Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews has officially entered the leadership contest to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative Party leader and premier. Toews has not made a formal announcement, but has registered his candidacy on the Elections Alberta website. He could not be immediately reached for comment, but said last week he was considering a run. Toews is a first-term legislature member from the constituency of Grande Prairie-Wapiti and has been finance minister since the start of Kenney's government in April 2019. UCP backbencher Brian Jean and Danielle Smith _ both former Wildrose

Closing arguments are expected Monday at the trial of a father and son accused of murdering two Metis hunters on a rural Alberta road. Anthony Bilodeau, who is 33, and 58-year-old Roger Bilodeau face two counts each of second-degree murder and have both pleaded not guilty. Jacob Sansom, who was 39, and his 57-year-old old uncle Maurice Cardinal were found dead on the side of the road near Glendon, Alta., northeast of Edmonton, on March 28, 2020. Sansom was shot once in the chest and Cardinal was hit three times in the shoulder.

A town northeast of Edmonton has issued a warning to residents after wild boars were seen roaming local streets. A notice from Lamont says people should not corner or provoke the animals if they encounter one. A professor in Alberta says wild boars could soon move from the bush into cities after they were spotted in at least 28 rural municipalities and counties. Ryan Brook adds the animals are smart and can eat almost anything.

A judge has denied bail for a man charged with conspiracy to commit murder at a border blockade in southern Alberta. Chris Carbert, who is 45, appeared by video in Court of Queen's Bench in Lethbridge today to hear the decision after a bail hearing last Friday. Reasons for Justice Johnna Kubik's ruling are protected by a publication ban. Carbert and three other men are accused of conspiring to kill police officers at a blockade near Coutts, Alta., in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions. One of the men, Christopher Lysak, was denied bail in March. Anthony Olieni

Alberta's justice minister says the city of Edmonton is failing to keep people safe from violent crime, particularly on public transit, and he's ordering Mayor Amarjeet Sohi to provide answers. Tyler Shandro has told Sohi in a letter that he is invoking his powers under the province's Police Act to demand a report within two weeks on what the city will do to arrest a spike in serious crime. He says the province is responsible for ensuring people receive effective police services and Edmonton residents are not getting that. The mayor of Edmonton Amarjeet Sohi says the problems are directly link

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews is not ruling out a run to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative party leader and premier. Toews says there would be a number of factors to consider, including what the rules of the race will be. But he says interest in the leadership race can be good for the party and the province. The party is working on the logistics of the race, but the vote is not expected for months. Two other cabinet ministers _ Rajan Sawhney and Jason Nixon _have also said they are considering running. U-C-P backbencher Brian Jean and former Wildrose party Leader Danielle Smi

Alberta's legislature has wrapped up a tumultuous spring sitting, which may be followed by a new premier when politicians return to the house this fall. Government House Leader Jason Nixon says the United Conservative government delivered on a range of issues,.There was more money for health care, a cut to the province's portion of gasoline taxes, and a balanced budget for the first time in years. The Opposition N-D-P says the sitting will be remembered for the government failing to offer substantive relief on sharply rising energy and food costs. The sitting was overshadowed last week by the

A Calgary man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for terrorism-related acts with the militant group Islamic State. Thirty-six-year-old Hussein Borhot pleaded guilty last month to participating in terrorism group activity and kidnapping for a terrorist group while in Syria. A judge accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence lawyers, who recommended eight years on the first count and another four years for the kidnapping. The judge also imposed a lifetime firearms ban and ordered Borhot's D-N-A be submitted to a national database.

A man who admitted to terrorism-related acts with the militant group Islamic State is to be sentenced today in a Calgary courtroom. Hussein Borhot, who is 36, has pleaded guilty to one count of participating in terrorism group activity between May 9, 2013, and June 7, 2014, as well as to kidnapping for a terrorist group while in Syria. RCMP arrested him in July 2020 after a seven-year investigation. An agreed statement of facts read in court last month said Borhot travelled to Syria through Turkey to join the Islamic State. The statement said he signed up as a fighter, received substantial tr