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- Premier Danielle Smith is renewing her push for expanded pipeline access to global markets in light of recent events. Smith said the US military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro - and Washington’s stated interest in securing Venezuela’s oil resources - shows the risks of relying on unstable or politically sensitive suppliers. Smith argues Canada should prioritize exporting its own oil to a wider range of buyers, including Asian markets, through a new pipeline to British Columbia’s West Coast. She pointed to a recent agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney that sets timelines for a potential Indigenous co-owned pipeline and reviews federal policies such as the tanker ban. Smith emphasized that Alberta supports pipelines “in all directions” and is urging Ottawa to move quickly, framing export diversification as both an economic and energy-security priority amid growing global uncertainty.
- Speaking of pipelines, the Alberta government has launched a new website to share information about a proposed bitumen pipeline to the northwest BC coast, positioning it as a central source for updates and public engagement. The site aims to address misinformation, emphasizing that construction has not started, no route has been finalized, and the Province is not funding the full project. Alberta has committed $14 million to early planning, with the expectation that private companies and Indigenous partners would eventually lead development. The project is tied to a recent federal-provincial energy agreement and could be submitted for federal review by July 1st under a process meant to accelerate projects of national interest. Early work includes Indigenous engagement, route and capacity planning, and assessing market demand and economic viability. While several major pipeline companies are advising the Province, no firm has yet agreed to build the pipeline.
- A recall effort targeting Alberta’s Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides is running well behind pace, with organizers estimating roughly 6,000 signatures collected and about 10,000 more needed before the January 21st deadline to trigger a vote. The campaign organizer says a final push is planned but acknowledges reaching the threshold in such a short time would be difficult. The recall is part of a broader wave of petitions launched in late 2025, many driven by opposition to the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to end a teachers’ strike. Even if it falls short, the organizer says the campaign has succeeded in increasing political engagement within the constituency.
- A petition calling for a referendum on Alberta separating from Canada has officially launched, with its inaugural signing event held in Water Valley and follow-up events in Didsbury and Westrose. The petition, managed by the newly created group Stay Free Alberta, aims to collect 177,732 valid signatures by May 2nd to trigger a constitutional referendum, with only registered canvassers allowed to gather signatures. Alberta Prosperity Project, which helped organize the initial events, continues as an educational group promoting independence information, while Stay Free Alberta handles the official petition process. Additional signing events are planned across the province throughout January as more canvassers are approved and trained.
- Several Alberta school boards have removed a limited number of library books following the Province’s new policy restricting sexually explicit images in school materials. Edmonton Public Schools pulled 34 titles, while the Calgary Board of Education removed 44 - both emphasizing that these represent a very small share of their overall collections. Edmonton Catholic Schools reported removing six titles. None of the divisions released specific book lists, noting the reviews are ongoing and subject to change. The policy, introduced by the Government of Alberta, was revised in the fall to focus on explicit images rather than written descriptions, after concerns were raised that well-known literary works could be unintentionally caught by the rules. Premier Danielle Smith and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides have said the intent is not to restrict classic or challenging literature.