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Alberta Unbound

Alberta Unbound

By: Paula Simons
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In this podcast, Paula Simons, an Independent senator from Alberta, sets out to debate and deconstruct some of the myths that define and bind her province.Copyright 2020 All rights reserved. Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Just Say No: 9 questions, 5 voices
    Mar 23 2026

    Political scientists Melanee Thomas and Yasmeen Abu-Laban, political strategists Ken Boessenkool and Zain Velji, and former Director of the Centre for Constitutional Studies at the University of Alberta Patricia Paradis, dive into the nine referendum questions and how Albertans should respond.

    Here are the nine referendum questions below:

    1. Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?

    2. Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?

    3. Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially funded social support programs?

    4. Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of the health care and education systems?

    5. Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election?

    6. Have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts?

    7. Abolish the unelected federal Senate?

    8. Allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education, and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs?

    9. Better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province’s laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province’s laws and federal laws conflict?

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • New World (Dis)order
    Feb 18 2026

    An Alberta Unbound special episode: a live recording of a panel discussion titled "Alberta and the New World Disorder," happened on February 6th, 2026, as part of the University of Alberta's International Week. Panelists the Hon. Anne McLellan, Dr. Rickey Yada, and Dr. Charlie Mballa discussed trade, geopolitics, and a tad-bit of Alberta separatism, in their discussion moderated by Sen. Paula Simons.

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    35 mins
  • A Fine Balance
    Jan 28 2026

    Pilar Martinez, outgoing CEO of the Edmonton Public Library, on the role of libraries in the age of AI and book bans.

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    25 mins
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