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New Lacombe Police Station Officially Opens

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3 minute read

By Sheldon Spackman

Dignitaries gathered at the new Police Station in Lacombe on Thursday, December 8th to cut the ribbon at the facility’s official Grand Opening.

The $8.7 million dollar building has actually been taking emergency calls since November 15th, with all 9-1-1 calls being transferred directly to LPS and it’s members who will then be dispatched locally, resulting in quicker response times.

In a release, Kathleen Ganley, Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, says ā€œOur government is proud to support the Lacombe Police Service in building safer, more resilient communities with ongoing funding for local policing.ā€

Danielle Larivee is Minister of Municipal Affairs and says ā€œWe are proud to invest in projects like the new Lacombe Police Station, which will provide critical services to the community and ensure a modern, efficient work space for local police and emergency management officials.ā€

Lacombe Mayor Steve Christie adds, ā€œCouncil has wanted to do this important project for some time, but we wanted to do it right so that we could have a facility that meets the needs of our municipal police service now and into the future.ā€

Officials point out that LPS has also moved over to a new radio system in the new facility, making it the first municipal police service in the province to be working off the Alberta First Responders Radio System (AFRRCS).Ā  It’s said the new system will provide improved communication and coverage for members.Ā  The system will also provide the ability to enhance communications with partner emergency and disaster management agencies throughout the region and province-wide should the need arise.

Acting Chief of Police Lorne Blumhagen says ā€œThis new 16,000 square foot facility gives our sworn members and staff the much needed space and modern technology to deliver quality, effective services to residents,ā€ adding, ā€œIt has also allowed for the transition of police dispatching back to Lacombe, which means that we can be more responsive. We are very appreciative of this and other advancements to the facility, which will assist us in improving public safety and meeting the diverse needs and expectations of our citizens.ā€

The new police station also features a cast bronze sculpture of a police officer at the main entrance. The sculpture was created by renowned Canadian artist Nathan Scott and is the newest addition to the City’s public art collection. Scott says ā€œIt was a real pleasure creating this sculpture and I hope that the people of Lacombe will enjoy it for generations to come.ā€

(Photo courtesy of the City of Lacombe)

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Fraser Institute

Democracy waning in Canada due to federal policies

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From the Fraser Institute

By Lydia Miljan

InĀ How Democracies Die, Harvard political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue that while some democracies collapse due to external threats, many more self-destruct from within. Democratic backsliding often occurs not through dramatic coups but through the gradual erosion of institutions by elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers—who subvert the very system that brought them to power. Sometimes this process is swift, as in Germany in 1933, but more often it unfolds slowly and almost imperceptibly.

The book was written during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, when the authors expressed concern about his disregard for democratic norms. Drawing on Juan Linz’s 1978 workĀ The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes, Levitsky and Ziblatt identified several warning signs of democratic decline in Trump’s leadership: rejection of democratic rules, denial of the legitimacy of political opponents, tolerance or encouragement of violence, and a willingness to restrict dissent including criticism from the media.

While Trump is an easy target for such critiques, Levitsky and Ziblatt’s broader thesis is that no democracy is immune to these threats. Could Canada be at risk of democratic decline? In light of developments over the past decade, perhaps.

Consider, for example, the state of free speech and government criticism. The previous Liberal government under Justin Trudeau was notably effective at cultivating a favourable media environment. Following the 2015 election, the media enjoyed a prolonged honeymoon period, often focusing on the prime minister’s image and ā€œsunny ways.ā€ After the 2019 election, which resulted in a minority government, the strategy shifted toward direct financial support. Citing pandemic-related revenue losses, the government introduced ā€œtemporaryā€ subsidies for media organizations. These programs have since become permanent and costly, with $325 million allocated for 2024/25. During the 2025 election campaign, Mark Carney pledged to increase this by an additional $150 million.

Beyond the sheer scale of these subsidies, there’s growing concern that legacy media outlets—now financially dependent on government support—may struggle to maintain objectivity, particularly during national elections. This dependency risks undermining the media’s role as a watchdog of democracy.

Second, on April 27, 2023, the Trudeau government passed Bill C-11, an update to the Broadcasting Act that extends CRTC regulation to digital content. While individual social media users and podcasters are technically exempt, the law allows the CRTC to regulate platforms that host content from traditional broadcasters and streaming services—raising concerns about indirect censorship. This move further restricted freedom of speech in Canada.

Third, the government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act to end the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa was ruled unconstitutional by Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley who found that the government had not met the legal threshold for such extraordinary powers. The same day of the ruling the government announced it would appeal the 200-page decision, doubling down on its justification for invoking the Act.

In addition to these concerns, federal government program spending has grown significantly—from 12.8 per cent of GDP in 2014/15 to a projected 16.2 per cent in 2023/24—indicating that the government is consuming an increasing share of the country’s resources.

Finally, Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, which became law on June 26, grants the federal cabinet—and effectively the prime minister—the power to override existing laws and regulations for projects deemed in the ā€œnational interest.ā€ The bill’s vague language leaves the definition of ā€œnational interestā€ open to broad interpretation, giving the executive branch unprecedented authority to micromanage major projects.

Individually, these developments may appear justifiable or benign. Taken together, they suggest a troubling pattern—a gradual erosion of democratic norms and institutions in Canada.

Lydia Miljan

Professor of Political Science, University of Windsor
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Media

CBC journalist quits, accuses outlet of anti-Conservative bias and censorship

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Travis Dhanraj accused CBC of pushing a ā€˜radical political agenda,’ and his lawyer said that the network opposed him hosting ā€˜Conservative voices’ on his show.

CBC journalist Travis Dhanraj has resigned from his position, while accusing the outlet of anti-Conservative bias and ā€performative diversity.ā€

In a July 7 letter sent to colleagues andĀ obtained by various media outlets, Travis Dhanraj announced his departure from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) due to concerns over censorship.

ā€œI am stepping down not by choice, but because the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has made it impossible for me to continue my work with integrity,ā€ he wrote.

ā€œAfter years of service — most recently as the host of Canada Tonight: With Travis Dhanraj — I have been systematically sidelined, retaliated against, and denied the editorial access and institutional support necessary to fulfill my public service role,ā€ he declared.

Dhanraj, who worked as a CBC host and reporter for nearly a decade, revealed that the outlet perpetuated a toxic work environment, where speaking out against the approved narrative led to severe consequences.

Dhanraj accused CBC of having a ā€œradical political agendaā€ that stifled fair reporting. Additionally, his lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, revealed that CBC disapproved of him booking ā€œConservative voicesā€ on his show.

While CBC hails itself as a leader in ā€œdiversityā€ and supporting minority groups, according to Dhanraj, it’s all a facade.

ā€œWhat happens behind the scenes at CBC too often contradicts what’s shown to the public,ā€ he revealed.

In April 2024, Dhanraj, then host of CBC’s Canada Tonight,Ā postedĀ on X that his show had requested an interview with then-CBC President Catherine Tait to discuss new federal budget funding for the public broadcaster, but she declined.

ā€œInternal booking and editorial protocols were weaponized to create structural barriers for some while empowering others—particularly a small circle of senior Ottawa-based journalists,ā€ he explained.

According to Marshall, CBC launched an investigation into the X post, viewing it as critical of Tait’s decision to defend executive bonuses while the broadcaster was cutting frontline jobs. Dhanraj was also taken off air for a time.

Dhanraj revealed that in July 2024 he was ā€œpresented with (a non-disclosure agreement) tied to an investigation about a tweet about then CBC President Catherine Tait. It was designed not to protect privacy, but to sign away my voice. When I refused, I was further marginalized.ā€

Following the release of his letter, DhanrajĀ publishedĀ a link on X to a Google form to gather support from Canadians.

ā€œWhen the time is right, I’ll pull the curtain back,ā€ he wrote on the form. ā€œI’ll share everything…. I’ll tell you what is really happening inside the walls of your CBC.ā€

CBC has issued a statement denying Dhanraj’s claims, with CBC spokesperson Kerry KellyĀ statingĀ that the Crown corporation ā€œcategorically rejectsā€ his statement.

This is hardly the first time that CBC has been accused of editorial bias. Notably, the outletĀ receivesĀ the vast majority of its funding from the Liberal government.

This January, the watchdog for the CBCĀ ruled that the state-funded outlet expressed a ā€œblatant lack of balanceā€ in its covering of a Catholic school trustee who opposed the LGBT agenda being foisted on children.

There have also been multiple instances of the outlet pushing what appears to be ideological content, including the creation ofĀ pro-LGBT material for kids, tacitly endorsing theĀ gender mutilation of children, promotingĀ euthanasia, and even seeming to justify theĀ burningĀ of mostly Catholic churches throughout the country.

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