Articles by Dean Bennett

Oct 23 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta's ethics commissioner has dismissed complaints surrounding United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney's recent trade trip to India. Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler, in a report, says Kenney and fellow legislature member Prasad Panda were up front about all aspects of their trip and did nothing to break the rules. Kenney, Panda, and fellow UCP legislature member Devin […]

Oct 23 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta NDP's has called for an investigation into what it calls collusion, rule breaking, and pay-to-play deals involving the United Conservative Opposition. The New Democrats, in a letter sent Tuesday to Election Commissioner Lorne Gibson, have asked him to review the United Conservatives' ties to the political action committee known as Shaping Alberta's Future and the Motor Dealers' Association of […]

Oct 20 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel is taking aim at the province's carbon tax, saying it needs to be changed but that axing it is not the magic wand for a province running multibillion-dollar deficits. "I find it fascinating that this carbon tax is such a major issue," Mandel told about 485 party members Saturday […]

Oct 15 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta's NDP says Opposition Leader Jason Kenney needs to explain what regulations and labour rules he would cut if he were to win power. Environment Minister Shannon Phillips says any cuts — and Kenney's promise that he would push them through within weeks of a spring election victory — would unduly punish workers while threatening public health and safety. "The mask has […]

Oct 13 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, with her arch pipeline foe sitting just a few feet away in the front row, compared Trans Mountain protesters Saturday to dewy-eyed unicorn jockeys from Salt Spring Island, B.C. "I would say to those who oppose our fight to build this pipeline, that they are being extremely foolish," Notley said in a […]

Oct 11 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta is putting in another $70 million to legal aid services as part of a new agreement. Premier Rachel Notley, announcing the new funding Thursday, said it will deliver more and timely help to low-income Albertans in the justice system. "Whether it's a parent who is fighting for child support or a survivor of domestic […]

Oct 11 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — A United Conservative Party nomination candidate has been turfed after he and his fellow challengers were photographed with an anti-immigration group linked to neo-Nazis in Europe. The other two candidates said they didn't realize they were meeting with the Soldiers of Odin. But Lance Coulter said he was aware of who they were and was OK […]

Oct 10 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta is set to try out its new curriculum for young students and Education Minister David Eggen says it will mesh fundamental skills with broader social development. "We want to make sure that this new curriculum is actually focusing more laser-like on basic but fundamental foundational skills," Eggen said Wednesday. "That means reading, […]

Oct 9 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says Opposition Leader Jason Kenney must stop "dog-whistle" politics that allow hateful extremists to believe they have a home in his United Conservative Party. But Kenney is accusing Notley of exploiting a one-off event orchestrated by a "kooky" organization against the UCP and its candidates. Candidates running for the UCP nomination in the […]

Oct 3 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she's not happy with Ottawa's decision to let stand a court decision that has stalled the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The federal government has instead appointed former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci to oversee a new round of consultations with Indigenous communities. Notley says she understands Ottawa's view that this is […]

Oct 2 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta is ditching its privatized model for road testing and will administer road exams directly to new drivers. Transportation Minister Brian Mason says it's the best solution to fix testing plagued by reports of poor service, high fees and lack of access in smaller centres. "It's a Wild West kind of system that has not served […]

Sep 27 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she will go up against controversial anti-pipeline activist Tzeporah Berman in duelling speeches next month. "I will be going myself to make the case for Alberta and our industry to counter misinformation and ensure that the whole story is told," Notley said to applause in a speech Thursday […]

Sep 25 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — The Alberta NDP caucus has asked the ethics commissioner to look into Opposition Leader Jason Kenney's trip last week to India. During the trip, Kenney, United Conservative energy critic Prasad Panda, and trade critic Devin Dreeshen toured the massive Jamnagar oil refinery on India's west coast. Kenney has since talked about the refinery, owned by Reliance Industries, and the […]

Sep 18 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — The Alberta government says it will be doing "damage control" after Opposition leader Jason Kenney's visit to India. Trade Minister Deron Bilous says there appears to be confusion in India over who Kenney is speaking for and questions over what he is saying as he meets this week with business and political leaders. […]

Sep 17 2018 — Dean Bennett — EDMONTON — Alberta's education minister says private schools are coming around to adopting provincial laws on gay-straight alliances in schools. David Eggen said there are fewer private schools defying the rules and those that don't comply will have the policy imposed on them. "That number is coming down," Eggen said Monday. "People are working very collaboratively with us. "If they're having […]