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Volume 118 Issue 22
www.thecommunitypress.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 s
Holiday Train arrives in Hardisty
LESLIE CHOLOWSKY PHOTOS
The CP/CKC Holiday Train rolled early into Hardisty on Sunday evening where lots of people were waiting, after taking part in late-night shopping, bonfires, a Christmas concert, and lots of hot chocolate.
Four more sitting Alberta MLAs targeted with recall petitions Report of fifth petition application pending for Premier Danielle Smith Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Elections Alberta has announced that it has approved applications for three more UCP MLAs to be recalled, and one NDP MLA, Amanda Chapman. The UCP’s targeted in the latest set include Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, Tanya Fir, and Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange. Chapman, the first NDP MLA to be targeted with a recall petition, had an application completed by Laurie McCormack, who said, “Amanda Chapman chooses harsh partisan attacks likening Alberta’s elected government to extremists and backs public sector unions over Calgary-Beddington families’ real priorities: education access and affordability. “Her divisive rhetoric distracts from solutions.” This may serve as a warning to elected members of the legislature that some Albertans are weary of parties that do nothing but snipe at one another. In her defense, in Chapman’s recall member statement, she says, “During the recent teacher job action, families in Calgary-Beddington made it clear their priority was hearing their representative standing up for
teachers. Of the thousands of pieces of correspondence received by my office, 99 per cent asked their MLA to support teachers and speak out about class size/complexity.” The applicant asking for a recall petition to be issued for LaGrange, Danny Carlisle, said in his statement that he is requesting the recall, “Due to her central role in the CorruptCare scandal.” He also references her time as Education Minister, adding, “In 2020, she was responsible for the largest single layoff in Canadian history. After promising to maintain funding for education during COVID, she implemented large budget cuts to schools across Alberta and directed the layoffs of 20,000 to 25,000 employees: most of whom were educational assistants.” LaGrange defended the layoffs in her Member statement, saying they ensured education support staff could access CERB and EI while preserving their continuing contracts. She also says she was not the Minister of Health when matters now before the courts were negotiated. She pointed to a $1.8 billion hospital expansion for Red Deer, “New schools and policing supports, major investments at Red Deer Polytechnic, seniors housing, and community facilities.”
Singh was accused of not responding to emails and having “minimal” engagement with his constituents; and “He voted for Bill 2 and the use of the nothwithstanding clause to strip teachers of their charter rights, and admitted to not reading the bill in its entirety. “Despite knowing that many constituents access AISH, he did not attempt to prevent cuts to the program or speak out against it. “His lack of engagement and inability to advocate for Calgary-East demonstrates that he puts the interest of his political party ahead of the needs of his constituents.” Sing and Fir’s member responses both note that, “Recall legislation is meant for cases of serious misconduct, not partisan disagreements over government policy.” Earlier in the week PostMedia claimed to have seen a letter signed by Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure approving a recall petition for Danielle Smith in her Brooks-Medicine Hat riding, but the website has not been updated to confirm this. Smith had seven days to file a response before the three-month petition campaign could start.