Don Braid
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Don Braid
@donbraid.bsky.social
870 followers 1 following 220 posts
Proud MSM columnist with the Calgary Herald and Postmedia. Covering politics for 50 years and never imagined it could get this crazy.
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UPDATED COLUMN: Council decided not to fire Duckworth but subject him to much more oversight. Some new councillors gave him a hard time Tuesday - these people won't be snowed.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #yyc #yyccc #yegccc
Braid: Duckworth stays on, but new councillors won't take bull from administration
Braid: Calgary city council went into revolt against secretive administration Tuesday; boss David Duckworth's job hangs in the balance.
calgaryherald.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:17 AM
New councillors are refusing to take bull from city admin. "Well, you were wrong," one said to Duckworth in a rare direct rebuke. More of that, please.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #yyc #yyccc #yegcc
Braid: Most new councillors aren't taking any more bull or secrecy from administration
Braid: Calgary city council went into revolt against secretive administration Tuesday; boss David Duckworth's job hangs in the balance.
calgaryherald.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:20 AM
Duckworth offered mental health help to city employees the day the report came down. Nothing like a group hug in a crisis. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #yyc #yeg #yyccc #cdnpol
Braid: City boss Duckworth deflects blame but shields city employees from mental stress
Calgary's CAO, David Duckworth, offered mental health help to city employees as the pipeline report was about to be released.
calgaryherald.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:48 PM
This excellent opinion piece by the chair of Bearspaw pipe study group pulls no punches, shows what a mess we're in, scolds council for deferring action (which is the whole problem!)
calgaryherald.com/opinion/opin... #yyc #yyccc #ableg #bpoli #cdnpoli
Opinion: Calgary’s water crisis is a warning we must heed
'No essential service should be designed and operated this way,' says head of independent review into 2024 feeder main break.
calgaryherald.com
January 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Secrecy, incompetence, empire building - how Calgary ended up with Canada's worst big-city water system. Column.
calgaryherald.com/news/braid-t... #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg #yegcc
Braid: The secretive, serial bungling that gave Calgary the worst big-city water system
Calgary has Canada's worst big-city water problem, thanks to decades of secretive bungling by city officials
calgaryherald.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:31 PM
This is a truly devastating pipe report from a panel of experts who actually know when they're talking about. Senior managers wear the failure. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yyccc
Braid: A devastating report shows how city managers failed to prevent water line disaster
Calgary's water department knew the water line would break for two decades but failed to stop it, writes columnist Don Braid.
calgaryherald.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Faskas amps up save-water plea, even saying people could die if system fails. He's desperate for people to finally get the message. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #bpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yyccc
Braid: Blame me if you're angry, Farkas says, but failure to cut water use could cost lives
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, desperately worried, is trying to get the public to pay attention to the water crisis, writes Don Braid.
calgaryherald.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:42 PM
UPDATED COLUMN: Mayor Farkas insists he hasn't doctored pipe report and neither has any bureaucrat. The report goes public Wednesday as social media allegations fly.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yyccc
Braid: Farkas says no bureaucrat or politician has touched pipe report that goes public Wednesday
Mayor Jeromy Farkas warns that pipeline failures will continue, courting disaster until a new line is built, writes columnist Don Braid.
calgaryherald.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:42 PM
A new mayor finally tells the whole truth about Calgary's Bearspaw South water pipe. It's a rotting disaster that will menace the city for years. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
#ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yyccc #yegcc
Braid: Farkas brings dire warning that pipe failure is a mortal risk to Calgary
Mayor Jeromy Farkas warns that pipeline failures will continue, courting disaster until a new line is built, writes columnist Don Braid.
calgaryherald.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:03 AM
This superb long explainer is even more relevant today than it was on the first anniversary of the 2024 Bearspaw South pipe eruption. Every problem unearthed by Postmedia's Hiren Mansukhani. (@hirenm1996) A must read.
calgaryherald.com/feature/insi... #yyc #yyccc #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli
Disaster deep below: How Calgary's catastrophic feeder main failure was decades in making
What led up to the rupture of Calgary's Bearspaw south feeder main? Experts and a trove of city documents provide some answers.
calgaryherald.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:19 PM
That was some New Year's Eve at city hall. Farkas threatened a special meeting if city boss Duckworth failed to show 2024 pipe report. It didn't happen but Farkas made his point about pushback from bureaucrats Column. calgaryherald.com/news/jeromy-... #ableg #yyc #yyccc #abpoli #cdnpoli
Braid: Farkas threatened New Year's Eve council meeting if city boss didn't cough up 2024 pipe explosion report
Another burst water main eveals failure in monitoring as well as pipe. Mayor Jeromy Farkas suggest heads will roll this time
calgaryherald.com
January 1, 2026 at 5:15 PM
NEW UPDATE. Threat of special meeting on Duckwoarth fades after chair of Bearspaw study promises report within days. But Farkas made his point about resistance from bureaucrat bosses. Column. calgaryherald.com/news/jeromy-... #ableg #yyc #yyccc #abpoli
#cdnpoli
Braid: Farkas threatens New Year's Eve council meeting if city boss doesn't cough up 2024 pipe explosion report
Another burst water main eveals failure in monitoring as well as pipe. Mayor Jeromy Farkas suggest heads will roll this time
calgaryherald.com
January 1, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Another burst pipe. A high-tech system that couldn't see it coming. A mayor who suggests heads will roll this time. Happy New Year.
calgaryherald.com/news/jeromy-... #ableg #yyc #yyccc #abpoli @cdnpoli
Braid: Oh no, not again! Farkas suggests heads will roll over latest water line fiasco
Another burst water main eveals failure in monitoring as well as pipe. Mayor Jeromy Farkas suggest heads will roll this time
calgaryherald.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Bring it on, Nenshi dares UCP, call a snap election early in 2026. He says Smith's party is conflicted and confused. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #yyc #yyccc #ableg #yeg #abpoli #cdnpoli
Braid: Nenshi says NDP ready to crush government, dares UCP to call early vote
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said his party is raring to go in an early election, and Premier Danielle Smith's UCP is ripe for defeat.
calgaryherald.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Once again - sea change at city hall: Farkas gets off to the best start of any mayor in decades with positive action, promises kept, and fierce condemnation of antisemitism. Column. calgaryherald.com/news/braid-j... #yyc #yyccc #yeg #abpoli #cdnpoli #ableg
Braid: Jeromy Farkas takes over city hall with action and a vow to fight antisemitism
Mayor Jeromy Farkas starts his term with real achievement on issues, and a fierce pledge to fight antisemitism
calgaryherald.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Farkas gets off to the best start of any major in decades with positive action, promises kept, and fierce condemnation of antisemitism. Column.
calgaryherald.com/news/braid-j... #yyc #yyccc #yeg #abpoli #cdnpoli #ableg
Braid: Jeromy Farkas takes over city hall with action and a vow to fight antisemitism
Mayor Jeromy Farkas starts his term with real achievement on issues, and a fierce pledge to fight antisemitism
calgaryherald.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:11 PM
It now seems certain that Alberta will vote on separation in 2026. If it passes, where would Premier Smith stand? Column
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg
Braid: Alberta will vote on separation in 2026. If it passes, where will Smith stand?
2026 will bring a separatist referendum in Alberta and hard choices for the governing NDP. Will Premier Danielle Smith stand for Canada?
calgaryherald.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Alberta's blizzard of recalls is the oddest political story of 2025. It will haunt Smith into 2026. Column. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #RECALL #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg
Braid: A decision on the blizzard of recall petitions will plague Smith into 2026
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will face a decision of a Canadian oddity — the eruption of recall movements against herself and her MLAs.
calgaryherald.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Disabilities advocate and columnist Cam Tait, one of the most courageous people I know, writes a deeply moving column about love, endurance and friendship that will touch your heart.
edmontonsun.com/opinion/colu... #yeg #yegcc #yyc
TAIT: Meeting a reminder of the power of love and celebration
On a cold, nasty Edmonton evening, Doug Armstrong reminded me what matters most.
edmontonsun.com
December 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Must-read from the Herald's @chrisvarcoe
on how the MOU with Ottawa came to be. The full story of a most unlikely deal.
calgaryherald.com/business/dan... #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #abgov #yyc #yeg
Varcoe: Making of a 'grand bargain' — how Alberta and Ottawa forged an unlikely energy deal
The inside story of how two governments came to an unlikely agreement on pipelines, carbon capture, emissions reduction and more.
calgaryherald.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Can we trust government numbers on health wait times? Not entirely. Fascinating info in auditor general's latest report. Column. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abhealth #abpoli #abgov #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg
Braid: Claims about shorter wait times sometimes overblown and wrong, report suggests
The auditor general report shows many claims about reduced wait times didn't match internal numbers and were simply wrong.
calgaryherald.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Premier Smith now faces official recall notice. 20 UCP members under siege. This is no longer just a flashy political stunt. Some UCP members could lose special elections. Rewritten column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abpoli #abgov #abpoli #yyc #yeg #cdnpoli
Braid: Recall is heating up; Premier Smith now faces official campaign in her riding
Alberta's recall movement keeps growing. Premier Smith now faces recall. It's no longer just an oddity, but a threat to UCP
calgaryherald.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Recall movement is gaining steam and can no longer be laughed off. For politicians, it's poison. Column. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abrecall #yyc #yeg #cdnpoli #abgov
Braid: The recall movement is political poison but it's no longer just an Alberta oddity
Alberta's recall movement keeps growing. It's no longer just an oddity, even though politicians avoid it like the plague.
calgaryherald.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:44 PM
UPDATED: Court rules separatist question unconstitutional. Also, UCP levies monster fine, bans words, in effort to control political landscape. Column.
calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abgov #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg
Braid: With monster fine and ban on words, UCP locks down political landscape
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and UCP lock down political landscape with threat of $1 million fine and ban on political words.
calgaryherald.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:51 PM
A whopper of a UCP bill makes a separatist referendum likely but leaves the recall movement to rage on. UCP assumes far more power over election rules. Column. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #ableg #abgov #abpoli #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg
Braid: Giant UCP bill enables separatist vote but allows recall to rage on
Braid: Premier Danielle Smith brings in big bill that will make a vote on independence more likely but declines to choke off recall movement
calgaryherald.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:06 PM