Western Standard News Update | Smith: Ottawa more Alberta-friendly without Trudeau, NDP | 11 Aug 2026

In this Western Standard News Update, Chief Editor Dave Naylor covers the Bolt Range fire near Summerland keeping thousands of evacuees from returning home, Telefilm Canada budgeting $1.5 million for a Cannes Film Festival pavilion despite Mark Carney’s spending pledge, and opposition MPs seeking a lobbying probe into Carney’s $1.45-billion Vancouver condo bailout. Naylor also looks at a former CMHC boss linked to a home equity tax study being named chairman of Build Canada Homes, Danielle Smith saying Ottawa is more Alberta-friendly now that the NDP and Trudeau are gone, and the BC NDP warning land transfers could total up to 24 million acres.