The Buzz Oct 24 2026: Democracy in Action

The Buzz Oct 24 2026: Democracy in Action

Welcome to the weekend and welcome to The Buzz.

Democracy can be wonderful, especially when you exercise the benefits that come with it. Like the right to vote. It's more than a right; it's a responsibility. If you want to shape the future of your community or your country, you owe it to take part in the process that defines the next round of leadership.

That’s what we witnessed in Alberta this week. On the big question, the one about separation, Albertans wanted their voice heard, and many made sure it was. Hundreds of thousands of those eligible to vote did so; on the other nine questions that dealt mainly with aspects of provincial power, interest seemed a bit lower, but then again, at last word, they are still counting.

But at the end of the day, what did it all mean? As we often do when dealing with things like this, we turn to Max Fawcett of the National Observer, who actually wrote this before the results came out, but as Max often does, he had a good fix on what was about to happen:

Alberta needs to grow up

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So why did the Alberta separatists lose and lose so badly?

Fred DeLorey, no stranger to Canadian backroom political intrigue and a former Conservative campaign manager, has thoughts on this. He wrote an opinion piece for the Toronto Star, which is behind a paywall; however, you be able to access it for free on a special one-time offer:

Alberta separatists didn’t just lose. They were humiliated. This is why

There was a time when Danielle Smith used to welcome Alberta separatists to her party, but not anymore, not after the referendum result.

Now she’s threatening to kick them out. The Canadian Press had this report:

Alberta Premier Smith tells UCP separatists to toe pro-Canada line or find new party

Now, if you live in British Columbia, your day is today.

In a few hours, the polling stations will open, and your voice will have the chance to be heard.

Calling this a different kind of election is an understatement given how it was called, but the results will still matter. As always in B.C., a major issue is often the environment. Is it this time?

Check this out from Shannon Waters of The Narwhal:

Climate issues are taking a back seat in B.C.’s election

Poor Pierre Poilievre.

Just when he was looking like he’d had a pretty good week, boom, in comes this piece in The Walrus. Some guys just have no luck:

Carney’s Latest Weapon Against Poilievre? Stephen Harper

Time to promote this week’s Bridge YouTube podcasts, starting with yesterday’s Good Talk featuring Chantal Hebert and Bruce Anderson. You can find it here.

And just after the count started in Alberta earlier in the week, Althia Raj and Rob Russo joined us for their Reporter’s Notebook, which is available here.

Americans got the polls in a couple of weeks in their midterm elections.

Most polls show Trump and his party in trouble, especially in the House but increasingly in the Senate. But polls can be wrong, and some Republicans, not many, but some, are convinced they’re wrong this time:

🔒 Could Republicans prove the pollsters wrong in the midterms?

If you are one of those who still pays attention to Donald Trump or his former Fox weekend anchor buddy Pete Hegseth, then you are used to both of them bragging about the power of the American military.

Now, if you want to listen to someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, you might want to read this piece in the current Foreign Affairs. It's by the retired U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven, who knows a thing or two about wartime operations. His piece is quite revealing:

The Limits of American Power

The issue of power and perceived power is always important, but perhaps now more than ever.

Why? Because the fear of a major conflict involving superpowers and their allies is something that is discussed regularly these days by analysts and experts. That leads to this question about whether we are sleepwalking into WW3.

Are we sleepwalking into World War III?

One of the areas of the world that knows full well the impact of power, is the countries that surround the Persian Gulf.

It seems that every nation there has taken the brunt of drones and missiles ever since the Iran War started in February. Like Saudi Arabia. The Saudi’s are so worried that one of their huge office tower landmarks will be a target, they’ve ordered employees to work from home:

Saudi coalition, Houthis trade strikes as disruption spreads

Okay, let’s end this edition of The Buzz on a far different note.

One of the things I miss here on the shores of the North Sea in Scotland is the eerie sound of a North American loon. That very distinct call used to be such a wonderful part of my life at my log cabin in the Gatineau Hills north of Ottawa. It used to inspire me so much that I would try to imitate the loon. “Eww-Ahh-Ew” was the sound that would somehow come out of my mouth as the evening drew close. I was pretty proud of the sound I could make.

My daughters would laugh at me, saying it sounded more like a cow in distress than a loon. But then moments later, from the other end of the lake, a real loon would respond. So there.

Anyway, the last story this week is a loon story, from the Globe’s science reporter Ivan Semenuik, and it's troubling:

🔒 Scientists report ‘substantial’ declines in loons across Canada

Say it ain’t so. Save the loons. Please. Stay safe and see you again in seven days.

The Buzz is a weekly publication from National Newswatch that shares insights and commentary on the week’s developments in politics, news and current affairs.