Smith says policy to stop disclosing government expense receipts could be reversed
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government will consider reversing a new policy that ends the public disclosure of expense receipts over $100 for ministers and other officials.
Smith says the change was made over safety concerns from some ministers.
She says they were worried bad actors could easily figure out which hotels they stay at when travelling around the province.
She says the goal was simply to redact names of the hotels.
The change sparked wide criticism, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation saying the move was baffling and a bad look for Smith's government.
The Opposition NDP called it 'shameful' and a clear attempt by the United Conservative Party government to hide spending.
Smith says a decision on whether to reverse course will be made next week.
Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
34 minutes ago
- CTV News
BC Greens leadership to take youthful turn, with contenders' average age of 30
B.C. Green Party Leadership candidates Emily Lowan, left to right, Jonathan Kerr and Adam Bremner-Akins are shown in a composite image of three undated handout photos. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — B.C. Green Party (Mandatory Credit) VICTORIA — Stuart Parker was 21 when he became the leader of the B.C. Greens in 1993 after campaigning against McDonald's use of ozone-damaging foam packaging. He said youth alone won't be enough to sustain the next leader of the Greens, in a race where the average age of the contenders is just 30. 'So yes, I got in as the young, radical urbanite, but I maintained my leadership of that party for seven years by spending my time on the road,' said Parker, who has also run for the New Democrats and more recently has worked for the B.C. Conservatives. Parker said he campaigned not on his age, but by shaking as many hands as possible, and meeting and listening to people. The Greens' leadership contest, with a voting period from Sept. 13 to 23, features 24 year-old Emily Lowan, who is an organizer with Climate Action Network Canada, 23-year-old student Adam Bremner-Akins, and family doctor Jonathan Kerr, the elder of the group at 44. By comparison, the last two Green leaders, Sonia Furstenau and Andrew Weaver, were 54 and 59 respectively when they stood down. Lowan and Bremner-Akins have no doubts that they are experienced enough to lead. 'I absolutely think I am, and I don't think that is just arrogance,' Lowan said, adding she has a 'decade of extremely relevant experience as a movement-builder, as a campaigner and a policy researcher.' Bremner-Akins, meanwhile, pointed to his experience on the party's provincial council and two runs as candidate for the party. 'It's not always used on the younger end of the spectrum, but age is just a number,' Bremner-Akins said. 'Whether you are in your 60s, 70s 80s or 20s — it is just a number, and I have been through a lot. If people want to know, I'm seasoned. I have been fired for union organizing. I have taken on roles inside the party. I have run for election.' UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said having two candidates in their 20s offered a 'silver lining' for the party, because it was a chance for renewal and to distinguish the party from rivals. But there were also risks. 'At same time, it makes it that much harder to make the claim that they're a party ready to govern, that they are ready to compete and offer an alternative both to the NDP and to the Conservatives,' he added. 'So, I don't know that there is a single personnel choice here available to the Greens to turn things around.' Whoever wins, the B.C. Greens are leaning into the youth movement, both rhetorically and logistically. The party's website describes the contest as 'an opportunity for a bold new vision, fresh energy, and renewed commitment to building a sustainable, just, and prosperous British Columbia.' And party membership is free for everyone aged 14 to 29. Party members as young as 16 can vote in the contest. That emphasis isn't solely the Greens' domain. The NDP's 2022 leadership contest let members as young as 12 vote, while the Conservatives' 2023 race set the age limit at 14. Neither of the Greens' two MLAs, Rob Botterell and Jeremy Valeriote, who is the interim leader, are seeking the leadership. The Greens may have maintained a presence in the legislature after last year's election, but the party's vote share dropped from about 15 per cent to just above eight per cent, amid an increasingly polarized political environment. Prest added that 'barring a change in the electoral system ... there's only so much the Greens can do here to remain relevant.' He said the Greens should instead focus on a regional strategy. Kerr, a twice-elected municipal councillor in Comox on Vancouver Island and vice-chair of the Comox Valley Regional District, disagreed. He said his leadership campaign tour across B.C. showed 'there is Green support everywhere,' including in northern and central B.C., where voters want to see forestry practices that focus on conservation, selective logging, and value-added production to keep mills open. 'People care and see what we've been doing isn't working,' he said. 'I am focused on the environment and climate. That is how I got involved with the Greens. But I'm equally focused on creating a clean economy, a new economy that's better.' When asked whether young party members should take a flyer from a 44-year-old, Kerr chuckled. 'Isn't that funny?' he said. 'I'm the old guy in the race.' Lowan said she was running because the party needed a 'true organizer to bring this party back to life,' so it can 'be a strong thorn in the side of the governing party.' Over the years, the party had lost its youth base and connection to social and climate movements, she said. She said she wanted 'to challenge the oligarchs that really run the show in the premier's office,' as well as projects she said were jeopardizing the climate and affordability. She said the Greens need to move in 'lockstep' with social and climate movements, with young people, workers, renters and Indigenous communities for the party to have a future. 'In this moment of time, the Greens have a real crossroads, between fading into the background, or choosing to be a bold, galvanizing party,' she said. Bremner-Akins said the party needed a leader 'who lives with the problems we're facing in the province, whether that's housing affordability, the rising cost of living, the existential threat of climate change we're facing,' he said. He added that people 'need someone who isn't just passionate about issues' but 'lives with them and is motivated to deal with them because people are frustrated' by the lack of 'relative urgency' from governments. Kerr said both Lowan and Bremner-Akins were 'great young leaders' with much to offer, saying as leader he would work to get them elected as MLAs alongside him. Prest cautioned that there was no guarantee the next leader of the Greens would win a seat in the legislature, let alone the two other candidates. But he said the two younger candidates' presence in the race pointed to an 'area of potential growth for the Greens'- young, progressive voters disenchanted with the NDP on issues including the environment and energy, after nearly a decade in office. Parker, who also led the B.C. Ecosocialist party before resigning in 2020 over comments that critics called transphobic, said the Greens were currently 'incapable of being relevant' in B.C. politics. But he had some advice. 'If you are a radical party, people are supposed to be offended by your opinions,' Parker said. 'If you are not offending anybody, you are doing it wrong.' The result of the leadership contest will be announced Sept. 24. This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published August 14, 2025.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Ontario Christmas tree farmers gather for education day in Listowel
Christmas tree farmers from across Ontario gathered in Listowel, Ont. Saturday for their annual field and education day The event, hosted by Outback Tree Farm, brought together growers for networking, workshops and hands-on demonstrations. Organized by the Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario (CTFO), the day is designed to highlight new technologies, research and best practices in the industry. The non-profit association, funded by Ontario growers, supports both producers and consumers by promoting locally grown trees and encouraging sustainable practices. The CTFO says gatherings like this are a chance for farmers to share knowledge while adapting to a changing agricultural landscape. The organization adds that buying a real Christmas tree also helps preserve local ecosystems and supports family-run farms across the province.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
Passengers left in the lurch as Air Canada fleet grounded over labour strife
Published Aug 16, 2025 • 1 minute read A flight board is seen at the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on August 15, 2025. Air Canada began cancelling flights on August 14 after receiving a strike notice from the flight attendants' union, warning all operations could be shut down by Saturday. Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV / AFP via Getty Images TORONTO — Passengers across the country scrambled to deal with the fallout as labour strife between Air Canada and the union representing its 10,000 flight attendants left planes grounded. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Major Canadian airports warned travellers not come to the airport unless they had a flight with another carrier after Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge suspended operations earlier today when the flight attendants when on strike. But dozens of passengers who had received notice that their flights were cancelled showed up to Toronto Pearson International Airport Saturday morning regardless, many looking for information from Air Canada staff about alternative options. Tanya Baron and her family are trying to get home to Saskatoon, but she fought tears as she explained the airline has yet to provide them with rebooking options and she was getting the runaround. Sandra Caputi, who was flying home to Thunder Bay, Ont., after spending a few weeks in Greece, is one of the lucky ones to grab a competitor flight from Porter at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to take her home this afternoon. In Montreal, Bonnie Bradley says with no options available until Wednesday, she decided to book a car and drive home to Winnipeg after spending a 10-day holiday in Newfoundland. Read More Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA Columnists Sunshine Girls Crime
