Chris Varcoe

Wildrose party fined by CRTC for robocalls

globalnews.ca — EDMONTON - Alberta's Wildrose Party was fined $90,000 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) after an investigation involving phone calls to Albertans during the provincial election campaign. "We were advised that such calls are supposed to contain the name of the caller, or the person calling, or the party on behalf the call is being made, the address and telephone number, in the preamble, and we didn't do that.

Braid: Missing the real waste in disabled services

calgaryherald.com — Nobody in the Alberta government envies Frank Oberle, the Associate Minister for Persons with Disabilities, whose job is to explain massive cuts in services to some of Alberta's most unfortunate souls. Remember the Harry Potter movies? If Oberle played a character, he'd be Voldemort.

Anti-abortion group targets Calgary MP

calgaryherald.com — As abortion continues to be a divisive issue within the federal Tory government, a group seeking to end the practice in Canada is taking aim at Prime Minister Stephen Harper and fellow Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel.

The Michelle Lang Fellowship

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$15,000 New Zealand trip for CBE superintendent and staff comes under scrutiny

calgaryherald.com — The Calgary Board of Education spent nearly $15,000 so chief superintendent Naomi Johnson and two of her staff could travel earlier this year to New Zealand and attend a conference on thinking. The travel is coming under criticism, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation calling it a "junket," a "pretty big puffball," and one that "sounds more like a taxpayer-funded vacation."

Liam and Emma lead Alberta's list of most popular baby names

calgaryherald.com — Emma emerged as the most popular name for baby girls last year while Liam marked its third year as the top name for boys, according to data released Wednesday by Alberta Vital Statistics.

Harper 'sorry' for Senate spending scandal

calgaryherald.com — LIMA, PERU -Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Wednesday he didn't know about the $90,000 cheque his former chief of staff wrote to Sen. Mike Duffy to cover improperly claimed housing expenses until learning about it from media reports last week. "I think we've been very clear I did not know," he told reporters in Peru.

Braid: It’s one thing to attack, another to govern

calgaryherald.com — Only in Alberta does an opposition party have to explain itself for being tough on the government, for unearthing scandal, for forcing changes in government policy and practice. That's what Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith was doing Tuesday night, as she spoke to about 1,000 people at her $400-a-plate Calgary leader's dinner.