fbpx
Saturday, October 11, 2025

Alberta introduces sweeping changes to local election laws

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

If you’re an Albertan, political parties are coming to a municipality near you.

The Alberta government tabled Bill 20, also known as the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act in the legislature on Thursday.

The bill introduces sweeping changes to the Local Authorities Election Act and Municipal Government Act.

“Our government is committed to strengthening Albertans’ trust in their local government and the democratic process that elects local leaders,” said Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of political parties at the municipal level. The pilot project for local political parties will occur in Edmonton and Calgary during the next municipal election. Other jurisdictions like Vancouver and Montreal already allow for political parties to exist at the local level.

Local candidates are not required to join a political party but will be allowed to do so or run as independents.

While specific regulations are yet to be introduced, these municipal political parties must have zero affiliation with provincial or federal parties. They cannot share resources, such as mailing lists or funding lists, with these parties. Any violations will result in penalties.

Each municipal party will represent only its municipality. For example, a political party in Edmonton would have no connection to one in Calgary. 

However, the changes only make political parties official at the local level, considering people running for municipal government were always free to affiliate with political parties. With the new changes, the party affiliation will appear on the ballot. 

The amendments will create the regulatory authority for the government to define local political parties and for the parties to register with municipalities. Once this occurs, municipalities will be required to include a candidate’s political party on the ballot for municipal elections.

All automated voting equipment, such as electronic tabulators, will be prohibited in municipal elections. Votes will be required to be tabulated by hand. 

“The changes we are making increase transparency for Alberta voters and provide surety their votes will be counted accurately,” said McIver. 

True North previously reported that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised to ban electronic vote tabulators in provincial elections. 

Calgary has used electronic tabulators in past municipal elections, which did not necessarily lead to quicker vote counting.  

Currently, special ballots, or mail-in ballots, for municipal elections can only be requested for specific reasons, such as physical disability, absence from the municipality, or for municipal elections workers. Bill 20 will expand the use of special ballots while strengthening its processes. 

To strengthen the special ballot processes, scrutineers will be required to oversee the counting of these ballots.

Any Albertan on the permanent elections register can request access to a special ballot.

Municipalities will have to create a permanent electors register, aligning with the most recent provincial register of electors. Municipalities will work with Elections Alberta to ensure that lists are consistent and can be used for both municipal and provincial elections.

Residents do not need to be on the register to vote, provided they show adequate identification proving their identity and residence. 

Electors can no longer vouch for a person’s identity or citizenship, should they fail to provide documentation, but can vouch to verify an elector’s residence.

One update to the Local Authorities Election Act will allow voters waiting in line when polling stations close to still cast their vote. No person who was waiting in line before the closing of a voting station will be denied the ability to vote, however, no new voters will be allowed to join the queue after the poll closes.

Bill 20 grants Cabinet the ability to remove a councillor if it is in the public interest or to order a vote for residents to remove councillors.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs will become responsible for validating municipal recall petitions. It was previously the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer, which created a conflict of interest because the councillors are technically the CAO’s bosses. 

Municipalities will be able to require a criminal record check for candidates. This check would be a part of a candidate’s nomination package, which is publicly available data. The criminal record check is an option for municipalities, and some who already struggle to find enough candidates to run may choose to forego the process. 

The sweeping changes are among the broadest since 1994 when the Municipal Government Act was brought in and changed things significantly. Other changes to modernize the Act were also introduced in 2016.

Alberta rejects “unconstitutional” federal plastics registry and production cap

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

If the federal government proceeds with its proposed plastics registry and production cap, Alberta will take them to court once more.

Alberta’s Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz issued a press release reacting to her federal counterpart Steven Guilbeault’s proposal.

Schulz has asked numerous times to work with the federal government collaboratively, as opposed to the feds implementing unilateral decisions without consulting Alberta.

“This unilateral announcement is a slap in the face to Alberta and our province’s petrochemical industry, and the thousands of Albertans who work in it,” said Schulz.

True North previously reported that Guilbeault proposed creating a plastics registry, forcing some companies to report their plastic production and implementation regularly. The registry is set to come into effect in September 2025.

The registry will require businesses to report on plastic they have placed on the market and the amount of plastic waste generated on their commercial, industrial, and institutional premises. Small businesses that produce less than one tonne of plastic each year will be exempt from making reports. Additional reporting requirements will be added in 2027.

Schulz explained that every modern convenience and necessity either contains or is made from plastic. She said that Alberta is positioned to be a world leader in plastics production for decades with its carbon-neutral plastics production. 

“Minister Guilbeault’s proposal would throw all of that into jeopardy and risk billions of dollars in investments. This includes projects like Dow Chemical’s net-zero petrochemical plant in Fort Saskatchewan, a $9-billion project that will create thousands of jobs,” she said. 

On top of losing billions of dollars, Schulz said the proposal will fail to reduce plastic production. 

“If the federal government limits plastic production in Canada, other countries like China will just produce more. The only outcome that this federal government will achieve will be fewer jobs in Canada,” said Schulz.

Guilbeault and Schulz have stepped into the ring before.

True North previously reported that the Federal Court sided with Alberta and Saskatchewan, determining that the Liberals’ single-use plastics ban was “unreasonable and unconstitutional.” 

“Minister Guilbeault’s decision to cap production is even more egregious and is equally unconstitutional. Under no circumstances will Alberta permit any limit on our ability to produce and export plastic products,” said Schulz.

She said that instead of wasting everyone’s time, the federal government could learn from Alberta’s plan. The plan diverts plastics from landfills and turns used plastics into new products, which Schulz deemed “a modern miracle.”

However, if the federal government decides to proceed with its plan, Alberta promises to take them to court and defend its provincial jurisdiction, along with the thousands of Albertans who work in the petrochemical sector.

B.C. government requests help from feds over widespread public drug use

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

The B.C. government is looking for help from Ottawa as public drug use becomes common since implementing its drug decriminalization pilot project last year. 

The provincial government attempted to implement limits through legislation but its efforts were derailed by a B.C. Supreme Court injunction. 

B.C. Mental Health Minister Jennifer Whiteside will meet with her federal counterpart, Ya’ara Saks, in Vancouver Friday to ask the Liberal government for help.

Whitehead is asking that Saks review the current exemptions in place under the province’s decriminalization pilot project, as certain public spaces remain available for drug use.  

“With respect to (decriminalization), we’ll be having a conversation about how the exemptions are working to this point,” Whiteside told the Globe and Mail in an interview Thursday.

Whitehead is also seeking federal assistance with increased supervision at drug-consumption sites. 

Illicit drug use in B.C.’s beaches, parks and hospitals has exploded since the decriminalization pilot project came into effect Jan. 31, 2023, sparking backlash from the public. 

The project allowed drug users to possess and use small amounts of certain toxic drugs like fentanyl in public without fear of arrest or legal consequences. 

The Trudeau government granted the decriminalization request for a three-year trial period.

Spaces including school premises, playgrounds, child-care facilities, airports, and skate parks are still prohibited under the project. 

However, a little over a year into the three-year project, urban mayors throughout the province are calling the situation of widespread public drug use a ‘crisis.’

According to senior police officials who testified before a parliamentary committee last week, the project was implemented without the necessary guardrails in place to retain public order. 

Hospital workers also noticed a spike in the use of illicit substances in patient rooms and bathrooms, including in the maternity unit, which hospital workers say puts them and their patients at risk.

The provincial government attempted to add further prohibited areas via the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act last November, which would allow police to fine or arrest people who refuse to comply with orders regarding certain outdoor spaces like beaches and parks. 

The law was suspended by B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Christopher Hinkon last December following a challenge by the Harm Reduction Nurses Association.

In his decision, Hinkon wrote that the new legislation “will cause irreparable harm” by pushing drug use out of the public eye, which he believed was safer out in the open, “given a dire lack of supervised consumption services, indoor locations to consume drugs, and housing.”

British Columbia’s NDP premier, David Eby, has continued to face mounting criticism from the public and opposition politicians for going all in on his government’s controversial drug decriminalization agenda.

“We are looking at other options in light of the Supreme Court’s decision with respect to the injunction that prevents us from implementing that legislation, and that’s the conversation that we’re certainly having inside government, and that we’ll be having with the federal government,” said Whiteside.

The province set a record of 2,511 suspected illicit drug deaths in 2023, despite the decriminalization pilot.

Ratio’d | Covering the Make Europe Great Again Conference

By
Harrison Faulkner
-
Source: Institutul de Studii Politice Conservatoare ”Mihai Eminescu”

Romania is facing a number of pressing issues – government corruption, immigration, Ukraine and the rising inflation crisis. Similar to Canada, it’s clear a lot is on the line in Romania in the next election. Voters in Romania will head to the polls later this year and the right-wing AUR party is expected to make significant gains.

Labelled as “far-right” by the media and its opponents, the AUR party has resonated with voters by focusing on the high cost of living, expressing their frustrations over the war in Ukraine and targeting leftist climate policies. Can Canada’s Conservatives learn anything from this election?

True North’s Harrison Faulkner reports from Bucharest, Romania to cover the Make Europe Great Again Conference.

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole passes away at 90 years old

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
-
Source: X

The most iconic voice in hockey is gone but won’t soon be forgotten.

Bob Cole, a revered voice in hockey broadcasting, has died at the age of 90. The Canadian play-by-play announcer, known for his iconic phrase “Oh, baby!”, was a staple on Hockey Night in Canada for five decades. 

His family confirmed that he passed away on Wednesday in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, surrounded by his loved ones.

Megan Cole, his daughter, told CBC News, “Thank you for decades of love for his work, love of Newfoundland, and love of hockey.” 

She shared that her father had been healthy “up until the very end.”

Cole’s career began in radio before he transitioned to television in 1973. He quickly became synonymous with Hockey Night in Canada, delivering memorable calls in Stanley Cup finals, Olympic games, and other major hockey events. 

He was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. He was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall in 2016.

Cole’s final broadcast was the regular-season finale in Montreal between the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in April 2019. Players, coaches, and fans stood in appreciation, with chants of Cole’s name echoing through the arena at times during the game.

After Charlie Lindgren stopped Kasperi Kapanen’s shot, ending the shootout, Cole signed off in signature fashion.

“That is all she wrote,” he said.

Following the game, Cole said, “Thank you so much, Montreal and Canada. It’s been a pleasure. I’m going to miss this.”

But now it’s Cole who is missed. Fans of different stripes shared their favourite memories of Cole after hearing of his passing on Thursday. 

Former Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban shared in a post to X that he was sad to see the best in the business pass away, adding that Cole was one of the nicest people he’d ever met.

“He will be missed but never forgotten!” said Subban.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre shared the same favourite moment of Cole in a post to X. 

“[Oh my heavens!] What a goal! What a move, Lemieux! Ohhh baby,” said Poilievre, reminiscing on Cole’s call of Mario Lemieux’s goal. 

Numerous hockey players have given tribute to Cole throughout their careers, saying that he was the voice that helped them fall in love with hockey.

Sports commentator John Shannon said that his heart was broken upon hearing the news of his good friend passing away.

“He was one of the soundtracks of our game. He had a passion that every hockey fan felt every time he announced a game. There will only be one Bob Cole. And now he’s gone,” said Shannon.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe shared in a press conference on Thursday that he never had the pleasure of meeting Cole but appreciates the lasting impact he had on the sport of hockey.

“I think millions of Canadians wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting him but felt that they knew him because of the passion that he had,” said Keefe.

“Growing up, I think every memory I would have of hockey would be with his voice echoing,” Keefe added.

As players and fans reminisce and celebrate the legendary career of Cole, his voice will live on in the heart and memories of the game. He won’t soon be forgotten.

Former Ontario NDP director broke election laws with anti-Conservative “fact check”

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

A former Ontario NDP operative and owner of an anti-conservative and left-wing “fact check” website was fined for violating the Canada Elections Act. 

Ethan Phillips, who edits the website Canada Fact Check, was cited for breaking partisan advertising rules and failing to register as a third-party advertiser for incurring over $500 on Facebook ads during the 2019 federal election.  

“The promoted ads contained the required elements of partisan advertising, as defined at subsections 2(1) and 2(7) of the Canada Elections Act (the Act), as they opposed a registered party, the election of a potential candidate, or the leader of a registered party,” wrote elections commissioner Caroline J. Simard. 

“Evidence established by the Facebook Ad Library provides reasonable grounds to believe that Ethan Phillips incurred costs of over $500 for the promoted ads.”

According to Facebook’s ad library, Canada Fact Check ran two ads during the pre-election period targeting then-Conservative leader Andrew Scheer. 

One of the ads warned about the alleged “dangers of an Andrew Scheer federal Conservative government.

“The ad alleged that Scheer was “profoundly uncomfortable with the increase in visible minority Canadians.” 

“The Conservative Party of Canada and conservative provincial parties like Doug Ford’s Ontario conservative party, are not like the Liberals, NDP or Greens,” wrote Canada Fact Check.

“They are both nurturing and beholden to a minority, right-wing voting block that distrusts expertise and hard facts, dislikes change, and is profoundly uncomfortable with the increase in visible minority Canadians.” 

The ad also linked to a charged opinion article by Phillips, presented as a “fact check” that claimed Conservative voters were “angry and resentful.” The ad received between 150,000 and 175,000 impressions.

Another ad compared Scheer to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, linking to another opinion article by Phillips presented as a “fact check” on “right-wing populism” and how the Conservatives were purportedly anti-immigration.

“What this means is that any campaign rhetoric that equates ‘Canadian values’ with multiculturalism and high levels of immigration will only exacerbate the anger of this right-wing, populist voting block,” wrote Phillips.

According to Phillips’ LinkedIn page, he was a director and senior researcher with the Ontario NDP for 13 years until March 2015 and currently works as a government consultant for a firm he owns.

Longtime Conservative MP Colin Carrie not seeking re-election

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
-
Source: House of Commons - ParlVu

A Conservative stalwart in the GTA is not running again.

Colin Carrie, who has represented the riding of Oshawa for the Tories since 2004, said he will not stand for re-election as an MP.

He announced he will not be seeking an eighth term Wednesday evening at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43.

“Now is the right time to clear a path for another Conservative voice to represent our community,” Carrie said. “An individual who’ll commit to making life more affordable for Oshawa families by fixing the budget, scrapping the carbon tax, upholding our freedoms, rebuilding our Armed Forces, and ensuring that Oshawa receives its fair share of federal investment.”

In an interview with True North, Carrie said he has already been in Ottawa longer than he’d intended.

“I’m just so grateful and honoured that the people of Oshawa re-elected me seven times, but I originally told my wife I’d do this for about ten years,” Carrie said. “So, it’s been a little longer than that.”

Carrie will continue to serve as the MP for Oshawa until the House of Commons is dissolved and the writs of election are issued, which is expected to be in October 2025.

After he retires from politics, Carrie said he plans to enjoy his time off.

“I’m going to be doing absolutely nothing for a short period of time except spending time with my lovely wife, who, you know, after living with a politician for 20 years. I must say, I’m very fortunate that she still loves me and likes to spend time with me,” he said.

He said he looks forward to a Conservative candidate in the riding who shares his dream of being the best local member of Parliament they can be.

“It’s all about serving our community and the people we represent,” Carrie said. “I’ll be supporting that person, whoever it may be. And I know there’s wonderful people here that can step up and take this vocation on.”

Carrie was first elected in June 2004, at the same time as Pierre Poilievre, the current leader of the Conservative party. It was the first election for the new Conservative Party of Canada, the product of a merger between the Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties.

He recalls being part of the conservative movement when it was “reunited” by Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay to form the party and reflected on his achievements as Oshawa’s Conservative MP.

“When I was first elected, I think (Oshawa) barely got $1.5 million in federal funding over the decade of the last Liberal MP. And it was really noticeable,” he said. “So, I was really focused on returning Oshawa’s taxpayer dollars here. And, and I got to tell you, I’m very proud of those achievements and especially the investments in our infrastructure.”

He noted how Oshawa is one of the few cities that has a functioning port, an airport, two 400-series highways, two rail systems, and investments in post-secondary education.

“The idea is to set Oshawa up as the place in Canada to raise your family,” Carrie said. “And I’ve got to tell you, restore that Canadian dream because with Pierre Poilievre at the helm, I know that our economy will be a priority.”

Carrie said during the coming months, while still in office he will be working to ensure the passage of Bill C-320, which proposes victim-oriented bail reforms and received unanimous support in its first reading in the House of Commons last Friday.

The act is supposed to provide transparency for the victims of crimes by providing those victims with “timely and accurate information” on the sentencing of the criminal in question to avoid victims being caught off guard when the perpetrators are let off on bail before the originally determined time.

Carrie believes he will be leaving the Conservative party in good hands.

“I think this is the best country in the world, and our best days ahead are ahead of us. And with Pierre at the helm, I’m just extremely optimistic for our future and Canada’s future. So, yeah, I’m just honoured to have been a part of that.”

Justin Trudeau complains about populism, brags about tax hikes on podcast

By
Noah Jarvis, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared as a guest host on a Vox podcast where he complained about populism having a corrosive effect on democracy while promoting his government’s agenda. 

The Prime Minister appeared on the left-wing site’s podcast to appeal to younger voters, a demographic that Trudeau’s Liberals have been doing poorly with in recent public opinion polls. 

On the ‘Today, Explained’ podcast hosted by Sean Rameswaram, Trudeau said that concerns young Canadians have over the economy and the housing market are a problem because it drives negative sentiments that lead people down the road of populism, something he firmly stands against. 

Populism is the idea that society is divided between ordinary people and the elite and that elites are enriching themselves by reinforcing their position at the expense of the people.

Most Canadians agree that Canada is divided between ordinary people and elites, lending merit to populism’s premise.

The Prime Minister expressed distaste for what he describes as a global rise in populism, railing against this brand of politics’ anti-elite disposition, reliance on false information, and it’s supposed promotion of conspiracy theories.

“In every democracy, we’re seeing a rise of populists with easy answers that don’t necessarily hold up to any expert scrutiny. But a big part of populism is condemning and ignoring experts and expertise, so it sort of feeds on itself and relies on a lot of misinformation and disinformation.”

Trudeau continued this thought by saying that populism is a threat to Canada’s identity of generosity and kindness and that it feeds selfishness.

“There’s a lot of populism that folds into a level of individualism that I think is counter-productive to the kind of world we need to build where we are so interconnected.” 

When asked if he is worried about whether his opposition’s messaging on the budget will resonate with Canadians more than his government’s, Trudeau said that the opposition recognizes worries Canadians are having without providing solutions.

“I think the opposition is recognizing that there is concern and anxiety out there. The thing is though, they’re not offering any solutions at all for it.”

Trudeau went on to say that the government ought to play a key role in solving the country’s problems, contrasting himself with the Conservatives who he says do not believe this.

“And I believe, I mean the biggest choice and the biggest difference between me and the Conservatives right now is they don’t think government has a role to play in solving for these problems and these challenges.”

Trudeau bragged about his government’s initiative to increase the capital gains tax inclusion rate on high-income earners and businesses while deriding the Conservatives for opposing the policy.

“We’re raising capital gains [tax] so the wealthiest 0.1% pay a little more. Capital gains will still be lower than they are in California and New York for example, so it’s not going to be going after innovation, but it’s bringing in money so that we can actually invest more in young people, in fairness, in those kinds of things, and that’s something the Conservatives are totally against.”

Californians and New Yorkers pay some of the highest taxes on capital gains compared to other states in the USA with a 13.3% and 8.82% tax rate respectively on its highest earners, on top of the federal government’s 20% tax rate. 

Trudeau went on to tell Canadians that in the coming federal election, they’ll have a choice between a party that believes the government has a role to play in protecting people or a party that will amplify fear and division and protects the wealthy while relying on the “trickle-down approach.”

Premier Smith appoints “contrarian” doctor to lead COVID-19 data review

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: Facebook

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appointed a “contrarian” doctor who expressed concerns about officials exaggerating the damage COVID-19 had on hospitals to lead a review of data collected from the pandemic. 

Smith selected Dr. Gary Davidson because she wanted to hear from a wide variety of viewpoints, including those who had previously been “shouted down in the public sphere.”

“I needed somebody who was going to look at everything that happened with some fresh eyes and maybe with a little bit of a contrarian perspective because we’ve only ever been given one perspective,” Smith told reporters at the legislature Tuesday.

“I left it to [Davidson] to assemble the panel with the guidance that I would like to have a broad range of perspectives.”

Davidson was appointed to the position a year ago and before that, he was the former chief of emergency medicine at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Center. 

The task force had initially been created in 2022, however, none of their work has been made public yet. 

Davidson became a controversial figure in 2021 during the fourth wave of the pandemic for claiming that hospital admission numbers had been manipulated and exaggerated to justify severe public health restrictions. 

His claims were refuted by Alberta Health Services, the province’s health authority. 

Smith had promised to redress COVID-19 grievances during her election campaign in 2022 and launched the creation of the task force upon becoming premier. 

Its mandate is to review the available data and make recommendations for how best to handle a future pandemic. 

It will also look at ways to better analyze public health data and will adhere to people’s concerns about vaccine side effects.

Smith’s government gave the project a budget of $2 million however, she thinks they will be able to complete it under budget, with its final report to be submitted to the government next month.  

Its publication will mark the second third-party COVID-19 analysis ordered under Smith’s administration. 

Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning filed an independent report about the province’s COVID-19 experience last year, in which he recommended that the government consider “alternative scientific narratives” as part of a “balanced response” in future health pandemics.

Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley criticized Smith and the task force for what she called a waste of public funds given to a secret consultation panel headed by a man with “fringe views.”

“I believe the Earth is round, and I don’t think that the people of Alberta should be paying for people who believe it’s flat to be engaging in the conversation,” said Notley, according to CBC News.

Smith was critical of certain pandemic rules throughout the lockdown, like gathering restrictions, which she believed should be weighed against the potential long-term health consequences of people’s physical and mental well-being. 

She also questioned why alternative treatments to COVID-19 like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were met with such hostility from public authorities, treatments which have since been approved in other countries. Ivermectin is now prescribed for early COVID-19 treatment in 28 countries, according to the European Parliament.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Liberals claim their big-spending, tax-hiking budget is about “fairness”

By
Andrew Lawton
-
Source: Liberal Party of Canada

As more and more people sound alarms about the implications of the Liberal government’s latest budget, Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland are still saying it’s a budget that injects “fairness” into the Canadian economy. This comes as the Canadian and Ontario governments each pony up $5 billion to create 1,000 jobs creating electric vehicles and batteries for Honda. True North’s Andrew Lawton digs in with Aaron Wudrick of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Also, activists and the government say extreme weather events are the fault of climate change and justification for aggressive environmental policy – but according to the data, this just isn’t true. Andrew unpacks with Dr. Kenneth Green from the Fraser Institute.

Plus, what should government do – if anything – about Canada’s low birthrate? Andrew sat down with Crestview partner Ginny Roth at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Ottawa to discuss.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

1...257258259...1,460Page 258 of 1,460

Related stories

© 2025 True North | Privacy Policy