Hamdi Issawi
LightNews LightNews
banner
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Hamdi Issawi
@hamdiissawi.bsky.social
2.2K followers 230 following 170 posts
Former reporter. Back in Edmonton. Don’t be a follower. Fact-check everything. #yeg
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
readtheorchard.org
Jason Kenney in 2021 vs. Jason Kenney in 2025
December 6, 2025 at 12:27 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Holiday songwriters: Don’t tell me that Christmas is merry, jolly, here, whatever.

Show me.
December 6, 2025 at 12:14 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Striking “democratic” is an…interesting touch. #ableg #abpoli
robsonfletcher.com Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 2d
So Alberta's latest proposed law would:

👉 Take power over citizen-led referendums from the chief electoral officer & give it to cabinet.

👉 Ban new political parties from using certain words in their names, including: 'conservative,' 'democratic,' 'liberal,' 'Republican,' and 'wild rose.'
Alberta legislation would change citizen referendum rules, restrict political party names | CBC News
Bill 14, introduced Thursday by Justice Minister Mickey Amery, transfers powers from the chief electoral officer to the minister when deciding whether citizen petition initiatives should proceed. It a...
www.cbc.ca
December 5, 2025 at 11:21 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
👀👀👀
#ableg #abpoli
Search engine results list the following news stories: CTV News Former Alberta solicitor general, justice minister, to be sanctioned by ... Sep 13, 2024 The Law Society of Alberta (LSA) will sanction former solicitor general and justice minister Jonathan Denis after a code of conduct committee found that he breached the code in two cases he worked ... Edmonton Journal Why Alberta's law society decided to sanction former justice minister ... Oct 18, 2024 • On Tuesday, the Law Society of Alberta issued its much-anticipated decision in the case of former United Conservative justice minister Kaycee Madu, concluding Madu's...
December 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
🧵👇🏼 #ableg #abpoli
December 5, 2025 at 10:49 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
#yeg police: Also #yeg police:
Story excerpt: “Police, in an emailed statement to Postmedia, said its submission followed requirements mandated by privacy laws and reiterated that the service doesn’t need to wait for feedback in order to move ahead with the project. When the pilot is complete, the Edmonton Police Commission and the chief’s committee will review results and consider whether to move forward with further testing in 2026. A University of Calgary law professor, who focuses on AI and law, on the day of the police launch expressed concern over the new technology. Gideon Christian told Postmedia that facial recognition cameras pose chilling implications for civil liberties, and called the technology mass surveillance.” Excerpt from the Edmonton police webpage, which includes the following vision statement: “A forward-thinking police service that strengthens public trust through addressing crime, harm and disorder.”
December 5, 2025 at 10:47 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Screenshot of a phone call transcript between reporter Lauren Boothby and the police officer: Phone call *ringing* Troy Forester: Troy from (inaudible) here. Reporter: Hi, is this Troy Forester? Troy Forester: Speaking. Reporter: Hi Troy. My name is Lauren Boothby. I'm a reporter with CityNews Edmonton. How are you doing today? *hangs up*
December 5, 2025 at 10:31 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
“Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner received the Edmonton police AI-powered facial recognition pilot project assessment 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 the bodycams launched on city streets, 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭.” #yeg
Edmonton police facial recognition pilot may end before privacy commissioner vet
The OIPC may not finish vetting an assessment of the Edmonton police AI-powered facial recognition pilot project until the trial is over.
edmontonjournal.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:58 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Gift Link 👇 #ableg #abpoli
November 29, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
jonnywakefield.bsky.social
NEWS: An Edmonton police officer has been charged for allegedly entering a woman's home while on duty and sexually assaulting her. He and the service are also facing a $1.5 million lawsuit. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
On-duty Edmonton police officer charged with unlawfully entering woman's home, sexually assaulting her
An Edmonton police officer accused of following a woman into her home and groping her while on duty is facing sexual assault charges.
edmontonjournal.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
charlesrusnell.bsky.social
Massive restructuring chaos, overcapacity hospitals and low immunization rates with flu and Covid season approaching creates the "perfect storm" for a crisis in Alberta's healthcare system.

'Pure Chaos': Warnings of an Alberta Health-Care Crisis via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...
‘Pure Chaos’: Warnings of an Alberta Health-Care Crisis | The Tyee
Experts say AHS data obtained by The Tyee further indicates the system faces being overwhelmed.
thetyee.ca
October 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Today we’re asked to make some big decisions. #yeg #yegvote

Chief among them: Do I go to Kind or Made by Marcus for election ice cream?
October 20, 2025 at 11:18 PM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
IT’S SNOWING
#yeg #yegwx
October 13, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
keithgerein.bsky.social
I have just returned from watching the latest Edmonton mayoral debate, this one at University of Alberta in front of about 200 people. Michael Walters, Tim Cartmell, Andrew Knack and Rahim Jaffer were the participants. I have a thread on what happened. #yeg #yegelxn 1/13
October 11, 2025 at 3:11 AM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
“‘It's early days, but I already have people ready to apply to collect signatures, and just people with a little more spare time than normal that are really interested in helping out,’ she said.”
👀👀👀
#yeg #yyc #abed #ableg #abpoli
Alberta teacher prompts petition on province's private school funding | CBC News
If high school chemistry teacher Alicia Taylor gets her wish, Albertans will vote in a referendum on whether to end public funding for independent schools.
www.cbc.ca
October 9, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
matthewblack.ca
Since Jan, I've been part of a team inc EJ colleagues, @lillebuen.bsky.social & his MacEwan U j-students working on a series re: how food service venues are inspected in AB
We uncovered shocking findings re: the state of the system, inspection frequency, & recurring violations.
Part 1 out today
#yeg
Crawling bugs and half-baked enforcement: Alberta’s restaurant inspections a recipe for foodborne illness — Investigation
Lax inspections, excessive violations and poor transparency in Alberta's restaurant inspection system is a recipe for foodborne Illness
edmontonjournal.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
charlesrusnell.bsky.social
ICYMI - Parker Vows He and Take Back Alberta Will Escape Punishment via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...
Parker Vows He and Take Back Alberta Will Escape Punishment | The Tyee
Elections Alberta ordered fines and prosecution in February. But authorities have not acted.
thetyee.ca
October 2, 2025 at 10:30 PM
hamdiissawi.bsky.social
Sept. 27, 2025 @ 1:45 p.m. - Both the funicular and elevator are online.
This was my first trip.
#yegfunicularstatus
September 27, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
carrietait.bsky.social
SCOOP: A consultant advising Alberta Health Services on private surgical facilities simultaneously negotiated with AHS on behalf of a company vying to open such a clinic, according to a confidential report obtained by The Globe.

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Adviser on Alberta’s use of private clinics was also working for company vying for contract, confidential report says
Potential conflicts of interest outlined in document at centre of health procurement controversy
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
jantafrench.bsky.social
NEW: The Alberta Teachers' Association and employers are returning to the bargaining table Friday.

See short decision from the LRB, to resolve the complaint the government filed earlier this week.

Note the outstanding issues: two pay items and coverage of COVID vaccines. #AbLeg #AbEd
September 18, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
jaredwesley.ca
My latest. "This plan looks less like streamlining and more like risk stacking: more data on more cards shown to more people, with unclear guardrails and unfunded administrative burdens.

"...The citizenship marker project will likely be scuttled on the shores of logic, logistics or law."
Seven Big Concerns about Premier Smith’s New Citizenship Markers | The Tyee
Plans to alter what Alberta driver’s licences and ID cards tell authorities need a rethink.
thetyee.ca
September 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
journosousa.bsky.social
ICYMI: 'It makes people want to read': Stores see sales spike after Alberta book ban

From me today: www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/... via @cdnpress.bsky.social
'It makes people want to read': Stores see sales spike after Alberta book ban
EDMONTON - An Alberta government order banning some books from school libraries doesn't appear to be deterring people from reading them, say managers at several bookstores.
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca
September 5, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
mbellefontaine.bsky.social
Big scoop from @jack-farrell.bsky.social and @reportrix.bsky.social at The Canadian Press

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Alberta government pauses ban on school library books with sexual content | CBC News
Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says in an email to school boards that the government is pausing its order for the removal of books with explicit sexual content from libraries.
www.cbc.ca
September 2, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
readtheorchard.org
What could possibly go wrong? www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada’s border agency plans to use AI to screen everyone entering the country — and single out ‘higher risk’ people
The tool is expected to launch as early as 2027 and is meant to help border services officers decide whether to refer travellers and the goods they are carrying for
www.thestar.com
August 30, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Reposted by Hamdi Issawi
jenstden.bsky.social
Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders, said press freedom advocates had never seen such a severe step backward for reporters’ safety.

“They are doing everything they can to silence independent voices that are trying to report on Gaza." www.ctvnews.ca/world/articl...
AP freelancer among 5 journalists killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital, health officials say
Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza killed five journalists Monday, according to health officials, including one who days earlier had reported for The Associated Press on children being tre...
www.ctvnews.ca
August 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM