Alberta Politics: Athabasca University President fired after long-running disagreement with UCP over institution’s role in Athabasca Town

After months of scrapping with the United Conservative Party government over the role Athabasca University should play in economic development for the Town of Athabasca, university president Peter Scott has been fired.  Athabasca University’s main building in the Town of Athabasca (Photo: Heather Stocking). In a statement emailed to AU

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Minister’s demand substantially unchanged on move of Athabasca University executives, many staff, to town 145 kilometres north of Edmonton

Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides indicated yesterday he hasn’t changed his mind about requiring Athabasca University’s nine top executives to move to the town of Athabasca.  The Town of Athabasca, as seen from the north side of the Athabasca River (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). He told a virtual meeting of

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: One culture war, two cities, three statues, and two levels of government: a tale of two solitudes, perhaps

Throughout history public art has been controversial, and no form of art is more public than sculpture. Edmonton’s iconic Walterdale Bridge seen from the south, where artist Ken Lum’s sculptures will not be displayed as once planned (Photo: Jeff Wallace – WherezJeff/Creative Commons). Naturally, publicly displayed sculpture in Alberta was

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Full stop to full on in eight months – why’s the UCP on fire to move 500 to 1,000 people into Athabasca almost overnight?

Why is Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides suddenly in such a rush to relocate 500 Athabasca University employees now scattered across Canada to the institution’s namesake town in the aspen forest 145 kilometres north of Edmonton?  Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides (Photo: Twitter/Demetrios Nicolaides). Just eight months ago, not long

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Athabasca University president rips UCP for ‘1980s thinking’ that puts institution on ‘path to ruin’

In a video message posted yesterday morning, Athabasca University President Peter Scott ripped the United Conservative Party Government’s plan to force the institution to dramatically increase its presence in its namesake town 145 kilometres north of Edmonton as “1980s thinking” that will put AU on “the path to ruin.” Advanced

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Funding threatened by advanced education minister, battle over Athabasca University’s future continues

What’s up with Athabasca University, where Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides has threatened to cut off much of the 52-year-old Alberta institution’s funding if it won’t drop plans to move most of its operations into cyberspace from the rural town that serves as its nominal home base?  Alberta Advanced Education

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Advanced Education Minister pushes back at Athabasca University president’s plans – how will they square this circle?

Happy Easter!  Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). On Monday we asked if Athabasca University’s administration had gone rogue and was defying the Kenney Government with plans to let faculty, administration and staff live where they pleased, or if the premier and members of his cabinet were

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Despite Jason Kenney’s assurances, Athabasca University’s fate in the Town of Athabasca remains unsettled

Is the Kenney Government committed to keeping Athabasca University in the Town of Athabasca as it says?  Athabasca University President Peter Scott (Photo: Athabasca University). Are the university’s board and administration ignoring the government’s orders to stay put?  Signals that citizens of the community of 3,000 people 145 kilometres north

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: ‘Blue-Ribbon Panel’ report sets stage for full-blown austerity, private health care, soaring tuition and much more

The recommendations of the Kenney Government’s “blue-ribbon panel” on Alberta’s finances yesterday went further over the top than you’d even have expected from a report ginned up by a couple of Fraser Institute ringers, a former bank president, and a few additional followers of the government’s low-tax, market-fundamentalist ideology. As

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Athabasca University and its faculty approach an impasse in bargaining; the province drops a hint of what might be next

Is Alberta’s NDP Government getting ready to bring some serious pressure to bear if that’s what it takes to get a contract agreement between Athabasca University’s administration and its faculty association? If I’m right about the meaning of changes to the Athabasca University Regulation ordered by the provincial cabinet last

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Recommendations of independent review of Athabasca University seem unlikely to survive Alberta political reality

PHOTOS: University of Saskatchewan Professor Ken Coates, author of the independent review of Athabasca University released last week. Below: Athabasca U President Neil Fassina, AU Board Chair Vivian Manasc, and Alberta Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt. Recent news reports about the continuing woes of Athabasca University and in particular coverage

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Something for the NDP to think about: How about bringing Alberta’s labour laws into the 20th Century? (Never mind the 21st)

PHOTOS: Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray. Below: Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, Athabasca University Labour Studies Professor Bob Barnetson and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The CBC says the province’s businesses are “spooked.” The Chamber of Commerce is deeply worried by the prospect of “sweeping reforms.” Naturally,

Continue reading

Alberta Politics: Athabasca U’s future seems brighter as Saskatchewan prof named to conduct sustainability review

PHOTOS: The participants in this morning’s Athabasca University news conference in Edmonton. From left to right: Saskatchewan Professor Ken Coates, Athabasca University Board Chair Margaret Mrazek, Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt and AU President Neil Fassina. Below: A closer look at Mr. Schmidt’s new beard; newly appointed Municipal Affairs Minister

Continue reading