80’s New Wave alert! Saw Spoons in concert for first time in forever last night. Still remember most of the lyrics. Arias and Symphonies is a classic Canadian album. No one will disabuse me of that opinion.

A bit late getting to this but I was on CBC’s The Current last week to discuss the teachers’ strike. I think it is still informative. www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

I was invited onto @canadaland.com to talk teachers’ strike and govt interference in bargaining. Give it a listen here: www.canadaland.com/podcast/1257...

Spent the afternoon canning salsa from our tomatoes and garlic with local peppers and onions. 18 jars in total. Also did up 2 pickled jalapenos because we had extra.

A good piece in the Tyee looking at the strategies in the AB teachers’ strike, quoting myself and my colleague Susan Cake. thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

I was on Real Talk with Ryan Jesperson today to talk about the Alberta teachers’ strike. You can hear it here: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/b...

Sneaky! Underhanded! Undemocratic! My latest post commenting on the new radio campaign by @beercanada.bsky.social targeting federal excise duties. I take exception with their overheated rhetoric and fast and loose use of statistics. Beer policy can be fun! onbeer.org/2025/09/snea...

Harvested the basil today and made enough pesto for the winter.

A note to young and emerging labour scholars. Say yes to media requests. I have done 22 interviews in the last two weeks (6 today) on various labour issues. Yes, it gets in the way of the rest of our work but it matters. We need knowledgeable, pro-worker voices talking about labour issues.

Who is behind the burgeoning “parental rights” movement attacking public education? Learn more at Parkland Institute webinar releasing our latest report. Thursday at Noon. ualberta-ca.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Was interviewed this afternoon on 880 CHED about the looming teachers' lockout/strike. The heart of the issue is the Alberta government's unwillingness to fund public education properly. Give it a listen if you want: open.spotify.com/episode/02hA...

My latest onbeer.org post offers a slightly delayed analysis of two beer policy reversals by the AB govt. A mea culpa on beer markups and an inexplicable capitulation to Donald Trump on US liquor bans. onbeer.org/2025/06/albe...

This week I am featured on CBC’s West of Centre podcast talking about burgeoning labour unrest among Alberta’s public sector workers. We discuss why they are so angry and the longer term origins of this strife. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/w...

@poliscirish.bsky.social is right on here. Smith’s agenda has been clear since the beginning. Create chaos to distract in the interests of a radical libertarian, neoliberal agenda.

Why would any world leader take a meeting in the Oval Office with this lunatic? He does not act in good faith, eschews diplomatic tradition, and lies all the time (as you all know). So why do it? Say screw off and let underlings do the negotiations.

Today my CBC beer column introduced listeners to the first AB location for BC’s Old Yale Brewing. The first ever brewery in Beaumont!!

I spent the afternoon at a celebration of life for Dave Werlin. Former AFL president, lifelong union activist and passionate advocate for social justice. I had the great privilege of being a comrade in the struggle with him and the even greater honour of being able to call him a friend. RIP Dave.

So sometimes my beer job tasks me with the onerous responsibility of previewing new breweries. Tonight was a sneak peak at the new Old Yale brewery opening soon in Beaumont, their first foray into Alberta. I’ll be doing a CBC column on them soon to stay tuned.

tonight I am attending the memorial service of a man with whom I had the deep honour to work with and call a friend. Raj Pannu was an unexpected political leader but as a result was honest, principled and focused on Albertans. I miss him but glad to be sharing his life with hundreds of his comrades.

Pay attention to what Andrew is saying here. This is the plan. Transfer public resources to private hands. Undermine public institutions to the advantage of for-profit companies. This is bad news.

Today on my CBC Radioactive beer column I introduced listeners to a new beer treasure hunt game. Beer Quest sends you to local tap rooms to drink great craft beer for a chance to win prizes. And you will learn about beer styles and history. You can check the game out here: www.thebeerquestgame.com

So the Health minister is calling Parkland Institute “the NDP’s research arm” after our report on the disaster that is their private surgery initiative. Which is more trustworthy? Peer-reviewed research or the belief of a compromised UCP minister? I know where my vote lands

It is no surprise to me that Associated Press is the only media outlet fighting back against Trump’s authoritarian actions. They are a non-profit cooperative. All other media outlets are cow-towing because they are owned by billionaires who have their own interests. Go AP!!!

I had a good conversation about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program on the Open Minds podcast. The episode is out now. Give it a listen. openmindspodcast.com/govenment-bu...

I have got some good news and some bad news for you on the Alberta craft beer front. Fortunately I have put it all into one handy post to get you up to date on the latest in Alberta beer. onbeer.org/2025/03/the-...

Wanna know what Kuyt is? We’ll listen in on my CBC Radio beer column, live at 4:40. In case you can’t it is an historic Dutch style that dominated in the 1500s and might be making a comeback.

Parkland Institute is hosting a webinar on our new report on the privatization of surgeries. In short? They cost more and increase wait lists. Bad news! Come learn more. ualberta-ca.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

I know it is just beer but Trump’s tariff insanity will hit the craft beer industry in big ways. I wrote up an analysis on my beer website. Give it a read if you are interested. onbeer.org/2025/03/tari...

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Funniest line ever. Too bad he doesn’t see it.

Pulled out the small system today to do a quick batch to carry me over until I can fire up the big system in a few weeks once the rest of the snow melts. Brewed up a kolsch, which is nice season transition beer.

"So why aren’t things getting settled? Ask the UCP government." - Great piece on UCP interference in bargaining by Parkland Institute Director @abbeerguy.bsky.social with @bobbarnetson.bsky.social and Susan Cake in this morning's paper. edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #ablabour

The latest from me, @bobbarnetson.bsky.social and Susan Cake. Explaining why educational assistant strikes aren’t getting settled. TL;DR it is due to the UCP’s interference in public sector bargaining. edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Today on my CBC Edmonton beer column I discussed the recent AB budget that hands a policy victory to large US multinational breweries at the expense of some independent CAN breweries. Awful timing!

Just as Trump’s tariffs hit, the Alberta budget gives US-based beer companies a victory at the expense of medium-sized Canadian breweries by changing the definition of “small brewer”. My analysis here: onbeer.org/2025/03/albe...

How hard is it to recognize that Wayne Gretzky is both the best hockey player that ever lived and currently a piece of crap politically and selling his country out. It isn’t that hard to see both.

Why are we not using every opportunity to talk about the “Trump-Putin Alliance”? Every reference. Just like the right did with the so-called “Notley-Trudeau Alliance”. Ours would at least have a factual basis. We need to name what Trump is doing for what it is and do it the way the right does.

“It becomes impossible for the parties to be able to come up with a deal because the employers have to look over their shoulder at the provincial government, who's imposed this mandate on them that they can't even talk about,” From me on govt interference in bargaining www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

The right says we oppose private health care because of “ideology”. As if we are irrational. Here is the latest in a string of research that private surgeries cost more and deliver less. Who are the ideological ones? @friendsofmedicare.bsky.social @alonghurst.bsky.social @poliscirish.bsky.social

THIS IS WHO THE UCP IS… www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

$10/day child care was supposed to make life more affordable for AB families. Except something went wrong along the way. Find out what happened and what we can do about it at this upcoming Parkland Institute webinar. I’m attending and you should too. ualberta-ca.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

It is with great sadness I learn of Raj Pannu’s passing. I had the great honour of working for and with him for a number of years. He was an exemplar of what politics could be. He exuded dignity, grace, kindness and humanity. He was a person of principle and never ending hope for a better world.

Wanna learn more about how the provincial government is interfering in public sector bargaining and its corrosive effects? Give a listen to my interview on the latest episode of The Spotlight. open.spotify.com/episode/5ih8...

Albertan here. Our oil and gas exports are our strongest tool against Trump’s tariff threats and expansionist dreams. If we need to halt shipping to the US to get him to back off I am all in. All our Premier is doing is putting the interests of fossil fuel profits over the interests of Canadians.

Today on my CBC Radioactive beer column we looked at the beer year that was and I made some predictions for 2025. Arrows down for the state of the industry but except some interesting new developments in the coming year. I may add to this if I get time tonight.

What is happening with Bluesky? For the last couple weeks most of my new follows are complete randos. Feeling like the bots are taking over. Thoughts, real people?

The tourism industry has become addicted to migrant workers and the AB government wants to greatly expand tourism development at the same time the feds are shrinking the TFWP. A disaster waiting to happen. This @thetyee.ca piece includes some quotes from me. @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2024/12...

My regular CBC beer column was today. I featured a crazy four-way collaboration between Blindman Brewing, Strathcona Spirits, Sherbrooke Liquor and a family owned Japanese sake brewery. They made three beverages in the same taru (Japanese cedar barrel). The story of how they did it is wild!

Almost 1 in 10 breweries closed in Canada in the past year. And things aren’t looking any better for 2025. My annual(ish) statistical analysis of the state of the craft beer industry in Canada is up this morning. Something for beer geeks and stats nerds alike onbeer.org/2024/12/the-...

For those of you new to me, i have a sideline gig as a beer writer and I have a regular column on CBC Radio in Edmonton. On today’s column we introduced listeners to Edmonton’s newest brewery, Southbound Brewing. No link yet but I can post it if there is interest.

Look what I just received! The author copies of @bobbarnetson.bsky.social and my new textbook came. It may just be an HR textbook but it is like no other HR textbook you have ever read. Actually acknowledges power imbalances in the workplace - go figure!