Edmonton Journal

Winter is coming — and so is the federal conservative leadership vote. The race made its way to Edmonton this week, with 13 of the 14 candidates debating policy as one held his own special fireside chat with supporters (sans fireside). Join host Emma Graney along with guests Stuart Thomson, Dave Breakenridge and Graham Thomson to talk about that, along with this week's throne speech and Premier Rachel Notley's trip to Washington D.C. Good stuff from the Gallery Dave's pick: This sad story about an Edmo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alberta's third quarter economic forecast was released by Finance Minister Joe Ceci this week — spoiler alert, the deficit's still pegged for $10.8 billion. Join Press Gallery host Emma Graney along with guests Stuart Thomson and Paula Simons to take a look at what that means for Alberta's coffers, and how one of them almost failed accounting at university. The team also talks transparency — or the lack thereof — at the child intervention panel and in how the Government of Alberta treats freedom of i Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a two-and-a-half-year battle to get the number of threats made against premiers to the current runaway, blazing clown car that is the PC leadership race, the Press Gallery team this week walk through a week of Alberta politics that revolved around the letter T. Host Emma Graney is joined by guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Keith Gerein to talk about those issues, as well as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Europe and Canada, and what that means for Alberta farmers. Good Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the province overhauls Alberta's curriculum, The Press Gallery looks at how that has been politicized and the worries faced by volunteers taking part in the process. Join host Emma Graney with guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson as they talk learnin' at schools and funding from the government for education about broad climate change issues. The team also address the potential political fallout from the attack of a care worker at Elk Island Child and Youth Ranch. Good stuff from the g Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A panel tasked with reforming the child intervention system began in Edmonton this week, but the fact it's not being recorded in Hansard or anywhere else has some folks worried about the veil of secrecy that continues to surround the system. Join Press Gallery podcast host Emma Graney along with guests Sarah O'Donnell, Paula Simons and Stuart Thomson as they talk about the panel, an inquiry into the tragic death of a care worker, and how Alberta politics reacted to the U.S. travel ban and the Quebec mosque Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Progressive Conservative leadership race developed even more twists this week as Wildrose leader Brian Jean threw his weight behind a Jason Kenney plan to unite the right in Alberta politics. On the same day, one leadership hopeful, Stephen Khan, dropped out, and another, Richard Starke, announced a plan to work in a coalition with Wildrose to stamp out vote splitting. Join host Emma Graney who chats with guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson to discuss what that means for conservativ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From this week's cabinet shuffle to the newly announced child intervention panel and the PC leadership race with more twists and turns than a grand prix race track, The Press Gallery team reviews this week in Alberta politics. Join host Emma Graney with guests Dave Breakenridge, Paula Simons and Stuart Thomson to look back at this week. Good stuff from the gallery Dave's picks: This piece in the Edmonton Journal by Liane Faulder about how kitchen culture can lead to mental illness and addiction, and th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From 1980s aerobic star Jane Fonda to Finance Minister Joe Ceci, join host Emma Graney with guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson to take a look at who felt the burn in Alberta politics this week. The team talks oil sands and celebrity, pipelines, not-so-public public consultations and the PC leadership race. Good stuff from the gallery Stuart's pick: The inside story of the Kinder Morgan pipeline approval by Postmedia's Peter O'Neil. Paula's pick: As the Trump administration draws near Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As people ease out of their holidays, the province has already seen a new tax, a ruling about Alberta's largest homeschooling association and an MLA fined by the ethics commissioner. Join host Emma Graney with guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson, and special guest Janet French, to take a look back at the first week of 2017. Good stuff from the gallery Stuart's pick: A New York Times piece on the Afghan War and the evolution of Obama. Paula's pick: A fascinating read titled Nomads no m Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join host Emma Graney to test your 2016 Alberta politics knowledge against panel regulars Sarah O'Donnell, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson, in the Press Gallery podcast's annual year-end quiz. Good stuff from the gallery Paula's pick: A play that's probably not for the whole family, Burning Bluebeard, presented by Edmonton Actors Theatre. It tells the tale of six singed clowns who emerge from the burnt remains of a theatre to perform their spectacular Christmas Pantomime. Sarah's pick: Nieman Journalis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past few weeks, question period in the Alberta Legislature has been dominated by the death of four-year-old Serenity, who died while in government care. It all came to a head this week with more questions around when the RCMP received case files necessary for their investigation. The result was a call for the resignation of Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir — but he's not going anywhere. Join host Emma Graney as she chats with Edmonton Journal columnists Paula Simons and Graham Thomson, and op Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Press Gallery #161: The Pipes, Polls and Perps edition For those who haven’t heard, there was a little announcement out of Ottawa this week that could have a profound impact on Alberta and the fortunes of its political parties. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government has approved two pipeline projects touted to improve Alberta’s economy, raise the price the province can get for its oil and increase production in the oilsands. Trudeau credited the pipeline approvals to Premier Rachel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why you gotta be so mean, Alberta? Now MLA Sandra Jansen has been assigned a security detail. The Press Gallery podcast team Sarah O'Donnell, Paula Simons and Stuart Thomson join host Emma Graney to talk about Jansen's first speech as an NDP MLA this week, and politicians from all sides of the house vowing to do better, as they call for more human interactions on their social media channels. The podcast team also takes a look at the raft of power announcements made by government this week, including elect Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It wasn't quite a square dance, but PC MLA Sandra Jansen crossing the floor to the NDP this week certainly had a swing your partner round and round feel to it. Join The Press Gallery podcast team Paula Simons, Sarah O'Donnell, Keith Gerein and host Emma Graney as they talk through the ramifications of Jansen's switch, the kerfuffle around a PC delegate selection meeting on Wednesday night and the NDP's announcement about affordable childcare. Good stuff from the gallery Sarah's pick: NPR's Marketplace po Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the same day that the U.S. failed to elect its first female president, the only two women running for leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative party withdrew from the race, one of them citing harassment. Join host, legislative reporter Emma Graney, along with columnists Graham Thomson and Paula Simons, and opinion page editor Sarah O'Donnell, as they talk about the effect that might have on women in politics. The team also discuss a scathing report by the auditor general about Alberta's Assure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's only the first week back for the fall sitting of the Alberta legislature, and we've already seen the government get into trouble in the legislature over its carbon tax ads, and an all-party committee dissolved because members couldn't play nicely with one another. That, Alberta politics, is why you can't have nice things. Join legislative reporter and host Emma Graney as she chats with Edmonton Journal columnists Graham Thomson and Paula Simons, and legislative reporter Stuart Thomson, about highlight Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Press Gallery #156: The Getting Schooled edition Forget ghosts and goblins, the real scare this week came from a showdown between Alberta Education and a private, home-schooling association accused of misusing public dollars. While some critics say the NDP acted too harshly when it pulled the group’s funding and accreditation, others suggest the private school sector is long overdue for this kind of scrutiny. If that controversy isn’t sufficient to cause a tremble, the state of Edmonton’s dilap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Premier Rachel Notley took to a Calgary stage, in front of an invited audience, for a State of the Province address. The Press Gallery team take a look at what she said and what it means. Join host, legislative reporter Emma Graney, along with guests Sarah O'Donnell, the Journal's opinion page editor, city columnist Paula Simons and reporter Stuart Thomson as they talk speeches, this week's polling numbers, political fundraising in Alberta and a new government initiative called Future Ready. Go Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Friday morning, we heard about the death of former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, who was killed, along with three others, in a plane crash in B.C. This week, The Press Gallery podcast team Stuart Thomson, city columnist Paula Simons and legislative columnist Graham Thomson join host, politics reporter Emma Graney, to take a look back at Prentice's time in politics and the legacy he left Alberta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alberta politics seemed to take on the fizzy tingle of a carbonated beverage this week, after the federal government announced a carbon tax and parties here responded — and not positively. Between Rachel Notley saying the Liberal plan would not get support until there's a pipeline and Opposition Leader Brian Jean saying the whole idea stinks, there wasn't a whole lot of love for Ottawa in Alberta. The Edmonton Journal's Press Gallery podcast guests Stuart Thomson, Paula Simons and Graham Thomson join hos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices