Lisa Johnson

What a chain of events

Jeffrey Rath and Mitch Sylvestre were terminated from their roles with the Alberta Prosperity Project "with cause" in September. This is particularly strange, since both men were at the group's referendum watch party and spoke to media on its behalf.

Gonna be a busy week here in 'Berta: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/alb...

SCOOP: The Alberta govt recommended a compay linked to Sam Mraiche for a contract to build a $35-million recovery centre on a First Nation near Calgary, according to the community's former lawyer www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... By @tomcardoso.bsky.social and friend

Howdy! Alberta separatists + American Republicans. Read all about it. --> www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... By Nathan VanderKlippe, Grant Robertson, and friend.

UCP support has plunged in Calgary and outside major cities www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... and the independence movement is now below 25% support. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... It’s Janet Brown/CBC poll time, folks!

To put 23% support for a Leave referendum in perspective… The separatist movement is now statistically closer to Zero than it is to a 50% popular majority. The referendum is 24 days from now. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

If Alberta leaves Canada, it will need up to $170B and 70,000 civil servants: report nationalnewswatch.com/2026/09/16/i...

Guthrie said support for his party is different than support for the UCP because, in his mind, Smith's party is no longer a truly conservative entity, but rather a “purely populist government.” "We do not have a conservative government, so you're not splitting anything," said Guthrie.

Alberta First Nation aims to set up safe haven for gender-affirming care Saddle Lake has set up a GoFundMe to pay for expected legal challenges and develop the health law it says it needs. It’s also trying to recruit doctors. By @reportrix.bsky.social www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Alberta's Smith to meet with U.S. officials next week amid trade war Smith’s going to Tennessee for vacay — but her office says after talks broke down last week she’s scheduled meetings with tourism officials in Dolly’s state. www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Federal health minister Marjorie Michel warns Alberta’s plan to expand private care may violate federal law. Bill 11 allows some physicians to provide publicly covered care while offering some privately paid services, by @raisapatel.bsky.social www.thestar.com/politics/hea... via @thestar.com

This is such an exceptional read. I like that it made me uncomfortable about the future and reality but with really compelling writing so then I’m invited to tag along so I feel smart and I learned stuff and it feels fun. Happy Canada Day 🇨🇦

SCOOP: I obtained the itinerary and other documents relating to Edmonton police Chief Warren Driechel’s February 2026 Israel trip. @mbueckert.bsky.social of @cjpme.org says it’s “much worse than any of us expected.” open.substack.com/pub/theorcha...

Rather than say he supports remaining in Canada like other Danielle Smith ministers have, Transportation Min. Devin Dreeshen said the onus is on Ottawa to fight to keep Canada together. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

There is no expiration date on the Alberta paper health card. As per the one health ministry that rules them all, you can use that paper puppy for a while. If you want/need a new/renewed ID card/drivers licence, that’s when your “strong and free” status becomes NOT optional, with the fee.

Alberta's Smith says law will be enforced if separation vote spurs civil disobedience nationalnewswatch.com/2026/06/05/a...

From 2020 as “anarchy” was afoot. The bill, still on the books, was spurred by federal regs, and “the general atmosphere of lawlessness that we have seen take hold of parts of our country and much of our economic infrastructure in the past three weeks,” said Kenney at the time: l1nq.com/1ryprde

“If they’re ignoring courts, ignoring the rulings, it shows to me that they are lawless,” Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said of Smith’s UCP. Immediately brought to mind today was Kenney’s anti-protest law, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act (2020): globalnews.ca/news/1189105...

Yeah. There’s that. There’s also some wiggle room in terms of the timeline. The Alberta government didn’t give a drop dead paper health card date. Nally expects the switch will take six years — no doubt because some people can renew driver’s licences for five years. Like now. Between now and July 2

Lest some Albertans take this statement from the premier's office to mean it's optional ... Dear reader, it is mandatory. www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Former judge — and UCP donor — tapped to chair new Alberta panel redrawing electoral boundaries UCP backbenchers claim the past donations doesn’t mean the former justice will bring partisanship to the job. By @reportrix.bsky.social: ca.news.yahoo.com/former-alber...

What a colourful opinion.

Holding a separation referendum in hopes it loses and the movement withers away, eh, Premier Smith? Ask a Brit or Quebecer how that turns out. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... by me

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith blames Liberal MPs, NDP leader Avi Lewis, and unnamed leaders in BC, for the national unity crisis that erupted after she announced a secession referendum: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... w @mattscace.bsky.social

Alberta must be ‘at the centre’ of making Canada better, Carney says globalnews.ca/news/1186022... Find out more at nationalnewswatch.com

Smith says Alberta separatists should aim to win fall vote and respect the result nationalnewswatch.com/2026/05/22/s...

I'm so very pooped. @jack-farrell.bsky.social w/ reaction from Stay Free Alberta's Jeff Rath on Smith today. “I think Danielle just kicked over a hornet’s nest,” Rath said in an interview. “It remains to be seen whether she’s still premier come September.” www.timescolonist.com/national-new...

If the past is any indication, you will likely see a flood of misinformation about this, if you haven't already. Here is the #ableg committee meeting today in full: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8SA...

We could see the Alberta government call a referendum tomorrow when the committee comes back at 2pm. The Lukaszuk question, you ask? From the retracted UCP release: "Albertans will be informed once Cabinet has decided whether a question will proceed to a referendum and what that question will be."

Been covering #ableg just 'bout 7 years now and I've never seen any caucus release a statement announcing a decision before the vote. UCP caucus then said: "We would like to clarify that the previous statement was inadvertently distributed in eror (sic). Please disregard the earlier communication."

Something from me with retirement looming: A Substack, with some advice for reporters interested in covering politics. #mbpoli substack.com/@stevelamber...

Eight of us weigh in on the court's separatist petition ruling. thewalrus.ca/alberta-sepa...

Tight read, some intriguing forward looking analysis. Thought I had absorbed all the referendum talk this province could offer and then comes this reference to Napoleon’s plebiscites of authoritarianism. Missed opportunity for certain X accounts to make AI of Smith in Napoleonic war gear on a horse

When Events Demand A Flowchart open.substack.com/pub/lisayoun...

Must listen if you haven’t already - big ups to @jack-farrell.bsky.social who brings important context and facts to the discussion on the #ableg separatism court decision

Smith: "We think that this decision is incorrect in law and anti-democratic, and we will be appealing it." Nenshi, on Smith (maybe) sidestepping and calling a ballot Q anyways: "They cannot do it without defying the law." From @jack-farrell.bsky.social www.timescolonist.com/alberta-news...

This is being overshadowed with the petition news, but Elections Alberta confirmed today it actually thinks ‘thousands’ accessed the leaked voter list, not just the 566 it sent cease-and-desist letters too last week. From me & @reportrix.bsky.social: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

Late night statement hit the inbox from a lawyer for David Parker asserting Elections Alberta is pushing a false narrative about his participation in the Alberta voter list leak investigation. Here’s statement in full:

ICYMI: Elections Alberta received ** two ** tips that the Centurion Project may have had unauthorized access to Alberta's list of electors and twice said it did not have enough info to launch an investigation: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... w @mattscace.bsky.social

Separatist organizer David Parker is stonewalling investigators following allegations his org misused Alberta's list of electors www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... w @mattscace.bsky.social

Another great piece from @rwarnica.bsky.social. Gift link*: www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?... *Please subscribe to the Toronto Star, the Globe, the National Observer, and other outlets. Great journalism is expensive, and democracy isn't free.

Trying to blast through all this coverage from the Star this morning almost made me late for work. It's a must read -- all of it.

Shortly before this story went to bed, a spokesman told me Sylvestre did not literally mean much of what he said. I sent his team almost 30 fact checking questions and in at least 11, the spokesman said Sylvestre was speaking rhetorically, not literally.

Scott Sinclair has rejoined Alberta's UCP caucus — not long after voting for a public inquiry into alleged gov health care corruption and criticizing the UCP for being a “separatist party.” He says he regrets that now. By @reportrix.bsky.social: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/sports/alber...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been granted security clearance to receive briefings from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, her office confirmed. From @jack-farrell.bsky.social today globalnews.ca/news/1183942...

Alberta Premier Smith is criticizing the Opposition NDP for not telling her about a massive privacy breach involving a website after the site was demonstrated in a meeting attended by one of her caucus staffers. From @reportrix.bsky.social and me today: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/alb...

Elections Alberta says over 550 people accessed the database with the leaked personal info of nearly 3 million people under investigation. And Alberta’s privacy watchdog now says she’ll be doing her own probe too. From me and @reportrix.bsky.social: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...

“Get a grip man.” Premier Smith's adviser speaks about staffer at separatist meeting, Alberta voter list breach- and pushes back against NDP claims www.westernwheel.ca/alberta-news...