Stoney Nakoda RCMP conduct drone trials to enhance safety of Albertans

News release from the Alberta RCMP

Keep an eye on the sky!

Stoney Nakoda, Alta. – From June 4-June 15, 2024, Stoney Nakoda RCMP will be participating in a ‘pilot’ program to test Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), commonly known as drones, and how it can be used to respond to calls for service. Stoney Nakoda was selected as one of three communities for the RPAS trials, scheduled for May and June of this year. The trials are being held in a mid-sized community, large municipality, and an Indigenous community.

RPAS technology is already used by the Alberta RCMP for a variety of needs including traffic accident reconstruction, search and rescue, major crimes investigation, and emergency response team calls. The trial is being conducted as another step in exploring potential new ways RPAS technology can be used to help ensure the safety of Albertans.

The objectives of the trials are to learn more about RPAS, to test different technologies, and to determine how RPAS can be used to better serve our communities.

During the trial period, the RCMP will be testing a new type of service delivery where RPAS will be used to assist police responding to certain calls by providing air support. RPAS will be deployed from the Stoney Tribal Administration Building (40 Morley Rd, Morley, AB) for various calls to service including crimes in progress, flight from police, suspicious persons, missing persons, assist EMS/Fire, or even to support natural disaster response.

The decision to further explore and expand RPAS usage was made following thorough research into the use of the technology by law enforcement in other jurisdictions. The decision is also based on recommendations to increase air support made by the Mass Casualty Commission following the Mass Casualty Event in Nova Scotia.

“We’re always excited to work with the people of Stoney Nakoda to figure out new ways that we can serve the community,” says Inspector Dave Brunner, Officer in Charge of the Stoney Nakoda RCMP. “These RPAS trials will give us the opportunity to test new technology and develop new methodologies that will help ensure the safety of members, our communities, and help us continue to build trust and confidence with the people we serve.”

The expansion of the RPAS program is being done in consultation with the RCMP National RPAS Program, law enforcement partners, municipal and provincial governments, and industry experts to ensure that the program is developed to best meet the needs of Albertans. Following the trial, the RCMP will evaluate the program to determine if RPAS can be used to enhance public safety and will update the public on the results.

The Stoney Nakoda Tribal leadership, which includes Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney bands, wish to share:

“The Stoney Nakoda Nation welcomes the RCMP Drone-Trial Project and looks forward to assisting them in providing an enhanced police service to First Nations while respecting the privacy and culture of our people. We hope this new technology will aid the RCMP in reducing the levels of drug trafficking, the crime and pain this brings to our Nation. We look forward to receiving further briefings from the RCMP on the results of the trial and how this new capability will aid in providing increased safety and security to our people.”

RCMP-provided information related to the local RPAS trial will be hosted at Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Pilot Program (rcmp-grc.gc.ca).

Related Topics:#AlbertaRCMP #PoliceDronesAlberta #RCMPDrones #StoneyNakodaRCMP

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Alberta Cabinet shuffle reflects new ministries. Adriana LaGrange in charge of “health care refocusing”

Published on May 16, 2025

Government of Alberta

Premier Danielle Smith has made changes to cabinet to address key priorities of Albertans.

Following the conclusion of the spring sitting of the legislature, and the resignation of the Honourable Ric McIver from his cabinet position to serve as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Premier Smith has made changes to her cabinet and caucus leadership.

The new cabinet comprises both seasoned and newly appointed ministers, reflecting Alberta’s diverse population. Together, they are committed to serving all Albertans and striving to unlock the province’s full potential. Those members taking on new roles include:

Minister of Advanced Education, Myles McDougall
Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Matt Jones
Minister of Indigenous Relations, Rajan Sawhney
Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration, Joseph Schow
Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Rick Wilson
Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Williams
Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange
Minister of Tourism and Sport, Andrew Boitchenko
Associate Minister of Multiculturalism, Mohammed Yaseen
Associate Minister of Water, Grant Hunter

Additionally, Grant Hunter will be serving as the Chief Government Whip.

The Honourable Demetrios Nicolaides will be adding childcare to his portfolio and become the Minister of Education and Childcare. The Honourable Jason Nixon will also see his title changed to the Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services to reflect his oversight of Assisted Living Alberta.

“I’m eager to collaborate with this dedicated team to fulfill the commitments we made to Albertans during the last election. Our government has already addressed many key priorities of Albertans, but we know there is more work to do, and I’m excited to continue working alongside each of my cabinet colleagues as we move forward an ambitious agenda for Albertans.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

This new cabinet also serves as the critical next step in the journey to refocus Alberta’s health care system. Each of the four health care agencies – Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta, Assisted Living Alberta, and Recovery Alberta – are now established, and will now each have a corresponding minister responsible. Minister LaGrange will continue to oversee the health care re-focusing efforts.

“I’m pleased to continue the important work of re-focusing our health care system with the support of my colleagues. Moving forward, we will work together to ensure that patients in our health care system have an integrated seamless experience and get the care they need when and where they need it.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

Cabinet members will be tasked with working collaboratively to complete the important work that Albertans voted for, including continuing to grow the economy, keep life affordable, reform the health care system, fight crime, and defend Alberta from punitive federal government policies.

Alberta

Alberta group releases referendum question on leaving Canada, becoming ‘sovereign country’

Published on May 15, 2025

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

‘Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?’ reads the proposed question from Alberta Prosperity Project, which says it has over 240,000 pledges to vote ‘yes’ on the referendum.

A group behind a citizen-led movement for Alberta’s independence from Canada in light of increasing frustration with the Liberal federal government made public the question it will put to a future referendum that could come in 2026.

The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), which bills itself as a sovereignty advocacy group, released Monday the question it wants on a referendum.

“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?” the question reads.

Thus far, the group says it has over 240,000 pledges from people who say they will vote “yes” to the referendum question. The group wants to have at least 1 million signatures, which is more than the 600,000 needed before a citizen-led petition would be allowed to be brought before Alberta’s legislature.

The APP says its mission is to “empower the Alberta government to restructure Alberta’s relationship with Canada by educating and mobilizing public support for Alberta Sovereignty.”

As reported by LifeSiteNews, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her conservative government will allow but not support a citizen-led referendum on independence.

Smith’s comments came after she said recently that she would consider taking serious steps for Alberta to have greater autonomy from Canada after the Liberals were re-elected to a fourth consecutive term.

Asked about the APP’s statement, Smith said, “I’ve made my position clear.”

“I support a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada, and it’s my job to see if we can get a new deal with Ottawa, so that I can convince more Albertans to feel the same,” she said to the press.

As it stands, Albertans can call a referendum under the Referendum Act and the Citizen Initiative Act, but in order to trigger such a vote, citizens would first have to collect signatures from 20 percent of eligible voters (about 600,000 citizens) within just 90 days and do so on an official government-approved petition.

Some pre-election polls have shown independence sentiment on the rise among Albertans, with over 30 percent favoring a move toward sovereignty.

The calls for independence have grown since Liberal leader Mark Carney defeated Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre, who also lost his seat in the 2025 federal election. In Alberta, almost all of the seats except two went to conservatives.

Carney, like former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before him, said he is opposed to new pipeline projects that would allow Alberta oil and gas to be unleashed. Also, his green agenda, like Trudeau’s, is at odds with Alberta’s main economic driver, its oil and gas industry.