Tag Archives: Danielle Smith

History-making nine-question referendum punts Alberta into unprecedented territory

By George Lee, The Macleod Gazette, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Editor’s Note: Light profanity appears in a direct quotation in this story.

A nine-question referendum announced by the premier Thursday charts new territory for direct democracy, as the government looks to define and entrench an Alberta approach for dealing with immigration and Ottawa.

The United Conservative Party (UCP) initiative appears to feature the most — and most complex — federal or provincial questions ever asked on a single referendum ballot in the country’s history.

The electorate’s participation will help the government shield Albertans from an intrusive Ottawa and its potentially harmful policies, Danielle Smith said during a televised and streamed address.

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Alberta confident on carbon pricing deal as minister announces $28 million for clean tech

By George Lee, The Macleod Gazette, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Alberta and the federal government remain on course to reach a carbon pricing agreement pledged within their Nov. 27 memorandum of understanding, the province’s new environment minister said last week.

Calling the system “a very complex way of dealing with industrial carbon pricing,” Grant Hunter said Alberta’s large emitters are competitive at the current rate of $95 per tonne of emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent.

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Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate

By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Disagreements over a proposal to build a pipeline to the BC coast has ignited a debate over who has the right to speak on behalf of First Nations. 

After Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance a new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, he met with Coastal First Nations (CFN) leaders in January. 

BC Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer jumped in on X (formerly Twitter) to label CFN “just an advocacy group,” like a brand name. Fulmer claimed it is funded by foreign anti-energy groups and said if he becomes premier he will ban any foreign-funded organizations that attempt to influence BC politics.

Continue reading Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate

Coastal First Nations say they are open to cooperation, not pipelines

By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Following a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday, Coastal First Nations leaders said they are still firm in their opposition to a new oil pipeline. 

“Our interest isn’t about money in this situation, it’s about [the] responsibility of looking after our territories and again nurturing the sustainable economies that we currently have here,” said Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, President of the Council of the Haida Nation and vice president of CFN, speaking at a press conference. 

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Public Letter to Aaron Gunn, MP for North Island Powell River

A public letter from the Green Party executive for North Island Powell River Re the Memorandum of Understanding between Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, November 27, 2025 – Energy Collaboration

Dear Mr. Gunn,

We are writing to urge you to protest the new Memorandum of Understanding between

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