Lethbridge police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with a sexual assault and incidents of indecent acts targeting women and girls near a green strip in the city. Police said the incident occurred on Sept. 16 near the 1500 block of Lakeview Drive along the Coalbanks Trail, where a 41-year-old woman who was out walking was sexually assaulted. The investigation found that the accused had allegedly committed indecent acts in the same area in August, including in front of girls, one of whom was an eight-year-old child. Police arrested the suspect in the same area on Sept. 17. His ident

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is rejecting a claim by United Conservative Party president Rob Smith that her government is keeping its messaging neutral on the question of whether Alberta should remain in Canada. The premier said Monday that she has been clear about her position and that the provincial government’s $4-million advertising campaign promotes Alberta remaining a sovereign province within a united Canada. Smith has repeatedly said she plans to vote for Alberta to remain in Canada. The issue centres on Question 10 in Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum. Voters will be asked whether Al

Alberta’s government has temporarily changed the rules governing the province’s voter lists following a privacy breach. Under the new policy, the official voter lists provided to political parties will contain only the number of voters in each voting area and municipality. Previously, the lists included registered voters’ names, home addresses, phone numbers and other personal information. Elections Alberta shared the lists with political parties, MLAs and candidates for purposes such as election campaigning and fundraising. The changes follow the public release of a database containing

A UCP constituency group in Alberta’s Highwood riding has called for a leadership review of Premier Danielle Smith amid growing tensions over the province’s upcoming separation referendum. The dispute comes ahead of the October 19 referendum on whether Alberta should remain part of Canada. Smith has clearly stated that she supports a united Canada with a more autonomous Alberta and is campaigning for the province to remain in Canada. Her position has angered separatist groups. Alberta Prosperity Project leader Mitch Sylvester and other separatist figures have accused Smith of dividing the

A Calgary YouTuber accused of making death threats against Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to appear in court again today. The accused, Jamie Da Costa, was previously denied bail and ordered to remain in custody. He is currently being held at the Calgary Remand Centre. Da Costa has been charged under Section 264.1(1)(a) of the Criminal Code with uttering threats to cause the death of Canada’s prime minister. According to the RCMP, police were notified on July 28 that a video containing the alleged threats had been posted on a YouTube account. Court documents indicate the inc

Former Alberta Conservative MLA Drew Barnes has announced plans to establish a new federal political party called Alberta Now, aimed at representing Alberta’s interests in Ottawa. Barnes says many Albertans feel they are not receiving adequate representation in Ottawa. The party would operate in a model similar to the Bloc Québécois and plans to field candidates only in Alberta’s 37 federal ridings. According to Barnes, Alberta Now will focus on smaller government, lower taxes, greater choice in government programs, more provincial autonomy and increased provincial control over areas su

An Alberta man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of sexual assaults against vulnerable women at a rural property near Calgary. Richard Robert Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offences, including drugging one of his victims, in incidents that occurred between 2019 and 2023. He was also found guilty of uttering threats against another woman. The court heard that most of the victims worked in the sex trade. Justice Judith Shriar said Mantha showed “callous disrespect” when he laughed as one terrified victim fled his rural property, fearing for her life. Mantha received cre

A new report commissioned by the Alberta government estimates that the cost of separating Alberta from Canada could reach $170 billion during the first five years. The report, prepared by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, estimates the transition could cost at least $50 billion, with the upper-end estimate reaching $170 billion. The costs would include building new infrastructure, hiring and transitioning staff, and covering Alberta’s share of the federal debt. The report examines two possible scenarios for separation. One assumes a relatively smooth and cooperative tra

Thousands of Safeway workers in Alberta could go on strike after UFCW Local 401 issued a strike notice to parent company Sobeys. The union says workers could walk off the job at midnight on October 7 if no agreement is reached through negotiations. The proposed strike date falls just before the Thanksgiving weekend. The move comes after nearly a year of negotiations between the union and the company. Workers are seeking better wages, improved benefits, job security and safer stores. UFCW Local 401 president Thomas Hesse said workers do not want a strike but want a fair agreement. He warned tha