Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 7h

‘Shameless’: How the Alberta Next Panel Blamed Immigrants

thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

‘Shameless’: How the Alberta Next Panel Blamed Immigrants | The Tyee

Divisive scapegoating, including showing a slanted video, fits the populist playbook, says an expert.

thetyee.ca

6 9

Reposted by Brett McKay

Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 17h

We're going public today with a powerful new tool for researching, following and reporting on local governments across Canada.

It’s dragging cities and towns into the 21st century by making 550 municipalities’ public meetings easy to search, all in one place, for the first time.

Canada’s National Observer unveils a powerful tool for fighting disinformation

Civic Searchlight brings together municipal meeting transcripts from across Canada into a searchable database for the first time. It has already been used to fight disinformation, report on impact, di...

www.nationalobserver.com

6 52 78

Reposted by Brett McKay

Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 15h

As climate disinformation groups move into the shadows, @nationalobserver.com has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more than 550 municipalities.

How Canada's National Observer tracked a climate misinfo group going 'under the radar'

As KICLEI's campaign moves into the shadows, Canada’s National Observer has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more tha...

www.nationalobserver.com

2 22 33

Reposted by Brett McKay

Caroline @northernck.bsky.social · 13h

Here’s but one example:

“Coun. Keith Page sensed something was wrong when he read the headline on a blog post: “New Municipal Breakthrough: BC Government Successfully Revisits Net-Zero Climate Commitments.”

The blog claimed his district had set a national

www.nationalobserver.com/2025/10/08/i...

How Canada's National Observer tracked a climate misinfo group going 'under the radar'

As KICLEI's campaign moves into the shadows, Canada’s National Observer has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more tha...

www.nationalobserver.com

1 2 5

Reposted by Brett McKay

Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 19h

More than 40 Trump administration picks tied directly to oil, gas and coal, analysis shows

- Fossil fuel donors poured $96m into Trump’s 2025 presidential campaign and affiliated action committees

Story by @dharna.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

More than 40 Trump administration picks tied directly to oil, gas and coal, analysis shows

Report looks at White House nominees and appointees and agencies dictating energy, environment and climate policy

www.theguardian.com

5 43 63

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 2d

From the time the IPT began operations in January until Aug. 8, the unit had made two arrests for illegal border crossing and five arrests for trafficking in a controlled substance.

Of these seven arrests, four occurred within the two-kilometre border zone.

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 2d

It was touted as the answer to what Premier Danielle Smith called the "leaky" U.S. border, but how effective has Alberta's new border patrol been? Here’s what we found about the number of arrests this $29 million team has made so far.

zurl.co/K8YCO

#abpoli #border

1 4 6

Reposted by Brett McKay

Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 2d

Via @brettmckay.bsky.social theijf.org/alberta-bord...

Alberta border patrol has made just 4 arrests for illegal immigration or drug trafficking in border zone, data shows

Critics are raising concerns about efficiency and cost, but province says it remains committed to border patrol plan

theijf.org

1 10 9

Reposted by Brett McKay

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 2d

It was touted as the answer to what Premier Danielle Smith called the "leaky" U.S. border, but how effective has Alberta's new border patrol been? Here’s what we found about the number of arrests this $29 million team has made so far.

zurl.co/K8YCO

#abpoli #border

2 10 18

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 2d

Alberta border patrol has made just 4 arrests for illegal immigration or drug trafficking in border zone, data shows
theijf.org/alberta-bord...

Alberta border patrol has made just 4 arrests for illegal immigration or drug trafficking in border zone, data shows

Critics are raising concerns about efficiency and cost, but province says it remains committed to border patrol plan

theijf.org

6 16 42

Reposted by Brett McKay

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 6d

Alberta is stepping in to kill Canmore’s “vacancy tax” after developers lobbied the government to intervene. This is the third example we found where the building industry association petitioned the province to override municipal affordable housing policies.

zurl.co/aDS7T

#abpoli #housing

Alberta set to intervene on municipal housing policy after push from building industry lobbyists

New mandate letter directs municipal affairs minister to implement a strategy to protect Albertans from taxes directed at secondary homes

zurl.co

3 12 22

Reposted by Brett McKay

ABlawg UCalgary @ablawg.bsky.social · 8d

New Post: The Mature Asset Strategy for Alberta’s Oil and Gas Closure Liability Crisis: Where there is Smoke [and Mirrors], there is Fire.

ablawg.ca/2025/09/30...…rs-there-is-fire/

The Mature Asset Strategy for Alberta’s Oil and Gas Closure Liability Crisis: Where there is Smoke [and Mirrors], there is Fire

By: Martin Olszynski, Drew Yewchuk, and Shaun Fluker Matter Commented On: Alberta’s Mature Asset Strategy: What we Heard and Recommendations Report, April 3, 2025 PDF Version: The Mature Asset Stra…

ablawg.ca

1 10 14

Reposted by Brett McKay

The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 12d

Ontario bureau chief @elaineanselmi.bsky.social took the prerogative to have a little fun with our latest newsletter, about a proposed nickel mine in Shania Twain’s hometown of Timmins.

thenarwhal.ca/newsletter-t...

Is mining ‘still the one’ in northern Ontario? | The Narwhal

A past effort to attract fans to Shania Twain’s hometown of Timmins didn’t go well. A proposed nickel mine has the town wondering: can it only go up from here?

thenarwhal.ca

1 6 25

Reposted by Brett McKay

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 11d

The charity in charge of the Edmonton Oilers 50/50 raffles paid more than $81 million over four years to Win50, a sports betting and gaming company controlled by the Oilers Entertainment Group, according to audited financial statements obtained by the IJF.

#abpoli #hockey

3 17 28

Reposted by Brett McKay

Carrie Tait @carrietait.bsky.social · 12d

Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal www.stalbertgazette.com/beyond-local... Quite the scoop from @brettmckay.bsky.social

Beyond Local: Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal

The foundation says Win50 is responsible for all costs related to running the raffle, including additional prizes, television and radio commercials, promotion and advertising, the raffle technology pl...

www.stalbertgazette.com

5 38 61

Reposted by Brett McKay

Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 12d

😴 Sleep problems rising

A study of 2.2M Danes found sleep issues increased from 34% to 49% among 15–45-year-olds (2010–2021). Childhood adversities were linked to later insomnia and nightmares.

🔗 doi.org/10.1126/scia...

#SciComm #Sleep 🧪

Exploring nationwide patterns of sleep problems from late adolescence to adulthood using machine learning

Sleep problems from late adolescence to adulthood have increased in the past 10 years and can be linked to complex factors.

doi.org

7 10

Reposted by Brett McKay

Dale Smith @journodale.bsky.social · 12d

Trans bans are always about policing women. Always.

Dr Lindsay Tedds @lindsaytedds.bsky.social · 12d

For anyone not in Alberta or not paying attention, girls playing sports in school now have to prove they were born female to play sports. And can be challenged by anyone at anytime and must prove they are female to keep playing. This doesn’t apply to boys. What a dystopian hellscape

4 61 130

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 12d

The Oilers' 50/50 ticket sales totalled $318.7 million between 2021 and 2024. After paying out the jackpots ($159.3 million), “licence and rights fees” ($82.8 million) and administrative costs ($9.7 million), $66.9 million went to the EOCF to be used for charity.

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 12d

When you buy an Edmonton Oilers 50/50 ticket, how much money ends up with charity? Check out our investigation to find the answer.

zurl.co/5aL6i

#abpoli #hockey

Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal

Financial statements show percentage of ticket sales available for charity has declined since raffle moved online

zurl.co

5 9

Reposted by Brett McKay

Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 12d

When you buy an Edmonton Oilers 50/50 ticket, how much money ends up with charity? Check out our investigation to find the answer.

zurl.co/5aL6i

#abpoli #hockey

Oilers 50/50 raffle has paid $81M to company owned by hockey group over 4 years, documents reveal

Financial statements show percentage of ticket sales available for charity has declined since raffle moved online

zurl.co

1 18 20

Reposted by Brett McKay

Jonny Wakefield @jonnywakefield.bsky.social · 13d

Mandate letters for Alberta's justice and public safety ministries are out, and this leaps out.

"Setting clear policing priorities by working with the Minister of Justice to create a policing priority framework that directs law enforcement to focus on the government’s priorities..."

7 14 30

Reposted by Brett McKay

Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 14d

The former environment minister said carbon capture and sequestration — which Carney has thrown his support behind — is "not a get-out-of-jail-free card to continue increasing emissions.”

Catherine McKenna isn’t buying Carney’s carbon capture grand bargain

In a wide-ranging interview ahead of the launch of her memoir, former climate minister Catherine McKenna warns consequences are coming for the fossil fuel industry, even as the federal government purs...

www.nationalobserver.com

6 25 86

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 13d

NEW: Oil industry lobbied for proposed carbon pricing revamp

Among the lobbyists pushing for TIER program to be watered down or scrapped were the EPA minister's husband and his business partner.

theijf.org/oil-industry...

Oil industry lobbied for proposed carbon pricing revamp

Lobbying records show oil and gas industry has been advocating for loosening of regulations and end of carbon levy

theijf.org

1 2

Reposted by Brett McKay

Eva Holland @evaholland.bsky.social · 14d

I had missed this grim little story from a couple weeks back:

N.L.'s 10-year education action plan cites sources that don't exist | CBC News

A major report on modernizing the education system in Newfoundland and Labrador is peppered with fake sources some educators say were likely fabricated by generative artificial intelligence.

www.cbc.ca

1 4 14

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 14d

American firms own nearly a third of Canada’s data centres:
Experts warn that reliance on foreign-owned data centres poses risks for sovereignty.

theijf.org/american-fir...

American firms own nearly a third of Canada’s data centres

Experts warn that reliance on foreign-owned data centres poses risks for sovereignty.

theijf.org

1 8 11

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 14d

The UCP stopped tracking classroom size, but I was able to use enrolment stats and the physical classroom capacity to match these anecdotes with some data.
-About 200 K-12 schools over capacity
-27 schools at 100% capacity
-Dozens more between 97 and 99% full
calgaryherald.com/news/in-a-cr...

2 6 16

Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 14d

"Jitendra Prasad...represented Alberta Surgical Group in negotiations with the health authority in the summer of 2022, while he was paid by AHS to advise it about contracting with such private providers, the report states."
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

Alberta private clinics adviser worked for firm vying for contract, confidential report says

Potential conflicts of interest outlined in document at centre of health procurement controversy

www.theglobeandmail.com

3 9