EDMONTON - The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling for a federal review of nearly century-old natural resource transfer agreements in response to Alberta's government opening the door to a separation referendum. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has introduced a bill that, if passed, would make it far easier for Albertans to launch referendums on various topics — including splitting from Canada. Smith has pointed to growing alienation in her province and frustration [Read more]

VANCOUVER - Drier, warmer weather in much of British Columbia last month has contributed to an early melt, raising concern for widespread drought this summer, the province's latest snowpack and water supply bulletin says. The drought, in turn, is curtailing B.C.'s ability to generate hydroelectricity, where most of the province's power comes from, said former provincial environment minister Barry Penner, who now chairs the Energy Futures Institute. Penner said B.C. is on track to become a [Read more]

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is freezing its industrial carbon price effective immediately at $95 per tonne of emissions. She says the move is critical to keep industry competitive and defend jobs as Canada navigates a tariff fight with the United States. She says it also provides certainty and economic relief to critical sectors such as oil and gas, electricity, and manufacturing. The price had been set to rise to $110 per tonne in 2026 and to continue [Read more]

MONTREAL - As Alberta flirts with the possibility of a referendum on separation, Quebec sovereigntists are watching with interest — and a healthy dose of skepticism. Some are hoping a wave of separatist sentiment in Alberta will put wind in the sails of Quebec’s own independence movement, which took a blow in the recent federal election when the Liberals made big gains in the province at the expense of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois. But others see Alberta’s brand of separatism, grown [Read more]

CALGARY - An Alberta court has denied the appeal of a Calgary man convicted three years ago of a Ponzi scheme that saw his clients bilked out of millions of dollars. Arnold Breitkreutz was sentenced to 10 years in 2022 in what the Crown called a multimillion-dollar scheme where more than 100 investors believed they were putting money into safe first mortgages. Breitkreutz's appeal argued the judge made legal errors and that his trial counsel was not experienced enough to handle such a [Read more]

OTTAWA - Canada's energy CEOs are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to scrap the emissions cap on oil and gas producers and repeal industrial carbon pricing to help bolster the industry. Thirty-eight CEOs of Canadian energy companies signed a letter congratulating Carney on his election win and pitching policy measures they say would help the prime minister make good on his promise to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7. "As a major contributor to the Canadian economy, with [Read more]