It was another breakneck week in Alberta provincial politics, and Premier Jason Kenney hit some turbulence on Thursday when the opposition revealed Albertans had paid more than $16,000 to fly him, three other "like-minded premiers," and some of their wives and staff on a charter plane from a Calgary meeting to the Council of the Federation gathering in Saskatoon last July.
Join legislature columnist Keith Gerein, reporter Lisa Johnson, managing editor Dave Breakenridge and host Janet French as they discuss the flight fallout, as well as more revelations trickling out from the provincial budget and a controversial new private members' bill that examines doctors' conscience rights.
Good stuff from the galleryLisa may have described this book, Trick Mirror, as being "about the internet," but it only uses social media as a jumping-off point for some engaging and ingenious essays. Maybe it's about how we see ourselves in the middle of a tornado of terrifying and distorted information bouncing and refracting all around us? Anyway, it's been touted as "an instant classic of the worst decade yet."
Dave recommends a piece by Jen Gerson in Macleans magazine on why some Albertans are fed up with Canada.
For this week's finest political theatre, Janet insists you watch the Thursday committee meeting in which Opposition leader Rachel Notley grills Premier Jason Kenney on the aforementioned flights and other executive council hires and expenses, and Kenney deftly lobs back some zingers.
For the parents, Janet also recommends the Chicken Squad books by Doreen Cronin. They are short, yellow, fuzzy, and sharply humorous for the delight of both adults and kids.
Keith is recommending two informative articles speculating on the political and economic implications of a radical idea gaining more traction in Alberta: pulling out of the Canada Pension Plan and establishing our own.
