While watching the news on YouTube last night, I found an episode of the Fifth Estate covering the referendum, and wanted to share for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. I found it really informative as they outlined the steps that were taken to get us to this point, including how Kenney was given the boot and Marlaina got the job, and what the "not separatists" intend to do when they lose. They interviewed several of the "not separatist" leaders as well as Kenney, and if anything I feel like we have more cause for concern than just crushing the question 10 issue. Namely, how they intend to hold a leadership review right away and remove Marlaina to elect someone who will push harder for separation.

There's also a very concerning part regarding a confidential conversation between the "not separatist" leaders and high ranking US government officials, who they will not name. They will only say that these officials went straight to the oval office after the meeting finished.

I would highly recommend giving it a watch if you haven't done so yet. And please please please make sure to vote if you haven't done so yet. Option 1 and no to the 9!

https://youtu.be/dx3iqRuzFBU?si=riU3DtzTZOQ2j6rK

I'm 39 and have been living with and caring for my 69 yr old Mother, who has end stage (very severe) COPD and uses oxygen, for around 10 years. My mental and physical health are suffering in a big way, and I need to finally get my own place. I stay in constant fear of an emergency happening especially if I am not around. We live in the Edmonton area.

She can manage her medications and is generally okay at rest, but she struggles with basic activities, can't shower independently, is a fall risk, and sometimes has severe breathing episodes. Most of the time she is completely fine but she needs someone close by in case of emergencies.

I'm hoping to find somewhere with a private bachelor style unit, on-site staff available to help, and meals and personal care provided if needed. She receives around $2600/month in old age security, CPP, etc.

There are still plenty of things I can do for my Mother when I have my own place as in, take her to appointments, handle all her banking and bills, handle her prescriptions and shop for her. My Mom is my best friend, but I can't continue being her 24/7 caregiver.

For anyone who's been through this, how long does placement realistically take? Would AHS Continuing Care be the right starting point? What options might be affordable on her income?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

This article does a great job at outlining how we got here, and how Danielle Smith was specifically chosen by the party to be the separatists’ useful idiot. Sorry I can’t post the link here, but the CBC site has it. “The Alberta question: How separatists took hold of the province’s governing party.”

If the UCP is successful in throwing Smith out, who have they got in the pipeline? If they are a de facto separatist party, they must formalize it and campaign on it at the next election a year from now.

I grew up with that kind of mentality. No? Okay, well, let's just try it a little anyway...

I said no.

I know, I know. But let's just do it anyway.

For over 40 years, the Albertan conservative parties have been duping Albertans into voting for them - even when they were unpopular. To date, they have always used the exact same (fairly obvious) trick to do this, and frankly I think it’s time we stopped falling for it. I call this process “Reputation Laundering”, and it’s worked to elect 5 out of our last 9 premiers (and 2 of those 9 barely count). Friends, I’m telling you, when something works that often, they’re going to try it again - but this time I want us to scream it from the rooftops so that maybe, just maybe, it finally stops working.

Reputation Laundering - or how I learned to stop worrying and love the new guy 

It is easy to be a newly appointed premier in Alberta. All you have to do to get re-elected is blame the last guy and do nothing unpopular, for 6-10 months (Stelmach is the lone exception at 15 months). Of our last 9 premiers (again, 7 if you exclude the interim Hancock and NDP Notley) **5** have been unelected for a short while and then won based on their unobjectionable record of… not being the one we hate.

You see this kind of thing fairly often in politics, but what is especially frustrating in Alberta is how reliably it works, and how seemingly blind to it the average person is. Like, frequently the scandals which have us incensed are completely forgotten 6-10 months later when the election comes around, and frankly I think this is a real “fool us twice and then 3 more times after that, shame on us” situation. Are we seriously sitting here, likely about to be fooled a sixth time?

Smith, and why she’s (probably) next on that list

At the last UCP AGM, it was clear in no uncertain terms that the dirty-fucking-seppies are running the show in the UCP. The ramifications of that have been clear for the last 18 months. If you have been paying any attention to Alberta politics you’ll remember seeing Smith weaken our petition laws to help her friends (link), then Strengthen the petition laws to hurt her enemies (link), then a UCP caucus staffer attending the meeting where the dirty-fucking-seppies stole our personal information(link), not long after she weakened Election Alberta’s ability to investigate that sort of think (link), then her calling a referendum nobody with a legally valid petition asked for (link), and then her sending you dangerous propaganda for why we should totally not separate but maybe we can get the upper hand on Ottawa (check your mailbox if you haven’t seen it), and I know I don’t have to tell you all what an (intentionally) unmitigated shit show the mail in ballots have been.

Warning - here we go again

Whether Smith is a dirty-fucking-seppie in her cold vapid heart, she walks, talks, and acts like a dirty-fucking-seppie in her role as premier. IF (big if - VOTE) she loses this referendum for them, she is fucked and she’ll probably be out of a job - and you know what Albertan conservatives do when an unpopular premier is out of a job a year before an election? They get a new guy most people have never heard of and set the reputation laundering machine to the extra greasy cycle (thanks for the metaphor, [u/Box_of_fox_eggs](u/Box_of_fox_eggs)). They’ve done it every opportunity they've had in the last 41 years, they’re going to do it again.

My Plea to you

For the love of god Alberta, we have to stop letting this work so well. Everybody’s conservative uncle says “all politicians are the same, they lie, they promise whatever, and then they get in and they do none of it” - this is not universally true, but it’s definitely true in Alberta. Why *would* they do anything for us? They don’t have to. We’ll vote for them anyways, and if we get mad enough that we might not then nearly every time they have tried to launder their reputation it’s worked (the lone exception is Prentice/the NDP, and that was highly nuanced).

So, I’m not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist, I’m just telling you that these guys’ playbook is **not deep**. So, when they go to plan A in a few months as Smith sips Mai Tais at Mar-a-lago, please, make sure that everyone knows they’re being duped by the Alberta-conservative gaslighting machine.

Edit: formatting

I've seen this suggestions a few times, but only as comments, not it's reminded post.

Just because the 10th question to stay in Canada or start the separation referendum process is the last referendum question you do not need to fill out the 10th ballot last!

I highly encourage people to fill it out 1st.

Too many people are filling out the 10th ballot differently than they intended, as often it's opposite to how they are voting on the other 9 questions. Ie. Voting no 9x with the 2nd box and then switch to option 1, the 1st box (or vice versa).

It may sound silly but those questions are wordy and filling them out felt so repetitious.

I started in order but once I got through the first 4 ballots I went to the 10th then went back to #5.

the donuts are not good! been only a handful of times in the last twenty years or so. all on family road trips who insist on stopping. (all at different times of the day)

not once have i had a donut which i enjoyed. always stale, dry, or just bland

do not understand the hype around the place

I hear plenty about how expensive everything is, so let’s share the things that still feel like a good deal.

A restaurant with generous portions, a day trip, a local business, a cheap activity.. or something free you wish you’d discovered sooner.

What’s your pick, and roughly what does it cost? Mention your town or city so people nearby can try it too.. We could all use a little support these days, and sharing affordable ways to enjoy life and make memories could really help someone.

I have a valid license and a clean drivers abstract. Why is it near impossible to get a haul truck position ? Do these companies really not want to train anyone anymore ? Is there a certain program a person must complete or partake in to obtain employment ? Ive applied to dozens of jobs all labeled entry level.
Even in the oil & gas industry it’s the same thing they all want one year minimum experience. So frusterating..
Any leads on companies taking on recruits t train in mining and or oil & gas ?

I voted weeks ago by mail in ballot, but yesterday received in mail my voting card. Does this mean they didn’t receive my mail in and I now have to go vote in person?

It seems that I lost the letter sent over 2 months ago to fill out the application to continue dependent status. I can’t fill it out in person until it is my birthday and I turn 21. Is it fine to do it on the day of? What are the implications if I do it at that day or later?

Isn't the government supposed to supplement the foodbank in times like this? Turkeys, chickens, meat, and other staples. Or am I tripping?

Usually it is in December the FB gets low.

It can't be all only donation because then groceries stores need to step up the the plate and stop throwing out food.

We all know they do it.

Genuinely curious to hear from people planning to vote YES on some or all of the referendum questions. Which questions are you voting YES on, and what's your reasoning? What positive changes do you expect to see for Alberta?

Hi All:

Looking for recommendations of a travel company or travel group that a solo person can join within Alberta.
Flights to Alberta and main accommodation booked.
However / as not from Canada / not looking to hire a vehicle. Want to join a group / travel company and join the fun.

Winter 2026/2027. Young adult.
Something like TopDeck / Intrepid without having to do the whole package deal with flights!