Quiet Canines Podcast

Albertans are being asked to vote in a referendum on October 19, but only after the government tells voters what the “right” answers are.

I will create a series examining each question, one by one, without government spin, so you can make an informed decision.

The only way to have your voice heard is to vote.

Make sure you are registered at voterlink.ab.ca.

Applications to vote by mail, also known as a special ballot, are open at specialballot.elections.ab.ca.

Applications close October 9.

Packages include a prepaid return envelope and will begin arriving after September 1, 2026.

All completed Special Ballot packages must be returned by mail to Elections Alberta before 5:00pm on October 16.

Advance voting runs from October 13 through October 17 at any advance voting location in your electoral division.

On October 19, 2026, voting locations will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

You must vote at your assigned location on election day.

For official referendum information, visit elections.ab.ca.

You can also visit albertareferendumb2026.ca, a site created to encourage voters to vote no on every question.

To apply for referendum work, visit recruitment.elections.ab.ca.

Follow Elections Alberta on social media for referendum updates.

Trump is underestimating Canada, just like every heavyweight boxer underestimated Oleksandr Usyk.

If you’re not a boxing fan, Usyk is a Ukrainian boxer who was a natural cruiserweight. At 6’3”, he weighed under 200 pounds before moving up to heavyweight.

He put on 21 pounds and defeated Anthony Joshua, who stood 6’6” and weighed 240 pounds. Then he beat him again in their rematch.

He knocked out Daniel Dubois, who stood 6’5” and weighed 233 pounds. Then he knocked him out in their rematch.

He defeated Tyson Fury, who stood 6’9” and weighed 262 pounds. In the rematch, Fury came in at 281 pounds, and Usyk beat him again.

Canada is a lot like Usyk. It punches above its weight. Trump is making the same mistake those heavyweights made. He thinks size is enough. It isn’t.

We are focused on the people affected by the Ontario wildfires, and rightfully so, but we should not forget the wildlife.

As flames spread across Ontario’s boreal forest, one of the largest intact forest ecosystems on earth, animals are fleeing in search of safer ground. These forests are home to moose, woodland caribou, black bears, wolves, migratory birds, and many other species, and they anchor Canada’s biodiversity.

This next story comes from outside Ontario, but it shows how smoke harms animals the same way it harms us. After attending a vehicle fire, the crew of Oakland Firefighters noticed a pigeon in distress. The bird came up to them seeking help. It had taken in smoke during the fire, so the crew gave it oxygen. The pigeon cleared its lungs and flew away.

Wildlife cannot do anything about climate change. They rely on us to protect their habitat, and so far we have failed them.

On July 14, a barn near Simcoe, Ontario, burned to the ground and killed at least 20,000 pigs. The building covered 200,000 square feet and ranked among the largest hog operations in the province. Firefighters arrived before seven in the morning and found the structure already lost. No worker was hurt. Every pig inside died.

Animal Justice responded by calling for stronger fire codes. The organization wants smoke detectors, sprinklers, and inspections in barns, the same protections we require in buildings where people gather. Ontario exempted farm buildings from these standards for decades and introduced rules for large barns only in 2024, and even those rules leave alarms and sprinklers optional. The reform would save animals, and a sprinkler might have given some of those pigs a chance. The code debate still accepts that we should keep 20,000 pigs in one building.

A pig recognizes its name, solves problems, and forms bonds. Researchers rank pigs above dogs on many measures of intelligence. The animals who died in Simcoe felt the fire the way a trapped dog would feel it. They understood what was happening and could do nothing. We would prosecute anyone who left a dog to burn in a locked room.

Twenty thousand pigs could not flee the fire because they could never move in the first place. They live packed into pens, standing on slatted floors above their own waste, unable to turn or root or walk. The barn holds as many bodies as the space allows. Escape was impossible on July 14 because escape is impossible every day. Fire safety turns this into an engineering problem and asks how to keep more animals alive inside the same system.

A sprinkler protects the arrangement that produced the disaster. It makes the confinement survivable and therefore permanent. Better codes will pass, and fewer animals will burn. The pigs will still spend their lives unable to move, waiting for slaughter. Simcoe revealed the true cost of a building we designed to hold 20,000 animals who could never leave.

Plenty of British Columbians are tired of David Eby and the NDP government.

The problem is, unless you love the way Donald Trump and the Republican Party governs in the US, you are not going to want to vote for Kerry Lynne Findlay and her Conservative Party.

She just hired Apollo Chung, a member of the separatist Republican Party of Alberta, and Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, a former writer for Juno News.

As editor of Juno News, Dzsurdzsa said conservatism is “stronger” for including white supremacist voices who call for the mass deportation of millions of legal residents and citizens based on their race.

Dzsurdzsa is married to Lindsay Shepherd, who was fired for calling the Residential School Survivors’ flag “a disgrace.”

Chung is the former Executive Director of the Alberta Republicans, a fringe party that shares Findlay’s slogan, “faith, family, freedom,” and he pushed a referendum on making Alberta the fifty first state of the US.

So what are British Columbians supposed to do when both options are bad?

Well, the UK has come up with a solution I think we should seriously consider.

Nigel Farage is basically the UK’s version of Donald Trump.

He was under an ethics investigation for not declaring a $5 million payment from a billionaire living in Thailand.

Instead of letting the investigation play out, he resigned, which triggered a by election that he plans to run in.

He only has one candidate running against him.

Count Bin Face.

I think British Columbia needs a Count Bin Face as a third option.

Tania Cameron of the Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation changed Canadian history in 2015 by launching the grassroots “First Nations Rock the Vote” movement. With zero budget, she alone catalyzed an unprecedented wave of Indigenous voter turnout. Her blueprint is now the exact model Alberta leaders are using to mobilize an estimated 100,000 eligible Status First Nations voters for the upcoming October provincial referendum.

Tania’s strategy succeeded by directly dismantling the two biggest hurdles to Indigenous political participation: strict voter ID laws and deeply rooted apathy. First, she stripped away voting anxiety by creating plain language ID toolkits. When the Fair Elections Act tightened identification rules, Tania found a critical workaround. She educated band members on how to use a “Letter of Confirmation of Residence.” Signed by a Chief or Band Council, this letter, paired with basic mail, acted as a valid ticket to the ballot box for reserve residents lacking driver licences or formal street addresses.

Second, Tania bypassed digital registries to launch registration drives in person. She inspired volunteers across Canada to set up physical tables at local band offices, grocery stores, and powwows, registering thousands of new voters face to face.

Third, she turned voting into a cultural trend using social media. By popularizing hashtags like #RockTheVote, Tania fostered a ballot box selfie culture. On election day, thousands of Indigenous youth posted photos alongside elders who were casting ballots for the first time. This digital momentum transformed voting from a chore into a proud, visible act of community solidarity.

Finally, Tania framed the ballot as a practical weapon. Instead of relying on abstract political promises, her messaging focused on tangible action. She presented the vote as a peaceful, direct tool to defend treaty rights, protect the environment, and force the government to address critical issues like clean drinking water.

The results were historic. In 2015, reserve voter turnout skyrocketed by an average of 20 per cent nationwide, with some remote communities seeing increases of over 200 per cent.

Now, Alberta faces a referendum involving ten ballot questions on immigration, health care, and provincial independence. As Treaty 8 leadership launches its own modern “Rock the Vote” mobilization drive, they are relying completely on Tania Cameron’s original community playbook. By securing valid identification and fostering a unified cultural movement, Alberta’s First Nations aim to recreate that historic turnout to protect their sovereignty at the ballot box.

Children across northern Ontario are indoors again today. Smoke from 191 wildfires blankets more than 30 communities. The smoke is also disrupting the lives of children across the northeastern United States. Pools, beaches, and splash pads are closed in the middle of July. Entire communities have been destroyed. Children are living in hockey arenas, and some families are living in their cars.

I do not blame people on either side of the border for being angry. This is stealing a summer from our children. But we need to direct our anger at the right target. Doug Ford and Mark Carney did not heat the planet. The fossil fuel industry did. Exxon scientists warned their executives in 1977 that burning fossil fuels could overheat the planet. A study published in Science found the company accurately projected today’s warming while publicly saying the opposite. The industry knew this was coming but chose profit over our children’s lungs.

Call your MP and tell them Canadians want polluters to pay the costs of fire and smoke. Tell them we do not want more pipelines.

Click the link in my bio. I have created a Linktree with trusted resources where you can donate to the people most affected by the Ontario wildfires.

https://linktr.ee/Quietcanine

Prime Minister Carney, we do not want another pipeline.

If you are new here, consider joining our free Substack community, where we work together to make our governments listen to us. The link is in my bio.

It is July in northern Ontario, and children cannot play outside. Smoke from 191 wildfires blankets the region. Air quality alerts cover more than 30 communities, from Kenora to Sault Ste. Marie. Thunder Bay has closed its pools, beaches, and splash pads. Wildfire smoke carries particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. It triggers asthma attacks, strains the heart and lungs, and children breathe more of it than adults. Health officials are telling families to keep their windows closed and stay indoors.

More than 600 people from Eabametoong First Nation are leaving their homes. Families from Armstrong, Cat Lake, Gull Bay First Nation, and many other communities have already evacuated. The Fort Frances 14 fire has grown to more than 55,000 hectares. Ontario has needed firefighters from Alberta and the Yukon, and Massachusetts has offered to help.

We know that burning fossil fuels is warming the climate. A new pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia will increase fossil fuel production for decades. How much are these fires costing? Entire communities are gone, children are breathing toxic smoke, and families are paying the price.

Click the link in my bio where you will find a Linktree with trusted organizations supporting people impacted by the Ontario wildfires.

https://linktr.ee/Quietcanine

If you’re feeling helpless and want to help the communities impacted most by these wildfires in Ontario, I’ll pin this video to the top of my Substack page and create a Linktree in my Substack bio to make navigation easy.

Unfortunately, there will be criminals looking to steal your money, so be careful to donate only to legitimate charities and organizations.

The most direct option is to donate to the emergency appeal established by the Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charity. The charity is the official fundraising arm of the Anishinabek Nation and has launched a dedicated appeal for Namaygoosisagagun First Nation. According to the organization, donations will be used for emergency supplies, temporary shelter, and other essential resources for residents. Tax receipts are available.

People who want to support all communities affected by the fires can also donate through the Canadian Red Cross Canadian Wildfires Appeal. The Red Cross is assisting with evacuations, registration, emergency lodging, food, and other immediate needs.

If you live in or near Thunder Bay, local organizations, including the Nokiiwin Tribal Council and the Superior Inn, are accepting donations of clothing, hygiene products, diapers, and other necessities. Local animal rescue groups are also looking for temporary foster homes for evacuated pets.

Click the link in my bio to find all these resources.

https://linktr.ee/Quietcanine

Republican politicians are threatening Canada with sanctions and even annexation because wildfire smoke crossed the border.

Every elected politician making these threats is a Republican.

Michigan Republicans sent Prime Minister Mark Carney what they called a final warning. Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno promised sanctions. Michigan Senator Aric Nesbitt revived the fifty first state rhetoric. Katie Miller, a leading MAGA voice, echoed the same message.

This looks less like a series of independent reactions and more like a coordinated political campaign.

The same politicians support Donald Trump while his administration expands fossil fuel production and weakens clean energy. They blame Canada for wildfire smoke while backing policies that climate scientists say increase the risk of severe fires.

The United States is also fighting major wildfires.

Canada has spent decades sending firefighters, aircraft, and crews to help the United States, including California. Days ago, a pilot from British Columbia died while fighting a wildfire in Colorado.

This is how allies have always treated each other.

The answer to wildfire smoke is cooperation, stronger climate policy, and better emergency preparedness. It is not threats against Canada’s sovereignty.