Danielle Smith invoked the Notwithstanding Clause to force teachers to return to work last fall, but was no where to be found when discussion/debate was expected shortly after the decision. Albertans learned that Smith took off on a trip to the Middle East.

At the time, people questioned the timing. Now, Albertans are learning that the trips were lavish, and apparently vetted by the Ethics Commissioner. Yet again, raising the issue that the Ethics Commissioner has long since been visibly disarmed in addressing real issues of Ethics.

#AbPoli #AbLeg #CdnPoli

#EthicalFading #AlbertaUnderSiege #AbEducation #EthicsCommissioner

https://kopitalk.net/c/canada/p/328031/alberta-s-smith-says-she-took-private-flight-on-behalf-of-saudi-government

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/alberta-legislature/article/albertas-smith-says-she-took-private-flight-on-behalf-of-saudi-government/

Alberta construction company alleges Sam Mraiche played hidden role in building of addiction sites

https://archive.is/ztn4Y

Globe and Mail’s Tom Cardoso and Carrie Tait give us the deep dive on the latest in the CorruptCare scandal, revealing allegations that Sam Mraiche continued to use his connections to the UCP to shake down other businesses for payments in exchange for government contracts.

Here, the allegations take us to Melewka Homes Ltd, owned by Lewis Semashkewich and John Semashkewich. The pair did business with a Mohamed Eldassouki. Plot twist: Eldassouki apparently is the brother-in-law of the perpetual protagonist of capitalism, Sam Mraiche. The Semashkewiches go on to allege that Mraiche introduced himself as Fred, and suggested that he had connections with high ranked officials, and he could pull contracts awarded to Melweka at any time. Fred went on to make demands for large sums of money.

Unfortunately, some of these contracts appear to involve the Addiction Recovery Centres that were once handled by AHS. But, since AHS may have been shattered into pieces for allegedly investigating the CorruptCare cluster of contracts, it has since been replaced by Recovery Alberta in 2024. At this point, it beggars belief that the UCP, Danielle Smith, and her caucus do not either resign or at least take steps to mitigate what is clearly an out-of-control conflicts of interest.

As always, the article deserves a read, and I’ll include some highlights here. You will see that some recurring characters return to the stage, including Jitendra Prasad, and Bryan Ward.

The Semashkewiches and Mr. Eldassouki began working together in 2022, according to court records, under an arrangement in which Mr. Eldassouki would help identify projects for the Semashkewiches’ business.

Not long after that, the Semashkewiches claim in the lawsuit they were introduced to a man named Fred, who told Lewis Semashkewich he would control Melewka Homes’ payments on projects identified by Mr. Eldassouki and could put an end to them at any time. In their court submissions, the Semashkewiches said it was “made apparent” to them that Fred had “considerable control” over the construction work and the government officials behind them.

According to the Semashkewiches’ court filings, they later learned that Fred was, in fact, Sam Mraiche. In addition to being Mr. Mraiche’s brother-in-law, Mr. Eldassouki has served as a senior executive at two of Mr. Mraiche’s companies, including MHCare.

…

The Semashkewiches’ deal with Mr. Eldassouki soon led to new business, the counterclaim shows. After being selected to build two apartment complexes for the Métis Nation of Alberta in 2023, in early 2024 the contractor was tapped to build recovery centres in the three Indigenous communities.

But the arrangement between the two companies would ultimately become strained as the contractor allegedly faced demands for money from Mr. Mraiche and Mr. Eldassouki on its construction projects, according to the Semashkewiches’ claim.

During one phone call between Lewis Semashkewich and Mr. Mraiche, the latter told Mr. Semashkewich he had the government connections necessary to “pull” Melewka Homes’ projects and indicated he had ties to a senior executive at the Métis Nation, a man named Aaron Barner, the Semashkewiches’ claim alleges. “I own Barner and he will do what I say,” Mr. Mraiche is alleged to have said.

After that conversation, Mr. Barner allegedly told Mr. Semashkewich that meetings between the Métis Nation and Melewka Homes were cancelled until further notice, effectively pausing the project. According to the Semashkewiches’ submission, work only resumed after Mr. Semashkewich authorized the release of funds to Mr. Eldassouki. In his court submissions, Mr. Eldassouki denies exerting pressure on the Semashkewiches or making improper requests for payment.

Mr. Barner, for his part, says in a statement of defence that he asked that the Semashkewiches cease contact in response to “repeated and improper communications” between Melewka Homes and Métis Nation personnel. Mr. Barner also denies he is a business associate of Mr. Mraiche and Mr. Eldassouki, and says he did not act on anyone’s instruction. A lawyer for Mr. Barner did not comment.

…

During another meeting, this time at MHCare’s offices, Mr. Mraiche allegedly demanded an “exorbitant amount of money” and threatened to use his connections to cancel Melewka Homes’ projects, the Semashkewiches claim in their lawsuit. To demonstrate his influence, Mr. Mraiche allegedly called “his friend J.P.,” an Alberta government insider, and put him on speakerphone. According to the Semashkewiches’ submission, Lewis Semashkewich understands this man to be Jitendra Prasad, who was then a senior procurement official for the Alberta government. Last year, The Globe documented Mr. Prasad’s involvement in the Alberta Health Services procurement controversy and his ties to Mr. Mraiche. A lawyer for Mr. Prasad did not respond to The Globe’s requests for comment.

…

The Semashkewiches also say in their court submission that the lawyer they hired to handle payments on two of the three recovery centres – and who allegedly came at the recommendation of Mr. Eldassouki – improperly sent nearly $7-million to Mr. Eldassouki’s company. Public records show that the lawyer, a man named Bryan Ward, has acted for Mr. Mraiche on several occasions, including in a civil lawsuit, in real estate transactions and in a dispute with Elections Alberta. Mr. Ward denies having acted improperly in his statement of defence, and his lawyer did not comment.

Alberta's Smith says she took private flight on behalf of Saudi government

Danielle Smith invoked the Notwithstanding Clause to force teachers to return to work last fall, but was no where to be found when discussion/debate was expected shortly after the decision. Albertans learned that Smith took off on a trip to the Middle East.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/smiths-trip-to-middle-east-draws-criticism-amid-back-to-school-mandate/

At the time, people questioned the timing. Now, Albertans are learning that the trips were lavish, and apparently vetted by the Ethics Commissioner. Yet again, raising the issue that the Ethics Commissioner has long since been visibly disarmed in addressing real issues of Ethics.

Also, in 2026, after the US started its disastrous war on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, the world quickly learned that the US was unable to control the war. In the weeks that followed, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in severe global supply shocks in oil, helium, fertilizer, among other products. Additionally, Iran has shown selective strikes to GCC countries have also resulted in massive impact to production capacity in general within the Middle East. With the economic feedback loop between the GCC and the US being rattled, there’s a real concern that the US could suffer a multi-generational blow to its reputation and its economy.

In this context, Danielle Smith technically visited a competitor in the energy sector, but also a major US ally and strategic partner in the GCC. Given the lavish sums of money spent on the visit, Danielle Smith’s trip now appears to be part of what may be a domesticating project carried out by the GCC on behalf of the US - among other parties. As Nenshi highlights, “the trip cost Alberta taxpayers some $64,000, and questioned Smith’s claim that there was limited commercial airline services between the two centres, saying it was one of the most popular commercial flight paths in the world.”

Once Albertans also recall that Smith took off on a $20,000 trip to Florida for PragerU, one has to wonder why Smith needs these lavish trips in the first place, and did they offer any value to Alberta?

Podcasters at centre of alleged Alberta health harassment campaign ask for case against them to be thrown out

https://kopitalk.net/c/canada/p/325746/podcasters-at-centre-of-alleged-alberta-health-harassment-campaign-ask-for-case-against

Alberta teachers lose injunction bid challenging government back-to-work bill

On Friday, Court of King’s Bench Justice Douglas Mah said his decision is not the end of the road for the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s (ATA) challenge, and should not be understood as an endorsement of the Alberta government’s Back to School Act.

The UCP continue to attack the public system, and teachers. The UCP violated Alberta’s teachers with the use of the Notwithstanding Clause, silencing them and disarming their ability to negotiate conditions in Alberta’s schools.

Simultaneously, the UCP are also shoring up their own supports by increasing funding to private schools at the complete expense of the public school system and society.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-government-independent-school-construction-9.7128474

https://kopitalk.net/c/canada/p/320236/in-a-provincial-first-alberta-government-to-partially-fund-independent-school-constructi

In a provincial first, Alberta government to partially fund independent school construction

Danielle Smith to push further with two-tiered education, giving greater control to the UCP to tune an elite culture and to develop more parties in the Education sector beholden to the UCP. The UCP is shoring up support and tightening the ranks as it expects greater push back on its referendums and CorruptCare backlash.

Choosing to divert money to independent school capital projects at a time the government is facing a deficit budget is baffling, said Wing Li, communications director for Support Our Students (SOS) Alberta, a public education advocacy organization.

“We find it egregious,” Li said. “When you look at the tale of two systems, the public system needs resources.”

The provincial government said because it costs the treasury less to fund the education of an independent school student, it anticipates breaking even on the school expansions within seven years.

However, Li said the money could be paying for assets the public does not own or can’t access. She said she thinks once public funding of independent school construction is normalized, the government may expand the practice.

She said the public school system should be funded adequately to serve students with disabilities so they don’t feel compelled to turn to private options.

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said on Friday that the province is now an outlier in Canada for this type of expense. He said he believes that the program should be “alarming to all Albertans,” while the public system is so underfunded.

“The fact that we’re spending public dollars on private schools makes no sense,” he said.

A judge said Edmonton police may have obstructed justice with 'veiled threat' over sentence. What happens now?

https://canlii.ca/t/kjjg2

I think the written decision of the Honourable Justice Fraser deserves a read, and I’ll include the relevant passage here as it relates to the EPS.

The EPS essentially interfered with how the Crown handled a serious case. In so doing, EPS Warren Driechel and others issued a remarkable threat to the courts to say that it would release additional information on the file if the sentence hearing was not satisfactory. The Edmonton Journal’s Wakefield walks us through the fallout.

[18] I find the actions of the Edmonton Police Service to be reprehensible. The veiled threat that they may release more information about this matter if they are not happy about the sentence I impose comes dangerously close, and may actually cross the line, into an attempt to wilfully obstruct, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in a judicial proceeding. I see little difference between the actions of Ms. Hankewich and those of former Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu.

[19] I am at a loss as to how this action conforms with the motto that every uniformed officer wears on his or her shoulder, “Integrity, Courage, Community”. This action shows no integrity.

[20] In Canada, it has long been recognized that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service are separate entities. When that separation is not present, miscarriages of justice can happen.

[21] Although it is not usually my practice when giving a decision from the Bench, I am going to read a lengthy quote from R v Regan, 2002 SCC 12, starting at para 66 that explains the importance of the separation:

The need for a separation between police and Crown functions has been reiterated in reports inquiring into miscarriages of justice which have sent innocent men to jail in Canada. The Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution, vol. 1, Findings and Recommendations (1989) (“Marshall Report”) speaks of the Crown’s duty this way: “In addition to being accountable to the Attorney General for the performance of their duties, Crown prosecutors are accountable to the courts and the public. In that sense, the Crown prosecutor occupies what has sometimes been characterized as a quasi-judicial office, a unique position in our Anglo-Canadian legal tradition” (pp. 227-28). The Marshall Report emphasizes that this role must remain distinct from (while still cooperative with) that of the police (at p. 232):

We recognize that cooperative and effective consultation between the police and the Crown is also essential to the proper administration of justice. But under our system, the policing function – that of investigation and law enforcement – is distinct from the prosecuting function. We believe the maintenance of a distinct line between these two functions is essential to the proper administration of justice.

[22] Continuing in Regan, Justice Lebel goes on to state at paragraph 87 that:

…The expectation is that both the police and the Crown will act according to their distinct roles in the process, investigating allegations of criminal behaviour, and assessing the public interest in prosecuting, respectively….

[23] I urge the senior members of the Edmonton Police Service to read Regan, and the Marshall report. Hopefully it will remind them of the role they play in the justice system and the reason a separation between the police and prosecution is required.

[24] I can assure everyone present today, and everyone involved in this case, and everyone who has an interest in this case, that I make my sentencing decision without any fear of the Edmonton Police Service’s possible actions. However, I do find that their actions go so far beyond what is acceptable conduct by the police service that it should be considered at least a somewhat mitigating factor on sentence.

Danielle Smith says court 'skewed' to Liberal donors, but UCP picks have political ties just as often

Smith’s UCP has increasingly consolidated power, it’s core comprising of monied separatists, and American Oil and Gas interests.

With the UCP party apparatus captured, and the Alberta Legislature arguably in a spiral, Smith presses the attack on the Judicial Branch of government. She intends to break the other branches in order to avoid accountability for corruption.

In “Danielle Smith says court ‘skewed’ to Liberal donors, but UCP picks have political ties just as often”, by Jason Markusoff, Smith and the UCP are caught playing word games with the public. Again, using her history in legacy media, and crafting clickbait statements for headlines, she’s cynically pinging sonar for how much public attention is directed at her.

Premier Danielle Smith wielded a striking figure earlier this month to make her case for giving her province more say in how the federal government picks upper court judges for Alberta.

“Especially since 80 per cent of the judges or so have been demonstrated to have Liberal party donations, I don’t know why anyone would think that the process we have right now is free of politics,” she told reporters.

…

This is in line with a 2023 investigation by the National Post and the Investigative Journalism Foundation. It found that while 76.3 per cent of the federally appointed judges who made donations have given to the governing Liberals, only 18.3 per cent of the 1,308 judicial and tribunal appointees examined had given to anybody at all.

This means that nationally, 14 per cent of those federal appointees gave to the Liberal party before getting picked.

Under this “theory”, I suspect that Danielle herself doesn’t even care about separation. She cares about power. If the separatists demanded that Albertans declare their undying love of Mr Clean, and they were prepared to dump the same money and energy into the UCP for that end, I suspect Danielle would shave her head instead.

I’m no separatist. I’m Canadian. But, in light of the UCP and Danielle Smith’s announcement for referendum, it’s time to point out what’s being rubbed in our collective faces: the tyranny of Alberta’s minorities have captured the UCP, and brought their asylum directly to us.

Her circle of power has money. Some of them may be real invaders. Danielle’s not going to consider the interests of all Albertans unless she’s forced to pay a massive price in either power or money or both.

We all know that polls, referendums, and even elections can be a means to an end for autocrats and dictators. They’re manipulated, they’re worded funny, they’re interpreted endlessly, and they may just be designed to waste Canada’s energy and resources.

Don’t play into what’s essentially public polling done at Canada’s expense.

Danielle’s addicted to her own supply.

https://kopitalk.net/c/canada/p/278413/the-big-questions-danielle-smith-poses-to-albertans-as-referendums

#AbPoli #AbLeg #CdnPoli

#AlbertaUnderSiege #CorruptCare

The big questions Danielle Smith poses to Albertans as referendums

Desperation Is Not Policy

There was once a time when Alberta’s politicians had some tact when dealing with the public. But, with a Premier facing allegations of corruption, she’s giving Alberta one of the most cynical displays of political survival Canada has ever seen. A display that the Premier backed herself into, and is spiralling down. We’re in a death spiral of sorts because Smith has started a loop of incentives that she won’t stop chasing. She’s not just ready to sell the metaphorical family farm, she’s prepared to dump all the family savings and the kids college funds into a new crypto coin she learned about last week and her wallet password is jesustakethewheel.

https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/the-new-country-albertas-separatist-minority-is-dreaming-of-would-never-be-a-real-democracy/

https://albertaviews.ca/the-case-for-sticking-around/

If Canadians were to look at Smith at face value, then perhaps the issue may be Alberta seeking a new identity that’s separate and distinct from Canada. An overwhelming majority of Albertans are not interested in separating from Canada. Full stop. For God’s sake we can’t even get a hockey team to win the Stanley Cup with some of the greatest players on the planet, there’s no way there’s enough competence here to run the full affairs of a state. For Canadians then, I suggest to you that the issue out of Alberta is not separation, but rather Danielle Smith’s interests of self-preservation.

A look over some of the articles related to separation and for Canada fall into two groups. In one group would be warnings of some of the negative things that Albertans can expect from separation. In the other group, are generally highlights of the positives of remaining in Canada.

I’ve Got A Question

But, rather than revisiting the merits of Canada, which others have already done so eloquently, I want to do what you might expect, and look at Danielle Smith. There’s plenty of material out there to review so I’ll keep it brief by recapping these core points:

First, Albertans are aware of the CorruptCare cluster of contracts to varying degrees. But regardless of public engagement, there’s a real probability that the Premier herself was implicated in the contracts, and that her role was not nearly as pedestrian as she claims.

Second, a number of her caucus are also involved in the same cluster of contracts.

Third, there may be criminal and civil consequences to these contracts.

Fourth, Danielle Smith is in power and intends to remain in power for as long as possible to avoid said consequences.

From where I stand, the question isn’t whether Alberta should separate, or the merits of separation. My question is probably what Smith is asking: how does such a politician facing career changing scandal, survive scandal WITH power?

My rough answer is what we can all guess. The Politician - just like the gambler who has set a limit and destroyed it years ago - needs to cut down the number of people who she owes, and satisfy these people just enough - and not a penny more - so she doesn’t over extend. What we’re seeing in Danielle Smith then, is a laser focus on personal survival. Her current agenda has retreated back to her own party, and anyone who’s prepared to pay for membership in the UCP.

As long as she meets the expectations of those who pay up, and those who expect to be paid, then she’ll maintain the backing of the powers that be. For obvious reasons, we can guess that her current major backers are the separatists who may be funded by the Americans, Oil and Gas players, and private healthcare service providers who just want to break open a public good and all that sweet money inside.

Each of these major players are greedy as they should be in a capitalist system. Each will push Smith deeper into the depths because she knows, that they know, she’s desperate.

But, each of these players understand that they too will still be around for probably longer than Smith. They won’t be interested in overplaying their hands if they understand that it will lead to consequences that they care about.

So Danielle will gamble. She’ll keep gambling because stopping means the end. She’ll keep betting it all because there’s no other move left. She’ll keep going until she’s forced to consider the needs of others beyond those in her circle of power. She won’t do it voluntarily.

It’s About Mr Clean

Under this “theory”, I suspect that Danielle herself doesn’t even care about separation. She cares about power. If the separatists demanded that Albertans declare their undying love of Mr Clean, and they were prepared to dump the same money and energy into the UCP for that end, I suspect Danielle would shave her head instead.

I’m no separatist. I’m Canadian. But, in light of the UCP and Danielle Smith’s announcement for referendum, it’s time to point out what’s being rubbed in our collective faces: the tyranny of Alberta’s minorities have captured the UCP, and brought their asylum directly to us.

Her circle of power has money. Some of them may be real invaders. Danielle’s not going to consider the interests of all Albertans unless she’s forced to pay a massive price in either power or money or both.

We all know that polls, referendums, and even elections can be a means to an end for autocrats and dictators. They’re manipulated, they’re worded funny, they’re interpreted endlessly, and they may just be designed to waste Canada’s energy and resources.

Don’t play into what’s essentially public polling done at Canada’s expense.

Danielle’s addicted to her own supply.