With so many conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation being shared both intentionally and unintentionally, how are Albertans supposed to navigate the minefield that our information ecosystem has become?

In this episode we sit down with renowned expert in navigating that minefield, Timothy Caulfield to try and figure exactly that out!

From his Univeristy of Alberta bio...

"Timothy Caulfield is a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. He was the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy for over 20 years (2002 - 2023). His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy has allowed him to publish almost 400 academic articles. He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry."

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Welcome to our new episode, a conversation with NDP MLA's Janis Irwin and Rakhi Pancholi!

In this episode we get into the sweeping changes that the UCP are introducing to Alberta's political landscape, including the changes to electoral boundaries, the Freedom Of Information Act, changes to the conflict of interest act, anti trans policies and more!

We also take some time to talk about what issues the NDP would like to see government pursuing instead of making government more opaque and less accountable to Albertans!

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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What are parental rights?

With Danielle Smith and the UCP using parental rights as a justification for pushing forward policies that many legal scholars are condemning as being gross violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we wanted to get a better understanding of what "parental rights" even mean and where they start and stop.

In order to do that, we're sitting down with legal scholar and award winning advoacte, Florence Ashley!

Florence served as a clerk in the Supreme Court of Canada under Justice Sheilah Martin and is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, so she's more than qualified to walk us not only through "parental rights" but also the reality of what the "notwithstanding clause" actually is!

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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Time for another Alberta politics roundup!

In this episode we take a look at the onslaught of ABPoli news, including the UCP's reaction to emission reduction regulations, the introduction of halal mortagages to crown corporations, the changes to FOIP laws, the UCP adding two seats to the legislature, the redrawing of electoral maps, and a whole lot more!

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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Remember all that curriculum kerfuffle?

Jason Kenney campaigned on running the ready to be implemented curriculum through the shredder, but what the UCP brought forward initially was the dumpster fire to end all dumpster fires. The UCP took the social studies curriculum back and rewrote it, but how does that new curriculum measure up?

To find out we're super excited to welcome back to the program none other than curriculum expert, Dr. Carla Peck!

Plus, we get into what Danielle Smith's new changes to education and education delivery mean for how education can be developed and implemented going forward!

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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With the Danielle Smith bringing forward her new Bill of Rights and her long feared anti-Trans, anti-parental choice legislation, we sat down with lawyer and legal scholar Dr. Lorian Hardcastle to get a sense of what the legal implications of this legislation is and perhaps most importantly, how can it be challenged!

You can donate to skipping stone at https://www.skippingstone.ca/legalfund

Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab!

As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

We're back with another Live Alberta Politics Roundup!

With the confluence of Danielle Smith's leadership review, the UCP AGM and the Legislature returning to session, there's no shortage of things to talk about!

We start with our regular look at the events of the week before we do a deep dive on several of the new pieces of legislation, including the Bill(s) of Rights and the three anti-trans pieces of legislation. From there we take a look at a sampling of the policies passed at the UCP AGM before we follow up on last weeks Skybox episode with a new FOIP and...

A correction?

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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On October 26, 2024 the new grassroots org "Alberta Resistance" held their first event and invited our host Nate Pike to close out the evening. ABR has generously provided the audio of Nate's speech to us as there have been more than a few requests by people who were unable to attend.

This is not an "official" Breakdown episode, so we're presenting it as a bonus episode!

To learn more about the folks at AB Resistance visit https://www.abresistance.ca

Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab!

As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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What are all of the hidden connections in the skybox photo from the Vancouver Semi-Finals?

Tonight, we finally peel back as many layers as we (legally) can and explore the vast network that ties together the infamous Tylenot debacle, the sub par Vanch masks from the beginning of he pandemic and the trails that lead into the offices of multiple ministers and even the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith's office!

Strap in and take as many breaks as you need!

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As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

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As Alberta continues to see Danielle Smith and the UCP put forward polices that don't appear to be based on what's best for the province but rather that cater to the extreme right wing of the UCP, many people are asking what can possibly be done...

And a grassroots org called Alberta Resistance is apparently stepping forward to try and present Albertans with some options!

To learn more about their efforts and their launch coming up on October 26th in Calgary, we sat down with founder Marg Toker and David Gray!

Don't forget, we have merch that's available at https://www.abpoli.ca/category/the-breakdown-ab!

As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at [email protected]!

If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!