Experts, Liberal MP hope for full ban on sports betting ads as advocates cite mental health decline

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Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-30 14:50:39.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Healthcare, Social Services, Governance]

Bill S-211, introduced in May 2025 by Senator Marty Deacon and sponsored in the House by MP Bardish Chagger, is currently before the House standing committee on Canadian heritage to restrict sports betting ads across Canada. Supporters including Liberal MP Michael Coteau and public policy think-tank Cardus cite a University of Toronto study showing gambling-related emergency room visits nearly doubled in Ontario, alongside a 161 per cent increase in helpline calls among males aged 15-24 since single-game betting was legalized in 2021. Provincial officials from Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, along with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, have raised concerns regarding provincial jurisdiction, overlapping regulations, and economic impacts on commercial operators like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM.

Fraud, breach of trust and money laundering subject of RCMP Alberta health care procurement probe: court filing

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-28 17:11:45.0
Tags: [Alberta, Healthcare, Justice, Public Safety, Governance]

An Ontario Crown prosecutor's letter filed in Athana Mentzelopoulos's $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the Alberta government revealed that the RCMP are investigating Alberta Health Services procurement practices for potential fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering. Mentzelopoulos, the former CEO of Alberta Health Services, claims she was fired after investigating inflated contracts for private clinic surgeries and conflicts of interest involving Sam Mraiche's medical supply company, MHCare. While opposition NDP leader Naheed Nenshi renewed calls for a public inquiry, Premier Danielle Smith rejected the demand, citing an earlier report by retired judge Raymond Wyant.

Albertans mixed on other referendum questions after rejecting separation

Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
Date: 2026-10-20 12:29:00.0
Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Immigration, Healthcare, Education]

Albertans decisively rejected provincial separation in a 10-question referendum overseen by Elections Alberta, with roughly 76 per cent voting against moving toward independence. The remaining questions produced mixed, narrower margins, including 59 per cent support for increased provincial control to decrease immigration and 57 per cent support for limiting access to health care, education, and social services. Additionally, roughly 63 per cent backed requiring proof of citizenship to vote, 52 per cent opposed opting out of federal programs without losing funding, and 51 per cent supported giving provincial laws priority over federal laws in conflict.

Advance voting opens as experts debate meaning of Alberta referendum results

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-12 18:08:35.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Governance, Immigration, Healthcare, Education, Energy]

Advance voting has opened for the 2026 Alberta Referendum, featuring 10 distinct questions covering immigration, constitutional matters, healthcare and education fees for non-permanent residents, Senate abolition, and a final question on holding a binding referendum to separate from Canada. Elections Alberta reported receiving 650,000 special ballot requests and hired over 44,000 election workers to manage turnout. Meanwhile, the Government of Canada designated the Pacific Link pipeline a project of national interest, and Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized federal unity in opposition to provincial separation.

Alberta referendum questions don't target permanent residents, new Canadians: Schow

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-28 11:05:03.0
Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Labour, Healthcare, Education, Governance]

Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow defended the upcoming October 19, 2026 referendum ballot, which features five questions asking Albertans if they wish to take more control over immigration policies, reduce temporary foreign worker and student numbers, and require temporary residents to contribute to education and healthcare costs. Schow stated the measures target an influx of temporary foreign workers and students that have strained public systems and contributed to a youth unemployment rate of 15 per cent. According to federal statistics cited, a total of 385,000 foreign workers and students are expected in Canada this year, with caps dropping to 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.

Alberta advances $2.4 million for gambling addiction treatment

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-24 19:05:11.0
Tags: [Alberta, Healthcare, Social Services, Finance, Governance]

The Government of Alberta has advanced a $2.4 million grant to the Brick House Recovery Centre, which operates facilities in Edmonton and Calgary and provides virtual support across the province, to enhance treatment and recovery programs for problem gamblers. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally stated that this funding serves as an advance ahead of revenues collected from the province's newly regulated iGaming market, which launched in mid-July. The province allocates one percent of its regulated iGaming revenues—projected at $76 million for its first year across 31 approved sites—toward addiction treatment, with the 1 percent threshold subject to future reviews as the market grows.

NDP Rx for fractured health care: One health ministry to end the chaos

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-10 22:56:04.0
Tags: [Alberta, Healthcare, Governance, Labour]

The Alberta NDP unveiled their 'Future of Health Care' plan, proposing to dismantle the United Conservative Party government's four-pillar health ministry structure and consolidate operations back into a single integrated Ministry of Health. Led by NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and MLA Dr. Luanne Metz, the policy platform pledges to protect the Canada Health Act, launch a public inquiry into privatized care, introduce whistleblower protections for health-care workers, and publicly report on wait times. In response, the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services defended the current administration's record, citing a 10 percent increase in licensed physicians, the addition of over 1,000 acute-care beds, and targeted investments including $63 million for existing facilities and $185 million for emergency health services.

Saddle Lake Cree Nation asserts treaty rights over access to gender-affirming care

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-09 21:56:42.0
Tags: [Alberta, Indigenous, Healthcare, Justice, Governance]

Saddle Lake Cree Nation is asserting its sovereign treaty rights under the "medicine chest" clause of Treaty 6 to create protections for gender-affirming care on reserve lands and territories. The initiative directly challenges Alberta provincial legislation, specifically Bills 26, 27, and 29, which implemented restrictions on transgender youth regarding medical treatments, name and pronoun changes, and sports participation. Backed by Two-Spirit family physician Dr. James Makokis, the Nation plans to bring in Canadian-trained clinicians to provide uninterrupted medical services on reserve lands outside provincial jurisdiction.

Alberta NDP call for minister's firing over revamped driver's licences issues

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-02 22:00:45.0
Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Healthcare, Social Services]

Alberta's Official Opposition is demanding the termination of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally following widespread registry delays, long lines, and documentation confusion caused by the province's newly revamped driver's licences introduced on July 2. The updated identification cards integrate provincial healthcare numbers and include citizenship markers, which the United Conservative Party government defends as necessary to eliminate over 500,000 inactive health cards and streamline eligibility verification for social programs. Service Alberta critic Gurinder Brar criticized the rollout for creating privacy concerns, renewal backlogs, and exclusion issues for seniors, immigrants, and widows. In response to the 33 per cent increase in July registry traffic compared to the previous year, the government noted that Albertans receive renewal notices 60 and 30 days in advance, can access 60-day temporary licences if documentation is delayed, and have up to a year to apply for healthcare coverage reinstatement.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith asks Ottawa for 'latitude' as dual practice model take effect

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-01 22:11:13.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Healthcare, Governance]

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has formally asked the federal government for latitude to implement the province's dual practice healthcare model, established under the Health Statutes Amendment Act 2025 (formerly Bill 11). The legislation, which takes effect on Tuesday, allows specialized physicians—excluding family doctors—to provide both private and public medical services for approved surgical procedures including orthopedics, minimally invasive general surgery, gynecology, ophthalmology, and ear/nose/throat surgeries. Premier Smith stated that 400 physicians have expressed interest in the model, and the province will apply rigorous oversight to ensure participating doctors maintain their public service levels and that cancer-related and life-threatening conditions remain entirely publicly funded and exempt.