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

The union for Calgary police officers is telling members to remove so-called 'thin blue line (TBL)' patches from their uniforms. The issue came to a head earlier this year when the police commission directed officers to remove the patches by the end of March. The commission had earlier said the decision to prohibit the symbol was made for reasons including its contentious association with colonialism and racism. Officers have until May 31 to remove the patches, although there was no word on how that will be enforced.

An Ontario judge has ruled that an Alberta woman who helped organize protests that gridlocked Ottawa streets for weeks can remain on bail until her trial. The judge says Tamara Lich (LEECH) of Medicine Hat has followed her bail conditions and has had a ``taste of jail'' which has lowered her risk of reoffending. The judge says Lich did not breach her bail conditions when she agreed to receive an award. Lich faces charges of mischief, obstructing police, intimidation and counselling others to commit mischief. She was released in March with a long list of conditions, including a ban from all so

A southern Alberta town has endorsed a community-developed policy that bans new coal exploration and coal mines in the Rocky Mountains. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says in a news release that High River has joined 30 organizations to endorse the document called ``A Coal Policy for Alberta _ 2022 and Beyond.' The society says the document provides details on how to address concerns Albertans have related to coal development. Two years ago, the provincial government revoked a policy that had protected areas from coal mining, but a public outcry forced the government to reverse cour

Police in Edmonton say they're going to be highly visible as part of a strategy to deal with increasing violence in areas like the downtown, Chinatown and the city's light-rail stations. They say Phase 1 of Project Connection will begin with a high saturation of police resources in key areas, using members from various beats. A 36-year-old man faces two counts of second-degree murder following the deaths of two men in their 60s in Edmonton's Chinatown last week. A 20-year-old man, meanwhile, faces a charge of aggravated assault after a 78-year-old woman was pushed from a platform onto light-ra