Calgary Daily Digest — Feb 2, 2026

Heads-up: Alberta’s plan to add extra ER doctor shifts was delayed after talks over pay, billing and liability — the program was supposed to start over the weekend. Dr. Brian Wirzba (Alberta Medical Association) said he’s hopeful a deal with the government will come this week or next; the roles would add two shifts a day, seven days a week and were announced after the Dec. 22, 2025 death of Prashant Sreekumar, 44. Ministers including Matt Jones say recruitment is underway, but doctors and nurses warn this is a temporary “Band‑Aid” that won’t fix wider capacity problems.

Disturbing news: A 37‑year‑old former cadets instructor, Charles Bernatchez, was arrested Jan. 30 and charged with multiple historic sexual offences dating from about 2009–2016 involving three teenage cadets. He’d served with the 2551 Princess Patricia’s cadets and even received the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in 2013; police ask anyone with info to call 780‑423‑4567 (or #377) or Crime Stoppers at 1‑800‑222‑8477. Investigators believe there may be other victims and are urging people to come forward.

Quick take: Former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien spoke in Ottawa about Arctic sovereignty, and Harper denied signing a petition pushing for an Alberta referendum on separation. The event at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society comes as talk of separatism has risen in Alberta; Harper is also in Ottawa this week for his official portrait unveiling and to mark 20 years since the modern Conservative win. Chrétien warned of big geopolitical shifts and said Canada is well placed amid change.

Tragic: Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a crash near Stavely while heading to practice — two were 18‑year‑olds from Kamloops, B.C., and one was a 17‑year‑old from Alabama, U.S. RCMP say the collision with a semi happened around 11 a.m. at Highway 2 and 55 Avenue; the semi driver (a 40‑year‑old man from Stavely) suffered minor injuries. The team and community are grieving deeply as investigations continue.

Workplace fatality: Cenovus Energy says one worker was killed and another injured late last week at the Christina Lake North site near Conklin (south of Fort McMurray) after a pipe rolled off a truck during unloading. Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating; Cenovus says the workers were contractors and expressed condolences to families. It’s the second recent oilsands death after a contractor died at Suncor’s Fort Hills site.

Political update: A second recall petition against UCP MLA and deputy speaker Angela Pitt has failed — petitioner Derek Keenan says he collected about 2,200 names since November, far short of the roughly 15,000 required by the end of Tuesday. That makes two of 26 recall efforts so far to fall short; Keenan says his goal was also to raise awareness in Airdrie‑East. Pitt has denied the petition’s motives and says critics abused positions to launch it.

Heartwarming: Twelve‑year‑old Edmonton student Lylah Janvier started an online candy business, Candy Craze, in early 2025 and now has a big TikTok following (about 20,000) and around 4,000 Facebook followers, dozens of daily orders and more than 100 candy flavours. Lylah and her dad Lorenzo pack orders, travel powwow circuits and hope to inspire other Indigenous youth — she’ll soon speak at a youth conference in Saskatchewan. The message: start small, keep trying, and dreams can grow into real businesses.

Fun local note: Balzac Billy — a human‑sized prairie prognosticator north of Calgary — saw his shadow on Groundhog Day (Feb. 2) and predicted six more weeks of winter. The mascot has been making predictions for 23 years and joins other famous forecasters like Puxutawney Phil (also saw a shadow) and Ontario’s Wiarton Willie (who didn’t). It’s mostly a light, unscientific tradition, but many Albertans enjoy the mid‑winter ritual.

Work life: Thousands of Alberta government workers returned to full‑time office work as the province ended its hybrid option (the change took effect Sunday and workers returned Monday). About 12,000 people had been in hybrid arrangements (roughly 9,000 AUPE members of about 23,000), and the union says frustrated members put brown paper lunch bags on desks with notes saying “Hybrid work tastes better.” The government argues bringing staff back will boost collaboration and service delivery, while unions say exceptions were made for some employees.