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Today, the federal New Democratic Party selected its new leader. It is clear that the direction of the federal party under this new leader, someone who openly cheered for the defeat of the Alberta NDP government, is not in the interests of Alberta. Last year, Alberta’s New Democrats voted overwhelmingly to make membership in the federal party optional. Many thousands of our provincial members, including myself, are not members of the federal party. We are a big tent and welcome the support of people who vote for every federal party. We believe in Alberta and we believe in Canadian energy and the good jobs it creates. We believe in more pipelines and in reducing emissions. We believe in strong public services and a strong jobs-driven economy to help pay for them. This is what we are fighting for every day. Albertans deserve federal leaders who understand the importance of Alberta and our essential role in the federation. Our focus is not on what the federal NDP says or does. Our fight is with Danielle Smith and the separatist UCP. Albertans deserve a better government, and we are here to be that better government.

Yes.

As Conservatives gather in Calgary for this week's convention, they can tell themselves two competing stories about the party's current standing and its medium-term prospects. One reading is broadly optimistic. For much of 2023 and 2024, the Conservatives dominated national politics. The party has impressively expanded its coalition with notable inroads among younger voters and blue-collar Canadians. In April’s election, it won its largest share of the popular vote since 1988. It has the largest voter base of any party by nearly 10 percentage points. It continues to hold its support with the vast majority who voted for it in 2025. It has big issue advantages on the economy, affordability, and cost of living. And it boasts the most impressive fundraising machine in Canadian political history. But there’s another interpretation, and it's hard to dismiss. The party still lost the 2025 election and remains in second place. Poilievre’s personal unfavourability numbers are stubbornly high. The Conservatives have struggled to define themselves in a political environment shaped by Trump-induced insecurity. And there are signs the party is pressing up against a firm ceiling of popular support. If the Conservatives were to lose the next general election, it would mark a fifth consecutive defeat and predictably lead to existential questions about the party itself. These two readings aren’t mutually exclusive. They’re competing stories about a party at a genuine fork in the road. External forces will obviously shape the terrain. But Conservatives still retain agency over which path they take. This week's convention, then, is about more than Poilievre's own leadership. It's about which story wins out and what ultimately the party does to make that story true.

Canada allows signature collection for an Alberta independence referendum Alberta’s Elections Commission has approved an initiative to hold a referendum on the province’s secession from Canada, clearing the way for independence supporters to begin collecting signatures. By early January, the Alberta Prosperity Project must appoint a financial officer before officially launching the campaign. The proposed ballot question asks: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be part of Canada and become an independent country?” Organizers have four months to gather at least 178,000 signatures from Alberta residents. Alberta is Canada’s main oil-producing province, holding an estimated 95–97% of the country’s proven oil reserves. Earlier this year, a similar attempt was blocked after a court ruled the wording unconstitutional. The provincial government later amended the rules for citizen-initiated referendums, allowing activists to rephrase the question and reapply. Located in western Canada, Alberta borders the U.S. state of Montana to the south. It joined Canada in 1905. The provincial capital is Edmonton, the largest city is Calgary, and the population exceeds 4 million.