Welcome to our new episode, a conversation with NDP MLA's Janis Irwin and Rakhi Pancholi! In this episode we get into the sweeping changes that the UCP are introducing to Alberta's political landscape, including the changes to electoral boundaries, the Freedom Of Information Act, changes to the conflict of interest act, anti trans policies and more! We also take some time to talk about what issues the NDP would like to see government pursuing instead of making government more opaque and...

What are parental rights? With Danielle Smith and the UCP using parental rights as a justification for pushing forward policies that many legal scholars are condemning as being gross violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we wanted to get a better understanding of what "parental rights" even mean and where they start and stop. In order to do that, we're sitting down with legal scholar and award winning advoacte, Florence Ashley! Florence served as a clerk in the Supreme...

Time for another Alberta politics roundup! In this episode we take a look at the onslaught of ABPoli news, including the UCP's reaction to emission reduction regulations, the introduction of halal mortagages to crown corporations, the changes to FOIP laws, the UCP adding two seats to the legislature, the redrawing of electoral maps, and a whole lot more! You can donate to skipping stone at https://www.skippingstone.ca/legalfund Don't forget, we have merch that's available at...

Remember all that curriculum kerfuffle? Jason Kenney campaigned on running the ready to be implemented curriculum through the shredder, but what the UCP brought forward initially was the dumpster fire to end all dumpster fires. The UCP took the social studies curriculum back and rewrote it, but how does that new curriculum measure up? To find out we're super excited to welcome back to the program none other than curriculum expert, Dr. Carla Peck! Plus, we get into what Danielle Smith's new...

With the Danielle Smith bringing forward her new Bill of Rights and her long feared anti-Trans, anti-parental choice legislation, we sat down with lawyer and legal scholar Dr. Lorian Hardcastle to get a sense of what the legal implications of this legislation is and perhaps most importantly, how can it be challenged! You can donate to skipping stone at https://www.skippingstone.ca/legalfund Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As...

Betcha didn't see this coming! (we sure didn't) With Alberta rolling back human rights and access to abortion increasingly on the table, we sat down with Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Federal NDP MP Leah Gazan to hear what the federal NDP are planning to try and ensure that access to healthcare doesn't fall victim to the agenda of social regressives! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As always, if you appreciate the...

We're back with another Live Alberta Politics Roundup! With the confluence of Danielle Smith's leadership review, the UCP AGM and the Legislature returning to session, there's no shortage of things to talk about! We start with our regular look at the events of the week before we do a deep dive on several of the new pieces of legislation, including the Bill(s) of Rights and the three anti-trans pieces of legislation. From there we take a look at a sampling of the policies passed at the UCP...

On October 26, 2024 the new grassroots org "Alberta Resistance" held their first event and invited our host Nate Pike to close out the evening. ABR has generously provided the audio of Nate's speech to us as there have been more than a few requests by people who were unable to attend. This is not an "official" Breakdown episode, so we're presenting it as a bonus episode! To learn more about the folks at AB Resistance visit https://www.abresistance.ca Don't forget, we have merch that's...

What are all of the hidden connections in the skybox photo from the Vancouver Semi-Finals? Tonight, we finally peel back as many layers as we (legally) can and explore the vast network that ties together the infamous Tylenot debacle, the sub par Vanch masks from the beginning of he pandemic and the trails that lead into the offices of multiple ministers and even the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith's office! Strap in and take as many breaks as you need! Don't forget, we have merch...

As Alberta continues to see Danielle Smith and the UCP put forward polices that don't appear to be based on what's best for the province but rather that cater to the extreme right wing of the UCP, many people are asking what can possibly be done... And a grassroots org called Alberta Resistance is apparently stepping forward to try and present Albertans with some options! To learn more about their efforts and their launch coming up on October 26th in Calgary, we sat down with founder Marg...

With labour shortages plaguing healthcare and the Alberta government taking a stunningly rigid and inflexible approach to negotiations, particularly in ensuring that Alberta's healthcare workers are paid fairly, we sat down with Health Science Association President Mike Parker for a deep dive on negotiating with Smith's UCP, the dangers of uberizing health care and the lack of an evidence based approach to Alberta's health care challenges! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at...

With the healthcare crisis only worsening, we sat down with former Alberta Medical Association Dr Paul Parks for an unleashed conversation on healthcare in Alberta! In this conversation we cover the recent healthcare announcements from the UCP claiming to address the healthcare crisis (they don't), the priorities that the UCP is choosing to pursue, the worsening crisis in Edmonton hospitals, forced treatment and the UCP's regressive trans healthcare policies! Don't forget, we have merch...

It's time for another Alberta Politics Roundup and FOIP reveal! We run through some of the bigger and more embarrassing moments in Alberta Politics, including the Western Standards new government funding, Vote tabulators, the marching on of the Free Alberta Strategy before we take a look at the FOIP we recieved back that again appears to prove on other lie in th ongoing skybox scandal! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As...

It was another whirlwind week in Alberta Politics and we're back to try and break it all down! With the facade dropping on why healthcare workers aren't getting paid, the announcement that Danielle Smith considers the Sheriffs her own provincial police force, vote tabulators, anti-trans policies and more there's no shortage of things to talk about! Plus what's the deal with the Free Alberta Strategy? Don't forget, we have merch that's available at...

With Danielle Smith announcing over $8 billion dollars to go towards building new public, charter and private schools, we sat down with Alberta Teachers Association Local 38 President to get her read on Smith's announcement, Smith's claims that education has only been in crisis for the last 18 months and the state of classrooms in general! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that...

By special request! We've split off our segment from Sunday where we begin the deep dive on Danielle Smith's Skybox Scandal, starting with our recent FOIP that appears to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that while the UCP wrote new "ethics" rules, it didn't take them long at all before they completely violated them! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to...

Not only is this another Alberta politics roundup, but we're also starting to peel back the layers of the UCP Corruption onion, and it's a lot worse than you think! We start with our regular run down of the week in Alberta politics, including The Rebel's official designation as being part of the 1%, Danielle Smith's week of dogwhistles, the recent school construction announcement and a lot more! From there we get into our recent FOIP that appears to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt...

Hold my hand is an advocacy organization that works to build community for families with disabled kids and also to advocate for changes to prevent those kids from falling through the cracks! In this extremely important conversation, we chat with Hold My Hand leaders about their work, the challenges faced by disabled kids and their parents, the lack of supports available and the difficulties in accessing them! *Warning - This episode includes the subjects of abuse and sexual...

It seems like last week everyone was in court! The Coutts Convicts got sentenced, a former justice minister got sanction and the published of the Western Standard, Derek Fildebrandt was in court facing allegations of threatening kids with death! Plus there was the continued Green Line drama and Danielle Smith leaned heavily into xenophobic and racist dog whistles on the immigration file! Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As...

Can you deal with bad faith actors in good faith? On this breakdown of Alberta Politics, we take a look at the Western Standards latest taxpayer funded funding, the seeming cronyism continues in the war room, changes to accessing education, Jennifer "Poop Cookies" Johnson's impending return to caucus and cabinet and... We do a semi deep dive on both the Green Line debacle in Calgary and Danielle Smith's broken promises to Alberta's Muslim community! Don't forget, we have merch that's...

It's time for another Alberta Politics Roundup and this one is an absolute MONSTER! There's all kinds of news with "Take Back Alberta", Alberta is rolling out a new Bill Of Rights (of some kind?), healthcare is in crisis and so much more! Plus we break down Danielle Smith's recent exclusive town hall in Drayton Valley and we dissect the extraordinarily bad and revealing fiscal update that ended up having almost nothing to do with Alberta's projected deficit and debt and everything to do...

We’re solving education in Alberta with ATA President Jason Schilling! (We come up with solutions at least, there's still a "political will" problem...) In this episode we get into the challenges that students and teachers are facing as they return to school, including a very intense discussion on Danielle Smith's new outing polices. Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that...

We're back with another live Alberta Politics Roundup! With summer ending, we've got a review of some of the biggest stories that are coming down the pipes in Alberta, including they state of education, healthcare, coal mining, the UCP's attack on charter rights and Smith's incoming attack on trans rights, access to health care and parental choice! Plus oh yeah, we get into that whole thing with Jespo... Don't forget, we have merch that's available at...

On January 31, 2024, Danielle Smith shocked many Albertans with a suite of policies designed to insert her personal beliefs into doctors offices across the province. Not only did these policies limit access to health care for trans youth, they also attacked trans participation in sports and will override the rights of parents to make decisions on their children’s medical care. 
Smith defended these policies saying that she would be engaging in “robust” consultation, but as a recent FOIP we...