Overview
- Elections Alberta said on Dec. 22 that a proposed separation question can proceed to a 2026 referendum if organizers submit 178,000 valid signatures.
- Letters across Postmedia outlets fault Premier Danielle Smith’s government for pulling back on flu, RSV and COVID vaccine promotion, saying hospitals are now overwhelmed by respiratory illness.
- Writers argue the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program mirrors Britain’s work-capability assessments and could create harmful barriers for disabled residents.
- Concerns include an added burden on physicians, with estimates that more than 75,000 people may need duplicative medical forms beyond prior AISH requirements.
- Community coverage also noted Premier Smith’s attendance at Calgary’s Dec. 15 menorah lighting and documented heavy Boxing Day crowds alongside a deep freeze with windchill near minus 30.