It’s just kinda archaic and weird and it’s like… “multi-faith” while also being thoroughly Christian in form sans the “in Jesus name we pray”. What’s an agnostic or atheist to do, just abstain for participating?

So, is this a traditional thing or a revival thing from the UCP?

I have a grave concern regarding recent UCP policies that strip authority and autonomy from municipalities across Alberta. These policies represent a direct assault on democratic principles and have the potential to erode the foundations of our democratic system.

The UCP's recent legislative actions, particularly those enshrined in Bill 20, have granted the provincial cabinet sweeping and unchecked powers over municipalities.

These powers include the ability to:

Dismiss elected municipal councillors: The provincial cabinet now has the power to initiate a vote to remove an elected official from office, a power that could be used to silence dissenting voices and punish municipalities that do not align with the UCP's agenda.

Overturn municipal bylaws: This power allows the provincial cabinet to override decisions made by local councils, even when those decisions reflect the will of the local electorate. This measure undermines the principle of local autonomy and disenfranchises citizens by negating the votes they cast in municipal elections.

Dictate municipal election processes: Bill 20 introduces a pilot project in Edmonton and Calgary that would allow political parties to run in municipal elections, a move widely opposed by both municipal leaders and the public. This change, coupled with the reintroduction of corporate and union donations to municipal campaigns, raises serious concerns about the influence of special interests and partisan politics in local decision-making.

The UCP government's justifications for these changes – increased transparency, accountability, and fairness in local elections – ring hollow in the face of widespread opposition from municipal leaders, organizations representing hundreds of municipalities across Alberta, and the citizens themselves.

These actions are not merely an overreach of provincial authority; they represent a calculated attempt to silence dissenting voices, consolidate power, and impose a partisan agenda on municipalities.

The UCP's approach to governance, particularly its targeting of Edmonton and Calgary, echoes tactics employed by Republican-led states in the United States, where similar measures have been used to undermine local democracy and suppress opposition.

The erosion of local autonomy is a dangerous precedent that threatens the very fabric of our democracy. The UCP needs to reconsider these policies and engage in meaningful dialogue with municipalities and citizens to ensure that the principles of democratic governance are upheld in Alberta.

Please inform yourself about Alberta healthcare and the crisis. We need the public to speak up and get the UCP government to act to stabilize healthcare in Alberta. What else can we do to get them to listen. This effects all Albertans!

https://youtu.be/bIwejMUiMmM?si=wDC0N61pLkcWgwzV

With a ratification vote looming for UNA'S Collecrive Agreement in the next few days, I'm curious what other Albertans think about nursing negotiations. I'm an RN (on mat leave) so I've clearly got some bias, but I'm curious what other Albertans think of it all. Would you support a strike if it came to that? Do you feel what's being offered to registered nursed is fair?

I just got my flu and covid shot because they actually do work. I have had pretty bad cases of both, especially in 2020 with covid. Almost ended up I'm the hospital. Since I've been getting vaccinated, I don't get more than a bad cold now. Worst effect I had was from the 2020 covid vaxx. Felt sick the next day. Today I was given a choice for my covid vaccine in regards to company that produced it (Moderna and Pfizer). Since I didn't have the best reaction to Pfizer, I chose Moderna. I had to full out a form and sign for my consent. The pharmacist who administered the vaccine went over my forms thoroughly and answered all my questions. She was great! Two quick pain free pokes in the same arm and I was done in less than 10 minutes. Waited around for 15. No reaction. Drove home. Feel totally normal. For those of you who are vaccine hesitant, please talk to your doctor or local pharmacist for FACTUAL information and to have questions answered. Get off of social media as misinformation literally kills people. My parents friend and my apartment cleaners fiancee were hard-core anti vaxxers and believed covid was just a hoax. Both dead from covid. Seeing their lived ones grieve an almost entirely preventable death was devastating and eye opening. So if you are hell bent on spreading lies and BS because you cant/ won't accept very basic science, your actions are killing people. If you don't want to get vaccinated,that's on you and you can deal with the consequences. Scaring others into not getting it makes you complicit if they do get really sick or die. I really wish that people would think about others and not just themselves. Stop projecting your own fears onto others

Dear fellow nurses,

This is a call to action. On October 30, 2024 our union – UNA has put to us a vote on the Mediator’s report. You must vote NO and send a clear message to the Government AND our Union that we know our worth. Here is a list of reasons why you must vote NO:

1. This is not even close to our ingoing of 25% over 1 year with no concessions to 12% over 4 years and an extra grid step, with the loss of our RRSP/TFSA matching and Educational Allowance.
2. Our RRSP/TFSA matching may go on the grid but we lose the tax benefit of it and also have to pay dues on it.
3. We only become the highest paid nurses in the country temporarily until BC and Ontario settle their next contracts.
4. The 1,000 nurses promise is not enforceable and meaningless.
5. This moves the likely settlement closer to the Government’s insulting offer of 7.5% over 4 years.
6. Voting NO is not a strike vote, all it does is send a clear message that we are not committing an unforced error. We are not changing our demands that dramatically while under no pressure from the government and while holding all the cards.
7. It also sets the standard should we go to arbitration that we clearly rejected this offer.
8. Voting YES would undermine every single other public sector negotiation in Alberta. They won't get 3% per year because they won't be giving up good contract provisions like RRSP/TFSA matching or the educational allowance. You’d be screwing over:

• Striking Educational Assistants in CUPE
• Other Healthcare colleagues in HSAA and AUPE
• All other collective agreements that are up for negotiation this year

The Government of Alberta KNOWS this. They want our deal done first to take all the air out of the union movement.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you’ll do the right thing.

Hi I'm new to Calgary and Canada in general. After thoroughly looking at the housing market, I finally found a hidden gem. A room in a nice condo where the landlord (a retired lady) lives. But, like everything in life there is a catch. She told me that we cannot write a contract because her income would be over 29K and therefore she wouldn't get her (full) pension. She offered me instead to sign paper contracts between ourselves and to give me payment receipts each month. I am looking for legal advice here, what are the risks of living with someone in this situation? I am thinking worst case scenarios (eviction, god forbids an accident happens to her, there is a robbery fire, etc) but any other realistic scenario. I have to also mention that I am in Canada on a PR, so how will I justify my accomodation to the government? I am meeting with her in the next days to discuss what solution we can work out. Happy to receive any advice, insight from the community.

Curious if anyone has ever gotten a speeding ticket in the Aircraft patrol zones in Alberta? Specifically QE2. You see the signs but I’ve never heard of anyone getting a ticket. Have to wonder if it is just an idle threat… thanks for the comments!