The key demographic in this referendum is swing voters. They are UCP supporters on the more moderate side of the party whom @JKenney brought into the coalition from the PCAA. Having served as a UCP constituency president during his premiership, I know many of these voters and understand what motivates them. Their votes could shift roughly 15% toward either side. The campaigns and strategies should therefore focus on these pragmatic “test drivers” rather than the deeply committed separatists (I call them the "Better dead than reds") or staunch federalists ("True believers") whose positions and votes are already firmly set.

Be like Douglas, read Amy's terrific recap of court yesterday. Tomorrow, we will have a dispatch from @sarkonakj

«A University of B.C. professor says she regrets her role in the granting of a degree to the woman who accused bestselling author Steven Galloway of sexual harassment and sexual assault, even though the woman did not finish her mandatory graduate thesis» apple.news/Al7q4lxCWSUGBg_yg…

“Annabel Lyon revealed during cross-examination that Galloway’s accuser, identifiable only as A.B., graduated with the highest possible grade a student could earn (A+) — despite having never completed the keystone requirement of her degree.” @UBC couldn’t meet the standards of “Quality Leering Center” in Minnesota. nationalpost.com/opinion/jam…

Professor changed policies after Galloway accuser's incomplete thesis accepted ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article…

one of many grubby subplots involving the @UBC clique that weaponized fake rape claims Lyon led the putsch vs Galloway & took his job She then helped the false accuser graduate without a thesis (& with $30K of house money in her pocket) Lyon leads UBC's writing dept to this day

Again, studies show that trans women do not have a biological athletic advantage after a period of time on HRT, but it is literally impossible to get even a liberal cis person to even entertain that possibility.

Two high-profile #MeToo cases have reached the courts in a relatively short period. In both, the men’s lives were effectively destroyed. But Sabatini’s case carries another tragic consequence: the loss of a world-class research laboratory and its cutting-edge science. His mice, equipment, research infrastructure—everything gone. The loss wasn’t just personal; it was a loss to science and the wider world. So sad.

Hard for me to see someone who was a colleague at MIT relishing in my destruction. Particularly since they barely knew me and never bothered--as perhaps scientists should--to check if there was another version of events.

Trevor, we've been down this road before. I was there. In 2008, as a newly elected PC MLA, I witnessed one of the most remarkable caucus debates of my political career. Minister Lindsay Blackett brought proposals concerning Alberta's Human Rights Commission to caucus, amid pressure from Ezra Levant and others claiming it entertained frivolous complaints. There was discussion about abolishing the Commission and leaving hate-speech matters to the Criminal Code. I was so opposed that I walked out, declaring, “This is not the Progressive Conservative Party of Peter Lougheed or Ralph Klein!” George Rogers and the late Hon. Gene Zwozdesky followed me out and brought me back. Their advice? Never walk out of caucus. Stay, debate and persuade your colleagues. Normally, cabinet proposals passed quickly. This debate lasted nearly a month. We heard deeply personal stories of discrimination. @TedMortonMLA demanded a vote that day and Luke Ouelette said that every MLA deserved to have a say and the list of speakers lenghthened every day. First, racialized MLAs shared their experiences. Then older colleagues of German ancestry described discrimination their families endured after WWII. Finally, Premier @EdStelmachMLA spoke about discrimination he experienced because of his Ukrainian heritage and accent. There wasn't a dry eye in the room...Premier Stelmach demonstrated extraordinary courage and empathy! He announced we would NOT abolish the Human Rights Commission. Instead, we'd strengthen its processes, preserve its independence and screen out frivolous complaints. In 2009, we passed Bill 44, formally adding sexual orientation to Alberta's human rights legislation, following the Supreme Court's 1998 ruling re Delvin Friend. I was enormously proud of Premier Stelmach that day. He didn't ask for a caucus vote. He'd made his decision as Premier and asked for our support. I remember thunderous applause from most of caucus....except my friends @FreeAlbertaRob & Ted. But the debate didn't end there. In 2014, as Liberal leader, our House Leader Laurie Blakeman introduced Bill 202 to protect LGBTQ students and guarantee gay-straight alliances in schools. It divided the PCs and created controversy for Danielle Smith's Wildrose Party. The late Premier Jim Prentice introduced a competing Bill 10. I voted against its original version alongside Laurie, Danielle and others. Following public opposition, Premier Prentice reconsidered. Revised legislation protecting gay-straight alliances passed in 2015. Again, leadership mattered. Human rights protect ALL Albertans: Indigenous peoples, racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities and LGBTQ communities. Frivolous complaints should be dismissed, but that doesn't justify dismantling protections against discrimination. Freedom of expression and protection from discrimination are not mutually exclusive. Nearly two decades later, we're revisiting the same debate, again following pressure from Ezra Levant. @ABDanielleSmith should remember the lessons of Premiers Stelmach and the Late Premier Prentice. True leadership means defending the rights of ALL Albertans, even when it upsets your own supporters. Weakening human rights protections to satisfy one political constituency would be morally wrong and politically disastrous. Then again, the Premier does have a history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory :) @nenshi @Alberta_UCP @UCPCaucus @albertaNDP @TheBreakdownAB @ryanjespersen @cspotweet @LukaszukAB

The #UCP wants universities to stay in their lane. Examining power and criticizing government IS our lane. #Bill38’s “neutrality” must not become a muzzle for expertise the government finds inconvenient.

“Burnett described, the police report recorded Lyon as having advised them ‘that Steven Galloway could be very manipulative in order to get what he wants.’ Lyon testified that she did tell police that Galloway was manipulative, but maintains that it was part of “an act of care.” Every trial lawyer has heard the most improbable things under oath. People even lie when the truth would do them well. But this one is a whopper on stilts. Lyon is not being truthful.

In case Canadians forgot, we DO actually have a real progressive option (since our two largest parties are right wing). The NDP came out today proposing a wealth tax that would apply to people worth more than $10 million to pay for public grocery options, housing and healthcare.

Pretty funny how the NDP wealth tax proposal is blowing this reporter’s mind. It’s not a tax on income — it’s a tax (starting at just 1%!!!) on people who are worth at least TEN MILLION dollars! Even if you’re a home owner, I doubt your house is worth ten million.