall, Heather McRae, International Democracy Union, Jeremy Nolais, Jim Dinning, Karen Principe, Kenneth Kroner, Lesley Thompson, Local Authorities Pension Plan, Management Employees Pension Plan, Marlene Puffer, Mary MacDonald, Matt Jones, Mickey Amery, Mike Ellis, Nate Horner, Paul Wynnyk, Peter Sandhu, Postmedia, Public Sector Pensions, Public Service Pension Plan, Ray Gilmour, Rick Bell, Rory Gill, Sarah Zagoda, Stephen Harper, Tim Cartmell, Tony Caterina, United Conservative Party, Ward tastawiyiniwak, Yellowhead

Alberta Politics

Can Danielle Smith survive the UCP political circus in Red Deer?

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date October 31, 2024

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith (photo: Danielle Smith/Facebook)

Alberta politics is unpredictable and sometimes it’s best to expect the unexpected

The main event of Alberta’s political season is nearly upon us. No, I’m not talking about the return of the Legislature or the impending by-election in Lethbridge-West. I’m talking about the United Conservative Party’s Annual General Meeting and leadership review that is happening this weekend in Red Deer.

With more than 6,000 people expected to attend, it will likely be the biggest single political convention in Alberta’s history. And it is going to be a circus.

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Tags 1905 Committee, Adriana LaGrange, Airdrie-Cochrane, Alberta Federal Candidate Nomination Update, Alberta First Pension Plan, Alberta NDP, Alberta Prosperity Project, Black Hat Gang, Blaine Higgs, Calgary Crowfoot, Calgary-Lougheed, Chemtrails, COVID-19 Pandemic, Cynthia Moore, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, David Parker, Demetrios Nicolaides, Edmonton-Manning, Elections Alberta, Eric Bouchard, Glen Resler, Gordon McClure, Ian Brodie, Jason Kenney, Jason Nixon, Jim Prentice, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, John Middleton-Hope, Joseph Schow, Kathleen Ganley, Lesley Thompson, Lethbridge-West, Lethbridge-West by-election, Mathew Jammaz, Matt Jones, Naheed Nenshi, National Firearms Association, Ralph Klein, Rob Miyashiro, Sarah Hoffman, Scott Moe, Shahnaz Munir, Stephen Harper, Take Back Alberta, Tiffany Nixon, Transgender policy, Transgender Rights in Alberta, Umair Ahad, United Conservative Party, United Conservative Party AGM, United Conservative Party Leadership Review, Wildrose Party

Alberta Politics

Ask me anything about Alberta politics

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date August 29, 2024

Alberta’s Legislature grounds in Edmonton under construction in July 2024 (photo: Dave Cournoyer)

With the end of summer fast approaching and the Labour Day long-weekend just days away, I’ve opened up the mailbag to answer a few Alberta politics questions about health care privatization, early election speculation, and small nuclear reactors sent in by Daveberta subscribers. Read it all on the Daveberta Substack.

Tags Abdul Abdi, Accountable Coalition for Edmonton (PACE), Alberta Election 2027, Alberta Election Candidate Nominations, Alberta Energy Regulator, Alberta Health Services, Alberta NDP, Bob Ascah, Bridget Mearns, Calgary McKnight, Calgary-Confederation, Canada Strong and Free Network, Chris Rufo, Covenant Health, Danielle Smith, Daveberta Substack, Deena Hinshaw, Doug Main, Edmonton Centre, Edmonton Forward Party, Edmonton-Manning, Erin Leclerc, George Chahal, Health Care Privatization, James Cumming, Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson, John Middleton-Hope, Kara Levis, Laurie Pushor, Lesley Thompson, Lethbridge-West, Lethbridge-West by-election, Manning Centre Conference, Marshall Smith, Marv Moore, Mathew Jammaz, Naheed Nenshi, Nuclear Power Alberta, Peter Elzinga, Popular Information, Principled, Ralph Klein, Rebecca Crosby, Recovery Alberta, Rob Miyashiro, Sayid Ahmed, Shannon Phillips, Shauna Gruninger, Small Modular Reactors, TAPYEG Party, Tom Noseworthy, United Conservative Party, University of Calgary School of Public Policy

Alberta Politics

It’s all about the UCP leadership review

Post author By Dave Cournoyer
Post date August 1, 2024

Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis and Premier Danielle Smith respond to questions about politicians accepting tickets to NHL playoff games (source: Screenshot from YourAlberta / YouTube)

Protected rights for the unvaccinated and tax cuts aimed at appeasing unruly UCP members ahead of November vote

Summer is normally a time when politics cools down and politicians hit the BBQ circuit, but there’s something smelly in the air and it’s not just the wildfire smoke that Albertans have become accustomed to being part of our increasingly hot summers.

A political scandal surrounding Premier Danielle Smith and senior United Conservative Party cabinet ministers accepting tickets to skybox seats during the Edmonton Oilers NHL playoff run has erupted. Globe & Mail journalist Carrie Tait first broke the story that Smith and some UCP cabinet ministers had accepted box seat tickets to NHL playoff hockey games from private corporations that have close connections to or are lobbying the Alberta government.

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Tags Alberta Bill of Rights, Alberta Election 2023, Alberta Federal Candidate Nomination Update, Alberta NDP, Alberta Prosperity Project, Alberta Tax Cuts, Alison Redford, Calgary McKnight, Calgary-Lougheed, Calgary-Skyview, Carrie Tait, COVID-19 Pandemic, Danielle Smith, Dave Quest, David Parker, Ed Stelmach, Edmonton Centre, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton-Griesbach, Edmonton-Manning, Eric Bouchard, Florida Panthers, George Chahal, Heather Mackenzie, Jagmeet Singh, James Cumming, Jason Kenney, Jason Stephan, Kamran Choudhry, Katie Teeling, Lesley Thompson, Marco Van Huigenbos, Mike Ellis, Naheed Nenshi, Postmedia, Preston Manning, Ralph Klein, Raman Gill, Randy Boissonnault, Red Deer-South, Rick Bell, Sayid Ahmed, Shawn Newman Podcast, Stanley Cup Finals, Take Back Alberta, Trisha Estabrooks, United Conservative Party, Vancouver Canucks