Alberta
Weird. Wonderful. Mesmerizing. Fantastic.
Weird. Wonderful. Mesmerizing. Fantastic.
Each of those words can be applied — and probably will be, for many years — to the first round of the best-of-seven NHL playoffs in a season already shaken, but not broken, by COVID-19.
It can be guaranteed that the five overtime periods needed before the Tampa Bay Lightning could stun the Columbus Blue Jackets will be in the record books for years. Brayden Point’s winning goal in the marathon victory will be forgotten long after other details are etched in sports history.
That’s the way it happens when a game in a “hub community” lasts more than six hours, total shots on goal reach record levels and another scheduled playoff game is delayed for almost a full day.
When the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes were ordered to reschedule Game One of their quarter-final showdown, it was not the first official delay of a playoff game — just the first time that the only available ice surface was already in use
Boston and Carolina were installed as the first act in a run of five consecutive series openers on Wednesday. Fortunately, the Lightning and Blue Jackets will have a full day off, as will the Calgary Flames, who edged Dallas 3-2 in the only other match completed on Tuesday.
Columbus vs. Tampa Bay was in many ways.a classical matchup: power against finesse, labour against sheer talent. Joonas Korpisalo faced a few dozen more shots than winning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy but the buzzing Blue Jackets defeated every challenge except Point’s ultimate point (pun intended).
It had been expected that the Lightning might win easily. Assured of a berth among the final 16 teams, they cruised through an unimportant round-robin series while the Blue Devils were fighting for their playoff lives in a bitter five-game elimination war with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For Tampa Bay, the victory was essential in the organization’s bid to shake off their miserable 2019 playoff, when they bowed in the first round after running away from all opposition.
The Calgary Flames went through similar miseries at the same time, dominant for most of last season before they won only a single playoff game and headed meekly to the golf course.
This year, the Flames survived at least one major problem: head coach Bill Peters resigned after an ugly racial incident was exposed. Individual on-ice performances faded, too, amid growing claims that the team was made up of casual performers quite content to win the easy ones.
Well, there was nothing easy in beating the Winnipeg Jets to qualify for the final 16 and nothing came easily in the 3-2 victory over Dallas on Tuesday. The Flames have flaws — every team has flaws — but these guys proved again that lack of character is not one of them.
Canada and Alberta’s new net-zero energy deal is being promoted as progress, but it also brings rising costs. In this video, I break down the increase to Alberta’s industrial carbon price, how those costs can raise fuel, heating, and grocery prices, and why taxpayer-funded carbon-capture projects and potential pipeline delays could add even more. Here’s what this agreement could mean for Canadians.
Watch Nataliya Bankert’s latest video.
Alberta’s government will introduce a motion under the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act to defend law-abiding firearms owners.
A new motion under the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act will, if passed by the legislature, instruct all provincial entities, including law-enforcement agencies such as municipal police services and the RCMP, to decline to enforce or implement the federal gun seizure program. The motion also makes clear that Albertans have the right to use reasonable force to defend themselves, their families and their homes from intruders.
This builds on the steps Alberta has already taken to reduce crime, strengthen public safety and assert provincial jurisdiction over firearms. This includes passing the Alberta Firearms Act to establish the Alberta Chief Firearms Office, along with the Alberta Firearms Regulation and the Seizure Agent and Provider Licensing Regulation.
“It’s time for Ottawa to stop targeting the wrong people. Albertans have the right to protect their homes and their families. No one should hesitate to defend themselves when faced with a threat at their own doorway. Law-abiding citizens, hunters, farmers and sport shooters are not the source of violent crime, yet the federal government wants to confiscate their property while illegal guns pour across our borders. Alberta will not stand by while responsible gun owners are treated like criminals. This motion is about using every legal tool we have to protect their rights, uphold public safety and push back on federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction.”
“When someone breaks into your home, the law recognizes that you have enhanced rights to protect yourself and your family. Alberta is making that principle unmistakably clear: lawful, reasonable self-defence will be respected, not criminalized.”
“As an experienced former law enforcement officer, law-abiding gun owners have never been an issue, in my own personal experience, nor has there been any data to support that law-abiding gun owners are the ones that are committing violent gun crimes. The illegal guns that you see being used by criminals are typically being smuggled in from the United States. The federal government should help us strengthen the border, helping us to stop illegal guns from coming into Canada. This would further enhance safety and security for the people of Alberta and Canada as opposed to going after lawful gun owners.”
Under the Alberta Firearms Regulation, municipalities, law enforcement and police commissions must obtain approval from Alberta’s Minister of Justice before accepting funding to participate in the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program.
“Misguided federal initiatives such as the handgun transfer ban and the Order in Council firearms prohibitions of 2020, 2024 and 2025 have had a devastating impact on the safe, legitimate activities of the firearms community and the businesses that support it, while having no discernible effect on criminal activity. I am proud to see that the Alberta government is pushing back and supporting lawful firearms owners through these measures.”
“Licensed gun owners and all Albertans can rest assured that their government, under the leadership of the UCP, is laser focused on protecting law abiding citizens while prioritizing real public safety.”
“The Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association will continue to support our government and the Alberta chief firearms officer in our joint quest to use safety training and education as the key tools to ensure we have safer streets and communities. Safe and responsible use of firearms in Alberta is a key part of our heritage, culture, and our rich and precious heritage.”
Key facts:
- Pursuant to the Attorney General’s recent guidance protocols, Alberta’s prosecutors will decline to prosecute offences under the federal gun seizure program when it is not in the public interest.
- The Attorney General’s recent guidance protocol directs prosecutors to not prosecute home defence offences when it is not in the public interest.
- Total spending on the federal Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program is expected to exceed $750 million.
- The firearms motion considers the Alberta Bill of Rights, the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Criminal Code.
- Currently 10 per cent of adult Albertans are licenced to use and own firearms. There are 381,900 firearms licences in Alberta.
- Alberta has 638 licensed firearms businesses, 138 shooting ranges and 91 shooting clubs.
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