Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Matthew Black

@matthewblack.ca

650 followers 100 following 48 posts

📰 Postmedia Alberta legislature reporter (Edmonton Journal/Sun) | Works with 📊 data & 📃 documents | 🎓 UBC & UAlberta (2x) | Profile pic by my 3 y/o daughter MatthewBlack.ca

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Matthew Black

Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 1h

Thanks @matthewblack.ca but the investigation was the idea of, and was led by, Karen Kleiss. It was Karen's idea to create a searchable public database, which resulted in the auditor general telling the province they should to. Karen Unland edited the project.

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · 2h

And these are all built on an investigation led by @charlesrusnell.bsky.social nearly two decades ago which prompted the results of food service venue inspections to be made public
www.pressreader.com/canada/edmon...
#yeg

Reposted by Matthew Black

Dave Breakenridge @davebreakenridge.bsky.social · 1h

This work was done through @lillebuen.bsky.social's investigative journalism class, with key contributions from the Journal's @keithgerein.bsky.social and @matthewblack.ca. Big thanks to @njgriffiths.bsky.social for his help with the data journalism side of things.

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · 2h

And these are all built on an investigation led by @charlesrusnell.bsky.social nearly two decades ago which prompted the results of food service venue inspections to be made public
www.pressreader.com/canada/edmon...
#yeg

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · 2h

And, here's a second sidebar about the hopelessly outdated AHS food service venue inspection website/database which was built before the iPhone and Instagram existed, at a time when Connor McDavid was still in elementary school
#yeg

'Glorified spreadsheet': Alberta's restaurant inspection website needs major overhaul, expert says

The website that publishes Alberta’s food safety inspections is 20 years obsolete, an expert says

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · 4h

Two of the excellent @macewanu.bsky.social j-students pulled together this sidebar on how restaurants can be a "perfect" breeding ground for cockroaches.
Inspection data showed more than 180 Edmonton food establishments had signs of a cockroach infestation over a 38-month period

#yeg

Creeping Into the Kitchen: Restaurants a ‘perfect’ breeding ground for roaches

More than 180 food establishments in Edmonton over a 38-month period had signs of a cockroach infestation, health inspection data shows.

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · 4h

Since Jan, I've been part of a team inc EJ colleagues, @lillebuen.bsky.social & his MacEwan U j-students working on a series re: how food service venues are inspected in AB
We uncovered shocking findings re: the state of the system, inspection frequency, & recurring violations.
Part 1 out today
#yeg

Crawling bugs and half-baked enforcement: Alberta’s restaurant inspections a recipe for foodborne illness — Investigation

Lax inspections, excessive violations and poor transparency in Alberta's restaurant inspection system is a recipe for foodborne Illness

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

trevorrobb.bsky.social @trevorrobb.bsky.social · 5h

According to the data obtained and analyzed during this @edmontonjournal.com / @macewanu.bsky.social investigation, more than 250 food establishments across Edmonton went at least two years without seeing an inspector. #yeg

edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...

Crawling bugs and half-baked enforcement: Alberta’s restaurant inspections a recipe for foodborne illness — Investigation

Lax inspections, excessive violations and poor transparency in Alberta's restaurant inspection system is a recipe for foodborne Illness

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Sep 6

The info and privacy commish has opened 3 reviews into if the province followed ATI rules in withholding from me the early results of Alberta Next surveys

OIPC involvement led GOA to release pension survey data to me, 21 months after I first asked
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Three reviews underway after province refuses to release early Alberta Next survey results

The provincial government refused Postmedia access to hundreds of pages of records containing early results to Alberta Next survey questions

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Aug 20

Athana Mentzelopoulos lawsuit update
GOA:
*Claims her recording of AHS board members & LaGrange was illegal & she has 200K pages of records she shouldn't
Athana:
*Recording was to protect AHS, its whistleblowers, the AHS Board & various politicians
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Alberta lawyers claim Mentzelopoulos may have illegally recorded meetings

Government lawyers say the former AHS CEO recorded meetings with ministers and the AHS board but her lawyers dispute doing so was illegal.

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Edmonton Journal @edmontonjournal.com · Aug 20

Opinion: Will the availability of COVID-19 vaccines be more than an exercise in luck for those who can and cannot pay? Why are physicians not allowed discretion when it comes to immunizations? Where have all the COVID-19 vaccines gone?

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: Where have all Alberta's COVID vaccines gone?

I have discovered that for now, even when you can pay, you are out of luck.

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

trevorrobb.bsky.social @trevorrobb.bsky.social · Aug 16

"Those two recommendations centre around the province’s practice of limiting the number of topics in an access to information request, and splitting requests with multiple topics into several new requests at the cost of more fees." #abpoli #ableg

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Information and privacy commissioner says Alberta rejected two of her recommendations

Diane McLeod says she could investigate if the province continues to ignore two recommendations regarding access to information requests

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Aug 15

"The other excuse Alberta Finance gave was that the new rules would 'bring Alberta’s policies into alignment with other provinces.’ It’s the equivalent of 'But, mom, everybody else is doing it'"

Gunter: UCP receipt policy a blow to government transparency
edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
#ableg

Lorne Gunter: UCP receipt policy a blow to government transparency

Earlier this month, the province removed the requirement that receipts be posted for expenses, even the big ones.

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · Aug 11

My latest for @thetyee. Former police commission chair enaged in online bullying, harassment campaign against city councillors.

'Unleashing': Politicians Say Ex-Police Watchdog's Insults Go Too Far via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/08...

‘Unleashing’: Politicians Say Ex-Police Watchdog’s Insults Go Too Far | The Tyee

‘I was getting scared,’ says one Edmonton councillor assailed online by John McDougall.

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Aug 8

From @keithgerein.bsky.social :
With 75 days to go (now 74), Edmonton mayoral race missing a front-runner
Jaffer? Cartmell? Knack? Walters? Someone else? The mayor's race is still wide open
edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
#yeg

Keith Gerein: With 75 days to go, Edmonton mayoral race missing a front-runner

Jaffer? Cartmell? Knack? Walters? Someone else? The mayor's race in Edmonton has yet to coalesce around a front-runner.

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Aug 7

I was curious about the early results of some of the Alberta Next surveys so I filed a few access to info requests in June, and you're not going to believe this but...

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Province refuses to release early results of its Alberta Next surveys

Postmedia sought early replies to surveys around an Alberta pension plan and immigration but the province has refused to release the results

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

trevorrobb.bsky.social @trevorrobb.bsky.social · Jul 31

Latest from @matthewblack.ca — The Law Society of Alberta has reprimanded one of the leaders of the Albert separatist movement after finding he twice broke professional standards. #ableg #abpoli

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...

Alberta separatist lawyer reprimanded, ordered to pay $10K in costs

The Alberta Law Society found Jeffrey Rath had twice violated professional standards and ordered him to pay $10,000 in costs.

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Jul 30

"We need all Albertans to put their pride and love of Canada into writing now and put their signature on a petition," campaign leader Thomas Lukaszuk said after Elections Alberta issued a petition for his "Alberta Forever Canada" initiative
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Elections Alberta approves petition seeking referendum on Alberta remaining in Canada

The petition begins the 90-day signature collection period which requires 293,976 signatures to be submitted to Elections Alberta by Oct. 28

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Don Braid @donbraid.bsky.social · Jul 29

COLUMN UPDATED AGAIN: Elections officer won't back down. Says he's just doing his job by going to court, after Smith alleges he's violating democracy by asking for ruling on separatist question. calgaryherald.com/news/braid-s... #ableg #abpoli #AlbertaSeparation #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg

Braid: Premier Smith says Elections Alberta should not send separatist question to court

Alberta Braid: Separatism debate heats up as referendum question goes to court. Pro-Canada question rolls on.

calgaryherald.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Don Braid @donbraid.bsky.social · Jul 29

UPDATED COLUMN: Smith lands a bombshell on electoral office referring a separatist referendum question to court. She says that's a violation of democracy.
calgaryherald.com/news/braid-s... #ableg #abpoli #AlbertaSeparation #cdnpoli #yyc #yeg

Braid: Premier Smith says Elections Alberta should not send separatist question to court

Alberta Braid: Separatism debate heats up as referendum question goes to court. Pro-Canada question rolls on.

calgaryherald.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Dave Breakenridge @davebreakenridge.bsky.social · Jul 27

Fun read by @matthewblack.ca 'Gizmo', 'Satan,' and 'McLovin' — How RCAF pilots at CFB Cold Lake get their call signs. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n... via @edmontonjournal.com

'Gizmo', 'Satan,' and 'McLovin': Inside the changing world of pilot call signs at CFB Cold Lake

The pilot monikers were once permanent, but criticism of past call signs, and how they were chosen, has led to changes.

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Jul 23

Ex-UCP MLA Peter Guthrie says his efforts to revive the PC Party are now focused on a collaboration with and rebrand of the Alberta Party.
"It made a lot of sense to us," he said, also citing a possible spring election & legal threat from UCP
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Jul 18

From January re: the RAM site development survey results:
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
#ableg #abpoli

Edmontonians call on province to abandon Royal Alberta Museum demolition: survey results

The results of the province's survey on the future of the old Royal Alberta Museum site showed strong support for preserving or repurposing

edmontonjournal.com

Matthew Black @matthewblack.ca · Jul 18

In Jan, I reported a majority of responses (~57%) to the govt's survey wanted the old RAM site saved.
Then, govt told me those results didn't change its plan to demolish the building.
Today, it's opening a new call for pitches to develop the site.
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
#ableg #abpoli

'Final opportunity': Province reverses course, opens new call for RAM site development pitches

The province is opening a new call for pitches to develop the cites after negative public feedback to its plan to demolish the building.

edmontonjournal.com

Reposted by Matthew Black

Keith Gerein @keithgerein.bsky.social · Jul 8

Edmonton city council votes 6-5 in favour of a Mayor Sohi motion to keep the maximum number of units for a mid-block lot at 8 units, rather than going down to 6. Had Coun. Cartmell shown up to the meeting he would have changed the result to get the 6 he wanted. #yeg #yegcc

Reposted by Matthew Black

Don Braid @donbraid.bsky.social · Jul 1

Alberta separatists get scooped - pro-Canada group is allowed to set referendum question. Column calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... #abpoli #cdnpoli #ableg #Independence #yyc #yeg

Braid: Alberta's pro-Canada forces scoop separatists, set referendum question

The pro-Canada referendum forces have scooped the separatists and succeeded in setting the question for a referendum on Alberta independence

calgaryherald.com