When the UCP uses the notwithstanding clause tomorrow, watch defenders say, "it's totally legal" or "we had no choice." They're deflecting. The UCP wants to exact as much harm on transgender folks as possible. And they know their actions are not justifiable in a democratic society. Who's next?

A reminder: 1. Don’t stop contacting your UCP MLA, the Education Minister & the Premier to tell them you object to their preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause. 2. Be civil when you do. Don’t swear. Don’t lob insults. Just firmly express your opposition. #abpoli

My pleasure to join you! #abpoli

Having a fantastic time at the Alberta Municipalities convention in Calgary. Good conversation this morning with some new & returning African/Caribbean/Black councillors from across the province. Wonderful to see the diversity of our province being reflected in local government! #ableg

Albertans across our province are speaking out. They’ve had enough of a government dismantling the public services they depend on and trampling their rights. They deserve better than the UCP and their endless distractions. Alberta’s New Democrats are ready to bring change. Join us. #abpoli

It was an honour to join the Loyal Edmonton Regiment today for their Remembrance Day ceremony at City Hall. Thank you to everyone who came to pay their respects. Lest we forget. #abpoli

Does Ottawa really want to pull the RCMP out of policing? According to reps from the National Policing Federation and Keep Alberta RCMP, the answer is absolutely not! #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

Today we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those whose lives were forever changed as they fought to defend our rights and freedoms. And we give our thanks to those who served and those who serve today for their service and sacrifice. Lest we forget. #abpoli

The suspension of obstetrical services in Cold Lake is unacceptable. Families in Cold Lake and across Alberta deserve access to safe, reliable care close to home, not months of uncertainty. Danielle Smith and the UCP govt have failed to properly support rural health care. #abhealth #ableg #abpoli

On her radio show this past weekend, Danielle Smith doubled down on her populist math. If we have 51,000 teachers and 750,000 students why aren’t our classes sizes 14 to 1? Let’s break down some obvious issues with that math.

By using s33 pre-emptively, the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights. (Governments have done that before.) By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society. open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...

One of our (newly elected) City Council's first orders of business was to *unanimously* approve $1 million to expand access to day shelter space in Edmonton. 👏🏻 Here's our op-ed from last month on why this is so needed. edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu... #yegcc

Albertans know we can do amazing things when we work together. But Danielle Smith & the UCP just want power - to pick fights & tear things down. We need change. We deserve an ethical, competent government that’s in this for you. Help us get there: volunteer.albertandp.ca/ECTR #abpoli

According to the responsible minister, Jason Nixon, this is a “fake NDP crisis.” The UCP wilfully ignore the realities we see on our streets & in our hospitals, the suffering of these Albertans & the impacts on our communities. It’s callous, incompetent & cruel. Albertans deserve better. #ableg

A little snow didn’t keep the community from coming together to celebrate the opening of O’day-min Park - a beautiful new green space in the heart of our downtown. Thank you to all the city leaders & staff & community advocates who worked to make it possible! #abpoli #yegdt

Danielle Smith is surprised that Albertans are using recall legislation for its intended purpose. That's how the law works, Premier. And no cabinet minister should implement laws while believing they are above them. youtube.com/shorts/YEQGF...

Very excited to see the opening of O-day’min Park between 106 & 108 Streets downtown! Over the next week, the City of Edmonton will be hosting a range of events to celebrate. You can go to edmonton.ca/events to see them all. I encourage everyone to stop by and check it out! #ableg #yegdt

For those keeping score, the premier: 🔵has already started picking her voters (through voter suppression laws). 🔴wants to choose who can run for office (only "serious" candidates qualify). ⚪️now wants to decide which MLAs deserve to be recalled (and which ones get to keep their seats).

As we ready for the UCP's 2nd pre-emptice use of the notwithstanding clause in as many weeks, let's clarify what this means. 1️⃣ The move is constitutional. They *can* invoke it. 2️⃣ The UCP is not *required* to do this. There are other means to pass the law. 3️⃣ They should not use it, in my view.🧵

Condo owners in City-Centre are having to pay tens of thousands of $ for repairs & security due to social disorder. That’s not the fault of police or the city - it’s on the UCP. If, as they claim, they’re doing all the right things already, why does this problem keep getting worse? #ableg

After 6 years under the UCP, social disorder is getting worse & that’s costing businesses. Housing & supports for mental health & addiction are provincial responsibilities. So I asked about it. The UCP’s response? “Everything is fine & you’d be worse.” Albertans deserve better. #abpoli

Albertans are concerned about the UCP’s failures on healthcare & education & the growing evidence of their corruption. UCP? They want to focus on conspiracies about voting machines & “electromagnetic allergies.” Albertans deserve a government focused on them, not extremists in their party. #ableg

Danielle Smith & the UCP don’t love freedom - they love power. And they’re happy to trample the rights of anyone who gets in their way. Albertans deserve better than a government of cowardly bullies. And better is possible. #abpoli

The UCP are happy to extend the contract for a private surgical company connected to the CorruptCare scandal… …but not for the Auditor-General who’s investigating it. Because the most power-hungry Premier & government in Canada isn’t in this for Albertans - they’re in this for themselves. #abpoli

Keeping up with the UCP government's democratic transgressions can be difficult. But not impossible. Here’s a running list since Danielle Smith became premier. 🧵👇

Unbelievable. This AM UCP MLAs voted to undermine the crucial work of the Auditor General & Chief Electoral Officer on an investigation into gov’t corruption & petitions to recall their colleagues. Unprecedented & unacceptable levels of arrogance & entitlement. youtu.be/H1fYDGOX8Wc?... #abpoli

Not even hiding the blatant entitlement anymore. The Premier's Office continues to remove all checks and balances on its power. The courts, the legislature, the Auditor General, independent agencies, the federal government, voters and candidates they don't like... This is getting ridiculous.

Don't be fooled by the UCP's Bill 6. Screening ia already happening. It's the psycho-ed testing that schools, boards, and the government refuse to fund. A screener can tell you there's a deficiency. It can't tell you what that deficiency is or what to do about it. www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?...

Nearly half a million Albertans have said it loud and clear: we’re proud Canadians. It’s time for the UCP to admit they were wrong and join us in denouncing separatism once and for all. youtube.com/shorts/t9wvD...

A reminder that this outcome was designed and predictable.

The UCP have been claiming they were willing to enter mediation to reach a fair deal with teachers. But as I explain, the UCP’s reaction when a mediator recently ruled against them makes it pretty clear they can’t be trusted to keep any deal that doesn’t favour them. #ableg

The UCP is hiding behind "justifications" that "they can do it" (of course they can) and that "they had to do it" (no, they didn't). If the UCP won't have the real, normative debates in the legislature during daylight hours with the premier present, it falls to the rest of us.

Vaccines save lives. I got my flu shot to help protect myself and the people around me. It’s a simple choice that makes a real difference. Book your appointment online today: myhealth.alberta.ca/topic/immuni...

Albertans want a government that works on things that make their lives better. But Danielle Smith & her government seem more interested in turning conspiracy-driven UCP member proposals into law. I asked if we can expect the UCP legislate on more crazy resolutions from their upcoming AGM. #ableg

The Premier has lost the confidence of her caucus, and she's lost the confidence of every single Albertan. This is far from over. For Danielle Smith and the UCP, it's the beginning of the end. youtube.com/shorts/gLVzs...

Today I paid tribute to someone who was a friend & inspiration to many of us, Darren Markland. One of the best humans I’ve ever known. In the shadow of the challenges our world faces today, we need more people like Darren. Perhaps the best tribute we can pay is to be more like him. #abpoli

LIVE NOW — A Call for Unity, Compassion, and Competent Public Service Watch as Leader of the Official Opposition Naheed Nenshi delivers his maiden speech in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta: youtube.com/live/ZcalRrP...

Danielle Smith is a coward. She refused to negotiate in good faith with teachers, refused to end this strike by offering a fair deal, and, worst of all, she violated Albertans’ Charter rights without even showing up for debate.

Danielle Smith is using the notwithstanding clause to protect herself while crushing individuals' Charter rights. That’s not freedom, that’s cowardice. And Albertans won’t stand for it.

Yesterday, with Bill 2, Danielle Smith & the UCP showed us exactly who they are. A government drunk on power with no respect for anyone who disagrees with them. One actively undermining both public education & democracy. Better is possible. It’s time to demand it. #ableg

"Bill 2 is perfectly legal." "The kids need to go back to class." I agree. That doesn't mean the premier should've done an endrun around the legislature and the courts. If the back-to-work law was defensible, why didn't she defend it before leaving the country? open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...

I'm the next few days, it would be a mistake to: ❌️ limit the resistance to the teachers' demands or saving public education ❌️ make labour/workers/unions the only faces of opposition The UCP's pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause is much broader than one strike or one set of rights.

“This isn’t a left-right issue. It’s a constitutional one. The UCP chose to use time allocation & the notwithstanding clause on Bill 2 not because it had no other legal path, but because it wanted to set a precedent: when opposition & rights are inconvenient, it will override them.” #abpoli

Populists like Danielle Smith also skip legislative and judicial scrutiny. Invoking time allocation. And the notwithstanding clause. Because they can't hack the hard work of liberal democracy. It's not conservative at all. It's negligently lazy.

Where's the premier while MLAs rush through an all-night debate on stripping Albertans of their Charter rights? An airport lounge, waiting for a flight to Saudi Arabia. She didn't even bother to show up for the vote. I remember when conservatives turfed premiers for this level of hubris.

The Premier is ordering teachers back to work by invoking the notwithstanding clause from the airport lounge. #ableg

The UCP’s license plates may say “Strong & Free” but their actions today clearly say they’re cowardly authoritarians. Better is possible and it’s never been needed more. #abpoli

Can you ...recall.. a worse Minister of Education? Not that ... we can .. recall.