Alberta's UCP Fast-Tracks Electoral Map Redrawing

0:00Alberta's United Conservative Party just pushed through a motion to fast-track redrawing the province's electoral map, adding two more seats for A, total of 91. The special committee will have four UCP members and two from the opposition new Democrats, skipping public hearings entirely. Earlier this week, the NDP agreed to join, despite calling the whole process illegitimate, naming Calgary Mountain View MLA, Kathleen Ganley, and Edmonton Mill Woods, leader Christina Gray, to the group. UCP's Brandon Luntie from Meduck Beaumont will chair it, and the rules say it keeps going even if opposition folks bail. Folks are split on this. Premier Daniel Smith backs it hard, pointing to a judge's advice from the Electoral Boundaries Commission that 91 seats balance urban spots. In Calgary and Edmonton, without ditching rural voices, NDP leader Nahid Nenshi warns adding just two seats, forces a full map overhaul anyway. But there's pushback on that judge's call.

1:00Commission members say it was his solo view, not the majority's push for 89 seats, calling it A, drafting slip up in their report. No meeting date said yet. So watch this space as Alberta's political lines get redrawn. From your city, powered by AI, this is Canada News Today.