Alberta NDP concerned postal strike plan could hinder upcoming byelection LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Alberta's Opposition NDP says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that is set for a week before Christmas. Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 2:18 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that's been called for a week before Christmas. Nenshi delivers his acceptance speech after being named as the new leader of the Alberta NDP in Calgary, Saturday, June 22, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Alberta's Opposition NDP says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that is set for a week before Christmas. The NDP’s executive director, in a letter to chief electoral officer Gordon McClure, says the registration cards are "one of the few remaining supports provided by Elections Alberta to promote access to democracy." The cards let voters know when and how they can vote. Premier Danielle Smith announced last week that the byelection for Lethbridge-West would be held Dec. 18, to fill the vacancy that opened when former NDP legislature member Shannon Phillips resigned July 1. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi had urged Smith to call the byelection earlier, as both NDP and the governing United Conservative Party candidates have been in place since September. Alberta Elections notes on its website that due to the Canada Post strike, "Where to Vote" cards will not be mailed to electors, and it warns that in the event of a continuing strike electors choosing to vote by special ballot may have to use other ways to send them in, such as a courier. NDP executive director Garett Spelliscy, in the letter, says that’s not good enough. He says the NDP wants Elections Alberta to conduct "robust voter outreach," which could include billboards, road signs, radio ads and a phone and text campaign. "Byelections tend to have lower voter turnout. The premier’s cynical decision for a winter election so close to Christmas and Hanukkah risks an even lower than typical turnout," Spelliscy said in the letter posted on social media late Monday. Spelliscy said a plan by Elections Alberta to issue social media posts and ads through the Lethbridge Herald newspaper "is constructive, but woefully inadequate." He noted seniors are less likely to access information through social media. The outcome of the byelection won’t affect the government, as the UCP currently has 49 seats in the 87-seat legislature compared with 37 for the NDP. The NDP candidate is Rob Miyashiro, while the UCP banner is carried by John Middleton-Hope. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Alberta News Prairie premiers urge action on security to fend off Trump's tariff threats Nov 26, 2024 2:23 PM 'Let's do this': Crowsnest Pass mayor wants proposed coal mine sooner than later Nov 26, 2024 11:34 AM Calgary Stampeders acquire quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. from B.C. Lions Nov 26, 2024 11:06 AMCallum O’Hare and Tyrese Campbell gave the Blades a two-goal advantage at half-time, while Jesurun Rak-Sakyi ensured the final half an hour was played with far less intensity when he grabbed the Blades third. The victory sent the Blades to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table, but left the U’s suffering three defeats on the bounce. United head coach Buckingham said: “It’s a tough place to come, a team that are top of the table. “I thought we gave a good account of ourselves across, until we gave away a throw-in goal. “When you come to a place where teams haven’t scored in nine hours here, they don’t give up goals lightly. “We then had to go chase the game, but we’ve reverted back to the shape that we’re comfortable in, and we’ve done as much as we can to prevent them, but their ambition I’m sure as a club this year is to go up. Ours is to make sure we stay up. “We need to make sure we bring players back and we revert back to what we’re good at, and that we get ourselves right for what’s coming in the next month. “We spoke about how important this squad has been. The reality is we haven’t had this squad available to us for the last six to eight weeks. “We have to utilise the squad, whether it’s to get minutes into them and prepare for what’s coming, and it’s difficult to do because you’re coming up against very good players. “There were three of their players on the pitch that cost the entire amount of our team, so that’s the reality of what it is. “We’ve spoken about how important every player is going to be for us to achieve our goals this year, which are very different to their goals. “It’s about making sure we put ourselves in the best place for what’s to come. “We’ve got Millwall now on Saturday, we’ve got players back, and we’ve got a good run of games coming up where we can really go back to where we were at the start of the season.” Buckingham added: “I’ll take responsibility for results. This level is very different to what we’ve been used to. “We’re probably going to get more results against us than we’ve had in many a season, but I’ll accept that as long as players continue to try to showcase what they can do within the formation and the set-up we have. “It won’t work every time, but whether it’s belief or confidence within the group, as long as we continue to see that, we’ll always own the result and own the performance. “Players know their roles. It’s now about doing them as well as we can. If they do that, they’ll put themselves in the best place.”
President Bola Tinubu has urged leaders in West Africa to draw inspiration from Ghana’s recent peaceful elections as a model of democratic maturity and commitment to national unity. At the opening of the 66th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS on Sunday in Abuja, President Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, lauded President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the resounding success of their recent presidential and parliamentary elections, setting a high standard for the region. “I urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our country’s national unity to ensure political stability of the region so that this manner of peaceful transition becomes the culture of democracy not only in West Africa but also in the entire Africa continent,” he stated. “Despite the challenges of interrupted democratic governance in some West African countries, the region has continued to record democratic gains. Just a week ago, on December 7 2024, Presidential and Parliamentary elections took place in Ghana, the second-largest democracy in our region. “One of the leading candidates who happens to be the incumbent Vice President, His Excellency Mahamudu Bawumia, together with the leadership of the ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the Presidential election by congratulating the President-elect, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for his victory, even before the official announcement of the election results. “This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrates political maturity and respect for the will of the people of Ghana,” Tinubu noted. President Tinubu praised President Akufo-Addo for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to ECOWAS during his two-year term, describing him as a formidable Pan-Africanist. President Tinubu also congratulated the Government and people of Senegal on their successful parliamentary elections. He praised Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, for painstakingly leading the ECOWAS Ministerial Committee of the Reform. He wished her a successful tenure in her new role as the Secretary General of the Commonwealth. In his second term as ECOWAS Chair, President Tinubu highlighted achievements from his first term, including strides in regional integration, economic growth, conflict resolution, and counterterrorism efforts. He said the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and Common External Tariff (CET) have strengthened trade and economic cooperation. “Similarly, regional infrastructure projects such as the West African Gas Pipeline, the West Africa Power Pool, and modernising key border posts with advanced equipment and joint border operations utilising state-of-the-art technology have significantly enhanced connectivity and promoted greater regional integration. “Furthermore, our efforts in stabilising our region through peacekeeping missions currently in the Gambia and Guinea Bissau, as well as previous operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, have demonstrated our capacity to act decisively in the face of adversity,” he added. President Tinubu said the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on the Fight Against Terrorism has provided a comprehensive framework to combat violent extremism and enhance regional security. As ECOWAS nears its 50th anniversary in 2025, President Tinubu urged member states to recommit to the bloc’s founding ideals of economic integration, peace, and prosperity. “As a regional community, we must maintain our fundamental responsibility: to protect our citizens and create an enabling environment where they can prosper. “As leaders, we know that security is not a luxury but a necessity. Equally, enhancing the living standards of our people is not an aspiration but an obligation,” he said. The Presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal attended in person alongside the Vice President of Sierra Leone, the Finance Minister of the Benin Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Togo, and the Ambassador of Cape Verde to Nigeria. Meanwhile, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, commended Nigeria for paying 100 per cent of its community levy for 2023 and substantial remittances for 2024, reflecting Nigeria’s leadership and commitment under President Tinubu. “For the first time in 19 years, Nigeria has paid 100% of its community levy from 2023. I’m therefore pleased to announce that on Friday, December 13, 2024, Nigeria paid N85 billion and $54 million, representing 100% of the 2023 levy and the 2024 levy up to July 2024. “We all agree that this payment underscores the leadership and commitment of President Tinubu, the government and the people of Nigeria to our community. At a more personal level, it represents confidence in the management I have been privileged to lead since 2022. He encouraged other member-states to meet their financial commitments diligently.
Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) vetoed legislation that would have stripped several powers from incoming North Carolina elected Democratic officials, as the GOP is slated to lose its supermajority next year. The legislation included relief for parts of the Tar Heel State that are still recovering from Hurricane Helene, but it also included several provisions that would undermine Gov.-elect Josh Stein and incoming Democratic state Attorney General Jeff Jackson, among other Democratic officials. Cooper, whose term ends in January, vetoed the bill on Tuesday, calling it a "sham" and claiming that it does not send money to those affected by the storm. “This legislation is a sham. It does not send money to Western North Carolina but merely shuffles money from one fund to another in Raleigh. This legislation was titled Disaster Relief but instead violates the constitution by taking appointments away from the next governor for the Board of Elections, Utilities Commission, and Commander of the NC Highway Patrol, letting political parties choose appellate judges and interfering with the Attorney General’s ability to advocate for lower electric bills for consumers," Cooper said in a statement. Republicans will lose their supermajority in the state House next year after failing to maintain the necessary seats in this month's election. The GOP is expected to hold a supermajority in the state Senate, but without control of both chambers, Stein will hold an effective veto against Republicans. The legislation attempted to change how the state elections board is appointed, changing appointment power from the governor to the state auditor — who will be a Republican. The move would have paved the way for the state elections board to have a GOP majority, rather than the current Democratic majority, in line with the governor's party. It also aimed to block the state attorney general from taking the side against the state legislature’s position regarding legislation being challenged in court and would have prevented the state superintendent of public instruction from appealing decisions from a state review board for charter school applications. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The state legislature could still override the veto on the legislation next week in session, as the GOP still has their supermajority until the new state General Assembly is brought into office in January. Republicans would need all their state House and Senate members to be present and vote uniformly in favor of the legislation to override Cooper's veto. Three state House Republicans voted against the initial vote, citing concerns over the disaster relief portions of the legislation not doing enough.Davao City—The Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) has partnered with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to put up a poultry farm in Davao del Sur, the Philippine Information Agency said. In its regular news dispatch, the PIA said the two parties inaugurated the project in Barangay Labon, Municipality of Sulop, Davao del Sur. The poultry farm consists of two poultry houses which can accommodate 40,000 heads of broiler chicken per house. The project aims to provide an adequate supply of chicken in Mindanao and to increase broiler chicken production in Davao Region that would help stabilize the prices of chicken in the market, the SPDA said. The agreement would have the SPDA undertake the production side while San Miguel, a known provider of poultry an dairy meat and other products would buy the poultry produced at the farm. The SPDA said San Miguel has its own poultry farm in the province to meet its own corporate production targets. Its poultry farm in Hagonoy town is the largest poultry production site in the country. “There was a feasibility study before that there was a shortage of chicken in Mindanao, that is why even San Miguel Corp. put up a big poultry farm here in Davao del Sur. And SPDA was also in the past years in the poultry business,” said SPDA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Abdulghani Gerry Salapuddin. He said San Miguel will supply the poultry farm project with the chicks, the technology including technical support. “And then all the products that we produce they buy from us. So, they’d be the one to market and distribute it in Mindanao.” SPDA has allocated P54 million for the first phase of the project and said it would allocate another P98 million for the expansion. Salapuddin said the project should have taken off two years ago but the initial plan to establish it in Zamboanga City did not materialize due to the disagreement with the land owners. “I told our executive committee to look for an alternative site outside Zamboanga City which is near the city center but far from the populated area and finally Mr. Cris Dagala, project manager found this lot,” Salapuddin said. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who was the guest of honor when the project was inaugurated last month, has asked SPDA to ensure that local residents are employed in the farm. “With this project there is a big chance that people those that are idle could gain employment given the right training, the right skills and improvement required for the job.” He said Sulop town used to have peace and order problems and that the project could ease the plight of residents as he also assured the SPDA of his support to any of its development initiatives to help the local government. Manuel T. Cayon has written about Mindanao for national newspapers for more than two decades, mostly on conflict reporting, and on the political front. His stint with TODAY newspaper in the ’90s started his business reporting in Mindanao, continuing to this day with the BusinessMirror . The multiawarded reporter received a Biotechnology journalism award in January 2019, his third. A fellow of the US International Visitors’ Program Leadership in 2007 on conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution, Manuel attended college at the Mindanao State University and the Ateneo de Davao University.
