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Michelle Bellefontaine

@mbellefontaine.bsky.social

11K followers 800 following 54 posts

Provincial affairs reporter for CBC News based in Edmonton

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Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · 23d

It is clearly a very competitive contest given that current mayor Amarjeet Sohi is not running again

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · 23d

Excellent thread from Keith about tonight’s mayoral debate.

Keith Gerein @keithgerein.bsky.social · 23d

Tim Cartmell, Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack and Michael Walters faced off in another mayoral debate Wednesday night — the second in 5 days — this one hosted by Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations. Here's a thread on the event, since I won't have a column. #yeg #yegelxn 1/19

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Sep 6

Sad news about one of the greats www.cbc.ca/sports/hocke...

Former Canadiens star goaltender Ken Dryden dies of cancer at age 78 | CBC Sports

Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender whose long resume in and out of hockey included six Stanley Cup victories and helping backstop Canada's generation-defining victory at the 1972 Summit Series, d...

Reposted by Michelle Bellefontaine

Heather Campbell @thatheatherc.bsky.social · Sep 6

I met Ken Dryden once, in Calgary of all places. He was so kind to me, asked after my family, and was just lovely to speak with. I'm still fascinated that he was able to take time away from hockey, to complete his law degree at McGill. Unheard of today.

Rest well. 🇨🇦🙏🏾

www.nhl.com/canadiens/ne...

The Montreal Canadiens mourn the passing of Ken Dryden | Montréal Canadiens

Hall-of-Fame goaltender won six Stanley Cups with the team

Reposted by Michelle Bellefontaine

Canadian History Ehx @cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social · Sep 6

Ken Dryden has died.
A Hockey Hall of Famer with the Montreal Canadiens, he won six Stanley Cups, the Conn Smythe, Calder and five Vezinas.
A best-selling author, he also served in Parliament from 2004 to 2011.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Sep 6

Such sad news.

Steve Rukavina @steverukavina.bsky.social · Sep 6

www.nhl.com/canadiens/ne...

The Montreal Canadiens mourn the passing of Ken Dryden | Montréal Canadiens

Hall-of-Fame goaltender won six Stanley Cups with the team

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Sep 2

Big scoop from @jack-farrell.bsky.social and @reportrix.bsky.social at The Canadian Press

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Alberta government pauses ban on school library books with sexual content | CBC News

Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says in an email to school boards that the government is pausing its order for the removal of books with explicit sexual content from libraries.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Aug 21

AISH recipients despair over province’s changes to disability programs.

“It's been made very clear that I'm a burden on this government, that they view disabled people as burdens, that we don't have any worth or value unless we're working. It’s gut-wrenching.”

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

AISH recipient, advocates worry about Alberta's new disability benefit program | CBC News

A new discussion guide about the upcoming Alberta Disability Assistance Program reveals that many Albertans with severe disabilities will receive lower personal benefits after the program launches nex...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Aug 15

The Alberta Next panel faced a divided, sometimes hostile crowd in Edmonton last night www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Town hall to debate Alberta's future faces polarized crowd in Edmonton | CBC News

Albertans shouted at each other and at Premier Danielle Smith at the third Alberta Next town hall in Edmonton Thursday night.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Aug 12

Affordable housing operator HomeEd has listed the Riverdale Place townhouses for sale. Tenants are fighting back www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Low-income tenants fight sale of affordable Edmonton townhouses | CBC News

Tenants who live in affordable housing townhouses in a neighbourhood near downtown Edmonton are fighting the sale of their homes by their non-profit provider HomeEd.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Aug 1

Oh no. I’m sorry to hear that.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jul 21

Medical providers are getting panicked calls from AISH recipients trying to comply with the province’s directive to apply for the federal Disability Tax Credit www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

AISH recipients panicked over looming provincial deadline: health providers | CBC News

Health provides say people who receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) are calling them in a panic over a letter from the province that threatens to cut their benefits if they don't...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jul 14

Alberta wanted to create 1,500 affordable housing spots last year. It created a little more than half.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Alberta gov't fell short of its affordable housing goal last year: annual report | CBC News

The provincial government completed fewer new or refurbished affordable housing units last year than the previous three years, according to figures in the Seniors, Community and Social Services Minist...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jul 9

Changes coming for AISH recipients who live in community housing.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

AISH recipients in community housing will see rent hike under new Alberta regulations | CBC News

AISH recipients who live in community housing where rent is set at thirty per cent of income will soon see the amount increase by $220 a month.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jul 2

Alberta politics is never boring.

Jason Markusoff @markusoff.bsky.social · Jul 2

Alberta's grand old party is coming back.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Ex-UCP MLAs reviving Alberta's Progressive Conservative Party | CBC News

Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair, ousted from Danielle Smith's caucus, hope to relaunch Tories as opposition group in fall.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jun 18

Matthew Black's persistence (and an intervention by Alberta's privacy and information commissioner) led to this information finally coming to light after nearly two years.

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Jun 18

It took 21 months but, this morning I received the results of the Alberta government's pension plan engagement survey:
*63% opposed to Alberta Pension Plan (APP)
*10% pro-APP
*12% undecided/unsure
*15% other responses
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Alberta releases its pension survey results, 63% opposed to leaving CPP

After a more than 21-month wait, the Alberta government has released to Postmedia the results of its 2023 provincial pension plan survey.

edmontonjournal.com

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jun 18

CBC colleague @jenleecbc.bsky.social with reaction to Alberta’s new COVID vaccine policies.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Alberta government faces mounting pushback to new COVID-19 vaccine policy | CBC News

The Alberta government continues to face fierce opposition to plans that will reduce access to publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines in the province.

Reposted by Michelle Bellefontaine

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · Jun 12

“Alberta's measles surge is so dramatic, the last time case counts were higher, Calgary did not have an NHL team, O Canada was not yet the official national anthem and gasoline would set you back 24 cents a litre.”

Alberta's measles outbreaks are now the worst in nearly half a century | CBC News

Alberta's measles surge is so dramatic, the last time case counts were higher Calgary did not have an NHL team, 'O Canada' was not yet the official national anthem and gasoline would set you back 24 c...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Jun 6

A lovely interview on Power and Politics today with Marc Roy, former chief of staff to Marc Garneau, the groundbreaking astronaut who became a Canadian politician and cabinet minister, who died yesterday www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Marc Garneau died after 'short but very difficult battle' with cancer, former staffer says | CBC News

Marc Garneau died this week after being diagnosed with two types of cancer earlier this year, said his former chief of staff Marc Roy.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · May 26

Premier Danielle Smith has called the byelections in Edmonton-Ellerslie, Edmonton-Strathcona and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills for Monday, June 23.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · May 9

commissioner Diane McLeod's report can be found here.

oipc.ab.ca/wp-content/u...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · May 9

This is a significant finding from Alberta’s privacy and information commissioner and confirms what many FOIP users have long suspected.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Apr 17

It was an eventful day at the Alberta legislature. My colleague Janet French captures all of it here.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

United Conservative Party expels MLA who pushed for public probe of health contracting | CBC News

An MLA and former minister just removed from the United Conservative Party caucus alleges the health minister — and possibly the premier — withheld information from cabinet ministers who were deciding...

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Apr 9

New bill introduced yesterday.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Alberta government moves to eliminate municipal codes of conduct | CBC News

Alberta Municipal Affairs minister Ric McIver introduced a new bill Tuesday that would automatically repeal all municipal codes of conduct as soon as it is proclaimed into law.

Michelle Bellefontaine @mbellefontaine.bsky.social · Mar 30

Story from CBC colleague Sarah Reid: “Every time I try to get ahead something else happens; my rent increases, utilities get out of hand and everything costs more … there's no breaking even anymore and it's hard to live like that."
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Rent hikes intended to bring Edmonton units up to market value are forcing some tenants to move | CBC News

Substantial rent increases at a townhouse complex in an Edmonton neighbourhood are forcing some tenants out of their homes and starting a conversation about the reality that many renters are facing.