Zack Elias
@zackelias.bsky.social
Edmonton based criminal defence lawyer
Reposted by Zack Elias
But we know the rot goes to the roots.
An investigation by the Info & Privacy Commissioner found the UCP had created system-wide policies designed to deny public record requests.
And it seems they’re still at it.
A gov’t so drunk on power they don’t think they have to answer to anyone. #abpoli
An investigation by the Info & Privacy Commissioner found the UCP had created system-wide policies designed to deny public record requests.
And it seems they’re still at it.
A gov’t so drunk on power they don’t think they have to answer to anyone. #abpoli
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
But we know the rot goes to the roots.
An investigation by the Info & Privacy Commissioner found the UCP had created system-wide policies designed to deny public record requests.
And it seems they’re still at it.
A gov’t so drunk on power they don’t think they have to answer to anyone. #abpoli
An investigation by the Info & Privacy Commissioner found the UCP had created system-wide policies designed to deny public record requests.
And it seems they’re still at it.
A gov’t so drunk on power they don’t think they have to answer to anyone. #abpoli
Reposted by Zack Elias
This is a pattern with the UCP.
Albertans request records, the UCP denies they exist & drags their feet on releasing anything.
That’s against access to info laws.
And since Minister Ellis oversees enforcement of the law in Alberta, I asked how he’d investigate & ensure accountability. #abpoli
Albertans request records, the UCP denies they exist & drags their feet on releasing anything.
That’s against access to info laws.
And since Minister Ellis oversees enforcement of the law in Alberta, I asked how he’d investigate & ensure accountability. #abpoli
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
This is a pattern with the UCP.
Albertans request records, the UCP denies they exist & drags their feet on releasing anything.
That’s against access to info laws.
And since Minister Ellis oversees enforcement of the law in Alberta, I asked how he’d investigate & ensure accountability. #abpoli
Albertans request records, the UCP denies they exist & drags their feet on releasing anything.
That’s against access to info laws.
And since Minister Ellis oversees enforcement of the law in Alberta, I asked how he’d investigate & ensure accountability. #abpoli
Is anyone surprised at the UCPs dishonesty???
We caught the UCP red-handed.
We asked Public Safety & Emergency Services for any correspondence between Min. Ellis & the Edmonton Police Commission.
They told us - twice - there was none.
We asked the Commission & got 130 pages including 5 letters signed by Ellis. #abpoli
We asked Public Safety & Emergency Services for any correspondence between Min. Ellis & the Edmonton Police Commission.
They told us - twice - there was none.
We asked the Commission & got 130 pages including 5 letters signed by Ellis. #abpoli
November 25, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Is anyone surprised at the UCPs dishonesty???
💯🎯🎯
Three-in-four people accused of a crime are now detained pending a trial or resolution of their charges. Crime rates keep decreasing. Yet, calls for bail reforms have persisted. The disconnect appears to be an issue of perception, the feeling of comfort over safety. www.thestar.com/news/crime/t...
The Carney government has proposed bail reforms. But is the system really ‘broken’?
The Carney Liberals have proposed new bail reforms amid growing calls from politicians, police and the public to fix Canada's "broken" bail system? But is it really broken?
www.thestar.com
October 26, 2025 at 10:05 PM
💯🎯🎯
Reposted by Zack Elias
but electronic tabulators are bad amirite
Parmar was behind 6 votes before recount, and now wins by 600.
And fifth-place Kotch lost more than 600 votes.
Imma guess a poll clerk at one poll put Parmar’s votes in the wrong column.
And fifth-place Kotch lost more than 600 votes.
Imma guess a poll clerk at one poll put Parmar’s votes in the wrong column.
Update: Thu Parmar defeats Better Edmonton Party candidate Darrell Friesen in Ward sipiwiyiniwak after today’s recount.
October 23, 2025 at 1:03 AM
but electronic tabulators are bad amirite
Reposted by Zack Elias
The journal has run like a halfdozen articles now asking why people weren't as mad as the journal said they should be.
“I think this actually represents a bigger question of how much of what we saw was manufactured rage-baiting,” Janz said. “I think we have a real problem with misinformation being spread through social media posts." #yeg #yegvote
Doorstep concerns contrast to online vitriol, say some returning incumbents
Candidates say public mood at the doorstop very different from what was seen on social media
bit.ly
October 23, 2025 at 3:27 AM
The journal has run like a halfdozen articles now asking why people weren't as mad as the journal said they should be.
Reposted by Zack Elias
“We heard for instance, there was this whole neighbourhood of Delton (upset about bike lanes) but when push came to shove, Ashley Salvador, a bike-lane advocate, won that neighbourhood with more than half of the vote.”
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
Doorstep concerns contrast to online vitriol, say some returning incumbents
Candidates say public mood at the doorstop very different from what was seen on social media
edmontonjournal.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:15 PM
“We heard for instance, there was this whole neighbourhood of Delton (upset about bike lanes) but when push came to shove, Ashley Salvador, a bike-lane advocate, won that neighbourhood with more than half of the vote.”
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
Reposted by Zack Elias
Update: Thu Parmar defeats Better Edmonton Party candidate Darrell Friesen in Ward sipiwiyiniwak after today’s recount.
October 23, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Update: Thu Parmar defeats Better Edmonton Party candidate Darrell Friesen in Ward sipiwiyiniwak after today’s recount.
Team Janz!!!!
Elliott sucks.
Elliott sucks.
One of the more interesting election story lines: looks like the new Edmonton city council will include both Michael Janz — a frequent police critic — & former Edmonton Police Association head Michael Elliott. There’s been some … acrimony between them in the past. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
Head of Edmonton police union stepping down: 'My mental health is more important at the moment'
The head of Edmonton's police union is leaving partway through his second term, saying he wants to focus on his family and mental health.
edmontonjournal.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Team Janz!!!!
Elliott sucks.
Elliott sucks.
Pretty sure they get paid way too much to do a job that could be replaced by a rubber stamp saying “approved”.
News: a report into the "governance crisis" in Edmonton policing recommends increasing pay for police commissioners and removing councillors from the civilian oversight body.
AB gov ordered the report after EPS complained to have two city appointees removed from the commission over alleged bias.
AB gov ordered the report after EPS complained to have two city appointees removed from the commission over alleged bias.
Report recommends increased pay for Edmonton police commissioners, cutting city councillors
A report on the "governance crisis" in Edmonton policing recommends removing city councillors from the police commission — as well as increasing pay for those who sit on the civilian oversight board.
edmontonjournal.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Pretty sure they get paid way too much to do a job that could be replaced by a rubber stamp saying “approved”.
Reposted by Zack Elias
From the inbox: the former director of the Law Enforcement Training Program in Lac La Biche (this appears to be a program at the local college) has been charged with sexual assault against a trainee. RCMP say there may be other victims.
October 17, 2025 at 6:21 PM
From the inbox: the former director of the Law Enforcement Training Program in Lac La Biche (this appears to be a program at the local college) has been charged with sexual assault against a trainee. RCMP say there may be other victims.
Reposted by Zack Elias
Receiving campaign donations from people who have also donated to the UCP isn’t inherently a bad thing. But issuing a statement about transparency while sharing misleading information absolutely is.
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
October 16, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Receiving campaign donations from people who have also donated to the UCP isn’t inherently a bad thing. But issuing a statement about transparency while sharing misleading information absolutely is.
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
Reposted by Zack Elias
Another @matthewblack.ca banger analyzing the outgoing Edmonton city council's voting records. "Mayoral candidates Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack voted together 72 per cent of the time, and both voted around 75 per cent of the time w outgoing Mayor Amarjeet Sohi." edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Edmonton Votes 2025: Voting records reveal close councillor alignment ahead of election day
An analysis of four years of voting records show all but two council members voted the same was as each other a majority of the time
edmontonjournal.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Another @matthewblack.ca banger analyzing the outgoing Edmonton city council's voting records. "Mayoral candidates Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack voted together 72 per cent of the time, and both voted around 75 per cent of the time w outgoing Mayor Amarjeet Sohi." edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Zack Elias
Happy to join the #DrawtheLine protest this afternoon.
We won’t quietly watch as the Liberal government and Canada’s richest corporations drain our communities, dismantle public services, worsen the climate crisis, target migrants, seize Indigenous lands, and enable genocide in Palestine.
We won’t quietly watch as the Liberal government and Canada’s richest corporations drain our communities, dismantle public services, worsen the climate crisis, target migrants, seize Indigenous lands, and enable genocide in Palestine.
September 20, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Happy to join the #DrawtheLine protest this afternoon.
We won’t quietly watch as the Liberal government and Canada’s richest corporations drain our communities, dismantle public services, worsen the climate crisis, target migrants, seize Indigenous lands, and enable genocide in Palestine.
We won’t quietly watch as the Liberal government and Canada’s richest corporations drain our communities, dismantle public services, worsen the climate crisis, target migrants, seize Indigenous lands, and enable genocide in Palestine.
Reposted by Zack Elias
Further thoughts on this:
1. Edmontonians and Canadians generally should look down south and think hard about whether we want to expand law enforcement’s political influence.
2. There is frequently a gulf between what happened and what is provable in court. Police are…not invariably alive (cont)
1. Edmontonians and Canadians generally should look down south and think hard about whether we want to expand law enforcement’s political influence.
2. There is frequently a gulf between what happened and what is provable in court. Police are…not invariably alive (cont)
This is the most extraordinary thing that the EPS, as an organization, has said during my fourteen-plus year legal career. “Crisis” would be dramatically understating it.
EPS says they're "frequently aghast with prosecutorial decisions."
This looks like a police service in revolt against the lawyers who prosecute most of their cases
This looks like a police service in revolt against the lawyers who prosecute most of their cases
September 9, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Further thoughts on this:
1. Edmontonians and Canadians generally should look down south and think hard about whether we want to expand law enforcement’s political influence.
2. There is frequently a gulf between what happened and what is provable in court. Police are…not invariably alive (cont)
1. Edmontonians and Canadians generally should look down south and think hard about whether we want to expand law enforcement’s political influence.
2. There is frequently a gulf between what happened and what is provable in court. Police are…not invariably alive (cont)
Reposted by Zack Elias
A good time to reup this "Peanuts" strip from January 7, 1967, back when there was ample living memory of how terrible measles was and why we should want to eradicate it.
September 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
A good time to reup this "Peanuts" strip from January 7, 1967, back when there was ample living memory of how terrible measles was and why we should want to eradicate it.
Reposted by Zack Elias
5000 people on our streets with no housing.
1000s more barely hanging on, struggling to pay rent.
Yet last year, the UCP barely hit 50% of their target for affordable housing.
An incompetent gov’t with the wrong priorities.
Alberta, you deserve better.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #abpoli
1000s more barely hanging on, struggling to pay rent.
Yet last year, the UCP barely hit 50% of their target for affordable housing.
An incompetent gov’t with the wrong priorities.
Alberta, you deserve better.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #abpoli
Alberta gov't fell short of its affordable housing goal last year: annual report | CBC News
The provincial government completed fewer new or refurbished affordable housing units last year than the previous three years, according to figures in the Seniors, Community and Social Services Minist...
www.cbc.ca
July 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
5000 people on our streets with no housing.
1000s more barely hanging on, struggling to pay rent.
Yet last year, the UCP barely hit 50% of their target for affordable housing.
An incompetent gov’t with the wrong priorities.
Alberta, you deserve better.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #abpoli
1000s more barely hanging on, struggling to pay rent.
Yet last year, the UCP barely hit 50% of their target for affordable housing.
An incompetent gov’t with the wrong priorities.
Alberta, you deserve better.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #abpoli
Reposted by Zack Elias
I want to thank Blake Desjarlais for his service. He served this riding with enthusiasm, competence, compassion and dignity.
April 29, 2025 at 4:45 AM
I want to thank Blake Desjarlais for his service. He served this riding with enthusiasm, competence, compassion and dignity.
Reposted by Zack Elias
cannot say enough how much i despise the leaders and the senior leadership of canada's three major political parties. whatever the result tonight we all lose.
April 28, 2025 at 11:23 PM
cannot say enough how much i despise the leaders and the senior leadership of canada's three major political parties. whatever the result tonight we all lose.
Reposted by Zack Elias
We have literally never had a more real one than Blake Desjarlais, this is a crushing blow and I'm thankful to have had him as my MP while we did
April 29, 2025 at 4:50 AM
We have literally never had a more real one than Blake Desjarlais, this is a crushing blow and I'm thankful to have had him as my MP while we did
Future leader of the NDP and future PM @heathermcpherson.bsky.social ?!!?
April 29, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Future leader of the NDP and future PM @heathermcpherson.bsky.social ?!!?
Reposted by Zack Elias
NEW: The Edmonton Police Service had such difficulty finding volunteers for a February ceremony honouring outgoing chief Dale McFee that it had to pay officers overtime, according to documents obtained through FOIP.
www.theprogressreport.ca/exclusive_ep...
www.theprogressreport.ca/exclusive_ep...
EXCLUSIVE: EPS couldn't find volunteers for ceremony honouring Dale McFee, so it paid overtime
The Edmonton Police Service had such difficulty finding volunteers for a ceremony honouring outgoing chief Dale McFee that it had to pay officers overtime and ask EPS lawyers to participate, according...
www.theprogressreport.ca
April 15, 2025 at 8:44 PM
NEW: The Edmonton Police Service had such difficulty finding volunteers for a February ceremony honouring outgoing chief Dale McFee that it had to pay officers overtime, according to documents obtained through FOIP.
www.theprogressreport.ca/exclusive_ep...
www.theprogressreport.ca/exclusive_ep...
Reposted by Zack Elias
"the officers had no intention of hitting anyone but the robbery suspect."
They fired DIRECTLY AT AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
They fired DIRECTLY AT AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
Edmonton police officers won't face charges after an innocent man was unknowingly shot and killed in 2022, Alberta’s police watchdog said Wednesday.
ASIRT called the man's death "tragic," said but the officers were defending themselves from imminent harm.
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...
ASIRT called the man's death "tragic," said but the officers were defending themselves from imminent harm.
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/...
Officers won't be charged after innocent man shot and killed: Alberta police watchdog
EDMONTON - Officers won't face charges after an innocent man was unknowingly shot and killed in 2022, Alberta’s police watchdog said Wednesday.
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca
December 12, 2024 at 3:51 AM
"the officers had no intention of hitting anyone but the robbery suspect."
They fired DIRECTLY AT AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
They fired DIRECTLY AT AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
Reposted by Zack Elias
The same people who reminisce about the loss of Don Cherry on Coach's Corner after his rant against immigration are voting for someone who wants to defund the network that created the show in the first place.
Who do you think is responsible for building that Canadian culture you so fondly miss?
Who do you think is responsible for building that Canadian culture you so fondly miss?
November 23, 2024 at 5:04 PM
The same people who reminisce about the loss of Don Cherry on Coach's Corner after his rant against immigration are voting for someone who wants to defund the network that created the show in the first place.
Who do you think is responsible for building that Canadian culture you so fondly miss?
Who do you think is responsible for building that Canadian culture you so fondly miss?
Reposted by Zack Elias
Hate that encampments exist, not the people living in them. Encampments exist because we've unfortunately made housing a privilege rather than a human right. #HousingCrisis
November 23, 2024 at 2:41 PM
Hate that encampments exist, not the people living in them. Encampments exist because we've unfortunately made housing a privilege rather than a human right. #HousingCrisis