Jack Farrell
While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Jack Farrell.
'First step': Alberta separatists deliver referendum petition, tout 300K signatures
Alberta separatists handed in a massive petition Monday to try to trigger a referendum on the province leaving Canada, touting a final tally of nearly 302,000 signatures after months of campaigning. Waving Alberta flags and sporting matching blue hoodies, more than 300 supporters gathered at the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton as a convoy of trucks delivered the paperwork. Mitch...
Alberta premier says law changes to be assessed after probes into voter list breach
EDMONTON -- Premier Danielle Smith says her government will look at new legislation depending on what comes out of investigations into claims a separatist group breached the personal information of nearly three million Albertans.
Alberta's privacy commissioner calls for law changes after alleged voter list breach
EDMONTON -- Alberta's privacy watchdog is calling for law changes in light of claims that a separatist group obtained and illegally used the province's official voter list.
Injunction granted to shutter database of Alberta voter info published by separatists
EDMONTON -- A judge has granted an injunction ordering an Alberta separatist group to remove from its website a database of private information - including names and addresses -- of close to three million provincial voters.
CP NewsAlert: Injunction granted to shutter database of Alberta voter information
EDMONTON -- An Edmonton judge has granted an injunction ordering a separatist group to remove from its website a database of private information - including names and addresses -- of close to three million Alberta voters.
Elections Alberta investigating illegal use, obtaining of provincial voter list
EDMONTON -- Elections Alberta says it's investigating the possibility that a provincial party or a party official illegally used or shared an official voter list.
Elections Alberta investigating illegal use, obtaining of provincial voter list
Elections Alberta says it's investigating the possibility that a provincial party or a party official illegally used or shared an official voter list. Such lists contain the personal information of Albertans, including names, addresses and phone numbers. Under provincial law only political parties, members of the legislature, prospective candidates and constituency associations are given access to the list to solicit...
Lawyer says Alberta premier exploiting loophole with referendum site, wants ad ban
An Edmonton lawyer is calling on Elections Alberta to close a loophole allowing Premier Danielle Smith's government to advertise in favour of her fall referendum on sweeping immigration reform. Provincial law prohibits the government from advertising or publishing certain information related to a referendum if the vote is taking place alongside a general or municipal election. Legislation passed last year...
Lawyer says Alberta premier exploiting loophole with referendum site, wants ad ban
EDMONTON -- An Edmonton lawyer is calling on Elections Alberta to close a loophole allowing Premier Danielle Smith's government to advertise in favour of her fall referendum on sweeping immigration reform.
Alberta tables bill to bump legislature seat count to 91 for boundaries redraw
EDMONTON -- Alberta is formally moving to boost its number of legislature seats.
'Alberta Time': Bill tabled to ditch clock changes, keep daylight time all year
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government introduced on Thursday proposed legislation that would see the province abandon clock changes and remain on daylight time year-round.
Alberta introduces bill to ditch clock changes and stay on daylight time year-round
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government has introduced legislation that would see the province abandon clock changes and remain on daylight time year-round.
Alberta NDP to participate in new boundaries review after calling it illegitimate
EDMONTON -- Alberta's Opposition NDP say they will participate in a new review of provincial riding maps even though they believe Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives are using the review to rig the next election.
'Get a gauge': Alberta's Smith says first year without time changes will be telling
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says only time will tell whether ditching twice-a-year clock changes is the right call.
Alberta's Smith says first year with no time changes will be telling
EDMONTON -- ?Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says only time will tell whether ditching twice-a-year clock changes was the right call.
Government motion passes to take second run at redrawing Alberta's electoral ridings
A controversial motion to send recently proposed changes to Alberta's electoral maps back to the drawing board has passed in the legislature, leading the Opposition NDP to accuse Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives of undermining democracy. "What we're seeing before us is something that's never been tried before by any Canadian Parliament, by any Canadian legislature," NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi...
Government motion passes to take second run at redrawing Alberta's electoral ridings
EDMONTON -- A controversial motion to send recently proposed changes to Alberta's electoral maps back to the drawing board has passed in the legislature, leading the Opposition NDP to accuse Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives of undermining democracy.
Motion to take second run at redrawing Alberta's electoral ridings set to pass
EDMONTON -- Alberta's Opposition NDP says Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives are undermining democracy with their plan to revisit election maps.
Alberta legislature members expected to vote to revisit riding maps for 2027 election
Politicians in the Alberta legislature are expected to vote today on a controversial motion that directly affects next year's general election. Premier Danielle Smith's governing United Conservatives have put forward a motion to revisit a panel report on how the ridings should be redrawn ahead of the 2027 vote. Smith says they are acting on the recommendation of the panel...
Alberta legislature members expected to vote to revisit riding maps for 2027 election
EDMONTON -- Politicians in the Alberta legislature are expected to vote today on a controversial motion that directly affects next year's general election.
Alberta premier rejects Opposition claims UCP interfering on electoral boundaries
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is rejecting Opposition accusations that her United Conservatives are pulling the strings behind the scenes to rejig election ridings in their favour.
Alberta's governing UCP to revisit proposed riding changes before next election
Alberta's governing United Conservatives are looking to take another run at redrawing provincial riding boundaries - a move the Opposition NDP calls a cynical backdoor scheme to rig the October 2027 general election. Premier Danielle Smith's caucus is set to introduce a motion in the house today to revisit a recent bipartisan panel report to add more seats to reflect...
Alberta looks to replace highway welcome signs with province-shaped placards
EDMONTON -- Travellers could soon be greeted by new Welcome to Alberta signs in the province.
Alberta eyes accelerated review system for major projects over $250 million
EDMONTON -- Alberta is proposing rule changes that would see Premier Danielle Smith's government become more involved in kick-starting potential big-ticket industrial projects.
Judge orders temporary pause on Alberta separation referendum petition process
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA -- An Alberta judge has put up a roadblock on a petition drive to force a vote on the province quitting Canada.
CP NewsAlert: Judge orders temporary pause on Alberta referendum separation bid
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA -- An Alberta judge has put up a roadblock on a petition drive to force a vote on the province quitting Canada.
Collecting signatures for separation vote doesn't violate treaty: Alberta's lawyers
EDMONTON -- Lawyers for the Alberta government say collecting signatures for a potential referendum on separation doesn't violate treaty rights nor would holding a vote.
'Tyranny of the minority': Court hears injunction bid on Alberta separation petition
EDMONTON -- A court hearing began Tuesday for an Alberta First Nation's request to at least temporarily put on ice a petition to force a vote on whether the province should quit Canada.
Court hearing on possible injunction to stop Alberta separation movement begins
EDMONTON -- An Alberta First Nation is in court looking to get a petition urging the province to quit Canada put on ice.
Political neutrality mandate in Alberta classrooms offensive to teachers, union says
EDMONTON -- The president of the teachers union in Alberta says the government's suggestion that educators don't act with integrity or present issues in a balanced way is offensive.
Alberta to mandate teachers be balanced on all issues, pushing neutrality in schools
EDMONTON -- An Alberta bill tabled Tuesday aims to make sweeping changes to teacher conduct and education priority rules, including a new mandate for teachers to discuss all issues in a balanced and neutral way.
Alberta's Smith says two early deadlines for energy MOU with Carney will be missed
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says a deadline for reaching two agreements connected to her landmark energy deal with Ottawa will be missed. The November memorandum of understanding outlined a number of commitments and steps both levels of government would take to eventually see a new bitumen pipeline built connecting Alberta to B.C. tidewater.
Alberta's Smith says two early deadlines for energy MOU with Carney will be missed
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says a deadline for reaching two agreements connected to her landmark energy deal with Ottawa will be missed.
Alberta calling for constitutional change to give provinces say over judge picks
EDMONTON -- Alberta's government is calling on Ottawa to change the Constitution to give provinces more of a say in how judges are appointed at the provincial level.
Alberta to increase maximum fine for animal abuse, allow inspections at groomers
EDMONTON -- Those found guilty of neglecting or abusing animals in Alberta could soon face much stiffer penalties.
Alberta MAID limits would lead to suffering, signal lack of trust: practitioners
EDMONTON -- Twenty-five Edmonton and area medical professionals say they're concerned new Alberta limits on medical assistance in dying would cause needless suffering and put clinicians in "ethically untenable" positions.
Canadian lawyers group rebukes politicization of judicial appointments from premiers
Canada's national lawyers group is rebuking calls from four premiers this week to have Ottawa overhaul how it appoints provincial superior court and appeal judges.
Alberta's NDP warns of gerrymandering as new boundary map recommendations released
EDMONTON -- Conflicting recommendations on redrawing Alberta's electoral boundaries are leading the Opposition NDP to warn that Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives are trying to gerrymander electoral districts to increase the power of rural votes.
Alberta moves to implement interprovincial pact to ease trade rules on consumer goods
EDMONTON -- Alberta's government has tabled legislation that would drop some unnecessary regulations to ease the sale of goods from other provinces.
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney to participate in separation debates
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney is taking up the Canadian cause as he's set to participate in two debates about separatism against a lawyer pushing for the province to go its own way. The first debate will take place in Edmonton in May at a member's only conference put on by Civitas Canada, a conservative non-profit organization.
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney to participate in separation debates
EDMONTON -- Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney is taking up the Canadian cause as he's set to participate in two debates about separatism against a lawyer pushing for the province to go its own way.
Alberta to change legislation allowing lawsuits over sharing deepfake intimate images
EDMONTON -- Alberta's government says it's looking to change an existing law to let people sue others for sharing fake intimate images created through artificial intelligence.
Alberta's Smith seeking clearance for interference briefings, Nenshi questions intent
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is seeking security clearance to receive briefings on foreign interference in her province, but the leader of the Opposition says she shouldn't be trusted with it.
Alberta government moves to drastically reduce access to medically assisted dying
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government took steps Wednesday to drastically restrict who's eligible for medical assistance in dying. Smith's United Conservative Party government introduced a bill that, if passed, would limit medical assistance in dying, better known as MAID, to those likely to die of natural causes within a year. Those under 18 would still be prohibited regardless of condition...
Alberta government moves to drastically reduce access to medically assisted dying
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government took steps Wednesday to drastically restrict who's eligible for medical assistance in dying.
Alberta's Smith says she took private flight on behalf of Saudi government
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she travelled on a private plane on behalf of the Saudi government last fall. Smith says the provincial ethics commissioner had signed off on any non-commercial travel ahead of the trip and that it was proposed by the Saudi government for "more efficient travel."
Alberta's Smith says she took private flight on behalf of Saudi government
EDMONTON -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she travelled on a private plane on behalf of the Saudi government last fall.
Alberta NDP, advocates call on province to take action on accessibility standards
EDMONTON -- Disability advocates and the Alberta NDP are calling on the government to up its game when it comes to accessibility, saying it comes down to giving people dignity.
Alberta reviewing new plan on forcing oil companies to pay municipal taxes: minister
EDMONTON -- Alberta may soon require oil and gas companies to be on top of their municipal property taxes if they want to keep producing.
First recall petition against Opposition NDP politician withdrawn: Elections Alberta
EDMONTON -- Elections Alberta says a recall petition against a member of Alberta's Opposition NDP has been withdrawn.
Alberta teachers fail to get court injunction on back-to-work law that ended strike
EDMONTON -- A judge denied on Friday an injunction application from Alberta teachers against legislation that forced them back to work and ended a provincewide strike last fall.
Alberta landowners take stand over years of missed payments by delinquent oil company
EDMONTON -- Some Edmonton landowners are taking a stand by erecting a blockade against what they call a delinquent oil and gas company.
Recall bids against Alberta premier, two caucus members fail to get enough signatures
EDMONTON -- A petition looking to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature has failed.
Alberta eliminates funding for 119-year-old historical society
EDMONTON -- ?A volunteer historical society that's almost as old as Alberta itself is concerned the province's history may go forgotten after its funding was eliminated.
Recall bid against Alberta premier, two caucus members don't get required signatures
EDMONTON -- A petition looking to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature has failed.
Citizen-led recall bid against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith fails
A petition looking to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature has failed. Smith is the second premier in Alberta's history to face a recall petition, with the other happening nearly 90 years ago.
Citizen-led recall bid against Alberta premier fails to get required signatures
EDMONTON -- A petition looking to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature has failed.
Citizen-led recall bid against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith fails
EDMONTON -- A petition looking to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature has failed.