The new leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party is to be sworn in as the province's 19th premier today. Danielle Smith won the leadership race to replace Premier Jason Kenney last Thursday. Smith is scheduled to hold a media availability with reporters this afternoon following her first cabinet meeting. She has said a new cabinet will be announced October 21st. Smith doesn't have a seat in the legislature but announced over the weekend that she will run in a byelection in Brooks-Medicine Hat. That seat became vacant when the constituency's current representative, Michaela Frey, resigned

Danielle Smith will become Alberta's new premier after winning the leadership of the United Conservative Party. Smith, a former leader of the Wildrose Party, captured nearly 54 per cent of the vote on the sixth round of the preferential ballot, defeating second-place candidate Travis Toews (TAVES) and five rivals. ``I'm back,'' Smith told a cheering crowd last night at the B-M-O Centre in Calgary. She says it is time for Alberta to take its place as a senior partner in building a strong and unified Canada, and that Alberta will no longer ask permission from Ottawa to be prosperous and free. Th

A Calgary father has been sentenced to two years in prison for failing to provide the necessaries of life for his severely disabled adult son. Jonathon Grunewald and Malinda Phillips entered guilty pleas in January. Court had earlier heard that the now 29-year-old man with severe cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and brain damage was mostly confined to his bedroom for more than five years. When he was rushed to hospital in October 2020 in critical condition he weighed only 43 pounds. Before he was sentenced, Grunewald told the court he takes full responsibility for his "lack of action'' in th

Alberta's provincial court is getting a new name. The provincial government says the court will be renamed the Alberta Court of Justice to better represent its responsibilities. The change comes into effect on April 1, 2023. A news release says the name change was requested by the provincial court and that it better describes the relationship between citizens and the justice they seek from the court. Chief Judge Derek Redman says in the release that the trial-level court has grown in size and complexity and the name change reflects that growth. The change is being implemented as part of work b

United Conservative Party leadership candidate Danielle Smith says if she wins this week's vote and becomes the next Alberta premier, she would not call an early election to seek a broad mandate on her policy ideas. Smith, the perceived front-runner in the race, says the public tends to punish leaders who call an early election. She says she would wait until the next scheduled election in May 2023, but believes she has a mandate now to proceed with her plans. Smith has said she would immediately pass an Alberta sovereignty act, which would allow the province to ignore federal laws and court ru

The Alberta government has announced more than $124 million over two years for addiction and mental health services in Edmonton and Calgary, with another $63 million aimed at reducing homelessness in the province over the same period. The funding for Edmonton and Calgary will go toward increasing treatment spaces while expanding addiction services, with $70 million earmarked for capital spending and $54 million to assist operations. A 75-bed, co-ed long-term treatment facility is planned to be operational in Edmonton by the end of 2023, while a similar facility is to be built in Calgary by ear

The City of Edmonton is considering a big expansion of its network of bicycle lanes. City councillors have voted to push forward a proposal to add 100 kilometres of bike lanes at a cost of 170-million dollars. Edmonton currently has about 15 kilometres of protected bike lanes, mostly in the city centre. Edmonton may spend $170 million to build 100 km of New bike lanes by 2026 A decision will come after the proposal is debated during budget talks this fall.

R-C-M-P say arrests have been made after a shooting in central Alberta. A man was shot outside the Leland Hotel in Ponoka a week ago. The Mounties say they, with the help of Calgary police, arrested two people at Cascade Ponds in Banff National Park on Monday. Eldon James Junior Saddleback of Maskwacis (mask-wah-CHEEZ') and Anthony Kelsey Lee Omeasoo of Wetaskiwin (weh-TAH'-ska-WIN') are both charged with attempted murder with a firearm and a number of other offences. Both Saddleback and Omeasoo have been remanded in custody with their next court appearance set for Sept. 29 in Wetaskiwin.

A motorist in southern Alberta has been convicted of distracted driving for the 13th time. The 40-year-old man appeared in Airdrie provincial court Tuesday after receiving a mandatory summons and was fined $2,000 in addition to the $300 ticket. Distracted driving became illegal in the province on Sept. 1, 2011, and the man received his first ticket for distracted driving on the same day. Since then, he has paid a total of $7,655 in fines for the 13 offences. Sgt. Darrin Turnbull says the RCMP wanted to bring attention to this case to make Albertans aware of how much these penalties can add up.