| Monday, Oct. 21
Education assistants and support staff are poised to hit the picket line later this week for the first time ever. They may not be alone either, after a weekend vote involving custodial staff...more on that later today. It was a rough weekend for the Edmonton Oilers, who dropped a 4-1 stinker at the hands of the Dallas Stars Saturday. And is that snow in the forecast!? You betcha. While it will be short-lived, forecasters are calling for chilly temperatures overnight (low of -8 C) and a chance of flurries. 'Tis the season...
Feedback on today's edition can be sent to trobb@postmedia.com |
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Edmonton Public Schools unionized support staff prepare for first-ever strike
The first-ever strike of Edmonton Public Schools support workers is set for Thursday as teaching assistants and other members of CUPE Local 3550 take on the UCP government’s wage cap. With 92 per cent of eligible members turning out to vote, and 97 per cent of those in favour, the local’s first-ever strike vote tallied Wednesday was overwhelming — and unusually strong for Alberta — said Mandy Lamoureux, president of CUPE Local 3550. “We have never had this provincial wage cap before,” she said after the results of the vote were approved by the Labour Relations Board and strike notice was served on Friday.
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One-day blitz nets more traffic violations than all of September: Edmonton police
In a single one-day blitz, the Edmonton Police Service issued more tickets than all the 902 tickets they issued in September. Operation 24 Hours was an Oct. 11 collective effort with the City of Edmonton’s automated enforcement, the Edmonton Police Commission heard this week. Among the 1,342 violators was a Hyundai Genesis travelling twice the speed limit at 11 p.m. near Roper Road and 42 Avenue. EPS’ major collision investigation section intercepted and clocked it at 121 km/h in a posted 60 km/h zone. A 19-year-old driver was issued a mandatory summons under the Traffic Safety Act.
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City records show which councillors vote most often with Mayor Amarjeet Sohi
Analysis of Edmonton city council voting records shows two councillors continue to act as an unofficial opposition relative to most others while a group of five remains the driver of council votes. Figures have been drawn from the voting records published on the city’s open data site and are measured from the start of this council’s term in October 2021 through to last week. The numbers show all councillors vote together at least 57 per cent of the time and are on the winning side of council votes more than three-quarters of the time, save for councillors Jennifer Rice and Karen Principe, a dynamic that’s emerged since this council debuted.
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Alberta housing starts nearing two-decade high
With months still to go, it’s already been a record-breaking year in Edmonton and across the province for housing starts, which haven’t been this high since 2007. The City of Edmonton confirmed it hit its goal of surpassing the number of housing starts for 2023 with 10,004 between January and September this year. The total for 2023, by comparison, was 9,665. Housing starts are up across the province with more than 33,500 in the first nine months of the year, compared to last year’s nearly 25,000. An ATB report said housing starts haven’t been this high since 2007.
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Around the province and beyond
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Why Alberta's law society decided to sanction former justice minister Kaycee Madu
On Tuesday, the Law Society of Alberta issued its much-anticipated decision in the case of former United Conservative justice minister Kaycee Madu, concluding Madu’s call to Edmonton’s police chief in the wake of a distracted driving ticket “undermined respect for the administration of justice.” He now faces a sanction hearing, which could see him suspended or disbarred. How did we get here? |
Close, but not done: Alberta's doctor pay agreement dilemma explained
It was planned in a memorandum of understanding a year ago, agreed on in principle in the spring, shuffled over to the rate review folks, and back to Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange’s desk. When doctors leave the province, their thousands of patients are added to the ever-lengthening roster of Albertans without a primary-care home. The new primary-care compensation model (PCCM) deal awaits a walkover to the Treasury Board for approval. While frustration at the clinic and organization level over perceived government foot-dragging is simmering to a boil, committing to a new algebraic equation is not without trepidation for the province.
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Edmonton Oilers swing and miss at league-leading Dallas Stars
It was as short as it was modest.And, yes, after starting out 0-3, you can bet the Edmonton Oilers were counting their previous two wins as a streak. But they discovered 66 million reasons why they wouldn’t be bringing it with them back from American Airlines Center following a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Fresh off an eight-year contract extension worth $8.25 million a season, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger handily held the fort against the Oilers.
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Edmonton Oilers: Zach Hyman can't score right now, but he's usually a slow starter
Admittedly, there’s been some eye-rolls and slumping of shoulders with Zach Hyman, as last season’s 54-goal scorer tries to have just one puck find the back of the net through the first six Edmonton Oilers games this month. Fourteen shots on net, nary a celebration. But, slow starts are the norm for Hyman. While Hyman had a career-high 18.6 regular-season shooting percentage last season and kept it up with 17.7 in the 25 Oilers playoff games (16 goals on 90 shots), he’s usually a pedestrian starter.
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Edmonton Blues Festival cancelled due to high costs in 2025, hopes to return in 2026
Money woes spurred the cancellation of 2025’s Edmonton Blues Festival, organizers announced Thursday. Costs have increased “dramatically,” by 40 to 60 per cent, festival producer Cam Hayden told Postmedia on Saturday. “We’re not immune to those economic pressures,” he said, noting the impacts of inflation, the pandemic, decreasing sponsorship, slow ticket sales, and a closed Hawrelak Park amphitheatre. “We can’t raise ticket prices to offset those increased costs. People have to decide where they’re going to spend their discretionary income, and things like entertainment often end up first on the chopping block because they’re not essential to life.”
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Evanescence singer and keyboardist Amy Lee performs in Edmonton on Sunday, October 20, 2024. Photo by Greg Southam-Postmedia |
Participants take part in the Rucksack March for Remembrance which was established in 2017 to raise awareness and funding for Wounded Warriors Canada. Every year, many dedicated soldiers, officers, firefighters and paramedics are lost to illness, injury and suicide. The struggle continues to impact families and communities nationwide, and with the funds raised Wounded Warriors, Canada can continue to help those who need help the most. Taken on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Rundle Park in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam-Postmedia
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Justin Trudeau testifies and accuses Conservatives of contributing to foreign interference. Cartoon by Malcolm Mayes |
Letters To The Editor welcome
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Saturday's letters: Let's have a balanced approach to climate change
Re. “The right should openly question climate alarmism,” David Staples, Oct. 18
Hats off to David Staples for his well-thought-out, well-written and, yes, even courageous column on the need for climate realism. For too long, those convinced that there is no measure, approach, policy or law too extreme to save Canada from the perils of climate change have been allowed to become evermore vocal and ever less tied to scientific fact surrounding climate change.
Is it real? Yes, of course it is. But is it the galloping and world-dooming catastrophe that the Trudeau government says it is, one worthy of spending many billions of taxpayer dollars while also hamstringing the economy to the tune of many billions more? Of course not. As was so well said by Mr. Staples, it is time for us to take a few steps back and make a choice as to what is better for Canadians.
Is it to continue to be fearful because of the unchecked and politically driven rhetoric of climate alarmists and become evermore poor as a country? Or is it a better approach, as most countries in the world are taking, to strike a much better balance between taking reasoned and appropriate steps to deal with climate change while also ensuring that Canada, and all of its citizens, have an economy and an economic future that leads to prosperity instead of continuing to live in fear? I know what my choice is.
Bob Thompson, Edmonton |
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