Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she welcomes a range of views within her United Conservative Party caucus after one of her MLAs publicly supported a petition calling for a referendum on provincial separation. Speaking on her provincewide radio show Saturday, Smith said her government remains committed to a “sovereign Alberta within a united Canada,” despite comments from Jason Stephan, the MLA for Red Deer-South and her parliamentary secretary for constitutional affairs. Stephan wrote in an opinion piece published Friday that he supports a citizen-led petition to trigger a referendum o

A Red Deer, Alta., man has been sentenced to 17 years in a United States federal prison after pleading guilty in a child exploitation sting tied to a planned trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. According to U.S. court documents, James Hjelmeland, 31, pleaded guilty in November to attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material. The case stems from an undercover operation involving a Florida law enforcement officer. Court records state Hjelmeland began communicating online with a detective who was posing as the parent of a 12-year-old girl. The officer, acting in

Alberta’s government says it will introduce legislation in the coming weeks to establish a provincewide code of conduct governing municipal councils, along with third-party oversight for ethics complaints. Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams said the proposed changes are intended to prevent misuse of local rules and improve public trust in elected officials. According to the minister, the legislation would bring in independent investigators to review complaints and would require public disclosure of municipal officials’ salaries. The move follows a 2025 decision by Premier Danielle Smi

The Calgary Flames have released a new “South Asian Celebration” logo as the team prepares to host its third annual themed game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. According to a team announcement, the logo is part of ongoing efforts to recognize and celebrate Calgary’s South Asian community during a dedicated game night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The initiative includes cultural elements and in-game programming designed to highlight South Asian heritage. The Flames have held the annual celebration event since 2024, aligning with broader National Hockey League efforts to promot

The remaining recall petitions targeting members of Alberta’s governing United Conservative caucus have failed to meet the required threshold, according to Elections Alberta. In an update, the agency said petitions seeking to unseat Justice Minister Mickey Amery and United Conservative MLAs Justin Wright, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk and Ron Wiebe did not gather enough verified signatures within the legislated time period. The outcome means all recall efforts launched since late last year against Premier Danielle Smith and members of her United Conservative Party caucus have either been withdra

Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney will participate in two public debates this spring on the question of provincial separation, facing off against a Calgary lawyer who supports Alberta leaving Canada. The first debate is scheduled for May at a member-only conference hosted by Civitas Canada, a conservative non-profit, in Edmonton. Conference materials say both sides share a goal of “economic fairness for Alberta,” with Kenney and lawyer Keith Wilson debating whether staying in or leaving Canada best allows the province to “fulfil their destiny.” A second debate is planned for Calgary

Residents in Wetaskiwin, a city south of Edmonton, say frustration is growing over a lack of information surrounding restrictions placed on Mayor Joe Branco that have kept him out of city hall for more than two months. Branco has been attending council meetings virtually since mid-January. The city has said the decision relates to “confidential personnel matters,” but has not provided further details, citing privacy obligations. According to statements made during recent council discussions, the lack of public information has contributed to speculation in the community. Resident Maggie Tol

Alberta RCMP say a suspect remains at large following a fatal shooting on a highway south of Edmonton earlier this month, with investigators still working to determine a motive. According to an RCMP news release, the shooting occurred near Leduc on the afternoon of March 14. Witnesses reported seeing a pickup truck pull up alongside a car before speeding away. Police say the driver of the car had been shot. He managed to pull over to the side of the road, where he later died. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said officers have since located the grey pickup truck believed to be involved, b

Danielle Smith says she is extending condolences to the families of those killed following a crash involving an Air Canada Express flight in New York City. In a statement, Smith said she shares sympathies with the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident. According to Air Canada, the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members at the time of the crash, which occurred late Sunday after arriving in New York. The airline said both the pilot and co-pilot were killed. Both were identified as Canadian. U.S. authorities said 41 people were tr