WTF?! ATTACKING THE UCP BASE
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta fear trio of provincial bills are a power grab

FASCISTS DISUISED AS LIBERTARIANS

The Canadian Press
Wed, May 15, 2024 

EDMONTON — Alberta's rural municipalities are teeing off on a trilogy of provincial bills they say erode trust and attack local authority.

Paul McLauchlin, head of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, says proposed legislation giving the province the ability to take control of local emergency responses isn't salvageable.

He says Premier Danielle Smith’s government hasn't offered a clear explanation as to how this change will do anything other than confuse and complicate critical situations.

"They never really listened to what we wanted, which was better financial clarity as it relates to disasters -- more certainly financially when it comes to disasters -- and increased communication,” McLauchlin said in an interview.

The emergencies bill is one of three pieces of proposed legislation introduced in the spring sitting that sparked concern Smith's United Conservatives are making a gratuitous, unnecessary power grab.

One bill would give the province gatekeeping power to veto federal funding deals with cities and towns while another would give Smith's cabinet broad authority to fire councillors and overturn local bylaws.

Despite assurances from the government that the bills maintain the status quo, McLauchlin said he’s “starting to get paranoid.”

"Are you just trying to move authority more and more into ministerial positions, and (cabinet) ministers can start making these decisions without any input of municipalities?" he said.

Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said the emergencies bill is about clarifying existing powers, not creating new ones.

"Paul (McLauchlin) is quite frankly incorrect,” Ellis told reporters in the legislature Tuesday, calling the negative reaction “misinformation.”

“We are just creating a reporting structure, which is very common in any sort of critical incident.

"There is nothing nefarious in any of these bills.”

Ellis also promised that if the province does take over an emergency response, it will pick up the costs.

Last week, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver, a former three-term councillor in Calgary, also rejected the suggestion the bills are an overreach.

He noted the province already has legal authority over municipalities.

“That is our reach,” said McIver.

“Not only our reach, it is our responsibility. They may not like the bills, I accept that, but using the phrase 'overreach' seems inappropriate.”

McLauchlin said he views the bills differently.

"We're being put into a smaller and smaller box and the government is taking more and more authority away from us, which makes no sense based upon our past relationship with this government," he said.

"It is extremely hard for a conservative government to make rural Alberta mad, and they've done that successfully in three acts.”

One contentious element of the emergencies bill would allow cabinet, during a crisis, to quickly direct water use and allow temporary low-risk water transfers between major water basins without the possibility for an appeal to the Environmental Appeals Board.

That board is an independent body that hears complaints about ministry decisions on things like water licenses and environmental protection orders.

Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz pledged last week that the government will engage with municipalities before approving large-scale inter-basin transfers.

“What this change allows us to do is enable or approve a low-risk inter-basin transfer for the purposes of providing drinking water to a municipality,” she said, a move that has rarely been made.

McLaughlin said with industrial users wanting to siphon water for things like fracking during droughts, the move from the government demands more debate.

"Creating legislation to deal with rare instances is not the best way to govern a society,” he said.

The emergencies bill, if passed, would also move the fixed election date to October 2027 instead of May that year in an effort to dodge the potential disruption of natural disasters.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Slugs for Nenshi, hugs for rivals at NDP leadership's Calgary debate

CBC
Sat, May 11, 2024

Alberta NDP leadership candidate Naheed Nenshi, centre, makes his closing statement at a Calgary forum as fellow candidates, left to right, Gil McGowan, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, Sarah Hoffman, and Kathleen Ganley look on. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press - image credit)


When there are reports of physical contact among participants at a political debate, it's typically because something ugly has happened.

Unless, that is, it's an NDP leadership debate.

At the Alberta party's candidate forum on Saturday, rivals Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse and Gil McGowan weren't sure which one was supposed to speak first, nervously giggling about it. Once the confusion was resolved, they hugged, before profusely agreeing with each other about raising Alberta's minimum wage and the importance of unions.


These are, as Calahoo Stonehouse explained afterwards, all members of the same party, who broadly share the same progressive values.

They all oppose most of what the Danielle Smith-led UCP does, and after a successor to longtime NDP Leader Rachel Notley is chosen, they'll all remain prominent senior members of the same team — barring the sort of major party fracture that pundits often speculate about in the wake of a new leader's selection, but seldom materializes.

The niceties and touchy-touchy good vibes can go away when there's disagreement over who really belongs in the party or is well-suited to lead it. Take, for example, one testy exchange between former health minister Sarah Hoffman and Naheed Nenshi about the ex-mayor's past.

The battle of Midfield

Hoffman reached back more than six years to hit Nenshi over the closure of the city-owned Midfield Mobile Home Park last decade, to make way for a larger residential community.

"What I need to know from you Naheed: why you closed that park, why you evicted those folks," Hoffman said. She added that she'd spoken to some former residents, and they're still dealing with mortgages and one former mobile home-owner had to move in with his in-laws.

It was a departure from the question about expanding the party while remaining true to its values. Or was it?

Nenshi replied by calling them "so-called affordable homes," and said the residents were prioritized for Calgary Housing Company affordable rentals. He said Hoffman was "fear mongering."

"As the minister of health, Sarah, you should know that sometimes the easy answers are not the easy answers," he said.

NDP leadership candidate Sarah Hoffman criticized Nenshi for the closure of a city-owned mobile home park that occurred when he was Calgary mayor last decade.

NDP leadership candidate Sarah Hoffman criticized Naheed Nenshi for the closure of a city-owned mobile home park that occurred when he was Calgary mayor last decade. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

The sense Nenshi is the front-runner gets amplified when nobody is dredging up controversial decisions from Hoffman's past, or former justice minister Kathleen Ganley's, or McGowan's as a labour leader. (Calahoo Stonehouse is a first-term MLA.)

McGowan used one of his debate segments to bring up the 2019 letter Nenshi sent the UCP government about altering the city union's collective agreement, which several candidates used to attack the ex-mayor as anti-union earlier in the week. Nenshi bid to be more genial in this defence, saying that he was only bringing forth the position of what he called a "super-right-wing council" five years ago, and that he's a strong supporter of organized labour.

A question bubbling underneath this leadership race: how passionate about organized labour is the NDP base in 2024, newly enlarged by the race itself?

On Sunday, the party will reveal the number of members eligible to vote for leader, and sources have told CBC that it surpasses 85,000 — several times greater than what it was at the point Notley announced her resignation in January.

Insiders also say that the lion's share of members are Calgarians, the town of Nenshi and Ganley. That's a massively new orbit for the Alberta NDP, which had its core in Edmonton in the Notley years and in the decades before it.

"You have two camps actively selling memberships in Calgary, and they are doing a very good job of that — and I think it means something phenomenal for our party," Ganley told reporters after the debate.

She tried to differentiate herself from her fellow Calgarian by saying the party needs a leader who does more than hurl insults at Smith's party. (Nenshi drew UCPire Saturday for calling them the "monkeys on the other side" during a discussion about question period in the legislature.)

More than 1,000 people attended the debate at Stampede Park, and Nenshi consistently garnered the most applause.

McGowan, who's led the labour movement for more than two decades, said he's not sure the newly enlarged NDP membership will be as passionate about organized labour rights as it used to be.

Gil McGowan took aim at a past letter Nenshi wrote as Calgary mayor about weakening the city unions' rights. After the debate, the longtime Alberta Federation of Labour president said he's not sure if the new membership of the party is as ardent on labour rights as it traditionally has been.

Gil McGowan took aim at a letter Naheed Nenshi wrote as Calgary mayor about weakening the city unions' rights. After the debate, the longtime Alberta Federation of Labour president said he's not sure if the new membership of the party is as ardent on labour rights as it traditionally has been. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

In past Alberta NDP eras, the slightest whiff of union-busting posturing would be fatal to the party's card-holders, especially for a leadership hopeful.

McGowan also wonders, he said, how well this party will do with the province's blue-collar and non-university-educated voters, a group that the UCP has won over.

At the outset of the forum, he asked attendees to stand if they had university degrees. The vast majority did — leading him to stress the uphill battle the NDP has with people who aren't like that crowd.

In the last election, 44 per cent of voters gave the New Democrats a proverbial hug, more than voted for them in their 2015 victory. But they fell 8.5 percentage points and 11 seats behind Smith's UCP.

It's undeniable that the next NDP leader's key task will be to make up that gap in the 2027 election. It's not clear at this point how easily the contest's victor will become part of the party's hugging brigade, but that may depend on which priorities this party's membership is keen to wrap their arms around.

Alberta NDP debate marked by agreement, until it came to Nenshi's record

The Canadian Press
Sat, May 11, 2024 




EDMONTON — The second official Alberta NDP leadership debate saw five candidates eagerly agreeing with each other, until Naheed Nenshi was forced to defend against more attacks on his record as the mayor of Calgary.

Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan, who is among the candidates vying for the helm of Rachel Notley's Opposition party, asked why the former mayor signed a letter in 2019 asking the United Conservative Government to sidestep union agreements.

The unearthed letter drew fire this week from Nenshi's rivals who suggested it signalled the presumed frontrunner was anti-union.

"How is this not a trust-buster?" McGowan asked during the event at BMO Centre in Calgary on Saturday.

Nenshi, who served as Calgary's mayor from 2010 until 2021 when he announced he would not seek another term, reiterated that he was at odds with a right-wing council at the time and his efforts actually subverted the privatization of city services.

"I would never rip up a collective agreement. Collective bargaining is sacrosanct," he told the crowd.

Calgary MLA Kathleen Ganley, Edmonton MLAs Sarah Hoffman and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse round out the list of candidates seeking to replace Notley, who announced in January she would step aside when a new leader is chosen.

Nenshi's status as the newcomer to the party, and relatively vague platform promises, have opened the door to questions about where he stands on key issues.

Meanwhile, the former mayor has been presenting a case to broaden the party's appeal to beat Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives in the 2027 election.

Shortly after Nenshi threw his hat in the ring, former candidate Rakhi Pancholi said she saw the memberships Nenshi had attracted, and dropped out of the race to join his team.

Hoffman, the former health minister and deputy premier during Notley's government, has appealed to the party's roots, and trumpeted herself as an “unapologetic" New Democrat.

On Saturday, Hoffman asked Nenshi why people were "evicted" without proper compensation from affordable housing units in Calgary during his tenure in 2017.

Nenshi said Hoffman didn't know the details, and suggested she was fearmongering.

"We ensured that every single tenant who was there had the opportunity to move into a Calgary Housing home with priority and every single one of them who needed to be rehoused in a better place got that better place," he said.

"Sometimes you've got to sit with people and find solutions for each individual rather than relying only on your ideology," he said.

Hoffman also took aim at Nenshi's stance in 2015 when he warned then-NDP premier Notley's move to bump wages could impact non-profit agencies and small businesses.

"There was at least one candidate on this stage who actually fought against the increased minimum wage, and that breaks my heart," Hoffman told the crowd.

Because of the debate format, Nenshi was unable to immediately respond.

Ganley, the former justice minister, focused on the importance of winning the next election with better economic policy platforms than the ruling UCP.

"Without them, all we are left with is anger and big personalities -- and we know that won't be enough," said Ganley.

Calahoo Stonehouse has been focusing her campaign on strengthening water protection, and said the province needs to renegotiate its oil and gas royalties.

McGowan capped his debate performance off in his closing statement with a plea for donations.

"If I don't raise another $50,000 soon, I'm toast."

The party counted just over 16,000 members as of Dec. 31, but sources have told The Canadian Press the total number could now be more than 85,000.

Another debate is scheduled for Edmonton next month, and the party will announce the new leader June 22.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

TYRANNY IN LIBERTARIAN CLOTHING
New bill would allow Alberta government to take command of local emergencies

CBC
Thu, May 9, 2024 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, centre, says legal changes are required to allow the provincial government to more quickly respond to natural disasters. Ministers with portfolios included in Bill 21 are, from left: Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen, Smith, Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis, and Justice Minister Mickey Amery. (Marc-Antoine LeBlanc - image credit)More


The Alberta government wants to give itself new powers to speed its response in managing forest fires, floods, droughts and other emergencies.

Bill 21, tabled Wednesday by Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis, proposes several amendments to the Emergency Management Act and five other pieces of legislation.

If passed, the legislation would also move Alberta's fixed provincial election date to Oct. 18, 2027, about five months later than the currently scheduled date of May 31, 2027.


At a news conference, Premier Danielle Smith said the record-setting May 2023 wildfires coincided with a provincial election campaign, which made the emergency difficult to manage.

"It was bizarre for ministers and other candidates to have to go through these motions while so much of Alberta was burning and so many Albertans were out of their homes," Smith said.

Cabinet ministers lacked access to government information and devices during the campaign period, while they were tasked with making rapid and high-stakes decisions, she said.

Election dates in October are less likely to conflict with natural disasters in the province, she said.

During the writ period, the provincial government goes into "caretaker mode," limiting the power of elected officials and handing responsibilities to top civil servants.

Some candidates running in areas affected by the spring 2023 wildfires temporarily suspended campaigning to respond to the crisis. Elections Alberta moved some polling stations to accommodate evacuees.

A new election date also necessitates changes to the legislation governing senate elections and campaign financing, which are also included in the bill.

The growing threat of natural disasters such as larger, more ferocious wildfires prompts the need for the province to be able to rapidly assume command of a local emergency, Smith said.

If passed, Bill 21 would allow the government to take over emergency management in a municipality or region if local leaders ask for more help, become overwhelmed and unable to respond, and where local priorities are at "cross purposes" with the province, said briefing notes provided to reporters.

The government could also do this without the blessing of local leaders.

The bill would also require local authorities to provide more information to the province during a local state of emergency.

Government officials like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi visited wildfire evacuees at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Sunday.

Government officials including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi visited wildfire evacuees at the Edmonton Expo Centre in May 2023. ( Wildinette Paul/Radio-Canada)

Smith said local authorities asked for these measures, saying the province was too slow to react to past disasters.

"Everybody's come to the same conclusion — that we can't sit back and wait for the fire to jump the border and burn down Slave Lake or burn down Fort McMurray or potentially burn down Drayton Valley," she said.

Alberta Municipalities president Tyler Gandam said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that municipalities asked for extra resources and help during the 2023 wildfire season, but he's unaware of any municipality asking for the province to take control of the emergency response.

Bill 21 is the third piece of legislation the government has tabled in the last month without consulting first with municipalities, despite having potentially profound effects on municipalities, Gandam said.

The organization needs time to understand what problems the government is trying to solve with this latest bill, he said.

Although Wednesday's announcement did not make reference to the role of climate change leading to more catastrophic natural disasters, Smith said the government does have to be concerned about climate change, but must also send a message to the public to be cautious when burning garbage, lighting campfires or driving vehicles that could lead to wildfires.

More control to respond to fire and floods

If passed, the bill would give the provincial government the authority to fight fires on any Crown land, including land that is outside its forest management area. Right now, it would be a municipality's responsibility to battle a blaze on Crown land within its borders, although it can ask for provincial help.

The bill would clarify the province's power to fight fires in Alberta's eight Métis settlements.

The bill would also authorize firefighting crews to remove private buildings or fences if they need to build a fireguard to protect a community.

Although Alberta has never had to declare an emergency under the Water Act, past floods and currently parched land are prompting government officials to prepare for that possibility. The government says it needs to be able to control the flow of scarce water to prioritize human and animal health and safety.

If the province declares a water emergency, the bill would allow cabinet to decide how to prioritize water use in an area, and when water licence holders can and cannot divert water.

Right now, the legislature must pass a bill to move water between major basins. Bill 21 would allow the province to move water during an emergency.

Some drought or flood mitigation initiatives could also skip approval processes during an emergency, and emergency decisions would be protected from appeal.

People responding to the emergency could also go onto private land and temporarily place equipment, such as hoses.

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley told Albertans that they pension "was not safe" during a press event held Thursday.

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley questions the UCP government's motivation for moving the province's fixed election date four-and-a-half months later. (CBC News)

Bill could give government more time in power

NDP Leader Rachel Notley, who was premier from 2015 to 2019, said government leaders lose some access to information during an election campaign, but that lack of information is "not quite the problem that they're trying to claim it is" during an emergency.

Ministers would still have access to emergency briefings from staff during a campaign. Top public servants could give media briefings instead of politicians, she said.

Notley said the government should have consulted with the Opposition before proposing a timing change, or moved the fixed election date to October 2026. She said the proposed move, which could potentially extend the UCP's rule by more than four months, is "self-serving and opportunistic."

Alberta Municipalities president Gandam questioned why the election date change was necessary more than three years in advance of the next provinicial election.

Alberta to shift the fixed election date to fall when natural disaster risk is lower

The Canadian Press
Thu, May 9, 2024 



EDMONTON — Alberta is moving its election date from the spring to the fall to avoid clashing with major natural disasters -- but the Opposition says in doing so, Premier Danielle Smith’s government is conveniently granting itself six extra months of power.

Smith’s United Conservatives introduced a bill Thursday to move the scheduled vote date from the fourth week of May every four years to the third week of October.

That would mean the next election will be Oct. 18, 2027, a time when there is less risk the province will face wildfires, droughts and floods.

Smith told reporters last year’s election was a prime example of the dilemma as her government had to campaign while also fighting fires and organizing evacuations.

She had to be careful to not appear to be using the crisis to boost her profile while also needing to raise her profile to get the word out to Albertans on what was happening with the fires.

"Running an election parallel to this crisis made a difficult situation more challenging," Smith said prior to the bill being introduced in the house.

She noted she and her ministers faced the threat of fines from Elections Alberta for using government resources during the campaign.

"I also found myself answering questions about the election at wildfire briefings as well as questions about wildfires at campaign events," said Smith.

An election requires the government go into caretaker mode, while cabinet ministers are still technically in their posts.

Last year's record-breaking wildfire season saw almost 30,000 people forced from their homes by early May, days after the spring election campaign had officially kicked off.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said given climate change is making natural emergencies more frequent, she is not opposed to reconsidering the fixed election date.

But she said Smith could have looked at going to the polls earlier than the current date, such as February 2027 or October 2026.

"Giving themselves an extra six months seems very self-serving and opportunistic from a government that has a strong record of being very self-serving and opportunistic," Notley told reporters.

Notley said if the problem is a need for proper communication, the government could instead have had public servants lead public emergency updates.

The bill, if passed, would also give the province the authority to quickly take over local emergency response efforts in what it considers extreme circumstances.

That includes situations where the municipality becomes overwhelmed or is working at cross purposes with the province.

Smith said if the province had that authority last season, they could have stepped in sooner to help fight jurisdictions, particularly those that threatened to stretch across local jurisdictions.

Forestry Minister Todd Loewen said the legislation is about providing clarity to powers that already exist.

"This isn't about taking over or trying to control municipalities. They still have the right to be there, and we still respect that," he said.

The legislation would allow cabinet, during emergencies, to direct water use and make "temporary low-risk" water transfers between major water basins.

The proposed legislation comes after two other pieces of legislation have already sparked backlash from municipalities over concerns the province is making an unnecessary power grab.

One bill would give the province gatekeeping power to veto federal funding deals with cities and towns. Another would give Smith's cabinet the power to fire councillors and overturn local bylaws.

Tyler Gandam, the head of Alberta Municipalities, which represents Alberta towns, cities and villages, said he was still examining the bill but has concerns.

"Once again, another bill was introduced and tabled without consultation with municipalities," said Gandam.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

 Another public consultation? Skepticism grows as Alberta launches survey on auto insurance

CBC
Mon, May 6, 2024 

The provincial government is asking Albertans for their input on the future of auto insurance in the province as it prepares for long-term changes. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press - image credit)

After months of pointing at big changes to come, the province says legislation to reform Alberta's auto insurance system could be coming this fall.

In a mandate letter last July, Premier Danielle Smith tasked Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf with providing short- and long-term recommendations to make car insurance more affordable.

Four months later, in a press conference, Smith rolled out some short-term plans, including the introduction of a 3.7 per cent rate hike cap on insurance for "good drivers." She also promised long-term reforms were coming in the next year.

"The cost-of-living crisis isn't over just yet. We're looking at all possibilities to provide relief, and auto insurance is next on our list," Smith said in November, a month before the rate freeze was lifted.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, centre, announces short- and long-term plans to reform auto insurance in Alberta at the legislature on Nov. 1, 2023. She is flanked on the left by Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf and Finance Minister Nate Horner, right.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, centre, announced short- and long-term plans to reform auto insurance in Alberta at the legislature on Nov. 1, 2023. She is flanked on the left by Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf and Finance Minister Nate Horner, on the right. (Dave Bajer/CBC)

The government has been quiet on the auto insurance front since then — until last week, when it asked Albertans to join the conversation by filling out an online survey, which is open until June 26.

In the same breath, it released two long-awaited studies it commissioned on the feasibility of adopting different insurance models in Alberta and the economic impacts of those systems.

So what will this public consultation accomplish, as Alberta drivers wrestle with the second-highest insurance premiums in the country, behind Ontario?

"We are asking Albertans what changes, if any, they want us to make to the system to achieve long-term relief rather than short-term measures," said Justin Brattinga press secretary for Treasury Board and Finance Minister Nate Horner, in an emailed statement.

"No decisions on auto insurance reform have been made," he said.

An official with the Insurance Bureau of Canada says this public consultation goes further than knowing whether Albertans want cheaper insurance; it's about gauging what balance drivers want with their coverage.

But some Albertans are doubtful their feedback will be taken into consideration — a skepticism a political analyst says is warranted, given the UCP government's history of hearing one thing during public consultations and doing another.

'They don't listen'

On Monday, Horner told CBC News that roughly 4,600 Albertans have filled out the survey so far.

"All the stakeholders that are intimately involved in the system — whether it be industry, business, injury lawyers — they all have a lot of vehicles to speak to government. So we just wanted to make sure there was something where Albertans could reach out and make sure their feelings and thoughts were heard and understood," said Horner.

Mount Royal University policy studies associate professor Lori Williams says it makes sense for the province to check in with Albertans on a topic that affects them.

But she says the government is likely to face a major problem: some Albertans are very skeptical about public consultations.

"Because despite the fact that 70 per cent of Albertans do not want political parties in municipal elections, they have proceeded with legislation to accomplish exactly that, at least in two municipalities in Alberta. And despite repeated polling and consultations that Albertans do not want a provincial pension plan, they've continued to pursue that," said Williams.


Edmontonian Yolanda Engel says despite having strong opinions about auto insurance, she won't bother filling out the survey.

Edmontonian Yolanda Engel says despite having strong opinions about auto insurance, she won't bother filling out the survey. (Submitted by Yolanda Engel)

"A government that has claimed to consult with Albertans and to listen to Albertans has repeatedly failed to do that and actually take an action that's in direct opposition to what Albertans have clearly indicated."

Edmontonian Yolanda Engel is one of those skeptics. She strongly opposes no-fault insurance — she wants the ability to sue if she gets seriously hurt in an accident.

But even though the province has previously said that's one of the systems it's considering, Engel says she doesn't see any point in filling out the survey.

"To me, it's just falling on deaf ears.… They don't listen to anyone's remarks, no matter who is giving their opinion," said Engel.

She says she's been burned in the past with the province's surveys. She was among many others who spoke out against the province's curriculum changes, only to see them go ahead with them anyway.

"They can do whatever they want even though nobody else wants what they're testing, so it's very frustrating."

Balanced coverage

The bulk of the survey asks Albertans about their thoughts on the province's five core principles guiding this reform: affordability, stability, simplicity, care focused and accountability.

It also asks other questions, like if you've been injured in a vehicle accident in the past five years and if you trust your insurer to support you properly if you get hurt.

Aaron Sutherland with the Insurance Bureau of Canada says this consultation is all about which pieces of the insurance puzzle Albertans value most.

"Everybody wants more affordable auto insurance, but coverage counts," said Sutherland.

"This consultation really looks at what is the balance that the drivers in Alberta want to see between affordability, between maintaining and increasing level of care, but also your ability to sue and your ability to hold at-fault drivers responsible for collisions."

Vehicles are pictured driving in traffic along highway 1 in Burnaby, British Columbia on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

The insurance industry and experts say there are many attributes needed for a healthy insurance marketplace, and it's all about balancing (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Martin Halek, associate professor of risk management and insurance at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business, says it's important Alberta drivers know it isn't possible to check all of those boxes — there are trade-offs required.

"If nothing else, the survey serves as a refresher course that insurance doesn't work in a box where the lowest premium wins kind of thing. That's probably a good thing," said Halek.

"How is it going to be analyzed? Will it be used to make better regulatory decisions? That's a little bit to-be-determined."

He says public education is key in this process and he's keeping an eye on how far the province will consider no-fault insurance.

Alternative models explored

The long-awaited reports, released at the same time as the survey, give Albertans an insight into what options are on the table for the province as it looks at changes.

The commissioned studies, completed by actuarial consultant Oliver Wyman and management consultancy Nous Group, looked at seven insurance models in various provinces and in Australia, as well as the Insurance Bureau of Canada's proposed model.

In essence, it explores public, private and hybrid systems of insurance.

Wyman's analysis suggests Alberta drivers could see the most savings with their premiums if the province switches to a public insurance model like British Columbia, which has a no-fault, public insurance Crown corporation.

It says a hybrid system like Quebec's, where bodily injury is covered by a public insurer but vehicle damage is covered by private insurance companies, could also result in savings.

Meanwhile, Nous Group, which was tasked to look at economic impacts of the systems, concluded that switching to a public model would take up to two years and come with a price tag of nearly $3 billion.

Instead, it says maintaining a private system could have the least economic impacts.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada — which represents insurance companies — has publicly raised concerns about Wyman's calculations, which suggested its proposal could come with some cost savings but not as much as other options.

The bureau has been proposing a system similar to New Jersey's, where drivers have more choice about type of coverage, ability to sue and, in turn, how much they pay.

One thing the bureau and consultant can agree on? Tackling legal costs could make a big difference with Albertans' premiums.

As the province weighs its many options and it prepares to introduce legislation, the insurance industry, political watchers and citizens say they're keeping a close eye on how much Albertans' voices matter in the process.

Alberta UCP facing growing pushback following introduction of municipalities bill

The Canadian Press
Tue, May 7, 2024 



EDMONTON — It was a long time ago, but Jan Novotny still remembers the tanks rumbling through his hometown of Prague in 1968 when the Soviet Union enforced its will on the people of what was then Czechoslovakia.

On Monday, he stood outside the Alberta legislature in a gentle rain, holding a sign aimed at the province's United Conservative Party government saying, "Stalin Would Be Proud."

"I'm really concerned," Novotny said on the first day of his protest.


"Democracy is a slippery slope. It can slip into autocracy quite easily. I just find the current government very autocratic in nature."

Novotny is specifically concerned about a proposed law that would grant Premier Danielle Smith's cabinet sweeping power to fire local councillors, toss out bylaws, and allow political parties to run in Edmonton and Calgary.

The office of Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver did not respond to a question about how much feedback it has received on its proposed legislation, which was introduced April 25.

McIver has promised to amend the bill and discuss the proposed changes with municipal leaders, who say they should have been consulted before the bill was even introduced.

Like other bills and policy balloons Albertans have seen since the 2023 provincial election, it wasn't part of the UCP's campaign platform and hasn't gone before a public comment process.

Novotny is one of an undetermined but increasingly vocal number of Albertans who are concerned about what they call the government's bossiness.

"I just woke up and said enough is enough," said Glenda Tailfeathers of Lethbridge, who's helping organize "Enough Is Enough" protests in several Alberta communities for May 25.

"There's a lot of interest in people taking a stand," said Peter Oliver of Project Alberta, an offshoot of a group called Project Calgary.

In one day, the group collected 800 signatures against the proposed legislation.

"The more power they take away from our councils, the more power they put in the hands of corporations and unions," Oliver said. "It could reach a point where it's hard to get control back."

Last week, University of Alberta political science professor Jared Wesley posted an essay warning of a growing authoritarian streak in the UCP government.

"In my two decades of research, I haven't seen this sort of reaction to anything I've written," Wesley said in an email.

"It's not just the volume, but the variety of people reaching out. From the left and the right. CEOs to retirees, rural folks and city folks. All of them upset at what a growing number of Albertans are seeing: a government bent on consolidating power.

"You can feel the groundswell, and MLAs are hearing it, too."

Alberta Municipalities -- the organization that speaks for towns, cities, and villages -- has also objected.

"Albertans have been clear: they do not want political parties in their local elections," the organization said in a statement last week. "The provincial government has ignored them, too, deaf to the voices of Albertans."

Critics say the Smith government has a way of springing controversial legislation on Albertans.

In the last year, the government has: re-introduced the idea of a provincial pension; imposed a moratorium on approvals for renewable power; promised to restrict gender-affirming care for young people; and introduced legislation that would require provincially regulated organizations, including universities, to obtain provincial approvals on federal funding.

Smith has pushed back on criticisms, saying her government is simply responding to concerns from stakeholders and is committed to ensuring other levels of government don't overstep their authority.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2024.

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

Alberta Municipalities said it hasn't been given chance to consult on changes to bill

The Canadian Press
Mon, May 6, 2024 



EDMONTON — Alberta's municipal affairs minister declined Monday to clarify whether towns and cities would still get their say before changes are made to a contentious bill that gives the province broad authority to fire local councillors.

Ric McIver announced the changes last Thursday and promised at that time he would talk to municipal leaders about looming amendments to the bill.

But on Monday, when asked by reporters on the state of consultations, McIver pointed to the fact he already spoke with multiple leaders "over the last few days" about the impending changes.

When asked if he considered those discussions to be the promised consultation, McIver declined to clarify.

"It's one form of consultation, it's certainly not the only form,” he replied.

The bill, introduced April 25, has been widely condemned by municipal leaders as a broad overreach into their authority with a possible chill effect on their decision making.

The bill not only gives cabinet broad power to fire councillors but also overturn any council bylaw.

This weekend, Craig Snodgrass, the mayor of High River – Premier Danielle Smith’s hometown -- said the only reason the bill is on the table is because the UCP has failed to get "their people" into the mayor's seat in Edmonton and Calgary.

"This is about control. It won’t end with the big cities. Scrap it," Snodgrass wrote on social media.

McIver said last week the amendments will address those concerns but has not provided specifics.

Tyler Gandam, president of Alberta Municipalities -- the organization representing Alberta towns, cities and villages – confirmed that McIver called him last week to say changes were coming, but said that has been it.

"Minister McIver committed to consulting with Alberta Municipalities in advance of the announcement of the forthcoming amendments, but nothing has been arranged yet," Gandam said in a statement.

"I trust we will have the opportunity to address our concerns on all parts of the bill," he said.

Paul McLauchlin, head of Rural Municipalities of Alberta, told CHED radio Monday he has had “discussions” with McIver.

While McLauchlin said he's hopeful McIver has heard the organization's concerns and will make necessary changes, he said nobody was asking for a bill making it easier for cabinet to remove local councillors or mayors.

"What is the point? Is the point to assert authority? Or is the point to provide clarity to governance?" said McLauchlin.

It’s also not clear when the amendments will be brought to the floor of the legislature.

Smith has said amendments would come this week and would clarify the new cabinet powers would be used only sparingly.

Asked Monday about the timeline, McIver said, "When amendments are ready, we will introduce them in the house.”

But McIver said time is a factor. He said the government aims to ensure the bill passes debate in the legislature in the current sitting, which is scheduled to rise at the end of the month.

Opposition New Democrats have said the bill is so flawed it needs to be pulled altogether.

McIver said municipal officials will need time to get ready for the next elections in October 2025.

"Time is ticking, and it's an important issue," McIver said.

The bill also makes changes to local elections, including mandating hand-counted ballots, and green lighting political parties to run in Edmonton and Calgary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

CENTRALIZING POWER IS NOT LIBERTARIAN

Alberta municipalities say proposed provincial law would create chill effect

“Bill 20 puts local governments up for sale to the highest bidder” 

Story by The Canadian Press • 


EDMONTON — The organization representing Alberta's cities, towns and villages says a bill that would grant the province sweeping new powers over local governments is creating an atmosphere of fear.

Tyler Gandam, president of Alberta Municipalities, said Monday his members are worried about potential repercussions if they disagree openly with the provincial government.

“Alberta Municipalities is concerned that the bill will intimidate and even silence legally-elected officials who dare to criticize the provincial government,” Gandam told reporters, adding the bill sets a dangerous precedent that could undermine the power of local voters.

The proposed law, introduced last week by Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party government, would give cabinet broad authority to dismiss councillors and overturn local bylaws.

Cabinet conversations are confidential and conventionally exempt from public disclosure. That means under the law, the public may not be privy to why a councillor is dismissed.

“The possibility of locally elected officials being removed at any time for any reason is deeply unsettling and likely to have a chilling effect," Gandam said.

Earlier Monday, Smith said the aim of the proposed legislation is to ensure municipalities are not enacting policies that are out of step with provincial priorities or creep into provincial jurisdiction.

Related video: Municipal governments face threat as Alberta asserts power over them in Bill 20 (Global News)   Duration 2:20   View on Watch

Related video: Concerns over proposed Alberta bill that would give province powers over municipalities (cbc.ca)  Duration 1:59  View on Watch


“We would use it very sparingly,” said Smith at an unrelated news conference in Calgary.

The bill would also allow political parties to run in municipal elections — for now in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta's two largest cities.

If passed, the law would also open the door to corporations and unions being able to donate in municipal elections, which was banned by the previous New Democrat government under former premier Rachel Notley.

Smith said the aim is balance, and existing rules on third-party advertisers have so far failed to bring proper oversight or discourage "big money" in local elections.

Still, Gandam said the bill proposes “almost nothing” to improve transparency over financial donations, and independent candidates risk being outspent and drowned out by party candidates who enjoy the financial backing of corporations and unions.

“Bill 20 puts local governments up for sale to the highest bidder,” said Gandam.

The bill came more than two weeks after Smith's government introduced other legislation that would give it the power to veto any deal between the federal government and provincial entities, including municipalities and post-secondary schools.

The Opposition NDP called Monday for the UCP to withdraw the municipal affairs bill from the legislature, echoing reaction last week from elected officials in Edmonton and Calgary, who called it an authoritarian overreach on local democracy.

NDP house leader Christina Gray said it would upend long-standing political norms.

"When people want change in municipal bylaws, do they — instead of talking to their city councillor — now go straight to Danielle Smith?"

Gray also disputed Smith's claim that corporate and union donations are currently flying under the radar.

“We're going to see a flood of money from corporations influencing our elections rather than what Albertans have asked for, which is to have the local voters be the ones who elect their governments," said Gray.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

'Who stands to benefit from Bill 20?': ABMunis speaks out against allowing union, corporate donations in local politics

Story by Matthew Black •  Edmonton Journal

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver introducing legislation to ammend the Local Authorities Election Act on April 25, 2024.© Provided by Edmonton Journal

The organization representing more than 250 Alberta municipalities accused the province Monday of ushering so-called “big money” back into local politics via its controversial Bill 20, something Premier Danielle Smith denied.

Bill 20 — the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 — was tabled in the legislature last Thursday.

It’s drawn criticism for potentially giving the cabinet new, unilateral powers to oust councillors or compel a city council to amend or repeal bylaws with any such decisions to be made in secret and with no apparent criteria.

It also reintroduces corporate and union donations to municipal candidates, something that wasn’t allowed at the last election cycle, and also is not permitted at the provincial level in Alberta or for elections at the federal level.

On Monday, Alberta Municipalities president, Wetaskiwin Mayor Tyler Gandam, said the new rules “put local governments up for sale to the highest bidder.”

“If the bill passes in its current form, local government elections will end up being about what influential corporations and unions want, not about what voters want,” he said, adding the bill “does almost nothing” to improve financial transparency.

“Independent candidates risk being outspent and drowned-out by party candidates who enjoy the financial backing of corporations and unions.”

“Who stands to benefit from Bill 20?”

Smith defended the legislation, telling reporters Monday that current rules around contributions to political action committees (PACs) are too weak and don’t provide enough transparency.

“I don’t think it’s worked,” she said of the system used in the last municipal election cycle that limited PAC contributions to $30,000, but only during the “campaign advertising period,” defined as May 1 of an election year to the date of the election.

Legislation introduced in 2021 updated those rules to include annual limits , but Smith said that still doesn’t go far enough.

“The experiment of PACs hasn’t been overwhelmingly successful if you wanted to take big money out of politics.”

She hinted similar changes could be coming at the provincial level as well.

“We’re having a conversation about it.”

Related
Alberta cabinet to gain power to remove councillors, change bylaws as province also adds political parties to municipal politics

'Authoritarian' and 'frightening': Edmonton councillors lash out at UCP's Bill 20

Bill 20 sets out a $5,00 per year per municipality limit on corporate and union donations to local candidates. It also limits donations to third-party advertisers and PACs to $5,000 per election period.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver told reporters last week the new rules will ensure unions and corporations do not have a “disproportionate influence” on municipal elections.

“The previous rules prohibited direct donations from unions and corporations; however, business owners and union members were still allowed to donate as individuals,” his office said in a statement Monday, going on to note those groups could also donate to third-party advertisers.

Edmonton Coun. Andrew Knack has expressed his concern with the timing of disclosure rules, which allow donations outside the local election year.

“Why not require people to disclose who has donated before people go vote?”

NDP Opposition house leader Christina Gray said she is “incredibly proud” of how her party banned corporate and union donations through its first bill as government in 2015.

“This was something that was widely supported by Albertans because of the strong desire to make sure that our democracy is protected, and that it is individual voters and Alberta citizens who decide elections and not big money politics,” she said.

University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young said while the new rules may appear fair on the surface, they may also have an asymmetrical effect in favour of corporations.

“There are many corporations out there. And there are a relatively small number of unions,” she said.

“We’re going to see quite a bit of corporate money in the local elections, and a relatively small amount of union money.”

mblack@postmedia.com

Alberta standardizing local utility franchise fees, Calgary to see biggest impact

Story by Matthew Black •  Edmonton Journal

Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf speaks as Parliamentary Secretary for Affordability and Utilities Chantelle De Jonge, left, and Premier Danielle Smith listen as he introduces legislation to lower fees for utility bills and help to keep people more informed about their options on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Edmonton.

© Provided by Edmonton Journal

The Alberta government is introducing new legislation that will standardize how municipalities are allowed to calculate franchise fees on electricity bills, in a move it says will prevent spikes in power prices, particularly in the city of Calgary.

The changes will be implemented via Bill 19 — the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 — introduced in the legislature on Monday.

It proposes amendments to three existing pieces of legislation, and mandates that local access fees not be tied to the default rate, as is in part the case in Calgary, and rather be tied to consumption, as done by Edmonton and other municipalities, or as a percentage of transmission and distribution costs.

Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf said the bill primarily impacts Calgary, which is the only municipality to incorporate the default rate into its fee calculation.

But, the new bill is also intended to block other municipalities from adopting Calgary’s approach and switching to the market rate, something he said would bolster a municipality’s treasury but at the expense of taxpayers.

“We are aware of other municipalities, in large part due to the windfall profits Calgary saw, that are contemplating making those changes themselves. This is clarifying that this is not the avenue for them to seek those kinds of funds,” he said.


Global News Southern Alberta stakeholders sign historic water-sharing agreement
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cbc.ca Alberta takes on drought challenges with historic water sharing agreement
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The Canadian Press Alberta announces plan to protect consumers against power price spikes
2:11


The government claims Edmontonians paid an average of $75 on average in local access fees over 2023 via Epcor, with Calgarians paying more than triple that, at $240 on average, via Enmax.

That difference resulted in $186 million more in fees collected by the City of Calgary than anticipated, according to the province’s analysis.

“It is unacceptable for municipalities to be raking in hundreds of millions of dollars of surplus revenue off the backs of Albertans tying their fees to that variable rate,” Neudorf said.

Calgary city council has eyed moving to a consumption-only model , but not until 2027, which Neudorf said is too far away.

On Monday, Calgary councillors were slated to hear from hundreds of members of the public regarding proposed blanket rezoning changes.


Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said in a statement that the bill explicitly targets Calgary for work it already has underway, stating, “it’s nice that the province is finally paying attention to this.”

“Any changes to local access fees are governed by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) which is in minister Neudorf’s portfolio,” it reads. “The AUC is the reason council couldn’t just flip a switch and make a change to the fees.”
Local access fees

Utility retailers pay a linear tax and franchise fee for the right to use a municipality’s property to exclusively operate. Together, those costs are labelled as a local access fee which is paid to the municipality by the utility retailer who recoups that cost from customers through monthly bills.

Under existing rules, the AUC must approve electricity rates which are not allowed to exceed 20 per cent of the distribution charge, though municipally-owned subsidiaries in Calgary (Enmax) and Edmonton (Epcor) are exempt from needing that approval.

Bill 19 aims to change that exception, and would require AUC oversight for all such agreements.

Pre-exiting agreements continue in effect until they are approved by the AUC or 270 days after Bill 19 comes into force, whichever happens sooner.

The legislation also does not affect Medicine Hat, which generates its own power and owns the distribution system.
RRO name change to be formalized

The new legislation, if passed, would also formalize the name change to the default electricity rate announced by Premier Danielle Smith last week .

The rate was previously known as the regulated rate option but will be renamed as the rate of last resort, with Smith calling the old title “misleading.”

Around three in 10 Albertans are on the default rate, which changes based on market prices. It’s used by customers who don’t sign a contract with a retailer either because they don’t have a sufficient credit score to do so, or because they don’t realize they are on the default rate.

Opposition energy critic Nagwan Al-Guneid said Monday’s bill came three years too late.

“The United Conservative Party is introducing legislation effectively three years too late to save Albertans from volatile utility rates,” she stated.

“The UCP is essentially closing the barn door after the horses have bolted, as it will not help Albertans who have no choice but to remain on the regulated rate option.”

mblack@postmedia.com

Danielle Smith wants ideology 'balance' at universities. Alberta academics wonder what she's tilting at

CBC
Sat, April 20, 2024 

After launching a new bill that constrains federal deals with cities and other provincially controlled entities, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has declared an ambition to overhaul what post-secondary research churns out. Somehow. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - image credit)


From the exam-marking trenches to the ivory tower executive suites, Premier Danielle Smith has injected nervousness throughout Alberta's post-secondary sector.

It initially seemed her Bill 18, the Provincial Priorities Act, was intended to make her government play checkstop or gatekeeper whenever the federal government and mayors made deals without provincial involvement.

Then it became apparent that Smith's government would apply the same scrutiny to the higher-learning sector, and the premier's remarks made it clear she had federal research grants and notions of ideological "balance" in her targets.


"When the government of Alberta states that it wants to align research funding with provincial priorities, it risks colouring research coming from Alberta post-secondary institutions as propaganda," wrote Gordon Swaters, a University of Alberta mathematics professor and academic staff association president.

"Students are caught in the UCP's forever war with Ottawa," stated James Steele, head of the University of Calgary Graduate Students' Association.

Bill Flanagan chimed in on his University of Alberta president's blog Wednesday: "I will continue to do all I can to advocate for a regulatory framework that does not impede our ability to secure federal funding and operates in a manner consistent with the university's core commitment to academic freedom."

An academic world, wondering jointly: what's Smith going to do?

It doesn't appear even she knows, not yet revealing any clear direction.

Campus improv night

Several signs, in fact, suggest that the UCP government did not initially conceive of the post-secondary realm to be a major player in this Bill 18 drama — at least, not until journalists began asking last week how those provincially controlled entities could get tangled up in the bill's oversight.

Consider the following:

Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney didn't participate in the April 10 news conference; only Smith and Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver did.


The premier didn't mention post-secondary once in announcing the program; it only came up when a reporter asked about it, and Smith mentioned a curiosity about social-science research.


When Smith began speaking in more detail in interviews on April 12, she extensively referred to a Nova Scotia business professor's criticisms of the system, which appeared in an Edmonton Journal column that very day.

If this policy approach involved more forethought, one imagines there would be a body of evidence or anecdotes beyond that morning's newspaper. Smith did cite one political scientist's survey that indicated far more left-identifying Canadian professors than right-wing ones — which was mentioned in that same Journal column.

This week, she tabled that article in the legislature.

A few days later, in her 38-minute debate speech on the bill she extensively quoted from that piece, but also brought in a second anecdotal point — another article.

This one came from the National Post in 2021, a McGill University chemistry professor's protests that he was denied a science research grant because the "woke" granting agency expected him to factor diversity and equity into his assistant hiring. Unmentioned by Smith — that agency's peer review committee gave the same scientist, Patanjali Kambhampati, a $144,565 grant last year.

For those keeping score at home, that's two articles about out-of-province profs forming almost the entire public justification for Smith's coming policy on universities.

Now, journalists love to imagine they have massive influence in high offices, and probably inflate their self-importance too often (or maybe this is just me). But it's likely that most journalists, and more importantly most citizens, don't expect or intend for articles or columns to form not just the backbone but the entire skeleton of political decision-making.

Bill Flanagan is the incoming president of the University of Alberta. The former dean of law at Queen's University assumes the new post on July 1, 2020.

University of Alberta president Bill Flanagan pledged this week to push for a provincial approach 'that does not impede our ability to secure federal funding and operates in a manner consistent with the university’s core commitment to academic freedom.' (Peter Evans/CBC News)

But even if Smith cobbled together her justification from news clippings after she tabled Bill 18, there is at least a sense of where her grievances lie. And if it's not clear what route she'll take with this legislation, she's signalled what the desired destination is.

She's made it clear she believes more conservative-tilted research would bring more like-minded academics and then students. "If we did truly have balance in universities, then we would see that we would have just as many conservative commentators as we do liberal commentators," she told the CBC's Power and Politics.

Smith offered this week two potential paths she could pursue. One is using this provincial oversight bill to track all federal research grants to determine what share goes where — even though the granting agencies already publish everything online, as many academics have recently noted to the UCP.

"The other way is that we could also establish our own research programs to make sure that we're providing that kind of balance," Smith added.

The UCP government, in this notion, would create a new body to support ideologically focused research that Smith doesn't feel gets its fair shake from the non-partisan, peer-review committees that dole out agency grants, at arm's length from the Liberal government or the governments of various stripes that have overseen these agencies for more than a century.

Believe this to be far-fetched and heavy-handed, for a partisan government to set up their own shop to conduct public-interest research?

It's already happened in the UCP government era — twice.

Former premier Jason Kenney gave his "energy war room" twin mandates to advocate for and research oil and gas, to do work he felt was lacking elsewhere; Smith has maintained this program.

In early April, Smith announced a new Crown corporation for research and expertise on addiction recovery — to bolster, hone and spread elsewhere the type of drug-crisis response her government has already invested heavily in.

The constitution squarely places post-secondary education into provincial jurisdiction, but the federal level has long led the way on supporting research projects.

The province topping up federal research funding could be a good thing, said Richard Sigurdson, past arts dean at the University of Calgary. Emphasis on could.

The University of Calgary sign is pictured at the campus entrance, on a sunny fall day.

Calgary's largest post-secondary school receives more than $200 million a year in grants from the federal government and outside jurisdictions. Bill 18 requires provincial officials to approve all such deals, and could let them veto ones they don't see matching Alberta priorities. (CBC)

"It would only be great if the provincial government was to provide funds at an arm's length, non-partisan fashion," he wrote in an email while on academic administrative leave in Berlin. "There cannot be any interference with institutional autonomy or academic freedom."

If the government takes this approach and establishes its own research body in the style of the Fraser Institute — a conservative think-tank where Smith herself used to work — expect heaps of controversy. But it could be less messy than actually using Bill 18's gatekeeper function to interfere with federal agency grants, something that the Quebec government doesn't do, despite long having the provincial go-between powers that Alberta now intends to mimic.

'Firing a shot'

Alex Usher, a longtime analyst with the consultancy Higher Education Strategy Associates, doesn't expect the Smith government to intervene with agency research grants.

But he still expects a fight that universities won't like.

"While the UCP government may not be targeting tri-council grants specifically, they are firing a shot at the province's universities, warning them that they will be expected to show 'ideological balance,'" Usher wrote on his website.

"God knows what this will mean in practice, but my take would be that it will be low-level skirmishing and attempts at micro-management for the rest of the UCP's term of office, combined with attempts to [wage] culture war [over] odd-sounding research projects in what the right likes to call 'grievance studies.'"

The premier's recent rhetoric doesn't make it clear she knows what it will mean in practice, either. The Bill 18 debate seems to have become the jumping-off point, perhaps due to a combination of fluke and expansively written legislation.

Now the premier has been thinking about it, and finding articles to read. So an entire sector will be left to wait, wonder and worry.