- Edmonton and surrounding areas elected 13 new MLAs to serve in the Alberta legislature. Within Edmonton, the new members are Sharif Haji, the former executive director of the Africa Centre, in Edmonton-Decore; Peggy Wright, who is currently an assistant principal, in Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview; Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, the executive director of the Yellowhead Indigenous Education Foundation and a member of the Edmonton Police Commission, in Edmonton-Rutherford; Rhiannon Hoyle, an entrepreneur, former president of the Heritage Point Community League, and the first Black woman elected to the Alberta legislature, in Edmonton-South; Nathan Ip, a three-term Edmonton Public School Board trustee, in Edmonton-South West; and Brooks Arcand-Paul, who serves as in-house legal counsel for Alexander First Nation, in Edmonton-West Henday. The NDP's complete sweep of Edmonton means the city is left without a single representative on the government benches for the first time since 1993.
- Postmedia columnist Keith Gerein wrote that the provincial election results are a "near-worst-case scenario" for Edmonton. Gerein dismissed the idea that the NDP's sweep of the city sends a "strong message" to the UCP, noting that the party "didn't respond well to that message back in 2019," and further predicted that the UCP's losses in Calgary will create a government cabinet focused more on rural issues than big city issues. Gerein also suggested it is "not inconceivable" that the far-right Take Back Alberta movement, whose members comprise half of the UCP board, will push for policies that conflict with the values of most Edmontonians, such as less focus on climate change and potential rollbacks on birth control, LGBTQ protections, and sex education in schools.
- The Court of King's Bench has declined to overturn a conviction against Const. Hunter Robinz of the Edmonton Police Service, who was found guilty last August of carelessly storing an unlocked service rifle and ammunition in his bedroom closet. Robinz had already been on desk duty due to a separate disciplinary probe and had been ordered to surrender his service weapon. He is now suspended without pay until an internal investigation is completed. His conviction came with a $1,000 fine and a criminal record. Robinz is set to start a new trial next fall on four other charges, including sexual assault.
- Officials say a new wildfire near Fort Chipewyan in northern Alberta, which grew to 3,000 hectares on May 30 and prompted an evacuation order, has become firefighters' top priority in the province. As of May 30, 62 wildfires were burning across Alberta, with 19 considered out of control. CTV News spoke to residents of the East Prairie Métis Settlement about their hopes of rebuilding the community, which lost at least 14 homes and numerous barns, sheds, and vehicles earlier this month. Parkland County, which is west of Edmonton, lifted its local state of emergency on May 26 and downgraded its fire ban to a fire restriction. Edmonton's fire ban remains in place until further notice.
- Casey Hatherly, the topless protestor from Vancouver who took the stage during the Juno Awards in March to raise awareness about climate change and other issues, pleaded guilty to trespassing and received a $600 fine. In April, the climate advocacy group On2Ottawa posted a picture of Hatherly protesting topless at the entrance of the prime minister's office.
Headlines: May 31, 2023
By Kevin Holowack