Charles Rusnell

@charlesrusnell

Independent investigative journalist in Edmonton, Alberta. Ex Ottawa Citizen, Edmonton Journal, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Contact in confidence at journalismtips@protonmail.com

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Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 7d

From the Alberta Prosperity Project website.

Photo of farmer next to a cattle pen with cattle in the background and headline of an article title Protecting Faith, Family and Freedom

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 17d

File this under scaling new heights of hypocrisy, Ric McIver encouraging people to get a mail in ballot. He was the minister who eliminated tabulators and tightened voter ID rules based on no evidence. The long line ups, and astronomical cost of the referendum to taxpayers are on him.

Legislative Assemby Speaker and Calgary-Hays UCP MLA Ric McIver is one of the few conservative politicians I’ve noticed who is encouraging Albertans to apply for a mail in ballot to avoid any long lines on October 19. Along with a link to the Elections Alberta website, McIver posted his plea on LinkedIn:

That is where I will get my mail in ballot to vote to keep Alberta in Canada.
You should too. All eligible voters can use the mail in ballot so do it now.
Remember, the vast majority of Alberta people want to remain in Canada.
So, the only way to lose is to not vote.

Do not do that.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 19d

This is a great column. Jen Gerson nails it again. A must read.

But here is my best read of the situation: the Americans are attempting to back us into a “Fortress North America” in which we become progressively more militarily and economically dependent while still being subject to whatever trade demands they choose to impose. They aren’t even being decent enough to spell out the terms of our own surrender, here. What they are aiming for is our subjugation and vassalage. One in which we buy the weapons they demand, die when we’re told, accept whatever economic conditions they’re willing to offer and thank them for the privilege of our continued protection.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 19d

ICYMI Separatist Site Offers Donors a Piece of the 'Republic of Alberta' via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2026/07...

Photo of a share certificate from the Alberta Land Consortium Inc. granting the owner one share of Class A preferred voting stock.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 20d

Peter Navarro went to prison for refusing a subpoena related to his involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the capital. He has spread baseless claims about the 2020 election. Clearly he is a bad actor, as defined by @jayrosen.bsky.social and yet the National Post trots him out. 1

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· 25d

Don Braid claims a cluster of anti semitic far left Alberta NDP members cheered the murder, rape and torture of Jews by Hamas on Oct. 7. Can someone point to any evidence of that because I could find none. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...

Those would include the antisemitic cluster on the left of his party, the kind of people who cheered the murder, rape and torture of Jews that was committed by Hamas on and after Oct. 7, 2023.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 12

From his Davos speech.

The power of the less power starts with honesty.

[Carney returns to speaking in English]

It seems that every day we're reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry, that the rules based order is fading, that the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.

And this aphorism of Thucydides is presented as inevitable, as the natural logic of international relations reasserting itself.

And faced with this logic, there is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety.

Well, it won't.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 10

It's codified in law in Alberta. The Stampede is allowed to abuse animals for entertainment in ways not allowed outside such an event.

Nichols said the investigation is more complex because Alberta’s Animal Protection Act exempts rodeo and chuckwagon events from the legislation’s distress provisions when they are conducted in accordance with reasonable and generally accepted practices.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 5

This is from Oct.7, 2025 so unless Lich received some sort of permission she is breaching her house arrest conditions.

Barber and Lich received 18-month conditional sentences that will allow them to serve 12 months at home with limited outings, then six months under a curfew in addition to 100 hours of community service, CBC and the Toronto Star reported.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 4

From a Press Progress story.

As another example, the report points out AIMCo invested $45 million in Whitecap Resources. The report notes Whitecap CEO Grant Fagerheim donated $4,000 to the UCP in 2018. Last year, Fagerheim sent a memo to employees warning Alberta could separate from Canada if Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives lost the election.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 2

Danielle Smith's UCP supports staying in Canada and yet they're funding The Western Standard, which is actively promoting, and campaigning for, separation. Why is the tax money of the vast majority of Albertans who oppose separation funding an avowed separatist organ?

Screen capture from Govt of Alberta sole source contract site showing The Western Standard received a $60,000 two year contract for "content."

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jul 1

thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...

Wesley sees that tactic at play in Alberta.

“Part of the goal of flood-the-zone strategies, like the UCP is orchestrating, is to wear down opponents and make them feel like there is no alternative but the government’s agenda, and as a result, you either shut up or ship out.”

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 30

Read and distribute widely via Andrew Nikiforuk, An expose of how the UCP are wilfully ignoring the environmental cost of AI data centres. Exposing Alberta's Wilful Blindness to AI Centre Harms via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...

To Stelfox it’s no secret why government and industry have resisted adopting proper cumulative effects assessments on data centres. They “fear that its methodological outcome would reveal the magnitude of environmental liabilities, and that this knowledge might interfere with capital investment or economic growth.”

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 17

Smith's Power Plays Depend on These Hand-Picked Appointees via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...

Recent polling conducted for Global News shows 56 per cent of Albertans disapprove of the job Smith is doing and 58 per cent disapprove of her handling of the issue of Alberta’s potential separation from Canada.

Why then is Smith ramming through her unpopular agenda — inviting charges of gerrymandering and pandering to separatists — while ignoring evident conflicts of interest?

“Some observers think that the UCP doesn’t care what the public thinks about them,” University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley said. “I’m more persuaded that the UCP don’t think the public cares, and there is a difference between those two.”

Wesley said the UCP may think the timing of the referendum, with at least 10 questions, will distract people.

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‘This Is Just a Plan to Cheat, Pure and Simple’
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“I think they feel like this flood-the-zone strategy will help them to hide things like a gerrymandered map, if that is what they choose to do,” he said.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 16

This has been a problem for years. An excerpt from a 2023 Alberta Views feature. albertaviews.ca/dysfunction-...

Paramedics now say that, as call volumes have increased without staffing keeping pace, the borderless system has evolved into a backstop in which ambulances from rural Alberta are routinely pulled into urban areas, sometimes leaving their communities without coverage.

Sometimes the pull into urban areas is gradual, a “stairstep” into city limits: the ambulance will be dispatched to a call close to a city, then “stood down” because a closer ambulance is assigned. But before they can return to their community, they are tagged on another city call. At a certain point they are inevitably the closest available ambulance for city emergencies and are assigned call after call.

One rural paramedic likened it to the pull of a “black hole.” “You’re trying to use all of your energy to get away,” he said. Recently, when supervisors took his truck out of service so he and his partner could take their break, they instead drove as fast as they could away from the city, “far enough that there may be another truck closer than [us] when a call comes in.”

Several paramedics said it’s difficult some days to take a break, even to go to the bathroom. One rural paramedic described return trips from Calgary where he and his partner were so exhausted that it was no longer safe, and they had to pull over and sleep for 45 minutes.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 12

I burst out laughing when I read who the advisory panel members are. To call this panel independent is peak gaslighting.

The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy has been selected to conduct an independent analysis of the potential economic impacts of secession so that Albertans can make an informed decision. The report will give voters a better understanding of the estimated transition costs, economic impacts, potential savings and risks that could result if the province pursued this constitutional change.

“Albertans deserve clear and credible information on the potential impacts of separation. This is a huge decision that will impact our kids and grandkids long into the future, and we cannot approach it lightly.”

Jason Nixon, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance
“The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy is pleased to conduct this analysis to provide a better understanding of the estimated transition costs, economic effects, potential benefits and other economic implications of secession that would impact Albertans. We appreciate the independence and control over our work and final report.”

Martha Hall Findlay, director, School of Public Policy, and James S. and Barbara A. Palmer Chair in Public Policy, University of Calgary
Alberta’s government has also appointed an expert advisory panel that will provide input and act as a consultative body for both the School of Public Policy and government throughout the process. While the panel will offer input, the school will retain full and independent control over the final report.

Economist Dr. Jack Mintz will lead the panel, joined by Ted Morton, political scientist and former Alberta finance minister; Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta; Alex Pourbaix, board chair of Cenovus Energy Inc. and Janice MacKinnon, former Saskatchewan finance minister.

“Albertans need to know and understand the potential impacts of separating from Canada. This work is highly complex, carried out by researchers at the School of Public Policy. The advisory council will provide feedback to ensure that …

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 12

Seems the UCP's plan for passenger rail service may not be their only grand transportation initiative. Found this last night while looking for something else on the government's open tenders site. What if anything did they do to help to replace Greyhound?

Description
Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors (“TEC” or the “Province”) is exploring opportunities to enhance regional air connectivity for the Province of Alberta through potential future regional air service initiatives. The objective of this RFEI is to collect information regarding regional air connectivity services and potential service models that may support improved air access between Alberta communities and major Alberta hub airports at Edmonton and Calgary. The Province is seeking information from regional air carriers and other aviation operators regarding operational feasibility, potential route opportunities, service models, funding considerations, and other factors relevant to supporting regional air connectivity serving the Province of Alberta. This RFEI is intended for information gathering and market sounding purposes only and does not constitute a competitive procurement process or commitment by the Province to proceed with any future procurement opportunity, funding agreement, or contract award. Information gathered through this Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) process may assist the Province in determining the scope, structure, requirements, and potential approach associated with future regional air connectivity initiatives or procurement opportunities.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 8

In case you think Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi is being hyperbolic, here is the news release from the elections commissioner. Again, another case where Danielle Smith and her brain trust have not thought through the consequences of their self-interested political decisions.

Today, Elections Alberta is launching the largest electoral event worker recruitment campaign in Alberta's history and one of the largest referendum recruitment efforts ever undertaken in Canada ahead of the province's upcoming referendum on October 19, 2026.

With ten ballot questions, Elections Alberta will print 45 million ballots, far exceeding the 1.8 million ballots cast in Alberta’s 2023 provincial general election and the 19.8 million ballots cast in Canada’s 2025 federal general election.

To achieve the 48-hour deadline to complete the unofficial ballot count, a minimum of 60,000 workers will be required.

“This referendum will be a colossal undertaking and requires Albertans to work together to deliver the upcoming referendum. Working with us in the coming months provides a great opportunity for students, teams, community groups, and Albertans from all walks of life to get involved in the democratic process,” said Gordon McClure, Chief Electoral Officer.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 6

Dale Nally thinks Albertans are stupid. You'd have to be an idiot to believe this excuse for disenfranchising voters. globalnews.ca/news/1188899....

“(Albertans) have been telling us they have too many pieces of ID in their wallet,” Nally said. “Frankly, their health care card is often disintegrating.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 6

From @onthemedia May 27 segment A Russian Phrasebook for Surviving Authoritarianism.

Dan Storyev: Ruchnoye upravleniye, the manual control. It's a newer term. It comes from Putin-era Russia, whereas chelobitye goes back to the times of Ivan the Terrible. Chelobitye literally means you're bowing so hard that you strike your head on the floor. In Russia, you see it all the time where people who need something as basic as having their road paved in their city, they essentially have to record these teary messages to Vladimir Putin asking him to intervene and do something about this.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 5

Why Hasn't Alberta Been Calculating the Cost of Separation? via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2026/06...

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams said Smith finally has been forced to take a side.

“Danielle Smith was trying to have it both ways: trying to keep the separatists from challenging her leadership, trying to keep them from splitting off and creating a new party and trying to stay onside with the federalists.”

“But she has finally realized that she has to take a stand,” Williams said.

Or perhaps she has realized, Williams said, that the separatist leaders who have been threatening a coup — Jeff Rath, Mitch Sylvestre, David Parker and others associated with the Alberta Prosperity Project — “are not as influential or as well organized or connected as they have claimed.”

“And so maybe she thinks she can get away with taking a stand now, as many have suggested she would have been forced to eventually,” Williams said.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· Jun 5

Important point here by @maxfawcett.bsky.social.

They still don’t get it. Almost 10 years ago, after the Northern Gateway pipeline’s approval was overturned by the Federal Court of Appeal because of the federal government’s failure to properly consult First Nations, the oil and gas industry and their political proxies have yet to learn its key lesson. Rather than trying to understand what the court was saying, they instead retconned its ruling into a purely political decision Justin Trudeau made to deliberately frustrate their economic ambitions — and dined out on that for a decade. The bill for that meal is about to come due, though, because they’re about to make the same mistake with the next proposed oil pipeline to the north coast that they made with the first.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 31

The disconnect illustrated here is Trumpian. Premier Danielle Smith posts about "hearing different perspectives" about "the future we're building together" at the home of a multi-millionaire Calgary developer. Meanwhile, a 94-year-old Lethbridge senior is waiting four days for emergency hip surgery.

Danielle Smith speaks to a crowd of well-dressed people in a mansion.

Post by a man about how his 94-year-old mother has been waiting four days for emergency hip surgery in Lethbridge. He says the UCP have created a system that puts politics before people.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 26

Mitch Sylvestre swears there are more than 300K signatures.

Sworn statutory declaration in which Alberta Prosperity Project co-leader Mitch Sylvestre says they confirmed there are more 300K signatures on the referendum petition.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 23

This is so true.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 11

As I was saying. Sheesh.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 7

This is more than enough justification to hold a public inquiry.

March 5, 2026 X post by David Parker in which he says; "Nothing is more laughable to me than the idea that Canadians think we are going to wait for them to tell us whether independence is 'legal' or now. We have American backing us, you fools."

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 6

Even before the massive leak of the confidential information of 3 million Albertans, Danielle Smith and the UCP had already created the perfect opportunity for bad-faith foreign actors to undermine Canadian sovereignty. How can the UCP in good conscience still hold a referendum?

The activities in question, according to the report, range from covert influence campaigns run by countries such as Russia, China and others to foment discord inside the province to public remarks and actions by the Trump administration to encourage Alberta separatists, including meeting with their representatives in Washington. A third category involves online content mills producing AI-generated YouTube videos for profit, stoking and clouding the debate with falsehoods and narratives designed to deepen divisions.

China, India among countries active in foreign interference and spying in Canada, CSIS says
“Foreign adversaries are exploiting the Alberta separatist debate to erode social cohesion, deepen domestic divisions, undermine trust in democratic institutions, and amplify perceptions of political instability that damage investor confidence in Canada,” the authors say in the report, which will be presented at a conference in Toronto Wednesday and was provided to The Globe and Mail in advance.

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 4

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's response to the massive leak of Albertan's personal information has been grossly insufficient, experts say. Alberta voter list leak is a potential public safety disaster: enforcement experts | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1182824...

Even as public safety and privacy experts issue dire warnings, and the opposition point the finger of blame at the UCP’s shortsighted structuring of the Elections Act, Smith, who is on a trade mission in the United Kingdom, said that her government is aware of the potential breach and that those responsible must be held accountable.

Lennox, the former RCMP intelligence manager, said Smith’s response was totally inadequate.

“The minute it became known, the premier should have been on TV or on radio assuring Albertans that the data leak will be traced to the ends of the earth,” he said.

“She should have said that searchable databases of their information will be taken down instantly, and any copies of that data will be hunted down with every ounce of their powers and resources.”

Charles Rusnell@charlesrusnell· May 2

This was two days ago in Zagreb. Michael Binnion is board chair of the Canada Strong and Free Network. And of course Stephen Harper, chair of the IDU was there. No idea whose hand he is shaking but it's not Viktor Orban