iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 3h

If those of you in other provinces ever wonder how Alberta ended up in the situation it now faces, this post is authored by one of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's most trusted advisors.

Bruce McAllister
@McAllisterBruce
·
3h
This Thanksgiving weekend, I’m reminded how blessed we are to live here in Alberta. The freedom to debate the big stuff, the passion people bring to this province, the courage to speak up when something matters – those are things we have to hold onto tightly and never lose.
The referendum next week is emotional for a lot of good people. Some passionate folks have had it with Ottawa and see going it alone as the only path forward. Other passionate, smart, wonderful people have had it with Ottawa too but would never vote to leave Canada. That’s all ok. What isn’t ok is demonizing those you disagree with or lumping everybody into one category because of how they vote on this. There are die-hard conservatives voting to stay – option 1. They are not Ottawa liberals any more than someone voting option 2 is a crazy right-wing nut job with a fourth-grade education.
A couple of reminders as we approach this vote.
1. Be aware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Anybody marginalizing and shaming somebody for their viewpoint is usually doing it with the hope of sowing division. It’s often for perceived political gain. The obvious example is
@nenshi
and the type who ridicule people for their beliefs. It’s done to spread the false idea that their group and only their group owns the moral high ground. It’s the “all about me” mentality shared by too many on the left. And yes, there are those on the other side guilty of the same. Not the political leaders though. People like
@ABDanielleSmith
have been steadfast and unwavering in their support of democracy and accepting all viewpoints while not necessarily sharing them.
2. The mainstream media and yes some of the alt media too. Divide, fight, promote the us-vs-them mentality. They are always more interested in pitting people against each other and hyping it up than they are in doing an in-depth piece on the issues that actually got us here. Think Covid. Think infills. Think immigration. Think…

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 4h

From Dec. 2025 podcast Jeffrey Rath: We've moved from introductory meetings to high-level policy discussions about communication plans. Suffice it to say, those plans are being made. I don't want to comment further, but people will see the communication as it rolls out.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 4h

Just found this on my hard drive. What was Jason Lavigne on about the meetings in Washington being nothing burgers? Also, Jeff Rath can't keep his story straight.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 9h

Financial Times in January verified Jeff Rath, Dennis Modry and Mitch Sylvestre met with American officials in Washington. For months before that, they boasted about it. Did Danielle Smith, her cabinet ministers or senior staff ever openly condemn Rath et al before the Globe's most recent story?

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 23h

Calgary's mayor understands political messaging.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Take 10 minutes to listen to Alberta Senator Paula Simons' denunciation of the UCP's racist anti-immigrant referendum questions. It's a tour de force. www.youtube.com/watch?v=to7o...

youtube.com

Watch: Senator Paula Simons denounces Alberta's anti-immigrant referendum questions

YouTube video by Senator Paula Simons

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

In overruling Edmonton's elected council, Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams actually said that those who supported the bylaw were "unAlbertan and UnCanadian." The hypocrisy of Danielle Smith complaining about federal overreach at the news conference was next level.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

ICYMI - Separatist leader Jeff Rath under increasing legal/financial pressure. U.S. lenders sue Jeff Rath for $112M, allege he concealed First Nation firing | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1209127...

globalnews.ca

Global News | Breaking, Latest News and Video for Canada

Globalnews.ca – Watch and read Canada’s Breaking news plus Business, Health, Politics and World News

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Danielle Smith appoints Evan Romanow as DM of Hospitals and Surgeries. He was involved in this. thetyee.ca/News/2026/01...

GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION ACT (section 4); public service act (section 18) - Effective October 13, 2026, appoints Bryce Stewart as Deputy Minister of Affordability and Utilities and Evan Romanow as Deputy Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

More big trouble for separatist leader Jeff Rath U.S. lenders sue Jeff Rath for $112M, allege he concealed First Nation firing | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1209127...

globalnews.ca

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Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Not the odds, but the stakes. That's my shorthand for the organizing principle we most need in election coverage. Not who has what chances of winning, but the consequences for American democracy. Not the odds, but the stakes. Sep. 11, 2023

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Paul Godfrey alleges in court filing that Ford's chief of staff essentially said Godfrey's son's company wouldn't get a big government contract unless PostMedia ran an op ed by Ford in advance of the election call and PostMedia ran the op ed.

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Andrea DeKeseredy @andiewinnipeg.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

In Edmonton to recieve the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial scholarship for my work in sociology at the University of Alberta. This is one of the most prestigious awards given to doctoral students in the country. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride!

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Also, the preamble to Canada's charter is effectively ornamental. The Supreme Court has broadly recognized Canada is secular and multicultural

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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 03/10/2026

More confirmation and details of the deep ties between Alberta separatists and Trump Republicans. They are part of the same far-right populist movement. And the Americans are deeply involved in promoting disunity in Canada. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

theglobeandmail.com

The elephant in the room

Alberta separatists have gone to D.C. offering fresh water and oil in exchange for American support – and Republican operatives have provided tactical assistance inside the province

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Terrific synthesis reporting, analysis and writing in this story.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

@thebreakdownab.bsky.social linked Wilson to Rise of Alberta on Jan. 18 because the website at one point listed a St. Albert address that is the same as Wilson's law office. They also disclosed that Wilson's law office address is actually a UPS store. www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8er...

youtube.com

Episode 8.04 - January 18, 2026 Alberta Politics Update!

YouTube video by The Breakdown AB

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

If you work at a print shop or plant that produced these door hangers or know something about who produced them, contact me in confidence at journalismtips@protonmail.com.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Incredible story of how it appears Moroccan intelligence created a fake journalist who successfully duped numerous Canadian media outlets and in particular, The Western Standard and The Hub.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Read this in the context of the UCP's current scapegoating of immigrants. Alberta's Deadly Betrayal of Meat Plant Workers During COVID via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2026/09...

thetyee.ca

Alberta’s Deadly Betrayal of Meat Plant Workers During COVID | The Tyee

A shocking report finds the UCP ignored evidence of high risk.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Remind me? Did the UCP mention this in its election platform?

Bill 11 implementation

Bill 11 (the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, No. 2) introduces coverage protections and changes to how drug and supplemental benefits plans are coordinated in Alberta.

Currently, the government is considered the first payor. This means that when an Albertan is enrolled in a government-sponsored drug and supplemental benefits plan, specifically Coverage for Seniors or Non-Group Coverage, that plan is the first payor, even if the Albertan also has a private or employer-sponsored drug and supplemental benefits plan.

Bill 11 changes this by introducing two core changes to the Coverage for Seniors and Non-Group Coverage programs:

Government becomes payor of last resort: Private-sponsored drug and supplemental benefits plans would become the first payor for individuals who have them, with government-sponsored drug and supplemental benefits plans acting as a safety net, providing coverage when no other coverage is available or available coverage has been exhausted. With this bill, government-sponsored drug and supplemental benefits plans will act as a safety net rather than first payor, ensuring financial responsibility is shared across the system. This helps protect resources while maintaining access to coverage for those who need it most. Government programs will continue to provide coverage to all eligible beneficiaries.
Protection for employees aged 65+: Employers will no longer be able to terminate, reduce or modify drug and supplemental health benefits solely because a plan member has reached a certain age.
These changes will come into force on October 1, 2026. Additional information is available at the following link: https://www.ab.bluecross.ca/pdfs/bill-11-Implementation-reference-guide-and-faq.pdf.

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Shannon Buchart 🇨🇦🍁 @sgbab.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

"To watch the government present immigrants as the primary source of societal strain is both insulting and soul-crushing. More importantly, it is an empirical fraud designed to deflect from years of provincial underinvestment and poor planning."

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Pastor Shawn Hamm Remnant Church, Red Deer

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Important read here on why the UCP may have changed the rules to not provide voters' lists to scrutineers. It's a security risk.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

And here's the thing. This poll is from Janet Brown. She is the most consistently accurate pollster in Alberta.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

No evidence of that in the court records, but Alberta Prosperity Society paid Rath nearly $225K and another $65K from Stay Free Alberta.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Via Ashleigh Stewart - Rath commingled trust money and lost $3.25M of alleged First Nations money in bullion trading. $11.5M from Sturgeon Lake trust helped fund Rath firm’s Tallcree payment: receiver | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1207056...

globalnews.ca

Global News | Breaking, Latest News and Video for Canada

Globalnews.ca – Watch and read Canada’s Breaking news plus Business, Health, Politics and World News

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This is false and misleading. There is nothing in the constitution that would require Ottawa to negotiate with Alberta if a majority of Albertans choose Option 2 on Question 10. Alberta Proud is a registered third-party advertiser. Daniel Kary, of Calgary, is the main contact/CFO.

There's a lot of confusion about what Question 10 on the October 19 ballot actually means, so let's be clear.
Question 10 gives voters two options: remain a province of Canada, or start the legal process toward a binding referendum. A binding referendum means a future province-wide vote whose result the government is legally required to act on, not just listen to and ignore. Choosing the second option doesn't take Alberta out of Canada.
Under Canada's constitution, if enough Albertans choose the second option, Ottawa would be required to come to the table for a real conversation about Alberta's place in Canada, how our resources are managed, and whether we're getting a fair return.
Are you voting on October 19?

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Most breathtakingly cynical move? Kenney ran a kamikaze candidate and became UCP leader in an election that involved voter fraud. Then he was replaced by Danielle Smith who dumped the Wildrose and crossed the floor to join the Conservatives.

The guy who broke BC's economy is now breaking the law in a sneaky and cynical attack on democracy.

He's forcing an election two years ahead of the legislated date purely to exploit a pending leadership change in the main opposition party. It's the most breathtakingly cynical move I have ever seen in Canadian politics.

Hopefully BC voters will demonstrate that they refuse to be manipulated by punishing Eby and his incompetent, ideologically obsessed government.

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Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I'm thinking about the column inches that would be devoted to how autocratic Stephen Harper is if he'd passed this bill

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Owned by New Jersey-based Chatham Asset Management, same hedge fund that owns Canada's PostMedia.

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GenderQueeries 🇨🇦 @genderqueeries.ca · 23/09/2026

And this (or at least the same name) is back, hours after the writ was dropped in BC. Infuriating.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The biggest lie told by Danielle Smith and the separatists debunked. No, Alberta Does Not 'Subsidize' the Rest of Canada via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026...

thetyee.ca

No, Alberta Does Not ‘Subsidize’ the Rest of Canada | The Tyee

The vast majority of workers get more from federal programs than they give.

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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Friday Sept. 25. It's easy. www.elections.ab.ca/request-a-sp... Voting is more important than ever in Alberta so if you have family, friends or neighbours who need help securing their voting package, reach out.

elections.ab.ca

Request a Special Ballot - Elections Alberta

Electors who are unable to vote in person may vote by mail by applying for a Special Ballot. You may choose to: Mail the ballot to your home address, Mail the ballot to an alternate address (e.g. for ...

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Forward Canada @forwardcanada.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

In this week’s opinion column, Senator Paula Simons writes about anti-separation Albertans who genuinely believe the best form of protest is to boycott the referendum. While she understands their motives, she warns that staying home will backfire. #ableg #canpoli forwardweekly.ca/simons-cant-...

forwardweekly.ca

We Can’t Boycott Our Way Out of a Meaningless Referendum | By Paula Simons | Forward Weekly

Forward Weekly feature for September 20, 2026.

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