Notley blacklists independent media
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Summary
It's been a spicy week in Alberta politics, and we're here to break it all down. First, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Nolley is blacklisting reporters she doesn't like, we're also taking a look at a new endorsement from former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the UCP is taking heat for their new proposal which would see involuntary treatment for drug addicts. And finally, I have a long awaited update on Sheila Annette Lewis, who has been removed from the organ donor registry for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID. All that and more happening now on The Alberta Roundup!
Transcript
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everything takes on a creamy, delicious, chocolatey glow.
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Hey everyone, welcome back to the Alberta Roundup.
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I hope that you guys are having a great weekend so far.
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It's been a very spicy week in Alberta politics.
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So let's take a look at what we're going to be talking about on today's show.
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Up first, Alberta ADP leader Rachel Nolley is blacklisting reporters she doesn't like.
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We're also going to be taking a look at a new endorsement
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from former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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And the UCP is taking heat for their new proposal,
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which would see involuntary treatment for drug addicts.
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And finally, I have a long awaited update for you guys on Sheila Annette Lewis.
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She is, of course, the woman who has been removed from the organ donor transplant list
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for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
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All that and more happening now on the Alberta Roundup.
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Okay guys, up first, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Nolley had hired security,
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removed two independent reporters from her press conference earlier this week.
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That was on Monday, and you guys might have seen the clips circulating online.
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One of the reporters who was removed was the countersignal editor-in-chief, Kian Bextie.
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And the rebel news reporter Alex Dahlwal was also kicked out of Nolley's press conference
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before they even had a chance to ask her questions.
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Later on Twitter, Kian said that he had showed up to the press conference
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because he wanted to ask Rachel Notley about her candidates and their history of
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Rachel Notley said recently that if her party is elected on the May 29th
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Alberta provincial election, she would hire more police officers
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because we are, of course, in the middle of a public safety crisis.
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But this was very interesting to anyone paying attention
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because of the history her candidates have had of defund the police rhetoric.
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So Bextie went to ask Notley about this, and here's what happened.
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Well, I mean, whatever they do is their bailiwick, right?
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What they choose to do is within their purview.
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All I'm just a, you know, I'm just a message to go here.
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I appreciate that, but, you know, I think that it's totally reasonable that I'm here.
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Security contractors to stop media from asking the ex-premier questions?
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I want to ask a very simple question of the ex-premier.
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All I'm saying to avoid any hassle is that you're not going to entertain your questions.
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In a statement to True North after the incident,
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Bexty said he's accredited by the Alberta legislature.
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He also said Notley is, quote, lying, unquote, about basic facts
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I am seriously worried what will happen to press freedom in this province if she regains power.
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As I mentioned, Rebel News reporter Alex Dallowall was also removed from the press conference.
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Rebel News later responded to the incident writing, quote,
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Notley accuses Premier Smith of dodging questions,
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but she removes independent journalists to avoid being held to account.
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In recent weeks, Rachel Notley has been throwing a fuss saying Premier Smith is unwilling
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Notley's attacks against the Premier ramped up last week after Premier Smith said she would be limiting
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Traditionally, reporters were allowed one question and one follow-up.
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However, many reporters use the follow-up to ask about an entirely unrelated subject.
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And so Notley took to Twitter to criticize the Premier,
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saying Albertans deserve a leader that listens and, quote,
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Leaders with nothing to hide actually answer questions from the media.
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And of course, before she hosted her press conference on Monday,
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Notley made a point to say that she would be taking to the questions from media
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and then proceeded to throw two independent reporters from the press conference.
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Now, of course, legacy media has not covered the incident.
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The Alberta Press Gallery did take the time to write Premier Smith a letter
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complaining over her new one question per reporter policy,
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but they have not taken the opportunity to stand up for independent media reporters.
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The Independent Press Gallery of Canada, of which I and all other
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true North journalists are a part of, did send a letter to Notley,
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asking her if she would commit to allowing independent reporters into her future press
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The NDP leader so far has not responded to the inquiry.
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Alberta's United Conservative Party has secured an endorsement
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from former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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That endorsement comes weeks ahead of a provincial vote in which the UCP
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need to secure moderate voters in the Calgary area as well as outside of Edmonton.
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Many moderates were quick to vote for former Premier Jason Kenney,
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who, by the way, was a cabinet minister in Harper's government.
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Harper, at one point, even called Kenney one of his most effective cabinet ministers.
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So this endorsement could be a very good thing for Premier Smith,
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who, according to a recent poll, is viewed as very conservative, according to voters.
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Alberta's been through some tough years since 2015, but the economy is finally hitting its stride again,
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and employment is booming. Yet that could all be derailed if the Notley NDP wins.
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We've seen what they've done before. Job killing, tax hiking, anti-energy policies leading to mass layoffs,
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business closures and recession. It took years to recover from the last NDP government.
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We can't risk going backwards again. Vote for Alberta. Vote Conservative.
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Okay, everyone. Moving into our controversy of the week, I can't wait to hear what you guys think
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about this story. Alberta's United Conservative Party has considered introducing legislation
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which would force drug addicts into involuntary treatment if they're considered a danger to
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themselves or to others. The documents revealing that such legislation has been considered by the
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government were obtained by the Globe and Mail through an access to information request.
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The legislation would be called the Compassionate Intervention Act and could be introduced in the
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legislature as early as this year. That legislation, of course, would only be introduced if the
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Conservative Party wins the next general election, and I suspect they would need a very strong majority
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government to introduce such a controversial bill. Colin Acheson, spokesperson to Mental Health
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and Addictions Minister Nicholas Milliken, said Premier Smith charged the office with bringing forward
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recommendations to improve interventions to drug addicts who are considered a danger to themselves
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or to others. He said the Compassionate Intervention Act was put forward as part of an effort to
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explore a variety of options. In a statement to True North, Acheson said, quote,
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As of this time, no decisions have been made by the government of Alberta. We will continue to
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build out a full continuum of care, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery,
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where all Albertans who are struggling with addiction can be compassionately supported in
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their pursuit of recovery. Alberta NDP leader Rachel Nolley, who does not respond to inquiries from
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True North, told the Globe and Mail the legislation is too punitive and, quote, is doomed to failure,
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both from a treatment perspective and a legal one. She added, quote, effective and lasting treatment
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meets people where they're at and supports them in taking a different path. I strongly expect that
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the courts would strike down an approach that forcibly confines Albertans who have not been
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convicted of a crime. On this show, we have talked extensively about the United Conservative
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Party's government's effort to stem the addiction crisis ongoing in Alberta. Of course,
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it's ongoing all across Canada and down the western seaboard of the United States,
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but Alberta is the only province with a real plan that focuses on treatment. At least one doctor
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was absolutely outraged that the United Conservative Party government had even considered
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such a piece of legislation. Here's a video she posted on Twitter critiquing the proposal.
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It's the family and friends event at Shoppers Drug Mart. Get 20% off almost all regular priced
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merchandise. Two days only. Tuesday, February 24th and Wednesday, February 25th. Open your PC
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optimum app to get your coupon. Hey, everyone. So I'm just getting in the car on my way to pick
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up my kids after school and I just read an article about this proposed legislation from the Alberta
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government called the Compassion Intervention Act where they can force people against their will
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to be put into abstinence and recovery programs. And I wasn't expecting to have this reaction.
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But this is like so messed up and completely violates the rights of people. And unfortunately,
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this is a population that most of the general population can't identify with. And so they don't care about
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them. And so it's just this this population that has no way to advocate for them at all.
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And they continue to just be forgotten and die without services that they need without harm reduction,
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which has evidence behind it. We all know this and get forced into recovery. And this is just
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wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. And it's devastating. And I will keep pushing. I will keep advocating
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and just hope that something like this doesn't actually come to fruition because it is it's just
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wrong and it's a complete violation and it's not right. So my question of the week for you guys is
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what do you think of this proposal? Do you think it is more humane than allowing drug addicts to live
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on the streets? And as one former drug addict once put it to me to slowly kill themselves?
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Or do you think that this is likely illegal and inhumane to force anyone into treatment?
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Please comment in the video below and let me know what you think. Okay, everyone moving into what
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we're watching the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedom's lawyer who is representing Sheila Annette Lewis.
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That's the woman who's been denied an organ transplant because she is unvaccinated against COVID-19
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is demanding that Alberta Health Services overturn its decision to deny Lewis an organ because she
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has proved natural immunity. For those of you who have been following the story, you know that Lewis
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has been dying of a terminal illness and she was removed from the top of the organ donor transplant list
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after refusing to be inoculated against COVID-19. She has been challenging the constitutionality
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of the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for over a year. That requirement was put in place by Alberta Health
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Services and Alberta Hospital and six of her transplant doctors. The type of organ that she
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needs as well as the name of her doctors are under a publication ban. Her legal counsel is now demanding
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that AHS accept her natural immunity in place of a COVID-19 vaccine and they want Lewis returned to
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the top of the high priority organ transplant list by April 21st. In a statement, her legal counsel
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Alison Pajovic said, quote, there is no principled medical or scientific reason to continue to deny
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Ms. Lewis a life-saving organ transplant. She is protected from COVID-19 as she has had it twice.
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The refusal to accept Ms. Lewis's natural immunity as an alternative to COVID-19 vaccination
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and give her life-saving surgery is indefensible and a disgrace. On March 29th, Lewis provided her
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medical doctors with a privately funded medical report, also known as the Connexus Report, which proved
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her natural immunity against COVID-19. On April 3, one of Lewis's transplant doctors informed her
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that nothing had changed. She would still need to be inoculated against COVID-19 if she hoped to
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return to the organ donor transplant list. In a statement, Lewis's legal counsel pointed to an
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August 22 U.S. Center for Disease Control study, which found that while COVID-19 vaccines have reduced
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mortality and hospitalization, so has natural immunity to COVID-19. This is the latest update in
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Lewis's case. As you guys might remember, she has also filed an application with the Supreme
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Corps asking them to hear her case and to return her to the top of the organ donor transplant list.
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And tragically for Lewis, she only has a limited amount of time. In a November ruling, an appeal
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court determined that it is a virtual certainty that Lewis will die without an organ transplant.
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So I'm sure I'll have an update in a few weeks for you guys about what the future holds for Ms. Lewis.
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Okay guys, and finally, moving into our weekly comment roundup.
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Last week, conservative leader Pierre Polyev came to Edmonton for a visit, and I asked you all what
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you think of his approach to the legacy media. User Thor Music said, yes, what Pierre Polyev had to
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say is very refreshing. Great report as always. Cheers. User George German said, Pierre Polyev is a
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breath of fresh air. I love the way he hands it to CBC reporters. Most of the comments underneath last
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week videos were of the same type. It seems that people are very relieved to have a federal conservative
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leader who was unapologetic for being conservative. It sounds ridiculous that I have to even say that
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out loud, but it is absolutely the truth. It's certainly been a long time since we had someone
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in Ottawa who was unafraid to be conservative and to represent conservatives. Finally, user Shell Bell
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wrote, you are one of the best Canadian independent media channels on here, but please, your hosts need
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to show more personality. You have what the mainstream media doesn't, which is soul, but you need to
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show it better. God bless. I thought this was an interesting comment. I am not going to speak for my
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other True North hosts, which I think are doing a fantastic job, but I will say that 10 minutes is
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a very short amount of time to bring you an update on what happened this week in Alberta politics,
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and often when I go to do a bit of editing on my show, I find that I have to cut extra comments and
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monologues I might have given on a specific issue. So while I do appreciate your effort to get to know
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me a bit better, I'm on quite the time crunch here, and my viewers haven't really appreciated it when I've
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gone too much past 10 minutes, which I totally appreciate. There's a million podcasts to listen to,
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and most of them go on for quite long, so this is a short, brief way to bring you guys all the news.
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However, if you are hoping to get to know the host a little bit better, I do recommend you listen to
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the daily brief every morning. We give you an update of the top news stories of the day across Canada,
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and usually we have a bit of extra time for conversation and debate. It can be quite fun.
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Okay everyone, that's all I have time for today. Thank you so much for tuning in to this week's episode
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of the Alberta Roundup. Please don't forget to comment underneath the show and let me know what
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you think about the UCP's discussed proposal of involuntary treatment. And as always, if you're
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able, please consider supporting us. You can do that over at donate.tnc.news. Thanks so much,