Why is Alberta holding a referendum on provincial-federal relations, citizens' & non-citizens' rights, and election security?

Shannon Phillips
Thursday, October 15, 2026 12:00 PM
Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

The October 19 provincial referendum will ask Albertan voters 10 questions, nine of them concern policy issues. Voters are asked five questions to indicate their stances on increasing provincial control over immigration to prioritize economic migration; limiting provincial social services to citizens, permanent residents, and Alberta-approved immigrants; requiring non-permanent residents to stay in Alberta for more than 12 months before accessing provincial social services; charging non-permanent residents a premium for using provincial social services; and new rules regarding requirements to vote in a provincial election.

Why have drug poisoning deaths decreased in Lethbridge and Alberta, despite the closure of supervised drug injection sites?

Morgan Magnuson
Thursday, October 29, 2026 12:00 PM
Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

Recorded fatal drug poisonings and overdose deaths in Lethbridge dropped significantly leading up to the final closure of the city’s remaining supervised consumption/overdose prevention site in June 2026. Lethbridge recorded 17 fatal drug overdoses in 2025, a dramatic decrease from the peak of 122 deaths reported in 2023 and the 2025 death toll marked the lowest annual count in the city since 2016. Across Alberta, overall drug-related deaths fell by roughly 35% between 2023 and 2025.

What are the implications of online misinformation for Alberta’s indigenous populations?

Kris Hodgson-Bright, MA, and Dr. Kirsten Fantazir, PhD
Thursday, November 26, 2026 12:00 PM
Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

The Ihtsitomaniista’po’tako’p (Working Together) project is a partnership between Ninastako Cultural Centre and Lethbridge Polytechnic. We are studying Indigenous-specific misinformation, which is false, misleading, or inaccurate information about Indigenous Peoples, cultures, histories, and communities. We want to better understand how this misinformation spreads, how it affects people and communities, and how Indigenous knowledge, stories, language, and digital media can help address it. Community members, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators, content creators, and members of the public all have important perspectives to share.