V0TE NO!

'Independent state?' Proposed referendum question approved on Alberta separation

Story by Jack Farrell




EDMONTON — Alberta's election agency announced Monday it has approved a proposed referendum question on the province separating from Canada.

The question seeks a yes or no answer to: "Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?"

Elections Alberta said the proponents — the Alberta Prosperity Project and its chief executive officer, Mitch Sylvestre — have until early January to appoint a financial officer for its petition campaign, after which signature collection can begin.


TINY GROUP OF SEPERATISTS WHO LOVE USA MORE THAN CANADA

People gather in support of Alberta becoming a 51st state during a rally at the legislature in Edmonton, on Saturday, May 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson© The Canadian Press  JUST MOVE SOUTH

Sylvestre, a constituency association president for Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party, has four months to collect just under 178,000 signatures. If he does so, the question would be put to Albertans in a referendum.

The Alberta Prosperity Project said on social media Monday that the approval is a "huge victory" for the province.

"This is the breakthrough we've been fighting for," it said.

Sylvestre, in an interview, said he thought Alberta needs to go it alone because of Ottawa's restrictions on oil production and dim prospects for federal electoral change.

"This last election when the Liberals won after 10 years of absolute brutal government, as far as I was concerned, I believe that there's absolutely no way that we'll ever win another election in Alberta," he said.

"It's up to us to decide what to do about that."

Sylvestre said the group already has 2,000 people signed up internally to collect signatures, and more than 240,000 people who have previously pledged their willingness to sign.

"This is very non-partisan as far as I'm concerned," he said.

"Every Albertan will benefit from this, and it'll give Alberta children and my grandchildren and my kids a much brighter future as far as I'm concerned, or I wouldn't be doing it.

The group's approved question is similar to one it had previously submitted: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?”

That question was held up in court for a review of its constitutionality.

The delay prompted Smith's government to change the rules for citizen-initiated referendums earlier this month.

The changes rendered the court review moot, as it allowed Sylvestre to reapply at no charge while also preventing Alberta's chief electoral officer from rejecting referendum proposals should they be unconstitutional or not factually accurate.

Justice Colin Feasby, who issued his decision on the original question despite the government vetoing the result, deemed the proposal to be unconstitutional, but only under the previous rules.

Feasby, in his decision, wrote that Alberta separating from Canada would violate certain Charter and treaty rights, as there are no guarantees Albertans would keep their right to vote federally or maintain mobility rights if the province were to become its own nation.

He also noted that those rights would need to be accounted for in any negotiation undertaken to amend the Constitution, something that would be required should Alberta actually look to quit confederation.

"Alberta chose not to give citizens the power to propose to take away Charter and Treaty rights through the citizen initiative process," Feasby wrote.

But he added: "Alberta seems to regret this decision now."

Justice Minister Mickey Amery's press secretary, Heather Jenkins, said in an email that it's a democratic right for people to participate in citizen initiated referendums and bring forward questions they deem important.

"If those seeking independence believe that they have the support for it, this is their chance to prove it," she said.

Sylvestre said he was excited at the prospect that Albertans could soon decide their own fate.

"In spite of the fact that this has been a roller-coaster up and down ride, I think it's going to be well worth it no matter what happens," he said.


"The people are going to be able to decide based on the information that they get what they want to do with their future, and I think this is what democracy should be all about."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2025.

— With files from Dayne Patterson in Calgary.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press

Alberta Next Panel recommends ditching RCMP, referendum to quit CPP

Story by Lisa Johnson


Premier Danielle Smith speaks to the media at the Legislature in Edmonton, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken© The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s hand-picked panel re-examining the province's relationship with Ottawa says it’s time to ditch the RCMP and hold a provincewide referendum on quitting the Canada Pension Plan.

The Alberta Next panel, in a report with findings and recommendations, says creating a provincial pension plan was the most hotly debated topic among citizens and one that needs to proceed to a vote.

“Replacing the CPP with an (Alberta plan) is the most financially meaningful initiative Albertans have the right to pursue on our own to enhance our sovereignty and financial independence within a united Canada,” says the report from the panel, which was headed up by Smith.

But the panel stresses such a vote should only be held after residents receive more information on the pros and cons of the province going it alone.

And it says a vote would be contingent on an Alberta pension plan matching or improving the payouts and premiums of the federal system.

The report was issued Friday afternoon without a news conference, and Smith was not made available for an interview.

Her office, asked if she would support a CPP referendum, pointed to Smith's earlier comments that it would be tight to get the issue on any ballot for next fall.

The next general election is set for October 2027.

Related video: RCMP official says police force's future in Alberta uncertain (CBC)

The report comes after months of public town halls across the province and survey feedback.

It also recommends continuing work to create an Alberta police force to replace the RCMP when the latest contract with the national force ends in 2032.

Smith’s government has long questioned whether the province is getting value for money on the Mountie contract, while saying a provincial force can bolster accountability.

The panel acknowledged a provincial force was also a polarizing topic in debates but said it heard concerns about police staffing levels, particularly in smaller communities, with hundreds of contracted policing positions going unfilled.

“Some, like Cypress County, have been paying the RCMP with zero officers provided,” says the report.

The panel also called for referendums on more provincial control over immigration and on specific constitutional questions, such as abolishing the "unelected Senate."

It suggested doing a cost-benefit analysis of Alberta running its own tax system.

And it urged Alberta to push harder for equalization reform, saying that on balance Albertans are OK with subsidizing smaller provinces but “the vast majority strongly oppose their federal tax dollars subsidizing provinces with the fiscal and economic strength to deliver such services on their own.”

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi labelled the Alberta Next project a stage-managed distraction from government failures on health care and education.

He said Smith didn't campaign on any of the issues prioritized in the report, which he noted was released on the Friday before Christmas.

"The government has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on a sham consultation, where they actively silenced anyone who dared to disagree with them,” Nenshi said in an interview.

“(They) are now pretending that that was the voice of Albertans to justify spending millions of dollars more on referenda on things that Albertans don't want.

Nenshi said the CPP issue is a stalking horse to create a government controlled piggy bank.

“They want to create a large asset fund that is under the control of the government to invest in things the government wants to invest in," he said.

Debate in Alberta over whether to quit the more than $777-billion CPP has been ebbing and flowing for more than two years under Smith. The premier has linked a standalone plan to long-standing concerns that Albertans are paying more into Confederation than they deservedly get back.

In 2023, her government issued a report estimating Alberta is entitled to more than half the money in the national nest egg should it go its own way.

That number was hotly contested. Absent a clear exit figure, Smith put formal consultations on hold and the issue faded into the background.

As late as this spring, Smith said no firm bottom line number coupled with a lack of public “appetite” for leaving the CPP precluded any referendum for the time being.

However, the panel said a straw vote of people at its town halls supported the idea, as did a slim majority of those in its poll. But it noted a “clear majority” of those who sent online feedback opposed leaving the CPP.

The panel said it heard concerns about what would happen if a provincial fund was mismanaged or if Alberta’s strong economic advantage didn't continue, not to mention questions about portability.

The panel said all those details – contribution rates, management structure, benefits and more — need to spelled out for Albertans ahead of any referendum.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Alberta increases referendum petition fees to $25,000 — a 5,000 per cent hike

Story by Lisa Johnson


Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Justice Mickey Amery announce proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday April 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson© The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government is hiking the cost to apply for a citizen-initiated referendum by 5,000 per cent, saying it's about making sure applicants are serious.

It’s the latest in a series of rule changes that one petitioner – country singer Corb Lund – characterizes as exhausting.

A cabinet order released late Wednesday afternoon upped the fee to $25,000 from $500.

Heather Jenkins, press secretary to Justice Minister Mickey Amery, says the cost will be refundable if the applicant meets the required threshold of signatures and completes reporting requirements.

"Citizen initiative petitions are costly,” Jenkins said Thursday in a statement.

“That is why a higher application fee was chosen, to discourage frivolous applications and protect Alberta taxpayers.”

The move comes despite previous efforts by Smith's United Conservative Party government to make it easier for citizens to apply for a policy initiative or a constitutional referendum, including efforts to put Alberta separation on the ballot.

Lund may not have to pay the higher fee.

Elections Alberta confirmed Thursday his prior application to launch a referendum to stop new coal mining in Alberta's Rockies will have a grace period


The new fee would be waived if Lund files his paperwork by Jan. 11.

Lund, in an interview, said it’s disturbing to see Smith’s government make sudden rule changes for what he views as "random, self-serving reasons.”

"The chaos and confusion and exhaustion is very similar to the same confusion, chaos and exhaustion that we've seen from the government on how they've been handling the coal situation for the last six years," Lund said.

"It just keeps changing."

He said no matter what else might shift, he won't be deterred from completing a process that's already been cancelled by recent election law changes, forcing him to start again.

"We'll fill out as many forms as they make us fill out if it means we can keep the coal mines out of the headwaters of the rivers that provide our drinking water."

Premier Smith has long championed the merits of direct democracy.

In late November, when asked about Lund's petition, she said, "I support citizen-initiated referenda. I think it's really important that people have their say. The rules are out there, and I will watch with great interest.”

Earlier this year, Smith's government significantly lowered the thresholds for citizens to apply for a referendum, including the number of signatures required.

Earlier this month, her government passed a new law to clear further legal hurdles faced by those aiming to hold a separation referendum.

A pro-Confederation petition organized by former Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk is not affected. Elections Alberta has already certified that petition as having the required signatures. Lukaszuk seeks to spike separatist sentiment by forcing a decision to reaffirm Alberta staying in Canada.

Another application has already received the green light to proceed. It seeks to gather signatures to ask whether Alberta should end spending public money on independent schools.

Alberta NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir says the fee increase shows the UCP government doesn't have any respect for the democratic process.

"This change is clearly meant to stifle democratic action,” Sabir said in a statement.

Chief electoral officer Gordon McClure told a legislative committee earlier this month it cost $340,000 to verify Lukaszuk’s petition and that the cost to prepare for a subsequent provincewide referendum would be more than $3 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

UCP HOISTED ON IT'S OWN PETARD

Alberta recall petitions grow to 23 with latest against justice minister

Story by Lisa Johnson


Alberta Minister of Justice Mickey Amery announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson© The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Alberta’s justice minister is the latest member of Premier Danielle Smith’s caucus to face a citizen recall petition.

Elections Alberta announced Wednesday petitions against Mickey Amery and fellow United Conservative Party legislator Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk.

That means 22 UCP legislature members are facing recall petitions – a number approaching half the 47-member caucus.

One member of the Opposition NDP, education critic Amanda Chapman, also faces a petition.

Sead Tokalic, who filed for the petition against Amery in Calgary-Cross, says the move was triggered by dissatisfaction with the government's handling of public education and funding.

"It all started for me with the teachers' strike and how that was handled. Since then there was a lot more things that came down," Tokalic told The Canadian Press.

In October, the UCP used the Charter's notwithstanding clause to force striking teachers back to work and impose a collective agreement that they had overwhelmingly rejected. Smith has said her government was forced to act because of the toll the three-week strike was taking on more than 740,000 students.

Tokalic said he has heard from others who also don't feel like their MLAs are responsive or representative.

"I emailed my MLA many times, not just this time around, previously as well, before this whole thing started. I never heard from him ever," he said.


He added that he's never been a member of any political party and isn't backed by any activist group.

"I'm just a guy in (the neighbourhood of) Marlborough that's not happy with what's going on," said Tokalic.

In his written reasons to Elections Alberta for a recall, he said Amery supports policies that harm vulnerable populations. Tokalic clarified there are a lot of newcomers attending schools in the constituency who would benefit from more supports.

In response to the petition, Amery told Elections Alberta that he's committed to standing up for his constituency and, like other UCP members, argues the recall process is being abused.

"The Recall Act is in place to address serious misconduct or ethical violations – not to be misused by partisan activists trying to undermine democracy," Amery wrote.

"My focus is on listening, responding and delivering results that reflect our shared priorities."

Armstrong-Homeniuk represents the constituency of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, east of Edmonton.

Petitioner Edwin Laarz said in his application to Elections Alberta that Armstrong-Homeniuk ignores constituents and was silent when the province recently used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause.

Smith’s government used the clause to override teachers’ rights to end the strike. It also recently used the clause to shield three laws affecting transgender citizens from court challenges.

Armstrong-Homeniuk, in response, said she works hard for her constituents and has a mandate to represent them based on winning her seat in the 2023 provincial election.

The recall campaigns target MLAs from across the province, including the premier in her Brooks-Medicine Hat constituency.

Many behind the petitions have said they're campaigning because their representatives have failed to address concerns and viewpoints of constituents.

The recall process is lengthy and involves multiple steps.

Petitioners have three months to collect signatures equal to 60 per cent of the total number of votes cast in their constituency in the 2023 election.

For the petition against Amery, that amounts to just over 9,000 signatures; for Armstrong-Homeniuk, the campaign would need to collect almost 15,000.

If successful, there would be a constituency-wide vote on whether the representative keeps their seat. If the member fails to gain a majority of votes, a byelection is held.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

 ALBERTA GOVT  BACK TO WORK LEGISLATION ENDS TEACHERS STRIKE 

A Dark Day for Democracy Dear friends,   I write to you this morning tired and with a heavy heart.    I was in the legislature until the early hours of this morning as the UCP rammed through Bill 2, the Back to School Act.    Bill 2 forces teachers back into underfunded and overcrowded classrooms and violates their right to collective bargaining. Bill 2 also includes, for the first time in Alberta’s history, preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause to bypass charter-protected rights of Albertans.    Not only did the UCP invoke the notwithstanding clause, they repeatedly used closure motions to end debate on the legislation, to ensure it passed in one evening. The use of these undemocratic legislative tools marks an absolutely shameful first for our province.      And so, we woke up today to a new reality in Alberta. We are living under a government that has openly defied charter rights and abused their legislative power. We are living under a government that has overtly valued power over human rights, prioritized control over dialogue, and has demonstrated once again, that they just don’t care about public education.

Speaking up against Bill 2, the Back to School Act, in the chamber late last night. You can watch some of my remarks by clicking here.

And while the legislation was shocking and unprecedented, I am so sad to think about the students and teachers who are returning to classes on Wednesday to the same broken system. Very little has changed. Alberta is still the lowest funded education system in the country. There are no class size caps and not enough space. There is virtually no support for students with special needs, and teachers continue to shoulder the burden of this chronically underfunded system. None of this is ok.     And so yes, I’m tired today. Teachers, students, and parents are tired. Albertans are tired.    But do not mistake our collective fatigue for weakness. We may be tired, but we’re not dejected. We’re angry, but not ambivalent. We are outraged, but not unresolved.    I feel unequivocally committed to this fight, and I know you are too. Throughout the teachers’ strike, I have seen Albertans rising up like never before. Students are organizing, Albertans are attending enormous rallies at the legislature, my inbox is flooded with hundreds of emails everyday advocating for education, and so many Albertans who’ve never been involved in politics before are reaching out for the first time.    And so my friends, while yesterday was a dark day; we persist. And we resist. Now is the time to get involved and get loud. Write to the Premier and Education Minister, talk to your friends and family, donate, find a way to volunteer.    Because kids deserve better, our teachers deserve better, Albertans deserve better. And better is possible.   As always, my door (and inbox) are always open.   Take care of yourselves and each other,   Janis

ALBERTA

 

READY TO RESIST
Yesterday's 30,000-strong rally at the Alberta Legislature was a huge show of support for teachers. And it's just getting started. As the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, Gil McGowan, said to the crowd, if Premier Smith's government uses the notwithstanding clause to order teachers back to work, "she will be initiating a war on worker bargaining power."

In response, over 13,000 of you have already used SMS to text RESIST to 55255. In doing so, you've indicated you want to be part of the resistance. You know the importance of public education, public health — all public services. You know the importance of those public sector workers who serve Albertans, day in, day out. The UCP government's anti-worker agenda must be resisted at all costs. This doesn't only affect teachers or other public sector workers. This is about all workers in the province. An attack on one is an attack on all.

As the AFL's Secretary Treasurer, Cori Longo, noted, "This isn't only about the government's anti-worker measures. We have an affordability crisis. Workers across the province are struggling to make ends meet."

RESIST - TOWN HALL
We're inviting you to an important event. Everyone who cares deeply about public services, affordability, and the future of workers' rights is invited to attend. Yes, it's at 5pm on a Saturday and in ordinary times you would probably have something more fun to do. But these are not ordinary times. Please, if you can free up just 90 minutes, we would love to have you there. It's happening via Facebook Live.  You will have a chance to ask questions about the UCP government's use of the notwithstanding clause, and anything else that's on your mind.

WHEN: 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, Saturday October 25, 2025
WHERE: (Virtual) Facebook Live

Join our town hall to discuss how we can all fight back against bad bosses.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE NOT JOINED THE MOVEMENT YET. More information is available on our website.

 ALBERTA FEDERATION OF LABOUR

Let's be clear about what's on the line today

Today, 51,000 teachers are on strike. This should not come as a shock to anyone, least of all the UCP government, whose chronic underfunding of K-12 education has created a crisis in classrooms across the province.     Conditions in health care are equally turbulent. Neglect, mismanagement, chaos, and outright corruption have been the hallmarks of the UCP’s “stewardship” of our vital public health system. While no health care workers are currently on strike, their concerns about salary and frontline services are far from settled.   Wage stagnation in the public sector is eroding morale and making it difficult to recruit and retain the professional workers needed to keep education and health care sustainable. And unlike what Premier Smith may say, good wages do not come at the expense of services to the public. We can—and must—fund both properly.     Let’s be clear about what is on the line today. Do we want a province in which professionals are paid appropriately, and public services are sustained for current and future generations? That's the province the teachers are fighting for. We are inspired by their courage.   In solidarity, Gil

AFL UPDATES

Raise the minimum wage to $20 NOW! “Under the UCP, living standards are going backwards rapidly. As of today, Alberta’s minimum wage has been frozen for seven years — a badge of shame for a province where the cost of living has skyrocketed. It is time to raise the minimum wage to $20/hour for everyone and index it to inflation so that hard-working Albertans get what they deserve and never again fall so far behind their peers in other provinces.”  Press release on minimum wage  This government’s handling of K-12 education gets an F  “All Alberta children deserve a public education that will set them up for success. The future of this province depends on an educated workforce. Teachers are doing their best. The government is not doing its best. It is time to fix this unproductive dynamic.”  Read the AFL statement on K-12 education    Giving for Gaza  On September 27, the AFL participated in the annual Run for Palestine in Edmonton. We raised over $1,300, helping contribute to a campaign that raised well over $150,000. Even though the news from the Occupied Territories is so bleak and harrowing, we have all been inspired to see the solidarity from Alberta workers. We are also proud that our statement on Palestine has been so well received by others in the labour movement.   AFL statement on Palestine    Avoid shopping at non-unionized Sobeys  “Sobeys’ aggressive move to lock out its employees at a major province-wide distribution centre shows blatant disregard for the bargaining process,” said Gil McGowan. “These 251 workers, members of Teamsters Local 987, deserve far better than this. This is a hugely profitable corporation that has chosen bullying over bargaining."  Read the AFL press release  "If you take on one of us, you take on all of us!"  On September 9, leaders of the Common Front, an umbrella group for all Alberta unions, put the UCP government on notice. "Members of unions like UFCW, AUPE, HSAA, the ATA, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are not only fighting for themselves; they are fighting for the wages and living standards of all workers in our province. And we will not let them fight alone.”  Read the statement  Abolish the Temporary Foreign Worker Program  The evidence is clear that the TFW program, along with other exploitative guest worker programs like the International Mobility program (IMP), has suppressed wages and is contributing to the unprecedented youth unemployment crisis that is currently gripping our country. If Mr. Poilievre is really such a champion of workers, why didn’t he abolish the program when he actually had the power to do so?”  Read the AFL press release

AFFILIATE ACTIVITY

CUPW: Striking CUPW members currently have hundreds of picket lines across the country, in all provinces and territories. Find the one closest to you and support the postal workers at this critical time.

Alberta premier blames Ottawa for Imperial

Oil job cuts, but experts say it's a global trend

Story by Rukhsar Ali

 • CBC   

SEPTEMBER 30, 2025

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Imperial Oil's plan to lay off roughly 20 per cent of its workforce by 2027 is "very disappointing," laying the blame on Ottawa and reinforcing the need to build pipelines.

"The industry for the last 10 years has been hampered and hobbled by federal government decisions," Smith said Tuesday.

"If we can realise the aspiration of building our pipelines north, south, east and west, doubling our production, then there's a lot of opportunity for people to be able to get reemployed in this sector."

Calgary-based Imperial said Monday the cuts are part of a broader restructuring plan and would save the company about $150 million annually.

Approximately 900 jobs, most of which are in Calgary, will be lost.

"This is what happens when you have uncertainty," Smith said. "And this is part of the reason why we have to work very quickly to get to a resolution with Ottawa so that we can start building [pipelines] again."

Imperial Oil chairman John Whelan said in a statement the restructuring and layoffs will ensure the company continues to deliver returns and value for shareholders.

"We recognize the considerable impact this restructuring will have on our employees and their families," Whelan said. "We are deeply committed to supporting our employees through this transition."

In a news release, Imperial said it is leveraging technology and its relationship with its major shareholder, Exxon Mobil, to continue to meet or exceed production targets.

The company also said part of the restructuring will see Imperial relocate most of the remaining Calgary positions to the Strathcona Refinery in Edmonton in late 2028.

While Smith points the finger at Ottawa, Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi lays the blame on the UCP government.

"We've got a government that is pandering to separatists, that is scaring away domestic and foreign investment," he told CBC News.

"We now have the second… highest unemployment rate after Newfoundland in the country at a time where the energy sector is not really under threat from tariffs," Nenshi said.

"What we're really seeing here is a change and shift in the work and Alberta being left on the outside, and that is directly due to Danielle Smith and the UCP's policies, I believe."

Canada's energy minister, Tim Hodgson, also said he's "deeply disappointed" with Imperial Oil's planned job cuts.

He said he's working to understand what went into the company's decision and that the government will explore ways to support the workers losing their jobs.

"These are skilled, dedicated people who have greatly contributed to Alberta's energy sector and Canada's economy, and my thoughts are with them and their families as they receive this difficult news," he said on social media Tuesday.

In August, Imperial reported $11.23 billion in total revenue and other income during the second quarter, down from $13.38 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.

Hodgson said it's his mission to make sure energy companies like Imperial stay prosperous as the government works to make Canada an "energy superpower."
Oil company layoffs a global trend: experts

Top U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil announced broader cuts on Tuesday, with plans to lay off 2,000 workers globally — about half of which are accounted for in the Imperial Oil layoffs.

Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, says this latest announcement is part of a global trend.

"This is obviously extremely painful for Calgary and extremely painful for Canada, but this is part of a much broader… series of layoffs," she said.


Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says the Imperial Oil layoffs are part of a broader global trend for the oil and gas sector. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC)

Several major energy companies, including Chevron and ConocoPhillips, have announced thousands of job cuts in the past year to rein in costs while they contend with lower profits in the face of a worldwide slump in crude oil prices and strong competition from the OPEC+ group of oil producers.

Another Calgary-based company, Cenovus Energy Inc., confirmed layoffs in May, while Suncor Energy Inc. cut about 1,500 staff in a streamlining push in 2023.

"What Exxon and Imperial are doing is trying to be the lowest cost barrel in the oilsands and also globally competitive, and so they aren't shutting in production. They have no intention of producing less oil," Exner-Pirot explained, calling the layoffs a "normal restructuring" from the corporation's perspective.

"That means the royalties keep coming in. It means the sector is healthy. It means Imperial stays healthy."

Charles St-Arnaud, chief economist with Alberta Central, FORMERLY ATB, says the oil and gas industry is no longer what it was in 2014, pre-boom, and so the number of people employed in the sector has also been impacted.

"The Canadian oil and gas sector doesn't live in [a] vacuum... without being influenced by what's happening around the world. It's not just in Canada that investment in the industry is weak. We're seeing that around the world," he said.

"The name of the game for the past decade has been how to drive efficiency out of current operations, and that's what we've seen. [Companies have] been cutting costs and those job losses go into that vein.

"It's really that drive to efficiency that is reducing the head count. How can you extract the same barrel at a lower cost?"


Charles St-Arnaud, chief economist with Alberta Central, says the oil and gas sector is maturing and decisions are being driven by efficiency. 

(Justin Pennell/CBC)© Provided by cbc.ca

St-Arnaud says there's a need to start looking at the oil and gas sector with "a different mindset," understanding that it's a mature industry now.

"It's no longer what I would call the startup phase of the late 2000s, early 2010s, where companies were building massive operations, thinking huge amounts of money and they were not necessarily driven by how much it's gonna cost," he said.

"But now [in the] mature phase, you need to start thinking about the cost. How do you improve your profitability when you're at that kind of mature phase of your development? And that's really where I see the Canadian oil industry being at the moment."

Canadian energy minister, Alberta premier disappointed with Imperial Oil job cuts

Story by Jack Farrell and Fakiha Baig
• SEPTEMBER 3O, 2O25

Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, provides an update on the forecast for the 2025 wildfires season at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Thursday, June 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick© The Canadian Press

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Imperial Oil's "very disappointing" plan to lay off roughly 20 per cent of its workforce by 2027 reinforces the need to build more pipelines.

Smith is blaming Ottawa for the layoffs at the Calgary-based company.

"The industry for the last 10 years has been hampered and hobbled by federal government decisions," she told an unrelated news conference in Calgary on Tuesday.

"This is what happens when you have uncertainty, and this is part of the reason why we have to work very quickly to get to a resolution with Ottawa so that we can start building again ... no one likes to see these kinds of consolidations.

"If we can realize the aspiration of building our pipelines north, south, east and west, doubling our production, then there's a lot of opportunity for people to get re-employed in this sector."

Imperial said Monday the cuts are part of a broader restructuring plan and would save the company about $150 million annually.

Company chairman John Whelan said in a statement the restructuring and layoffs will ensure Imperial continues to deliver returns and value for shareholders.

“We recognize the considerable impact this restructuring will have on our employees and their families," Whelan said.

"We are deeply committed to supporting our employees through this transition."

Related video: B.C. Premier tells Alberta not to 'mistake politeness for weakness' over pipeline plans (The Canadian Press)

The company also said part of the restructuring will see Imperial "further consolidate activities to its operating sites" in Alberta.

A spokesperson for the company, Lisa Schmidt, said in an email Tuesday that the company has reached a tentative agreement to sell its multi-building Calgary office complex and lease back the space it will still need.

"We plan to maintain a presence in Calgary," said Schmidt.

Data from LSEG Data and Analytics shows the layoffs would impact about 1,000 jobs, based on an employee count of 5,100 as of Dec. 31, 2024.

Federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson also said Tuesday he's disappointed with the cuts.

He said he's working to understand what went into Imperial's decision and that the government will explore ways to support the workers losing their jobs.

"These are skilled, dedicated people who have greatly contributed to Alberta's energy sector and Canada's economy, and my thoughts are with them and their families as they receive this difficult news," Hodgson said on social media.


In August, Imperial reported $11.23 billion in total revenue and other income during the second quarter, down from $13.38 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.

Hodgson said it's his mission to make sure energy companies like Imperial stay prosperous as the government works to make Canada an "energy superpower."

"We are taking steps today to ensure the Canadian energy sector will continue to provide careers and prosperity for generations to come," he said.

Alberta Opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi said Monday the company's plan represents "a significant blow to Calgary and Alberta’s economy."

Nenshi called on Smith and her United Conservative Party government to develop a plan to keep good paying jobs in Alberta, especially with its unemployment rate being one of the highest in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2025.

Jack Farrell and Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press

CANADIAN PROVINCE BANS FAMOUS CANADIAN AUTHOR

'Public book burnings': Margaret Atwood comments on 'The Handmaid's Tale' Alberta book ban

OOPS

Copyright AP Photo - Vintage UK

By David Mouriquand

Published on 02/09/2025 - EURONEWS

Margaret Atwood is taking aim at Alberta’s new rules on school libraries and has even posted a new short story which satirizes the censorship at play.

Celebrated Canadian author Margaret Atwood is speaking out after her award-winning dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” was included on a list of more than 200 books removed from public school libraries under the Canadian province of Alberta’s new school restrictions. 

In July, Alberta's education ministry ordered school libraries to remove "materials containing explicit sexual content" by 1 October. 

In response to this equally dystopian ruling, Atwood wrote on X, “Get one now before they have public book burnings,” and released a new short story online that satirizes the book ban.  

The story focuses on two "very, very good children" named John and Mary, who “never picked their noses or had bowel movements or zits” and who “married each other, and produced five perfect children without ever having sex.” 

John and Mary ignored "forgiving your enemies and such; instead, they practised selfish rapacious capitalism". Atwood added: "The Handmaid's Tale came true and Danielle Smith found herself with a nice new blue dress but no job." 

This is a reference to both the blue garb worn by the wives of the high-ranking commanders in “The Handmaid's Tale” and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who has backed the new directive to keep out sexually explicit content.

However, Smith has recently stated that Edmonton's public school board was practising a form of "vicious compliance" and had gone over the top in following the directive. She told reporters late last week that the province was happy to reissue its directive to the school boards which misunderstood it. 

Other classics that the Edmonton Public School Board announced were being removed from school libraries include Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", George Orwell's "1984", Alice Walker's "The Colour Purple", and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".

JUST SAY NO, BOOK BANS!

Alberta rewriting order banning school library books to protect classics: Smith

Story by Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

The Canadian Press

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, right, stands with new Minister of Education and Childcare, Demetrios Nicolaides, following a swearing in ceremony in Calgary, Friday, May 16, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh© The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is rewriting an order directing school divisions to ban books with sexually explicit content to ensure classic books stay on library shelves.

The order is being changed, Smith says, to only target books containing sexual images.

The government's initial order, issued in July, covered books with images, illustrations, audio and written passages with sexually explicit content.

"It's images that we're concerned about, graphic images," Smith said Tuesday at an unrelated news conference in Medicine Hat, southeast of Calgary.

"We were hoping that the school boards would be able to identify those on their own and work with us to try to make sure that pornographic images are not being shown to young children."

The revision comes after Edmonton's public school division put together a list of more than 200 books it planned to remove from libraries to comply with the initial order.

The list includes Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, as well as books by Alice Munro, Ayn Rand, Margaret Laurence and Stephen King.

Related video: Alberta government suspends new rules on explicit books in schools (CBC)

Dozens more books were set to be inaccessible to students in kindergarten through Grade 9, including George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby."

Smith accused the division Tuesday of purposely misunderstanding the order.

"We are not trying to remove classics of literature," Smith said. "What we are trying to remove is graphic images that young children should not be having a look at.

"What I would like for the school boards to say is: 'We agree! Children shouldn't see pornographic images. We'll work with you on that.' And that's what I hope the spirit going forward will be."

The inclusion of Atwood's celebrated novel prompted the author to condemn Smith online over the weekend. Atwood penned a satirical short story that she said could replace her most famous work in Alberta school libraries.

The satire is about two 17-year-olds who "grew up and married each other, and produced five perfect children without ever having sex."

In a blog post Tuesday, Atwood questioned why Alberta laid the blame on the Edmonton school board, referencing Smith's accusation that the list of banned books was "vicious compliance."

"Compliance with an order the government itself issued and that school boards were compelled to implement? Whatever do they mean?" asked Atwood.

Smith said Tuesday that Atwood played no role in the decision to change the order and encouraged the author to look at the four graphic novels the province cited in May as the reason for the policy.

"It includes oral sex. It includes threesomes. It includes a child having their pants pulled down by an adult," said Smith. "That is what we are trying to remove from the school libraries."

Earlier Tuesday, Alberta's education minister instructed school divisions in an email to pause efforts to comply with the order until further notice.

Demetrios Nicolaides said later in a statement the list from Edmonton Public Schools prompted the government to change the order, and that it would happen "immediately."

His office did not confirm when the revised order would be issued.

The initial order directed schools to remove books with sexually explicit content — for students in all grades — by the end of September. Those in Grade 10 and higher would have access to books with non-explicit sexual content.

Nicolaides had said the policy was spurred by four graphic novels with illustrations of sexual acts — most with LGBTQ+ themes — found in some school libraries.

The four books, including "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe and Alison Bechdel's "Fun Home," were on the Edmonton Public Schools list of books to be removed.

Other divisions were expected to come up with similar lists, though multiple divisions said they stopped those efforts because of the email from Nicolaides.

A spokesperson for the Calgary Board of Education, the city's public school division, said its review of more than 500,000 titles was paused.

Julie Kusiek, the Edmonton Public Schools board chair, said the division's trustees believe the government revising the order is a response to concerns by parents, families and educators.

"Our board remains committed to keeping lines of communication open with the minister as we continue to work collaboratively with families and the government in support of student learning," Kusiek said.

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said if the United Conservative Party premier wasn't so adversarial, the issue of removing age-inappropriate books from school libraries would have been solved without much trouble.

"The UCP decided to try to ignite a culture war, and it's backfired on them exceptionally badly," Nenshi said.

"Instead of just saying, 'Hey, we found a couple of troubling comic books with some troubling images, let's take those off of shelves,' they wrote a ministerial order.

"Then this is what happened. People actually complied with the order."

Jason Schilling, president of Alberta's teacher union, agreed and called on the province to back down completely.

"We urge the government to stop playing games with teachers and students and put a full stop to policing school library materials."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2025.

-- With files from Matthew Scace in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press