Alberta Archives - National Times

09 Feb

Most Albertans favour staying in Canada despite sovereignty debate: Angus Reid survey

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaAlberta referendum, Alberta separatism, Angus Reid Institute, provincial sovereignty

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Amid renewed discussion around provincial sovereignty, a clear majority of Albertans would choose to remain part of Canada if a separation referendum were held today, according to a new survey released by the Angus Reid Institute. The survey found that only 29 per cent of Albertans would vote in favour of separation, with most of them describing their stance as a leaning rather than a firm commitment. In contrast, 65 per cent said they would vote to stay in Canada, and most respondents in this group said their decision was definite. The findings are part of the…

08 Feb

Alberta Premier Defends Judicial Reform Stance, Calls Funding Threat a Negotiation Tool

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaAlberta, Canada

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has pushed back against mounting criticism over her recent remarks on judicial reform, saying her warning about withholding court funding was intended as a bargaining strategy rather than an attack on judicial independence. Speaking during her weekend call-in radio program, Smith said her government’s objective is to open dialogue with Ottawa and arrive at an arrangement that she believes would be balanced and respectful to the province. She argued that Alberta is seeking an equal voice in the process of appointing judges, not a confrontation with the federal government. Smith’s comments follow a…

08 Feb

Dashmesh Culture Centre and Police Agencies Hold Successful Community Safety Town Hall

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCanada

Calgary ( Rajeev Sharma): Dashmesh Culture Centre, in collaboration with the Calgary Police Service (CPS), successfully organized a Community Safety and Awareness town hall meeting to address growing concerns about crime and public safety in the area. The meeting was held in response to recent incidents involving extortion threats, intimidation, and gun violence that have created fear and uncertainty among residents and business owners. The town hall provided a platform for open and direct engagement between the community and law enforcement agencies. Representatives from the Calgary Police Service (CPS), RCMP, ALERT, and Crime Stoppers participated in the meeting, engaging directly…

07 Feb

Strong Alberta contingent set to compete at Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games

nishuthapar10 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCanada

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta will have a significant presence on the world stage next year, with 45 athletes from the province selected to compete for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy. The athletes, drawn from communities across Alberta, will take part in a wide range of disciplines, reflecting the province’s depth in winter sport. Their selection highlights years of training, persistence and support from provincial programs designed to help high-performance athletes compete internationally. Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko said the athletes embody Alberta’s strong sporting culture and commitment to excellence. He noted…

07 Feb

Alberta MLAs to engage Oregon leaders to strengthen cross-border ties

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Two Alberta legislators will travel to the United States this month as part of efforts to deepen economic and political engagement with key American states. MLA for Leduc-Beaumont Brandon Lunty and MLA for Cypress–Medicine Hat Justin Wright are scheduled to visit Salem, Oregon, from February 8 to 11 to take part in the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region’s (PNWER) 2026 Capital Visits. The trip is aimed at reinforcing Alberta’s role as a strategic partner to U.S. states and advancing shared economic interests. During the visit, the MLAs are expected to meet with Oregon lawmakers, senior state officials, academics…

07 Feb

Alberta leads national job gains, adds nearly 42,000 full-time positions

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta continues to outperform the rest of the country on the employment front, recording a sharp rise in full-time jobs despite ongoing global economic uncertainty, according to Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Minister Joseph Schow. In a statement released Friday, Schow said the province added 41,800 full-time jobs in the most recent month, underscoring Alberta’s ability to weather broader economic headwinds that are affecting other parts of Canada. The minister credited the gains to the provincial government’s focus on economic diversification and investment attraction, noting that Alberta has posted the strongest employment growth in the country over…

07 Feb

Alberta reaches labour deal with health care support workers, says Minister Horner

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s government has announced the successful conclusion of collective bargaining with thousands of health care support staff, marking the end of negotiations across the province’s major health sectors for the current round. Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner confirmed that the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) has finalized a new collective agreement covering general support services (GSS) employees working with Alberta Health Services (AHS), provincial health agencies (PHAs) and provincial health corporations (PHCs). The agreement affects nearly 31,000 workers employed in a wide range of roles across hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities…

05 Feb

Corporate donations form notable share of UCP fundraising in 2025

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party (UCP) collected a significant portion of its 2025 fundraising from businesses and organizations, according to newly released financial disclosures filed with Elections Alberta. Records show the UCP raised about $9.3 million last year, a figure that includes money collected through its constituency associations. Of that amount, nearly $8.9 million was formally reported in the party’s 2025 contribution filings. An analysis of the disclosures indicates that close to $7.2 million came from donors who contributed more than $250. Within this group, approximately $766,000 — or about 10.7 per cent — originated from corporate…

04 Feb

Report Warns Alberta’s Bill 11 Could Open Door to U.S.-Style Two-Tier Health Care

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaAlberta Bill 11, Canadian medicare, CCPA, dual practice model, two-tier health care

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s recently enacted Bill 11 could fundamentally alter the province’s public health-care system and pave the way for a two-tier model similar to that of the United States, according to a new report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and the Parkland Institute. The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), known as Bill 11, came into force on Dec. 18 and allows physicians to practise in both the public and private health-care systems under a “dual practice” model. The Alberta government has said the move is intended to ease pressure on the public…

04 Feb

RCMP Rule Out Criminal Charges in Fatal Crash That Killed Three Alberta Junior Hockey Players

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaAlberta crash, Highway 2 collision, junior hockey players killed, RCMP investigation, Stavely accident

Stavely, Alberta (Rajeev Sharma): The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say the highway crash that claimed the lives of three Alberta junior hockey players earlier this week is believed to have been a tragic accident, with no criminal charges expected. Claresholm RCMP responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision near the town of Stavely, south of Calgary, at around 11 a.m. on Monday. The crash involved a passenger car and a semi-truck hauling gravel at the intersection of Highway 2 and Secondary Road 527. “This occurred in the northbound lane of Highway 2,” said Corporal Gina Slaney of the Alberta…