Peter Guthrie gets kicked out of the UCP Caucus 17 Apr 8:10 AM (2 days ago)
Confusing hodgepodge of government investigations shows need for independent public inquiry into Dodgy Contracts Scandal There is a lot happening in Alberta politics this week, including the news that Airdrie-Cochrane United Conservative Party MLA Peter Guthrie has been officially removed from the UCP caucus. The former cabinet minister resigned as Minister of Infrastructure in February […]
Alberta boys Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney return to the province of their youths 11 Apr 6:57 AM (8 days ago)
It was Alberta Week in Canada’s federal election campaign It was Alberta Week in the federal election campaign with the two party leaders who grew up in the western province returning to wave their party flags and rally supporters. Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack
Preston Manning enters the chat 7 Apr 11:30 AM (11 days ago)
Conservative movement grandfather emerges from political retirement with grumpy separatist threats Preston Manning emerged from political retirement to insert himself into the federal election mix by writing an op-ed in the Globe & Mail claiming that Liberal Party leader Mark Carney poses a threat to national unity. Manning’s argument triangulates with Premier Danielle Smith’s threats that a re-elected Liberal government would […]
Liberals tap Corey Hogan to run against Jeremy Nixon in Calgary Confederation 4 Apr 8:20 AM (15 days ago)
Liberals drop former NDP MLA Rod Loyola in Edmonton Gateway Canada’s federal election is in full-swing and today’s Daveberta newsletter includes a quick update about candidate nominations in Alberta. I will be back early next week with a regular column and more analysis from Alberta in the federal election. As of this morning, the Conservative Party, the New […]
Danielle Smith threatens a national unity crisis if Canadians re-elect Mark Carney’s Liberals 31 Mar 5:08 AM (19 days ago)
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 […]
NDP MLA Rod Loyola challenging Conservative MP Tim Uppal in Edmonton Gateway 27 Mar 5:57 AM (23 days ago)
Rod Loyola has resigned as the Alberta NDP MLA for Edmonton-Ellerslie and is running as the Liberal Party candidate in the new Edmonton Gateway riding in the federal election. Loyola represented his south Edmonton provincial riding from 2015 until he stepped down earlier this week to pursue the federal Liberal nomination. Read all about it on the Daveberta Substack
Danielle Smith’s MAGA charm offensive could haunt the Conservatives 24 Mar 6:00 AM (26 days ago)
When Alberta Premier Danielle Smith demanded Carney call a federal election after he was sworn-in as Prime Minister ten days ago, she probably didn’t expect that a two week old interview with an American alt-right news website would be making headlines on the first day of the campaign. In a March 8 interview with the pro-Trump Breitbart website, Smith said […]
What to make of Mark Carney’s meeting with Danielle Smith 21 Mar 6:28 AM (29 days ago)
Liberal PM expected to call federal election on Sunday for an April 28 or May 5 vote Prime Minster Mark Carney was in Edmonton yesterday for his first visit since winning the Liberal Party leadership and becoming leader of the government. Carney met with Premier Danielle Smith, who re-endorsed Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre the night before at […]
Two Alberta boys go to Ottawa 17 Mar 4:57 AM (last month)
Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre grew up in Alberta. That’s a big deal for our province. The political landscape in Canada has totally shifted under the weight of American President Donald Trump’s threats to impose harsh tariffs on Canadian goods and annex Canada as the 51st State. Trump’s daily rambling threats against his country’s northern neighbours, […]
Alberta responds to Trump’s trade war still obsessed with border security 6 Mar 4:15 PM (last month)
Danielle Smith joins Team Canada reluctant to use oil & gas trump card One full day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial premiers Doug Ford in Ontario and Wab Kinew in Manitoba announced retaliatory measures in response to American President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs on Canadian products, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith entered the fray. “This economic attack on our country, combined with Mr. […]
Nate Horner’s deficit spending, tax cutting confused conservative budget 28 Feb 8:31 AM (last month)
Alberta goes for another ride on the royalty roller coaster After twenty years of writing about Alberta politics and about same number of provincial budgets, it’s sometimes hard not to write the same thing year after year: Alberta relies too heavily on revenues from oil and gas royalties to fund the daily operations of government. That’s […]
Peter Guthrie resigns from UCP cabinet over Dodgy Contracts Scandal 25 Feb 1:42 PM (last month)
Echoes of Donna Kennedy-Glans and Len Webber resignations from 11 years ago I usually try to avoid writing too much about breaking news and I typically don’t publish more than one article per day, but I made an exception after today’s news that Minister of Infrastructure Peter Guthrie had resigned from United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet. “I’m […]
10 things I’m watching in the Alberta Legislature this spring 25 Feb 8:42 AM (last month)
Political scandals, resignations, budget cuts, strikes and coal mining – Alberta politics is never boring The familiar voice of Speaker Nathan Cooper calling out “order!” and “the honourable member for…” will once again echo through the hallowed halls of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly when MLAs return to Edmonton for the start of the spring session today. Government House […]
Drugs, gaffes and good intentions: The Big Family Day Debate of 1989 16 Feb 8:18 AM (2 months ago)
That time of year is once again upon us: the annual Family Day long weekend in Alberta. Thirty-five years after Albertans first marked the third Monday in February as a provincial holiday in 1990, most of us who get the day off work take it for granted, but there is a big political story behind […]
Changing the channel on the Dodgy Contracts Scandal 13 Feb 5:30 AM (2 months ago)
When scandal threatens to envelop a government, the politicians spin hard “Changing the channel” might be an outdated metaphor in a world where online streaming is how a lot of people now watch “television,” but it is a term that remains in use by politicians and political communicators to describe a strategy to draw attention […]
Can Danielle Smith dodge and weave her way through the AHS scandal allegations? 8 Feb 11:14 AM (2 months ago)
Carrie Tait’s bombshell exposé rocked Alberta politics this week When I first sat down to start writing today’s column I was planning to write a follow up to my piece about Premier Danielle Smith’s reaction to American President Donald Trump’s tariff threat, but a week in politics can be an eternity and to say this […]
Danielle Smith does a victory lap on Trump’s oil and gas tariffs 3 Feb 4:41 AM (2 months ago)
But remember, this is not a trade war. With American President Donald Trump announcing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products imported from Canada into the United States and a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian oil and gas, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs on US imports, the era of free trade between […]
Being in Donald Trump’s orbit a double-edged sword for Danielle Smith 14 Jan 5:00 AM (3 months ago)
Smith wants tariff exemptions for oil and gas but Trump might want those jobs for American workers Alberta Premier Danielle Smith continued her diplomatic charm offensive in the United States with a surprise visit to Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort owned by incoming American President Donald Trump. Trump’s Sunshine State refuge has operated as his White House-in-Waiting until next week’s Presidential Inauguration […]
NDP’s Rob Miyashiro wins by-election in Lethbridge-West 19 Dec 2024 5:30 AM (4 months ago)
Alberta NDP candidate Rob Miyashiro won the provincial by-election in Lethbridge-West. Unofficial results from Elections Alberta: Rob Miyashiro, NDP: 7,239 votes (53.4%) John Middleton-Hope, UCP: 6,089 votes (44.9%) Layton Veverka, Alberta Party: 233 votes (1.7%) Read more on the Daveberta Substack
Danielle Smith’s charm offensive in Trump’s America 13 Dec 2024 4:55 AM (4 months ago)
More MAGA, Less Ottawa With the impending electoral defeat of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau growing more likely by the day, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has embarked on her own Team Alberta diplomatic charm offensive in the United States. Just days after American President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods imported into his country, Smith jetted […]
Janis Irwin voted Best Alberta MLA for fifth year in a row 3 Dec 2024 4:47 AM (4 months ago)
Justice Minister Mickey Amery voted Best Cabinet Minister of 2024 With all the votes counted, the winners of the Best of Alberta Politics 2024 Survey have been chosen. The eighth annual survey is all about celebrating the best in Alberta politics. The winners were selected from a week-long vote for the top two choices in each category nominated […]
Vote for the Best of Alberta Politics in 2024! 26 Nov 2024 5:25 AM (4 months ago)
Vote for this year’s best MLA, cabinet minister, MLA to watch, municipal leader and more With hundreds of names submitted to the 2024 Best of Alberta Politics Survey, your nominations have been sorted and the top two choices have been identified in all seven categories. Voting in the eighth annual survey is now open to […]
Lethbridge-West by-election a big test for Naheed Nenshi and Danielle Smith 22 Nov 2024 5:30 AM (4 months ago)
Race to replace Shannon Phillips called for December 18 Nearly five months after Alberta NDP MLA Shannon Phillips resigned her seat in the Legislature, a by-election has been called in Lethbridge-West and it’s happening on December 18. For the past five years, this urban riding located in southwest Alberta has been an electoral anomaly: a lone orange island surrounded by a sea […]
Best of Alberta Politics 2024 Survey 18 Nov 2024 5:38 AM (5 months ago)
Nominate your choice for this year’s best MLA, cabinet minister, up and comer, and more It’s that time of year again. I am thrilled to launch the eighth annual Daveberta Best of Alberta Politics Survey. It has been a big year in Alberta politics so I am excited to hear from you about the big political players […]
UCP cuts the “length” off arms-length AIMCo 15 Nov 2024 4:57 AM (5 months ago)
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 […]
On Donald Trump and writing about Alberta politics 7 Nov 2024 5:24 AM (5 months ago)
It sometimes feels a little insignificant writing about provincial politics in Alberta in the wake big world changing events. This week’s election of former president Donald Trump as the next President of the United States of America was not totally unexpected for anyone watching politics south of the 49th parallel, but it is deeply troubling. Trump’s violent […]
Can Danielle Smith survive the UCP political circus in Red Deer? 31 Oct 2024 6:47 PM (5 months ago)
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 […]
That time Alberta tried to invade Saskatchewan 28 Oct 2024 6:00 AM (5 months ago)
86 years ago, Premier William Aberhart staged an invasion of Saskatchewan politics It’s Election Day in Saskatchewan and it looks like a close race between the 17-year long governing Saskatchewan Party led by Premier Scott Moe and a revived Sask NDP led by Carla Beck. While I’ll leave the political analysis of tonight’s results and the past four weeks of campaigning to people more familiar […]
Jennifer Johnson in, Marshall Smith out, Rob Anderson still in 10 Oct 2024 6:00 AM (6 months ago)
Jennifer Johnson welcomed into the UCP Caucus, Rob Anderson to replace Marshall Smith as Premier’s Chief of Staff The leaves are changing, the nights are getting cooler, and the days are getting shorter. It’s fall in Alberta. And while many Albertans are enjoying a fairly pleasant change of seasons as we reluctantly brace ourselves for […]
Can Nenshi charm the NDP old guard? He’ll need to at this weekend’s Provincial Council meeting 4 Oct 2024 6:22 AM (6 months ago)
First, the Lethbridge by-election; then the federal NDP – do they stay or do they go? The next step in the Alberta NDP’s transformation from Rachel Notley’s NDP to Naheed Nenshi’s NDP takes place this weekend in Calgary. NDP members from across Alberta will gather in the province’s largest city this weekend for the party’s first meeting […]
Kenneyism in Alberta politics. An interview with Jeremy Appel 29 Sep 2024 3:37 PM (6 months ago)
New book delves into the conservative politics of former Premier Jason Kenney Author and journalist Jeremy Appel helps us launch the 7th season of Daveberta Podcast with an in-depth conversation about his new book, Kenneyism: Jason Kenney’s Pursuit of Power. In his book, Appel takes one of the first in-depth looks at Jason Kenney’s rise and fall in Canadian politics, and […]
Danielle Smith’s big pre-recorded policy announcements 26 Sep 2024 4:36 AM (6 months ago)
Another way for politicians to control the message and avoid facing tough questions In the span of one week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released two pre-recorded video messages announcing major changes to the United Conservative Party government’s political agenda. The first was an 8-minute broadcast online and on television featuring Smith announcing new funding for school construction and taking […]
Long list of COVID-19 grievances could head to UCP AGM policy debate 16 Sep 2024 6:00 AM (7 months ago)
It’s hard to imagine the old PC Party getting bogged down by this debate If I had walked into the Alberta Legislature ten years ago and told an MLA, staffer, or journalist that in 2024 the province’s political landscape would be a competitive two-party system, I probably would have been laughed out of the Rotunda. […]
Once upon a time Alberta MLAs had meaningful ideas about Senate Reform 6 Sep 2024 6:10 AM (7 months ago)
Until last weekend, 2 of Alberta’s 6 seats in the Canadian Senate sat empty for years Did you know that until recently, two of Alberta’s six seats in the Canadian Senate had been vacant for years? You’re not alone if you didn’t know before last weekend. Most Albertans probably didn’t know. You’re also not alone if […]
Ask me anything about Alberta politics 29 Aug 2024 7:07 AM (7 months ago)
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.
Subscribe to the Daveberta Newsletter on Substack 20 Aug 2024 6:00 AM (8 months ago)
For about 15 years I published a post almost daily on Daveberta.ca. A growing family and full-time day job meant that I had to scale back the quantity of content I was publishing but moving to a Substack newsletter has been a good change of pace. I enjoy having a bit of time to write […]
The stakes are high for Nenshi’s NDP in the Lethbridge-West by-election 14 Aug 2024 5:44 AM (8 months ago)
Two former City Councillors running for NDP nomination The stakes are high for Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi in the upcoming Lethbridge-West by-election. This will be the new NDP leader’s first electoral test since his landslide victory in June and, because of that, it’s also a race that Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party really want to win. The by-election to choose […]
It’s all about the UCP leadership review 1 Aug 2024 6:00 AM (8 months ago)
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 […]
UCP launches attacks ads at Nenshi. Nenshi laughs it off and shoots back. 28 Jun 2024 7:28 AM (9 months ago)
Politics in Alberta doesn’t skip a beat. Less than a week after former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi won a landslide victory in the Alberta NDP leadership race, the United Conservative Party has launched a series of attack ads against him, framing the new NDP leader as “Justin Trudeau’s choice for Alberta” and “just another tax […]
Nenshi wins Alberta NDP leadership vote in a landslide victory 22 Jun 2024 3:14 PM (10 months ago)
Former Calgary mayor wins with a record 62,746 votes on the first ballot Naheed Nenshi is the new leader of the Alberta NDP. The former Calgary mayor won with a huge landslide victory on the first ballot. Here are the results of the NDP leadership vote: Naheed Nenshi: 62,746 (86%) Kathleen Ganley: 5,899 (8%) Sarah Hoffman: 3,063 […]
NDP to announce new leader and Conservatives vote in Calgary Signal Hill 20 Jun 2024 6:00 AM (10 months ago)
Calgary is in the headlines a lot these days, but today’s Daveberta newsletter doesn’t have anything to do with the busted water main that is threatening the city’s water supply (but I do hope to write more about that later). Today’s newsletter focuses on two big political events happening in Alberta’s largest city this weekend: the announcement of the NDP […]
Alberta politicians betting on the Stanley Cup 13 Jun 2024 5:48 AM (10 months ago)
Harmless fun or shameless stunt? Does it matter?! Go Oilers! As hockey fans pour into Rogers Place tonight to watch the Edmonton Oilers face the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, their focus will be on the rink. Most fans probably won’t be giving much thought about what their local or […]
NDP MLA Shannon Phillips stepping down, opening Lethbridge-West by-election 11 Jun 2024 5:30 AM (10 months ago)
I usually share Daveberta newsletters later in the week, but with MLA Shannon Phillips announcing her resignation yesterday, I wanted to share my thoughts earlier this week. Enjoy! Shannon Phillips is smart as a whip and tough as nails but after nine years in the Alberta Legislature, she is stepping down as the NDP MLA […]
Why Kathleen Ganley is running for the Alberta NDP leadership 5 Jun 2024 4:53 AM (10 months ago)
Calgary NDP MLA Kathleen Ganley joins the Daveberta Podcast to share why she is running to replace Rachel Notley as leader of the Alberta NDP. Subscribe to the Daveberta Substack to listen to the interview.
Danielle Smith’s big win 29 May 2024 6:00 AM (10 months ago)
Losing Calgary was the plan Smith shared with Rick Bell months before the 2023 election Danielle Smith has never been interested in building a big tent political party. It was October 2022 when Smith landed in hot water with United Conservative Party MLAs from Calgary when she told Postmedia columnist Rick Bell that she would be okay with her party […]
Say hello to the Calgary NDP 23 May 2024 9:31 AM (11 months ago)
Alberta NDP membership sales surged in Calgary, leaving Edmonton in the dust The Alberta NDP announced last week that the party’s membership list has surged to 85,144 members in the race to replace party leader Rachel Notley. And the largest group of Alberta NDP members are now in Calgary. How the times have changed. Read the full column on […]
Controlling Everything Everywhere All At Once 14 May 2024 6:00 AM (11 months ago)
NDP’s Oscar-winning film inspired catch phrase captures the UCP moment in Alberta politics “Danielle Smith wants to control everything, everywhere, all at once…” In the middle of the weekly chaos of Alberta politics, a catch phrase inspired by an Academy Award winning film has captured one of the driving themes of Alberta politics today. “Danielle […]
“We win by being more New Democrat, not less,” says NDP leadership candidate Gil McGowan 6 May 2024 4:53 AM (11 months ago)
Longtime labour leader joins the Daveberta Podcast to explain why he’s running for the Alberta NDP leadership Labour leader Gil McGowan joins the Daveberta Podcast to share why he’s running to succeed Rachel Notley as leader of Alberta’s NDP. The full interview with Gil McGowan is available to paid subscribers of the Daveberta Substack McGowan was first […]
Danielle Smith’s UCP comes down hard on Alberta’s municipalities 3 May 2024 5:00 AM (11 months ago)
Changes will send chills through municipal councils and create a lot of grief for MLAs One of my goals when I moved Daveberta over to this Substack newsletter in 2022 was to take a different approach to writing about Alberta politics. For 17 years I published, sometimes, almost daily commentary on Alberta politics. Now, being on this […]
Why Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse is running for the Alberta NDP leadership 1 May 2024 4:46 AM (11 months ago)
Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse joins the Daveberta Podcast to share why she is running to succeed Rachel Notley as leader of Alberta’s NDP and why she feels so passionately about protecting and conserving Alberta’s headwaters, strengthening childhood education, and defeating Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party in the next election. The Daveberta Podcast is hosted by […]
Danielle Smith’s Fundraising Machine 20 Apr 2024 7:06 AM (12 months ago)
A special weekend episode of the Daveberta Podcast It’s rare that I send out a newsletter on the weekend but I thought subscribers would enjoy listening to a new episode of the Daveberta Podcast we recorded this week. We cover a lot of ground in this episode of the Daveberta Podcast, including: Premier Danielle Smith’s […]
Alberta First in Red Tape 11 Apr 2024 4:46 AM (last year)
“FINAL NOTICE. PROPERTY REPOSSESSED FOR SALE (Effective April 1st, 2024).” Anyone walking by Government House in Edmonton’s posh Glenora neighbourhood on April 1 might have noticed a white paper sign attached to the grand mansion-turned provincial government conference facility. The sign was put there by Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz, and as far as April […]
Why Naheed Nenshi is running for the Alberta NDP leadership 27 Mar 2024 9:05 AM (last year)
Nenshi shares his thoughts on Rakhi Pancholi’s endorsement and what it means to be NDP in 2024 He’s a household name in Calgary, Alberta, and across Canada, and now he’s running to become the next leader of the Alberta NDP. Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi joins the Daveberta Podcast to share why he jumped into […]
What Danielle Smith said she wouldn’t campaign for in the 2023 election 26 Mar 2024 7:06 AM (last year)
Smith said she wouldn’t campaign on an Alberta Pension Plan and police force, but it looks like that’s what we’re getting. I want to focus on the lede from this widely shared Canadian Press story published on March 5, 2023: United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she won’t be campaigning on some of her party’s more contentious […]
Here comes Naheed Nenshi 8 Mar 2024 6:00 AM (last year)
He’s the candidate NDP activists will loathe and NDP voters will love. The countdown is on. Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi is set to enter the Alberta NDP leadership race on Monday, March 11. Nenshi hasn’t publicly said he’s interested in the race. He’s been busy promoting the novel Denison Avenue by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes on CBC Radio’s Canada Reads 2024 this week. […]
Why Sarah Hoffman is running for the Alberta NDP leadership 2 Mar 2024 1:35 PM (last year)
The former health minister shares her plans for health, climate, and housing NDP MLA Sarah Hoffman joins the Daveberta Podcast to talk about why she is running for the Alberta NDP leadership and her plans for health care, climate, and housing. We discuss Hoffman’s experiences as Minister of Health and chair of the Edmonton Public […]
How the Heritage Fund was launched 29 Feb 2024 5:00 AM (last year)
It was 1975 and Lougheed’s PCs were swimming in oil money like Scrooge McDuck The Heritage Savings Trust Fund was front and centre in Premier Danielle Smith‘s pre-budget televised speech last week, so there’s a good chance Albertans are going to hear a lot about it when Finance Minister Nate Horner rises in the Legislative Assembly this afternoon to table the […]
Alberta NDP leadership candidates consider splitting from the federal NDP 21 Feb 2024 6:00 AM (last year)
NDP members should remember there is no easy fix. Just ask the Alberta Liberals. “This action reflects the isolationist politics of Alberta, but more importantly it is the result of the deep, deep malaise at the top end of the federal party. There is the little Toronto power group which throws the ball back and […]
Danielle Smith’s transgender youth policy isn’t really about parental rights 9 Feb 2024 8:46 AM (last year)
“Parental rights” has a long history in Alberta and it’s not what it sounds like When you write about politics for long enough you begin to notice certain themes and issues that pop up perennially year to year. So when Premier Danielle Smith’s office released a 7-minute video last week laden with messages about parental rights, my mind […]
Alberta NDP announces pre-Calgary Stampede leadership vote 30 Jan 2024 7:02 AM (last year)
Race to replace Rachel Notley starts on Feb. 5, new leader to be named on June 22. Yahoo! If you had told me ten years ago, on January 30, 2014, that the perceived frontrunners for the Alberta NDP leadership race in 2024 would be the MLAs for Calgary-Mountain View, Edmonton-Glenora and Edmonton-Whitemud, I probably would have laughed. Ten years […]
10 things I’m watching in Alberta politics in 2024 22 Jan 2024 5:31 AM (last year)
From the price of oil to the influence of right-wing populist groups to the NDP leadership race and more January is usually a quiet month in politics, making it a good time to look ahead at what to expect in the year to come. Here are ten things I will be watching that could have […]
Rachel Notley made the NDP relevant in Alberta 16 Jan 2024 1:57 PM (last year)
Notley announces she won’t lead the NDP into the next election, kicking off a leadership race It’s the end of an era in Alberta politics. Former premier Rachel Notley announced today that she will not lead the Alberta NDP into the next election. Alberta politics hasn’t been the same since Notley won the leadership of […]
Janis Irwin voted Best Alberta MLA for fourth year in a row 20 Dec 2023 5:00 AM (last year)
Advanced Education minister Rajan Sawhney voted best cabinet minister With thousands of submissions and votes cast over the past two weeks, the winners of the Best of Alberta Politics 2023 Survey have been selected. Best Alberta MLA: Janis Irwin Always a fan favourite, for the fourth year in a row Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood MLA Janis Irwin has been voted the Best Alberta MLA. A savvy communicator, […]
Vote for the Best of Alberta Politics in 2023 13 Dec 2023 6:40 PM (last year)
You shared your picks. It’s now time to vote for the top 3. With more than a thousand submissions made in the annual Best of Alberta Politics survey, your choices have been sorted and you can now vote for the top 3 choices in each category. Voting for the top 3 will be open until […]
Best of Alberta Politics 2023 survey 5 Dec 2023 8:33 AM (last year)
It’s that time of year again. I am thrilled to launch the seventh annual Daveberta Best of Alberta Politics survey. It has been a big year in Alberta politics so I am excited to hear from you about the big political players and issues of 2023. Submit your choices in seven categories. Who was the best Alberta […]
The race to replace Rachel Notley as leader of the Alberta NDP 30 Nov 2023 5:12 AM (last year)
Choose wisely. Notley’s successor could be the next Premier of Alberta Rachel Notley has been one of the Alberta NDP’s greatest assets since she took up the reins of the party in 2014. Under Notley’s leadership, the NDP went from a small and scrappy opposition party to form government in 2015 and then solidify itself […]
Alberta NDP name change pushed by group led by former MLA 28 Nov 2023 5:00 AM (last year)
Alberta’s Progressive Future calls for Alberta NDP to distance itself from the Ottawa NDP When I worked for the Alberta Liberal Party back in the 2000s, we had an inside joke that the Liberals could run Jesus Christ as a candidate in Wainwright and still lose. It was funny because it was probably true (the last time […]
Danielle Smith hosts Alberta’s largest call-in talk show: the United Conservative Party 7 Nov 2023 6:00 AM (last year)
Any good talk radio host understands that the show doesn’t belong to the host, it belongs to the listeners. And if this past weekend’s annual general meeting is any indication, talk radio host-turned-Premier Danielle Smith might be taking a similar approach as leader of the United Conservative Party. Aside from a nod to protecting parental rights during her keynote […]
Nate Horner’s hooked on a pension feeling 3 Nov 2023 6:00 AM (last year)
More confusing messaging about the Alberta Pension Plan As Alberta’s United Conservative Party government continues its big $7 million advertising push to convince Albertans to leave the Canada Pension Plan and start a separate Alberta Pension Plan, Finance Minister Nate Horner told CTV’s Vassy Kapelos that the province’s decision on whether or not to hold a referendum on leaving the CPP […]
Danielle Smith’s post-election honeymoon is over 27 Oct 2023 8:22 AM (last year)
The seasons are changing and it’s not just the weather – the political seasons are changing too. The first snow has fallen and the cold north winds are blowing across Alberta. The seasons are changing and it’s not just limited to the weather – the political seasons are changing too. Five months after the 2023 provincial […]
Look who’s running in the UCP AGM Board elections 13 Oct 2023 7:57 AM (last year)
What to make of Take Back Alberta, the Unity Slate, and everybody else on the ballot. With the United Conservative Party’s November 3 and 4 Annual General Meetingfast approaching, the party’s Board of Director elections are a major focus of attention. The UCP board is the governing body of the organization and is made up […]
Net-zero a no-go for Alberta’s UCP government 28 Sep 2023 8:14 AM (last year)
Never a dull week in Alberta politics Fresh from launching a pro-Alberta Pension Plan advertising campaign, the Alberta government has launched another advertising campaign asking Canadians to email their Member of Parliament to encourage them to oppose the federal government’s draft Clean Electricity Regulations (most Alberta MPs are Conservatives, so they are probably already opposing […]
Alberta Pension Plan games begin. But why? 22 Sep 2023 5:20 AM (last year)
“More Alberta, less Ottawa” Alberta’s United Conservative Party government opened up a new front in its fight for more provincial autonomy with a proposal to withdraw Alberta workers from the Canada Pension Plan and create an Alberta Pension Plan. Premier Danielle Smith joined Finance Minister Nate Horner and pension engagement panel chairperson and former finance […]
What UCP cabinet minister mandate letters say about the government’s agenda 15 Sep 2023 6:53 AM (last year)
Kind of like Aunt Martha’s fruitcake. It keeps coming back at you year after year. Over the summer months, while most Albertans were focusing on navigating wildfire smoke and intense heat, the provincial government released a steady stream of mandate letters from Premier Danielle Smith to her cabinet ministers. The mandate letters are meant to […]
William Aberhart baby found 5 Sep 2023 9:16 AM (last year)
Social Credit supporters named election night baby after radical Alberta premier This is a story I’ve wanted to write for a long time. “Social Credit Sweeps Into Power” is the headline on the front cover of the Social Credit Chronicle on August 23, 1935. The official newspaper of Alberta’s radical Social Credit movement trumpeted the huge […]
Danielle Smith enjoys a honeymoon summer 1 Sep 2023 6:44 AM (last year)
It’s been a quiet, but not boring, post-election summer in Alberta Conventional wisdom tells us that the summer months are a quiet and boring time in politics, but not so in Alberta. It’s not often there is an actual quiet and boring political summer in this province. Two summers ago was the Best Summer Ever disaster and […]
Danielle Smith is no fan of wind and solar power 14 Aug 2023 7:35 AM (last year)
As a columnist, Smith was a harsh critic of “unreliable” renewable energy The United Conservative Party government’s decision to impose an immediate 7-month moratorium on all new major wind and solar energy projects in Alberta came as a surprise to many political watchers. The drastic decision was sudden and it wasn’t featured in any of […]
8 colourful characters from Alberta’s history worth reading about 28 Jul 2023 6:58 AM (last year)
The political history of Alberta is filled with larger than life characters. I read a lot about Alberta history, and while politicians like William Aberhart, Ernest Manning, Peter Lougheed, and Ralph Klein dominate the history books, I have frequently come across some really interesting lesser known characters. I thought it would be interesting to share […]
Ask Me Anything about Alberta politics episode 19 Jul 2023 8:35 AM (last year)
You shared your Alberta politics questions and we answered them in our annual Ask Me Anything episode of the Daveberta Podcast. New and recent episodes of the Daveberta Podcast are available to paid subscribers of the Daveberta Substack. In case you missed them, you can catch up on recent Daveberta Podcast episodes with Edmonton Public […]
Ask Me Anything about Alberta politics 10 Jul 2023 8:58 AM (last year)
We are planning to record a new episode of the Daveberta Podcast later this week and I am inviting subscribers of the Daveberta Substack to share their Alberta politics questions for us to answer in this special summer episode. Read the rest on the Daveberta Substack. Sign up for a paid subscription to get access to the Daveberta Podcast […]
Saddle up. Calgary Stampede politics are back. 7 Jul 2023 7:16 AM (last year)
Dust off your cowboy boots and hat. It’s that time of year again. It’s the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. It’s the Calgary Stampede. The Stampede is a must attend event for politicians of all stripes. Aside from the actual rodeo (the Chuckwagon races are a must see), the free pancake breakfast and BBQ circuit is unparalleled and […]
Find your buddy: NDP pairs veteran and rookie MLAs in energy, finance, health and municipal affairs critic roles 30 Jun 2023 10:09 AM (last year)
The Alberta NDP Caucus released the list of critic roles that its roster of 38 Official Opposition MLAs have been tasked to fill. Every NDP MLA has been assigned a role as a critic or in the caucus leadership, which is not unusual for provincial oppositions in Alberta. But, because of the unusually large size of the […]
Bringing Jason Nixon and Ric McIver back into cabinet was smart politics 22 Jun 2023 5:19 AM (last year)
It has been almost two weeks since Alberta Premier Danielle Smith named her new 24-member cabinet and a lot of ink has been spilled dissecting what the appointments could mean for the start of the United Conservative Party’s second term as government and the next four years. There are big challenges facing the new cabinet, especially for ministers […]
The election aftermath for Alberta’s NDP 8 Jun 2023 3:00 AM (last year)
Victory was within sight but out of reach for Notley’s party It was a historic election result for the Alberta NDP. Rachel Notley’s NDP won 38 seats in last week’s election and will form the largest Official Opposition in the province’s history. The NDP got more votes in this election than it ever has before, […]
How to build an Alberta cabinet without Edmonton 5 Jun 2023 2:30 AM (last year)
It’s easy. Edmontonians didn’t want a seat at Smith’s cabinet table. It has been one week since Alberta’s election and Premier Danielle Smith is expected to appoint a new roster of cabinet ministers soon. At least six current United Conservative Party cabinet ministers and three former cabinet ministers were defeated in the election. Along with four former […]
Top 12 closest races of Alberta’s 2023 election 2 Jun 2023 8:37 AM (last year)
It’s been a few days since Election Day in Alberta and as the dust begins to settle I’ve been able to take a closer look at the results in ridings across the province. The Alberta election results tell a big story. 1. Alberta is politically divided, but not equally divided everywhere. 2. Alberta is politically […]
Never bet against the Conservatives in Alberta 30 May 2023 5:31 AM (last year)
Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party will form a majority government in Alberta and Rachel Notley’s NDP will form the Official Opposition. As of 2:00am, the UCP has 49 seats and the NDP has 38, which I believe is the closest election result in Alberta’s history. There are still some remaining polls that haven’t reported in a […]
Impress your friends with Alberta election night trivia 29 May 2023 5:20 AM (last year)
It’s Election Day in Alberta! If you didn’t vote in the advance polls, voting stations are open today from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Whether you are planning to settle in for a quiet evening of results watching or heading to your local candidate’s campaign office for a victory party, I am happy to share some fun […]
Follow the leaders: Mapping where Smith and Notley campaigned in Alberta’s election 28 May 2023 8:16 AM (last year)
Over the course of the election I’ve been doing my best to keep track of which ridings United Conservative Party leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley visited for events and announcements on the campaign trail between May 1 and May 27, 2023. The leader’s tour can give some insight into where the parties are on the […]
Nenshi and Harper endorsements set the tone for final weekend of Alberta’s election 27 May 2023 8:15 AM (last year)
There are two days left until Election Day in Alberta. I was planning on taking a short break from writing any election commentary this morning, but I decided I had a few thoughts I wanted to share about some recent high-profile election endorsements. Read the rest on the Daveberta Substack. Sign up for a paid subscription to […]
Final Friday! Three days left until Election Day in Alberta 26 May 2023 5:23 AM (last year)
There are three days left until Election Day in Alberta! The parties and their leaders are spending the final days making their last pitches to voters and rallying their supporters. Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley spoke to a crowd of about 350 supporters at a campaign rally in Medicine Hat yesterday before heading back to Calgary to […]
Daveberta Podcast: An election so hot, you melt like you’re staring into the Ark of the Covenant 25 May 2023 8:49 AM (last year)
With Election Day only a few days away, Chris Henderson joins the Daveberta Podcast for a deep discussion about Alberta’s election campaign, how we got here and the spicy scenarios that might become reality after the votes are counted on May 29. We also discuss what the possible election outcomes mean for United Conservative Party […]
19 Alberta ridings I’ll be watching closely on Election Day 25 May 2023 5:10 AM (last year)
There are four days left until Election Day in Alberta. Readers of the Daveberta will know I’ve been watching this Alberta election pretty closely and, while I’ve actually been watching all 87 ridings throughout the campaign, there are a few handfuls I’ve been keeping a close eye on. Some of them will be close races and some […]
UCP and NDP making their final week pitch to Alberta voters 24 May 2023 8:50 AM (last year)
Election outcome doesn’t appear any clearer today than it did on Day 1 We’re midway through the final week of Alberta’s election campaign and while the most recent poll from Abacus Data points to Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party having an edge over Rachel Notley’s Alberta NDP, it will probably come down to ground game – who can get […]
After the election: What different scenarios mean for Alberta 22 May 2023 6:35 AM (last year)
Before the collapse of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2015, being a PC Party member – or at least participating in PC Party events – was extremely normal. Normal to the point that it was barely political. If you were a business or a non-profit that depended on government policy, you were a participator to […]
Take Back Alberta bringing Jordan Peterson and Tea Party politics to Alberta 20 May 2023 7:13 AM (last year)
A controversial right-wing media personality with a huge online following will soon be entering the election fray. Toronto psychologist Jordan Peterson is making three speaking tour stops in the Alberta next week and will almost certainly provide fodder for local conservative media columnists to chew on. Read the rest on the Daveberta Substack. Sign up for a […]
It’s a draw. Fast-paced leaders debate was entertaining but probably didn’t move votes 19 May 2023 5:11 AM (last year)
It’s one and done. United Conservative Party leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley met last night for the only televised leaders debate of Alberta’s election campaign. The debate was entertaining for political watchers and it will probably be analyzed to death for the next 24 hours, but I’m not sure it will have much of an impact on […]
A short history of leaders’ debates in Alberta elections 18 May 2023 5:29 AM (last year)
United Conservative Party leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley will face each other at 7:00 pm tonight in the only televised leaders debate of Alberta’s election campaign. This is the first time Alberta has had a TV debate featuring only two party leaders, but both people taking the stage have experience doing this before. This is Notley’s third […]
Please Take Your Seats, the Show is About to Get Under Way 17 May 2023 5:43 AM (last year)
The next two weeks will be a lot of fun for political watchers We’re halfway through the third week of Alberta’s election campaign and we’re seeing how the two main parties are laying the groundwork for this week’s marquee event: the televised leaders debate. After a rough first two weeks of the campaign, the United Conservative […]
Daveberta Podcast: Who’s on the ballot in Alberta’s election? 16 May 2023 8:00 AM (last year)
I joined Éric Grenier of TheWrit.ca on his excellent podcast this week to discuss Alberta’s election and the candidates who will be on the ballot on May 29. Éric was generous enough to share the audio from that episode so I can share it with the lucky paid subscribers of the Daveberta Substack. Thank you to […]