Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's former chief of staff is suing the fired CEO of the province's front-line health agency and the newspaper that first reported allegations of corruption in multimillion-dollar health contracts.

Marshall Smith has filed a statement of claim alleging defamation against former Alberta Health Services head Athana Mentzelopoulos, the Globe and Mail, and an unidentified person believed to be a former AHS board member.

Alberta’s government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation, declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations' existing treaty rights.

Premier Danielle Smith’s government is working to considerably lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada.

Her government's proposed bill has yet to become law, but it's faced backlash from Indigenous leaders since its introduction in the house more than two weeks ago.

Alberta’s government has unveiled a 10-year strategy to end gender-based violence that outlines more than 100 initiatives aimed at awareness, prevention, intervention and long-term support for survivors.

Status of Women Minister Tanya Fir says it's a comprehensive plan to help co-ordinate provincewide efforts and will aim to address the root causes, including financial insecurity.

As part of that strategy, she's committing to supporting Indigenous-led solutions, and to reporting annually on rates of gender-based violence in the province as soon as next year.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's chief of staff is sounding the alarm over Prime Minister Mark Carney's pick to head up the government's environment portfolio.

Rob Anderson took to social media Tuesday to air his misgivings about new Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin.

"Sit down for this one Alberta...Meet Canada's new Environment Minister," he writes.

Alberta's chief electoral officer is warning the government that proposed legislation will impair the election commissioner's power to investigate election rule breaking.

A controversial bill introduced last month, if passed, will make sweeping changes to voting and referendums in the province, and is making its way through debate in the legislature. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's willing to risk a separation referendum in part to avert the emergence of a political rival.

Smith says she doesn't support separating her province from Canada, but says Albertans have genuine grievances with the federal government, and she wants concessions from Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Speaking Wednesday to CTV News Channel, Smith was asked if it wasn't easier to quell separatism by taking it off the table.

Smith responded, “If there isn’t an outlet, it creates a new party.”

Alberta’s New Democratic Party has voted overwhelmingly to cut traditional membership ties with its federal counterpart.

Delegates in Edmonton voted Saturday to allow provincial members to opt out of joining the federal NDP, a move Leader Naheed Nenshi campaigned on last year.

In adopting the measure, the party is shedding what many considered a political albatross.

Nenshi told reporters the party's longtime practice of automatically signing up members to the federal party was a sticking point that scared some potential voters and members away.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is deflecting accusations that she's stoking the fires of separatism, despite her government moving to lower the bar for holding a referendum.

Earlier this week, Smith's government proposed legislation that would make it easier for citizens to call for a vote to secede from Canada, drawing heated condemnation from Indigenous leaders who warn it would violate treaties.

A vocal set of right-wing supporters are pushing for an Alberta exit following the federal Liberals' election win Monday.

A year-and-a-half after announcing it would massively reorganize the health-care system, Alberta's government says it's now in the final stages of the still-controversial revamp.

The United Conservatives are dismantling the provincial health authority, Alberta Health Services, reducing it to a hospital services provider and putting four new agencies in charge.

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange is proposing legislation that would officially shuffle workers represented by five different unions from AHS to a different agency and the Health Ministry.

An outspoken member of Alberta's legislature, booted from the United Conservative Party caucus, is airing more detailed allegations of what he calls government deception over a health-care contract scandal.

Peter Guthrie resigned as infrastructure minister in February and is accusing Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange of deliberately misleading a Jan. 30 cabinet committee meeting over procurement issues.

"I didn't step down because nothing happened," he said.