iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Bill Kaufmann: “That would translate to Calgarians paying an additional $90 a month for drinking water, an amount some city councillors want to considerably water down... A typical household bill for water supply and treatment is currently about $40 a month." calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...

calgaryherald.com

City councillors balk at proposed $90 a month increase in water rates by 2030

City administrators are recommending water rate hikes amounting to $90 a month by 2030 to pay for needed infrastructure.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 29/09/2026

Populist leaders depend heavily on popularity. When it collapses, so does their claim to speak for “the people.” Their base sees them as less useful, and they lack a broader coalition to fall back on. So they rig the game to keep playing, further fueling democratic backsliding.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Joel Wood 🇨🇦 @joelwwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Super Intelligence

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 29/09/2026

You first, fuckfaces.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Ximena González @ximenaka.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I wonder how Albertans manage to recognize immigrants everywhere they go…

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Kent Fellows @gkfellows.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Worth noting: MacDonald's first attempt a establishing a Canadian Pacific Rail line STARTED in 1873 (when he and other officials were bribed as part the Pacific Scandal). Final construction wasn't completed until 1886. 13 years, not 4. Then, as now, the delays were political and regulatory.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“...Pierre Trudeau once said that living next to the United States was like ‘sleeping with an elephant.’ These days, it feels more like sharing a bed with someone who has a loaded gun under their pillow and an empty bottle of whiskey on the dresser.” www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/29/o...

nationalobserver.com

America still doesn't understand how deep the rift goes

Memo to our friends (and yes, our enemies) to the south: the problem isn’t just Donald Trump. It’s you

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“You can fight a traffic ticket in court... yet, our Charter not only allows our legislators the absolute power to override basic rights, it grants the power to deny any opportunity to fight...those violations. ...Trumpian, in how it bullies the powerless." www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

theglobeandmail.com

Opinion: Canadians must not stand for the notwithstanding clause’s pre-emptive use

Legislatures have used the Charter’s override function to shield laws that violate basic freedoms from the scrutiny of courts. It’s legal – but is it just?

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“But when it comes to a choice between largely anonymous separatists – their work bolstered by AI, which is never a good sign – and Alberta’s top experts on a question as portentous as the effects of separating from Canada, that choice is no choice at all.” www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

theglobeandmail.com

Opinion: When weighing Alberta’s future, trust the experts

The separatists have released a host of documents, but we don’t know enough about who’s behind it

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

We absolutely *do* need to reduce our dependence on the U.S., but running into the arms of the Chinese government is not the right approach to doing so. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/a-must-rea...

wallsandbridges.substack.com

A Must-Read from One of the “Two Michaels”

We absolutely *do* need to reduce our dependence on the U.S., but running into the arms of the Chinese government is not the right approach to doing so.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The use of property controls in grocery markets has bugged me for more than half my life, so I am very pleased with recent news coming from the Competition Bureau. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/some-very-...

wallsandbridges.substack.com

Some Very Good News Regarding Competition in Grocery Markets

The use of property controls in grocery markets has bugged me for more than half my life, so I am very pleased with recent news coming from the Competition Bureau.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Theo Moudakis @theomoudakis.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Please enjoy my cartoon in today's Toronto Star

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Randy Boswell: “...Jason Kenney...told the CBC that the Dominion Society’s mission is ‘clearly un-Canadian, and it needs to be called out. People like me, who are on the right of centre of Canadian politics, have a special obligation to do that.’“ www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/25/o...

nationalobserver.com

Citizens must stand firm against new group touting mass deportation, supremacy of ‘Heritage Canadians’

Free speech? Sure. People are free to put up posters on utility poles expressing their views and promoting their causes — and other people offended by the vile messaging and the polarizing mission beh...

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Kent Fellows @gkfellows.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Political parties should pick leaders the way Econ departments pick department heads: Anyone ambitious enough to want the job is disqualified and everyone else gets together and bullies the least objectionable person into agreeing to lead until someone better comes along or they burn out.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

“In the wake of another painful, difficult outcome, the Democratic Party has completed its review of Charlie Brown’s most recent failed attempt to kick the football." ... “To be clear: Charlie Brown must attempt to kick the football again.” www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/cha...

mcsweeneys.net

“Charlie Brown Must Stay the Course”: A Football Kick Autopsy Report by the Democratic Party

“The central lesson of this cycle is not that Charlie Brown should stop trusting Lucy. It is that Charlie Brown must do a better job explaining why trusting ...

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I see Mike Jamieson is a separatist. “Calgary city council voted Tuesday in support of a statement on national unity, ahead of an Alberta referendum on separation this fall." ... “Ward 12 Coun. Mike Jamieson was the only councillor to vote in opposition.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.ca

Calgary city council approves national unity statement ahead of Alberta referendum | CBC News

After city councillors were divided about whether it was the city's place to wade into a debate on Alberta separation, a motion from the mayor affirming Calgary's place as a vital part of the province...

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Mikal Skuterud: “As our economic future becomes increasingly uncertain in the face of a trade war and rapid technological change, it is more important than ever to prioritize facts over easy narratives.” financialpost.com/opinion/read...

financialpost.com

Opinion: Trump says Canada has 'Big Unemployment.' The data tell a different story

Mikal Skuterud takes a deeper look at Statistics Canada's labour force survey data. Find out more.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Haha! “...Freedom Fest, the MAGA-backed event set to feature...‘musician’ Kid Rock, is cancelled yet again. ...Kentucky Republican and festival organizer Eric Deters nixed the event due to incredibly low VIP ticket sales—only six of them, to be exact.“ metalinjection.net/news/another...

metalinjection.net

Another Kid Rock Festival Gets Cancelled Due to No One Buying Tickets - Metal Injection

Freedom Fest, the MAGA event set to feature Kid Rock this Saturday, has been cancelled due to incredibly low ticket sales.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

RIP Pye Dubois. “Pye Dubois, the Canadian lyricist and poet most famous for his work with Rush and Max Webster, and later with Max Webster frontman Kim Mitchell, has died at the age of 77.” www.loudersound.com/bands-artist...

loudersound.com

Canadian lyricist and Rush collaborator Pye Dubois dead at 77

Pye Dubois worked with Max Webster and on several Rush songs including Tom Sawyer

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

“...video taken from Edmonton’s Chinatown in recent weeks has revealed a tangible example of the concept in which provincial corrections officers are seen to be literally downloading recently incarcerated people onto the pavement and then driving away.” edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

edmontonjournal.com

Keith Gerein: A UCP government posturing on public safety shouldn't be dumping inmates onto Chinatown streets

Video from Edmonton’s Chinatown has shown corrections officers dumping recently incarcerated people onto the street with no supports.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Theo Moudakis @theomoudakis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Please enjoy my cartoon for Thursday's Toronto Star

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

“This rush to blame a climate policy — and tax — that doesn’t exist rather than an American administration that’s openly hostile to Canada’s economic interests and national sovereignty perfectly encapsulates the state of the federal Conservative Party...“ www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/23/o...

nationalobserver.com

Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives can’t wait to buy Trump’s bullshit

Donald Trump's latest economic threat involves replacing Canada's potash with imports from Belarus. The official opposition decided to blame ... the carbon tax?

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Kent Fellows @gkfellows.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Happy Fall Everyone

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

In today's episode of "That's Not How Causation Works", Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) argues Trump's trade war is legally justified by how Canada *reacts* to it. nationalpost.com/news/canada/...

nationalpost.com

Carney government's retaliation may weaken the legal case against Trump's tariffs, think tank argues

The Carney government’s latest round of counter-tariffs may weaken the legal case against the Trump tariffs.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 23/09/2026

I'm in Alberta. Our guy's on meth and season 8.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The fact she is giving the holiday now also demonstrates how desperate she is to raise her voter support levels.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

It is extremely rare for me to give Smith credit for anything, but I gave it when she did *not* give cut gas taxes. Now she has gone and ruined it, so I have to take that credit back. Her knowledge of Economics is back to nil. www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...

ctvnews.ca

Alberta suspending fuel taxes amid high oil prices

The Government of Alberta is suspending provincial fuel taxes until the end of the year.

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Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD

Black Cloud Six @blackcloudsix.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Why? Why do major outlets continue to report his bullshit as if it’s real? One word could help this headline: “Trump *claims*…”

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Black Cloud Six @blackcloudsix.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Holy McFuck does he suck at this. He ain’t gettin’ potash from Lukashenko. It’s almost impossible, yet he thinks this is giving him some sort of leverage over us. It’s almost laughable,

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney isn’t quite the film to watch in order to learn the specifics of modern Canadian electoral campaigns, but it does offer a gist of historical sentiments and contextualises a changing of the guard.” faroutmagazine.co.uk/matthew-rank...

faroutmagazine.co.uk

Matthew Rankin - ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney’ movie review

'Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney' is an absurdist political documentary that satirises Canada's most notorious prime minister. Read more about it here.

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Ben Atkinson, PhD @benatkinsonphd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Danielle Smith is wrong. There is no obligation for the leader of any political party to take the idiots seriously, much less respect them. That is why they are called “leaders” and not “followers”. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

theglobeandmail.com

Danielle Smith denies watering down government messaging on independence question

Alberta Premier disputes social media post by UCP president which claims she is trying to appear neutral

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Catelli @catelli.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Well. Proof that Peter MacKay doesn't know fuck all about nothin' "ignoring the baiting and barking from the U.S. administration is the only way back to the bargaining table and a chance to reset the trade talks" ca.news.yahoo.com/peter-mackay...

ca.news.yahoo.com

Peter MacKay: Mark Carney must ignore Trump's baiting and get back to the table

Without U.S. support our biggest adversaries would be posing a much bigger threat to Canadian interests

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Catelli @catelli.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I find it quite ironic that nearly every article or blog post about the evils of AI Data Centers use an AI generated image of a fictional interior of a Data Center.

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