Calgary Daily Digest — March 25, 2026

Heads-up: diesel prices are pinching wallets and could shake supply chains. Diesel in Canada jumped to nearly $2.30 per litre — more than 50% higher than three months ago — as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz (about 13 million barrels/day, ~25% of global oil shipments) slow tanker flows; Calgary analyst Richard Masson warns refined‑product shortages (diesel seen at about $200/ barrel) could raise transport costs and even break supply chains over the coming weeks. Small businesses like Ernie Tsu’s Trolley 5 Brewpub in Calgary say higher freight will likely push menu prices up unless local sourcing keeps costs down.

Quick note: Calgary mayor says council members aren’t the RCMP’s target after phone seizures. Mayor Farkas stated no current or former councillors are targets even though warrants were executed at the homes of former mayor Jyoti Gondek, former Ward 4 Coun. Sean Chu and current Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot; the RCMP says the probe stems from an October 2025 Calgary Police Services referral and no charges have been laid. Chief Katie McLellan and experts say bringing in the RCMP made sense for independence, while some councillors call the situation a big distraction.

Short take: all final Alberta recall petitions against UCP MLAs have failed. Elections Alberta says petitions to recall Justice Minister Mickey Amery, Justin Wright, Jackie Armstrong‑Homeniuk and Ron Wiebe didn’t get enough signatures — Amery’s gathered under 500 vs the ~9,000 needed (60% of 2023 Calgary‑Cross votes). That leaves two active petitions (Peter Guthrie and Marie Renaud); most recall drives began after Premier Danielle Smith used the notwithstanding clause to end last fall’s teachers’ strike.

Interesting debate: former premier Jason Kenney will face a separatism advocate in two debates this spring. Kenney will debate lawyer Keith Wilson on May 1 in Edmonton at a Civitas Canada members’ conference (moderated by Lorne Gunter) and later in Calgary with the Aristotle Foundation; a January petition needs nearly 178,000 signatures by May 2 to force a separation vote. Kenney has been a critic of separatism, while Premier Danielle Smith says a successful petition would put the question to voters this fall.

Who’s next: committee recommends Phillip Peters as Alberta’s new auditor general. The legislature committee voted to recommend Peters (current AG general counsel and ethics officer) to replace Doug Wylie, with Peters set to start April 29; he’ll inherit Wylie’s high‑profile probe into multimillion‑dollar health contracts. NDP members criticized parts of the hiring process despite Peters’ qualifications, while NDP leader Naheed Nenshi says he expects the investigation to continue.

Local change: Didsbury bans decorative flags and nonstandard crosswalks on public land. The town passed a public‑spaces neutrality bylaw allowing only government flags and standard road markings — Mayor Chris Little says it’s about neutrality, but Calgary Pride warns the move risks erasing LGBTQ+ and other community representation; similar bylaws were passed in Westlock and Barrhead in 2024.

Weather flash: a surprise spring snowstorm caused hundreds of crashes in Calgary. Heavy, wet snow during the morning rush led to whiteout conditions north of Glenmore Trail and along Highway 1, producing 287 crashes between 8 a.m. and noon (plus 14 earlier) and about 16 cm at the airport; Environment Canada issued a snowfall advisory and meteorologist Terri Lang warned another 5–8 cm could fall overnight.

Safety alert: Edmonton man charged after women say he drugged them from dating apps. William McMullin, 56, was arrested March 17 and faces multiple charges including sexual assault and administering a stupefying substance, with police saying incidents began with matches on apps like Facebook Dating, Bumble and Tinder; he’s remanded until March 27 and EPS asks any other possible victims to call 780‑423‑4567 or #377.

Tragic update: two men charged in the killing of a St. Albert dentist after a Feb. 19 house fire. RCMP say 59‑year‑old Mai Diab’s body was found following the Keystone Crescent fire; Edmonton resident Mouhamad Fadi Orfahly, 44, was arrested March 9 and charged with first‑degree murder, and Mahmoud Ali Abdallah Mansour, 43, was arrested March 12 in Toronto and charged with indignity to human remains and being an accessory after the fact. Both are in custody and the community is reeling, with Windermere Pediatric Dentistry temporarily closed.