The federal government says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's application for a judicial review of Ottawa's carbon levy is nothing more than political posturing. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Justice Minister Arif Virani say it's disappointing, but not surprising, that Smith is engaging in a ``political stunt'' ahead of her United Conservative Party leadership review this weekend. They say the temporary exemption for home heating oil is meant to give time to switch to cheaper forms of home heating and that the Supreme Court has signed off on the legality of the levy.

A new bill aimed at strengthening child care safety in Alberta will be tabled in the Legislature on Wednesday. Several child care centres across the province have been subjected to closures in months past for varying health and safety violations. In August, three calgary daycare programs were forced to close their doors after the government said they posed an “imminent danger” to the health and safety of kids. Earlier this month, two daycares in Edmonton were closed over safety concerns. The province has said compliance issues are often found through routine inspections of licensed child

Premier Danielle Smith says Alberta has applied for a judicial review of Ottawa's exemption of the carbon levy on home heating oil. She says it's "blatantly" unfair to Albertans who rely on natural gas to heat their homes and that relief can’t wait with cold winter weather coming. Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery says it took about a year for the province to assemble its legal argument and he expects it to take another year to work its way through court. Amery says providing a benefit to those who use heating oil, predominantly in Atlantic Canada, undermines what's supposed to be a nati

The Alberta government is proposing changes to the provincial Bill of Rights aimed at giving residents the right to refuse medical treatments, including vaccines. But there would be exemptions around whether the person has the capacity to consent, and if they are likely to harm themselves or others. Justice Minister Mickey Amery says the United Conservative government wants to make it clear no one will be forced to receive a treatment they don't want. But Premier Danielle Smith says the legislation is worded in such a way that it wouldn't conflict with the U-C-P's plans to allow polic

The federal government says Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan haven’t formally responded to an offer of funding to tackle homelessness. But Alberta’s minister in charge of the file says the province isn't saying no and his officials have been actively meeting with Ottawa on the file.Ottawa committed $250 million over two yearsin its budget to provide more shelter spaces, transitional homes, harm reduction spaces and services.Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser said in a Tuesday statement that the three provinces have yet to officially get on board.Fraser said he reached out with a Sept. 1

The Alberta government has announced 250 units of interim housing for Jasper, Alta., residents displaced by a wildfire this summer. Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon says the housing will cost the province $112 million, and the units will be rented at or near market rates. The July wildfire destroyed one-third of the tourist town's structures, including more than 800 units of housing. Nixon says it's still being determined how many of the interim housing units will be single occupancy and how many will be designed for families. Mayor Richard Ireland says the ne

The Alberta government says long-term care and supportive living programs will no longer be under the purview of the provincial Health Ministry. Instead, Seniors and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon will be responsible for continuing care programs across Alberta. The change comes as part of the provincial government's health-care system overhaul that is seeing Alberta Health Services broken up into four new agencies, including one responsible for continuing care. Nixon says details about the new agency, such as what it will be called and when it will be operational, are still being final

Alberta's government has launched a national ad campaign targeting the federal government's incoming emissions cap for the oil and gas sector.Premier Danielle Smith says it's a de facto production cap that would kill jobs and stifle the economy. The province's $7-million ``Scrap the Cap'' campaign also says the federal regulations expected later this year would make groceries, gas and all of life's necessities even more expensive. University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe says he believes the emissions cap is bad policy, but the argument that it would drive up gas, and therefore grocery,

A former Alberta justice minister is to be sanctioned after the provincial law society determined he undermined respect for the administration of justice'' when he phoned Edmonton's police chief after receiving a traffic ticket. The Law Society of Alberta cited Kaycee Madu for the 2021 Call last year, and a hearing took place in June. In a hearing report, committee members say Madu's conduct is worthy of sanction, although a punishment has yet to be determined. The report says the committee is to reconvene to determine a proper sanction, which could amount to a suspension or even disbarment.