Good morning, Edmonton, Happy Wednesday!!
Last night the world exhaled. A ceasefire is in place in Iran, a Canadian astronaut is heading home from the moon, and right here in Edmonton a courtroom is deciding whether a First Nation can stop a province from trying to leave Canada. Oh, and if you are thinking about buying a used car on Facebook Marketplace, you are going to want to read today's issue before you do anything else.
Grab your coffee. There is a lot going on. 💛
⚖️ A First Nation Walked Into an Edmonton Courtroom Tuesday to Stop Alberta From Leaving Canada
The Alberta separation debate just moved from petition drives to court, and Edmonton is right at the centre of it.
The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation appeared in Edmonton's Court of King's Bench on Tuesday seeking an emergency injunction to halt the Stay Free Alberta petition campaign. The nation's argument is direct: First Nations consent is required before any referendum process on leaving Confederation can move forward, and that consent has not been sought.
The nation is alleging that Alberta, the federal government and the province's chief electoral officer have all failed to uphold treaty rights. Their application would not only suspend the current petition but also block any similar petition from being approved in the future, and it directly challenges aspects of Bill 14, which lowered the threshold needed to trigger a referendum.
Stay Free Alberta says it has already gathered more than the 178,000 signatures needed to force a vote, with a full month still left on the clock before those names must be submitted to Elections Alberta. Premier Danielle Smith has said the question will go to a vote if the petition qualifies.
Whatever you think about separation, this is a moment worth paying attention to. Treaty rights, referendum law and the future of Alberta's place in Canada are all on the table at once. 👇
🚗 Buying a Used Car on Facebook Marketplace in Edmonton? Read This First.
Edmonton police are warning residents about a used car fraud scheme that has been quietly running for over a year and may have more victims than anyone realizes.
A 39-year-old Edmonton man, Harmandeep Singh Bindra, has been charged with fraud and uttering a forged document after allegedly purchasing high-mileage vehicles on Facebook Marketplace, rolling back their odometers by hundreds of thousands of kilometres and reselling them at significantly inflated prices using a fake Facebook account.
Bindra also reportedly provided buyers with falsified CARFAX reports to make the vehicles appear lower mileage than they actually were. The vehicles linked to the scheme are primarily Nissan Altimas, Honda Accords and Honda CR-Vs. Police believe the operation has been running since March 2025.
EPS has confirmed at least two victims so far but believes there are more. Anyone who thinks they may have purchased a vehicle from him is asked to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Bindra is known to use several aliases including Hary Smith, Harry Singh and Gurdev.
If you or anyone you know bought one of these vehicles and something felt off, now is the time to make that call. A quick tip could make a real difference for someone who got taken. 👇
❄️ April Snow Is Coming to Alberta and the Farmers Near Vegreville Are Actually Fine With It
Edmonton is not the only one rolling its eyes at the forecast this week.
A late season winter storm is sweeping across northern and central Alberta, bringing snowfall from Peace River through to Cold Lake, with some areas expected to see up to 20 centimetres before the system clears Wednesday evening. Environment Canada has issued weather alerts across much of the north and a band of west-central communities.
For tired Edmontonians who put their shovels away two weeks ago, this is not the news they wanted. But for grain farmers near Vegreville and across the surrounding region, the moisture is genuinely welcome. After drought conditions that stretched into late June last year, having water in the ground heading into seeding season is exactly what the land needs.
Ken Farion, who has been farming wheat, canola and oats near Vegreville for 50 years, put it plainly: "We take what we get and you deal with the cards you're played." The mountain snowpack feeding Alberta's irrigation systems is also well above normal this year, which bodes well for the months ahead.
Keep the coat by the door for at least another day or two, Edmonton. Spring is coming. It is just taking the scenic route. ❄️👇
🌙 Tonight, the Prime Minister Calls the Moon
Canada's astronaut is heading home and the Prime Minister is calling to say well done.
PM Carney speaks live with Jeremy Hansen and the Artemis II crew tonight at 7:20 PM local time, livestreamed on the Canadian Space Agency's YouTube channel.
Hansen became the first Canadian ever to travel to the moon during Monday's historic lunar flyby, travelling farther into space than any humans since 1972.
The crew splashes down off San Diego on Friday April 10. A great one to pull up on the screen with the kids tonight. 🌙
🕊️ It Is a Ceasefire. Trump and Iran Stepped Back From the Edge Last Night.
Just 90 minutes before Trump's 8pm deadline expired, a two-week ceasefire was struck. Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while peace talks begin Friday in Islamabad, led by Pakistan.
Oil dropped roughly 8 percent on the news. US crude slid to around $103 a barrel after trading as high as $117 earlier in the day. Markets surged overnight.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed acceptance but warned: "Our hands remain upon the trigger." Two weeks of talks will tell us whether this is a real off-ramp or just a pause.
For Edmontonians, lower oil prices mean some relief at the pump and grocery store, at least while the ceasefire holds. 👇
Edmonton local Weather
Day⬇4° lower than historical avg, Night ⬇3° lower than historical avg.
🌤️ Edmonton Weather - Wednesday 8th
After the flurries and cold of the past few days, Wednesday is bringing something that actually feels like a reward, sunshine and a high of 7°C, which means you might get away without the heavy coat for a few hours. Tonight stays clear with a low of minus 3°C, and if you squint just right it almost feels like spring is serious this time. ☀️
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📅 Events Happening This Week in Edmonton
🤼 AEW Dynamite & Collision 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 8 · ⏰ 5:30 PM · 📍 Rogers Place
All Elite Wrestling brings its top stars and championship matches to Edmonton.🎬 NorthWestFilmFest Opens 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 8–12 · ⏰ Various times · 📍 Metro Cinema (8712 109 St NW)
Canada's longest-running documentary film festival kicks off with 50+ features, shorts, and Edmonton-made The Perfect Match.🎸 Hi-Light Festival 2026 Opens 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 8–12 · ⏰ 5 PM onward · 📍 4 Venues (Multi-location)
Edmonton's local music scene celebration: 6 shows, 31 bands, 5 days. Passes from $19.61.🥃 Bridgeland Distillery Blending Seminar: Make Your Own Canadian Whiskey 🎟️ Details
📅 Apr 8 · ⏰ 6–8 PM · 📍 Bridgeland Distillery (9606 Whyte Ave NW)
Hands-on workshop where you blend and bottle your own custom Canadian whiskey.Thursday, April 9
🐀 Rat Academy 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 9–12 · ⏰ 8 PM · 📍 The Roxy Theatre (10708 124 St NW)
Edmonton Fringe sensation returns! Physical comedy masters Dayna Lea Hoffmann and Katie Yoner star as Fingers and Shrimp, the last two rats in Alberta.🏒 Saskatoon Blades at Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL Playoffs) 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 9 · ⏰ 7 PM · 📍 Rogers Place
Game 5 (Home Game 5) of the WHL Eastern Conference First Round.🎸 Hi-Light Festival 2026 (Night 2) 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 9 · ⏰ 5 PM onward · 📍 Various venues
Second night of local music showcases.🎭 The Wizard of Oz – Live Musical Tickets
📅 April 8 – April 12, 2026
🕢 Evening shows: 7:30 PM | Matinees: 1:30 PM
📍 Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Ave, EdmontonThe Citadel Theatre brings the classic story of Dorothy and her journey down the Yellow Brick Road to life in a vibrant stage musical featuring iconic songs, colourful characters, and a magical adventure for all ages
🎭 Casey and Diana 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 8 - 26· ⏰ 7:30 PM · 📍 Citadel Theatre
Powerful drama about residents and staff at Toronto's Casey House preparing for Princess Diana's visit during the AIDS crisis.
Spring is technically here. Edmonton has not gotten the memo yet. We want to know how you are handling the cold snap that just will not quit:
Bet You didn’t know
Trick or Treat Was Born Here 🎃
The phrase "trick or treat" was first published in print in the tiny town of Blackie, Alberta in 1927. A local newspaper used it to describe what children were saying at doors on Halloween. The phrase was completely unknown before that and spread from Alberta to become one of the most recognizable expressions in the English-speaking world.